Are you planning a trip to New York City, is it your first time going to one of the most lively cities on the planet? There are some few things you’d need to know and do and one of the most essential ones is looking at where you would possibly be staying when you arrive there. Whether you would be lodging in one of the nicest hotels in New York City or you are renting an apartment, it is important to know the best and nicest areas to live when you are in New York.
Finding a hotel sometimes can be a little difficult especially if it is your first time in New York, yes! It is a big city and one of the most bustling cities in the globe but this article will help not just with the nicest hotels in NYC but also areas in New York where you can stay as a first timer. This article is not limited to first timers in the city of New York only, it is also recommended for those looking for nice places within the city where they can stay and be guaranteed of having a nice time regardless of their time in the city.
New York City is not the cheapest destination for a trip and staying in the city is not a bargain by any stretch of the imagination but the sprawling metropolis is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet and it is worth every cent.
There are cheap places to stay in New York, there are hotels for $120 for a night, it all depends on what you are looking for and how much you are willing to spend, however quality has its price. Before you pick the perfect accommodation, you should ask yourself “What part of New York is best for you to stay”? With this question in mind, you should be able to explore your option and look at the big picture. There are cheap places to stay in New York as well as expensive places with luxury and boutique hotels and accommodations.
New York is the fourth most populated state in the US, the reason why Manhattan is packed with skyscrapers is because all those people have to fit into a relatively small area and there are over 50 million tourists that visit New York annually will need a place to stay as well.
New York City consists of five districts that are known as boroughs, they are, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island. Amongst these districts or boroughs, Manhattan is your only option if you are traveling to New York for sightseeing because all the magnificent structures, famous and important sights of New York are in Manhattan.
Best Neighborhood in New York
We have put together a list of all the best places to stay in New York to help you find your bearing and also to make you know where everything is in Manhattan; for instance, the popular tourist attractions in Manhattan. Below is a list of neighborhoods in New York
Upper East Side – This is an ideal for luxury, shopping and museum lovers
Midtown – This is an ideal place for first timers in New York
Chelsea & Greenwich Village – This is an ideal place for New York romantics
Soho & Lower East Side – This is for hipsters and coolhunters
Queens – This is ideal place for those on a budget
Tips for staying in New York
Budget hotels are scarce in New York because of the exorbitant real estate prices. If you are looking for a cheap accommodation in New York and you do not mind the commute, here are a few tips for finding cheap places to stay in New York. Before we delve right in, please be mindful that cheap hotels are generally of much lower quality, it’s very difficult to find a room in a good location for less than $120 dollars but if you prefer a larger room with a bit of luxury and comfort, then expect to pay from the range of $300 to $400 per night, mid-range hotels in good location are about $200. However these prices depend on the travel season
The lowest accommodation or room rate are available in January, February, July and August. Accommodations and hotel rooms are most expensive in April, May September and October.
Before you book a hotel or rent an apartment in New York, it is better you look at the ratings or review before making any decision. This is important because if it is your first time in the city there are things that might come as shocking to you. For example, hotels in New York have tiny rooms with about 15 sqm for about $200 to $300 depending on the location. The ratings or reviews will give you an insight of what to expect in the hotel or the neighborhood.
Another important tip as far as finding a place to stay in New York is concerned is to book early, this is very crucial because the metropolis is a popular tourist destination all year round, there are people from all over the world that are going to city some for sightseeing, others for vacation and if you are moving to New York and you haven’t gotten a place to stay you should get an apartment as early as possible so you can move in without any delays.
One of the most important things to look out for when picking a hotel accommodation or an apartment depends a lot on how long you will be staying and what you intend on doing. Regardless of the neighborhood you decide to stay, make sure there is a subway station not far from you, this will help your mobility a lot when you want to get around the city.
Cheap Accommodation in Queens
If you are looking for cheap accommodation in New York then Queens is the right district for you. You will get more value for your money and you will not have to spend more than $200 for a hotel room and with $500 upwards you can get an apartment depending on the location.
Queens is one of the nicest places to stay if you are on a budget, it is not far from Midtown (its only 15 minutes away by subway) and they have really nice and budget hotels and apartments in Queens. Even if you have an office in Manhattan you can live in Queens and be taking the subway daily to from Queens to Manhattan.
Advantages in staying in Queens
It is cheaper and still fairly close to the most important sights in New York
Queens offers a breathtaking wide view of the New York skyline
It offers a better value for money than in Manhattan
Disadvantages in staying in Queens
You will always have to take the subway to go sightseeing
It is located outside Manhattan.
In Queens there are cheap hotels, mid-range hotels and luxury hotels as well as apartment. For cheap hotels in Queens you can book Grandview Hotel, for a luxury hotel in Queens, you can book The Rockaway Hotel and for a mid-range hotel in Queens you can book Aloft LaGuardia Airport.
Cheap Accommodation in New Jersey
New Jersey is another state in the US but it is close, located across from Manhattan on the other side of the Hudson River. Jersey City is just across from Manhattan, the hotels right at the water habe a beautiful panoramic view of the Manhattan Skyline. The hotel prices, however, are not cheaper than in Manhattan because it is not far at all and you can get there by subway. But if you want a cheap hotel then you should look the ones in Newark.
