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There are more hotel rooms than ever in New York City, as exciting new properties continue to open their doors not only in Manhattan but in Brooklyn and the outer boroughs as well. But does that mean that New York is cheap? Well, we wouldn’t say cheap, but you can still find some deals, especially if you’re not set on a specific property or neighborhood, and if you don’t mind a few extra minutes of commuting time.
Hotels continue to slash rates based on market sensitivity—especially if you and all of those other Internet-savvy shoppers are willing to wait until the last minute. That said, if you want to stay in a specific place and the rate seems reasonable, book it—it's just as likely to go up, especially during peak seasons (spring and fall).
How to choose? The first thing to consider is location. Many New York City visitors insist on staying in the hectic Midtown area—and options are improving there—but other neighborhoods are often just as convenient. Less touristy areas, such as Gramercy, the Lower East Side, the Upper West Side—even Brooklyn—provide a more realistic sense of New York life, too.
Also consider timing: the least expensive months to book rooms in the city are January and February. If you're flexible on dates, ask the reservationist if there's a cheaper time to stay during your preferred traveling month—that way you can avoid peak dates, like Fashion Week and the New York City Marathon. Be sure to ask about possible weekend packages that could include a third night free. (The Financial District in particular can be a discount gold mine on weekends.)
Another source of bargains? Chain hotels. Many have moved into the city and charge reasonable room rates. In addition to favorites like the Sheraton, Hilton, and Hyatt brands, there are Best Westerns, Days Inns, and Comfort Inns. These rates aren't as low as you find outside Manhattan, but they're certainly getting closer.
Europeans and students know about the chipper, winning attitude of this friendly, no-frills hotel, where the public spaces and themed rooms have been painted by artists. Some guest quarters have en-suite bathrooms, otherwise there are shared, very clean, unisex bathrooms on each floor.
A favorite for its comfortable rooms and great location, the Casablanca evokes the sultry Mediterranean with its colors and decor, including a lobby outfitted with mirrors and mosaics, wooden blinds, and bistro tables—it's all rather theatrical, but then again, so is the neighborhood. Huge tiled bathrooms, all with windows, include bathrobes and slippers, and the rooms (there are also six slightly larger mini-suites) have soundproofed windows to limit noise from Times Square. On the second floor, music plays while guests linger in the spacious Rick's Café for the complimentary continental breakfast buffet and wine-and-cheese evenings.
Rooms at the City Club are bright, basic, and rather compact—like cabins on an ocean liner—and have city-themed photos from the '50s, CO Bigelow toiletries, and hotel-monogrammed wool blankets. There's no bar on-site, nor a gym, but guests who book directly through the hotel receive free access to a nearby Blink Fitness.
An indulgent-yet-reasonable surprise in a quiet Battery Park City location, this suites-only hotel has many coveted amenities: significant square footage, a breezy rooftop bar, and access to green space in nearby Hudson River Park. Every two-room suite has a separate bedroom and living area—starting at 430 square feet. Luxurious extras include a wet bar, espresso machine, and huge walk-in shower. A natural choice for business travelers, this hotel is also good for families (with a movie theater and Shake Shack in the same complex). The seasonal Loopy Doopy rooftop bar has Hudson river views and serves "Poptails" of fruit and sparkling wine. The ground-floor restaurant, Atrio, serves Mediterranean-influenced meals from an open kitchen, with spillover space in the futuristic lobby, anchored by a 14-story mural by Sol LeWitt.
Hotels have started to realize what New Yorkers themselves have known for years: that Long Island City is a convenient base for exploring Manhattan. All the budget chains are here, but among the most smartly located is the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, right near multiple subway lines, in a neighborhood that has gone from shabby warehouses to gleaming high-rises in the blink of an eye. Rooms are incredibly spacious and more reasonably priced than their Manhattan counterparts. Meanwhile, the hotel restaurant nosh! offers breakfast sandwiches and evening cocktails, and hotel staff will help you choose among a wealth of local dining options, including the nearby Adda Indian Canteen, that offer delivery.
