Safehouses in GTA IV

As in previous Grand Theft Auto games, safehouses in Grand Theft Auto IV are available in Liberty City and Alderney for Niko Bellic to use to save the game, watch TV, and a wardrobe to change his clothes. GTA IV has a total of five safehouses, one of which becomes inaccessible early on, and one of which is optional.

The number of safehouses in GTA IV is a sharp reduction from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which offered up to 37 safehouses. Niko acquires his safehouses free of charge, as the player is automatically awarded each safehouse upon completion of specific missions.

Description
Safehouses are redesigned in GTA IV. Instead of spinning save icons, the player approaches the bed within the safehouse, and selects the option to sleep and save their game. Garages used to store vehicles are replaced by yellow-outlined "RESIDENTS PARKING ONLY" printed parking spaces located on the street outside the safehouses. These parking spaces can accomodate a maximum of two cars or two motorcycles, and it can store helicopters e.g, Maverick, or Annihilator. Any damaged vehicles saved in the parking spaces will repair themselves when Niko leaves the area or the player reloads their game. Each safehouse features a working television, though only one features internet access (though the computer in the lobby of the Northwood Penthouse building can be used to access the internet).

Although some safehouses will not be available until certain points in the storyline (and one may be skipped entirely), the player can still save vehicles in the parking spaces outside the safehouse from the beginning of the storyline. Even though the Broker apartment is burnt down during the storyline, its parking space remains usable.