Hotels in Newark are located a little further outside, they do not offer a view on Manhattan but you can get a nice room from the range of 120 to 170 dollars. We recommend you book a hotel that is close to the Newark Penn Station. From there to the World Trade Center via red PATH Train Line is just 22 minutes and a one-way ticket costs 2.75 dollars.
Advantages of staying in Newark
You are closer to the airport
You will get more value for your money than in Manhattan
Disadvantages in staying in Newark
It will take you 20 to 30 minutes to get to Manhattan
You do not have a view of the city skyline and the authentic New York feel.
Cheap Accommodation in New York with Airbnb?
On Airbnb, there are apartments listed that are considerably cheaper than comparable hotel rooms. One of the two major reasons Airbnb is a good platform is because it allows you to rent out your apartment when you are on a vacation and you get to stay in a private apartment instead of a hotel which would make you feel at home anywhere you are in the world. However, there are individuals who lease their apartment for the sole purpose of putting them on Airbnb and filled with random ugly furniture just to make quick cash by renting them out. This has made the housing market in major cities to be more overcrowded and prices have doubled. Individuals have been driven out of popular district because of this.
New York has always been a place where cost of living is high, apartments are expensive; for example, a small room in a shared apartment with a private bathroom in Manhattan is about 1,700 dollars to 3,500 dollars. This is the reason why New Yorkers spend an average of 60 percent of their income on rent.
Renting an apartment for a short period of time (less than a month) is illegal according to the new laws. Whether or not it is a private apartment that is only rented out from time to time or an apartment that is a full-time vacation home. The only exception is that, two people can stay in an apartment with a New York resident if you share the apartment with them.
Upper East Side – For luxury lovers
If you like a quiet place (although not so quiet) this is right place to stay in New York, you can explore the museums and go for a run in Central Park in the mornings. There is a bit of a stereotype because people still think of this neighborhood as a place for the rich and beautiful. Although there is a truth in that but over the years a lot has changed. Upper East Side is replete of beautiful building and luxury boutique hotels. Central Park is right at the Upper East Side, the 5th Avenue which is also known as Museum Mile runs east of Central Park. You will find Guggenheim Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Metropolitan Museum, the Neue Galerie and the Goethe Institute.
Advantages of staying in the Upper East Side
It is within a walking distance of several major museums in the city.
Central Park is not far.
It is the quietest district.
Disadvantages of staying in the Upper East Side
Hotels are more expensive than in other districts.
There is smaller selection of restaurants and bars.
Longer journey to the sights in the south of Manhattan.
Midtown – For first-timers
If it is your first time in New York, Midtown is the right place for you to stay; this is because you have easy access to see a lot of sight the city has to offer in the shortest possible time. 90 percent of people in this part of town are visitors; it is the area with the largest selection of hotels across every price range and the one of the most popular districts for hotel searches.
Regardless of where you are in Midtown, you will be within a walking distance of several important and most famous sights such as Times Square, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, Central Park, the Broadway theaters and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). It is easy to explore the city on foot because it is connected to other parts of the town. All the major subway lines in New York run through Midtown so you can easily navigate your way through the city from Midtown.
Advantages in staying in Midtown
It is super-well connected.
There is large selection of hotels in every price range.
There are lots of sights within a walking distance.
It is super-central and connecting to different part of the city is easy.
Disadvantages of staying in Midtown
There are fewer nice restaurants than in other districts.
Noise (to find a quiet hotel check hotel reviews).
It is an area for tourists not for locals.
There are too many tourists.
Chelsea & Greenwich Village – For romantics
This is the right place for you if you have been to New York before and you have already seen the main sights and attraction of the city and now you are looking to go deeper into New York life and away from the tourists’ areas. Chelsea and Greenwich Village is the art district. You can watch passers-by without getting bored and also listen to street musicians for hours on Washington Square. You can stroll down the narrow and winding streets and admire the city’s typical sandstone buildings. You can eat in any one of the little restaurants.
At Greenwich Village, there are some nice comedy clubs, jazz bars, this is really a nice place to be, the feeling is extraordinary. There are several swanky clubs in Meatpacking District.
Advantages of staying in Chelsea & Greenwich Village
There is huge selection of nice restaurants in every price range.
You would have an authentic New York experience.
Wall Street, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge (the major sights in the south) are a short subway ride away.
There are several stylish hotels at affordable prices.
Disadvantages of staying in Chelsea & Greenwich Village
The place is usually loud in the evenings and at night (check hotel reviews for noise complaints).
Sights in Midtown are far away, not within walking distance.
Soho & Lower East Side – For hipsters
This is a nice area for those who have already explored the main sights of New York, Soho and the Lower East Side are hip so you’d experience life in different dimensions. Soho is a residential neighborhood and it borders Greenwich Village to the south and it is commonly known for its many arts and designs shops and beautiful cast-iron building. Lower East Side is also a residential neighborhood so there are no famous sights there.
Soho and Lower East side offer amazingly diverse street scene with a mix of great restaurants and boutiques for every budget. One of the loveliest things about these neighborhoods is that you can get to various parts of the city on foot from here. The streets in these neighborhoods are extremely amazing; there is Little Italy, Chinatown, and the Bowery.
Advantages of staying in Soho & the Lower East Village
There are various restaurants, bars and stores for every budget.
You will be staying where New Yorkers live.
Disadvantages of staying in Soho & the East Village
You will have to take public transport to all the super-famous sights.
The East Village is not well connected.