This Midtown hotel specializes in style more than comfort, but for the price it's still quite livable, despite some over-the-top design features and the noise from scenesters headed to the rooftop bar. The dreamscape starts in the lobby, which contains an enormous two-story cylindrical neon-lighted aquarium. Rooms have stark white walls, modern furniture, and psychedelic patterned headboards. Stay here if you love modern touches like plasma TVs, texting with the multilingual staff, and a velvet-rope bar with views at PHD Terrace. You can also get sociable with games at Fishbowl, and dine on rustic Italian fare at Serafina. There's a second Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking District.
Overlooking Lincoln Center, one block from Central Park, and convenient to midtown shopping and sights, the showstopper of this hotel is a seasonal outdoor pool and a rooftop lounge with live music and entertainment. Rooms are well maintained and comfortable, although the patterned floors and wallpaper in earthy colors in guest rooms could do with updating to be more in line with the bold and graphic lobby. Although there's no on-site restaurant, lively PJ Clarke's is on the ground floor, and the hotel's location across the street from Lincoln Center means there are ample restaurants, cafés, and quick bites within a few steps.
Directly across the street from the American Museum of Natural History, this well-kept, old-school spot has rooms with warm lighting, comfortable beds, and work desks that have ergonomic chairs. The hotel restaurant, Calle Ocho, is a Latin-fusion spot that serves lunch and dinner alongside a cocktail list full of refreshing choices. The library lounge—with leather sofas, a cozy fireplace, and tables with built-in game boards—is an unexpected plus. On the negative side is a staff that sometimes seems too busy to focus on customer service.
Queens is home to two of New York's major airports, and LaGuardia is much closer to the action than John F. Kennedy. Fairfield Inn by Marriott New York LaGuardia Airport/Astoria is overall a no-frills accommodation, and offers a complimentary shuttle from LGA. It's close to some of Astoria's top restaurants, but you won't need that convenience for the first meal of the day since a fantastic continental breakfast is included with your stay.
This discreet Nomad hotel exudes Gilded Age decadence from the moment you enter its discreet lobby—set in a former Fifth Avenue bank designed by lauded architects McKim, Mead & White in 1907, plus a sleek new tower next door, it’s a jewel box wrapped up in lavish European wallpapers and fabrics and infused with a signature house scent. Even the smallest rooms are large by NYC standards (starting at 300 square feet). All come with a "maxi" bar with full-size everything (the soft drinks and snacks are complimentary), sumptuous decor, and bespoke toiletries. A free breakfast is served daily in a sunlit, guest-only atrium, whipped up by celebrated chef Andrew Carmellini (of Locande Verde, Lafayette, and The Dutch fame), whose first namesake restaurant, the swish Café Carmellini downstairs, delivers Tuscan fare in a dazzling two-story space. The cozy, wood-paneled Portrait Bar tucked down a back hallway adds speakeasy vibes and a global drinks list.
This superluxurious property by the Four Seasons is a posh haven near the World Trade Center, with a modern residential-inspired design, a 75-foot indoor pool, an indulgent spa, and CUT restaurant by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Expect comfortably chic rooms, good views from any floor, and top-tier service across the board. Pets are welcome with a one-time cleaning fee.
On one of Greenpoint’s trendiest shopping and dining streets, this industrial-chic boutique hotel tucks you right into the neighborhood and makes you feel at home. The plant-filled, on-site Madre restaurant has become a neighborhood gathering point, with Mediterranean-inspired dishes made from locally sourced ingredients and a short but sweet cocktail menu.
Located at a busy TriBeCa intersection close to subways, the boutique Frederick Hotel is an ideal launching pad for exploring downtown neighborhoods. The building dates from 1828 (and famously hosted Abraham Lincoln), and while a 2018 overhaul transformed the former Cosmopolitan Hotel into today's modern accommodations, you can still enjoy historic photos hanging in its common spaces. The hotel rises seven stories, and its guest rooms are undoubtedly compact, but balanced with modern touches and New York–inspired design details like artistic maps on subway tiles in the bathrooms. There's also a small fitness center. Primo's bar adds an art deco flair, while neighborhood-fave Serafina serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and room service.
The New York location of this hip hotel combines chic-but-homey design, several restaurants and bars, and accommodations that range from single rooms to rooms with bunk beds to suites. Blocky wood furniture and funky art, with murals painted by local Bard College students and alumni make a stay here feel like you're visiting your coolest college friend's apartment though the rooms don't have much in the way of amenities (bring your own body lotion). The several on-site dining and drinking destinations include a rooftop outpost of Miami's award-winning Broken Shaker as well as the ground floor, Latin-inflected Comodo restaurant and Smile-to-Go for coffee, breakfast, and sandwiches.
This extended-stay hotel on a quieter residential-feeling street has spacious, well-maintained rooms and amenities which makes it an excellent option for families or visitors who like to retreat to a patio or terrace and order in after a day of exploring nearby Central Park, The Met, or Bloomingdale's. Choose from spacious Junior, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites to get a feel for apartment living in NYC, or the terrace or patio suites for coveted private outdoor space that will make locals jealous; even one of their four penthouses could give off an exclusive vibe. There's no restaurant on-site but plenty of restaurants and a grocery store nearby, and takeout from several nearby restaurants can be charged to your room. Rooms include sleeper sofas, powered recliners, modern kitchens with stovetops and stocked with dishware from beloved local brand, Fishs Eddy. There's a fitness room, laundry facilities, and the hotel is pet-friendly with a serene seating area across from the reservation desk.
Elegant, cozy, and charming, this boutique accommodation from Thompson Hotels (a Hyatt affiliate) offers good value and chic design, including beds with custom leather headboards and Sferra linens. The rooms are small, but come with custom-made wooden desks and tables. The Gold Street location, though slightly hard to find, is a short walk from downtown's central banks and businesses as well as a few blocks from the Seaport and City Hall.
A sleek, modern boutique hotel, the Gotham has a lot going for it, from good-size rooms to nice amenities, but a clincher is that every room has outdoor space. There are no more than four rooms per floor, allowing families and larger parties to take over entire floors if desired. Upper floors have only two rooms per floor, both with terrific east- and westward views. Rooms are large—around 300 square feet—and include king-size beds, and gorgeous tiled bathrooms with rain showerheads and Molton Brown bath amenities. The location's past was a family-owned bookstore, so you'll come across some vintage books and its aptly-named steakhouse restaurant, The Reading Room. Parking is with an affiliated garage across the street.
Situated near the impressive Cornell Tech campus, the sustainably built and LEED-certified hotel caters to visiting family and faculty and nods to the school with and a lobby filled with 5,000-square-feet of bookshelves, campus colors that continue into the lobby bar, and communal seating with a library feel to invite study and congregation. Rooms offer floor-to-ceiling views of Manhattan and beyond, Roosevelt-Island-specific art, contemporary lighting, and cool wallpapered bathrooms. You'll also find hallway portraits of FDR and a copy of his famous "Four Freedoms Speech" in every guest room, good to read before you visit the nearby memorial to the late president, Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. The sexy rooftop bar and lounge is the main win here: it offers panoramic views as well as an art deco--inspired bar and mirrored DJ booth. The ground floor restaurant serves seasonal American food in a bright modern space lined with bookshelves or out on the patio.
Conveniently located near Grand Central, this large, historic hotel (originally built as the Commodore in 1919) is now a sleek and modern central hub with a fresh-looking lobby that has low-slung leather furniture and two towering Jaume Plensa sculptures. Rooms are a minimum of 250 square feet, with pops of color on the walls, tons of electrical outlets, and an efficient settee-table setup that's ideal for an in-room drink or a few hours of work. The convenient 24-hour Market on the ground floor has coffee, snacks, hot meals, liquor, and fresh fruit. New York Central restaurant has a slick design and a market-driven, seasonal menu. A bar overlooking 42nd Street attracts a large after-work crowd for beer and sports on a row of flat-screen TVs.
This artsy luxury hotel just south of Central Park once welcomed artists like Marc Chagall and Georgia O'Keeffe, and it still has an emphasis on contemporary art. As a contemporary Hilton property, today's guest rooms are modern and spacious, done in cool gray tones with rainfall showers and in-room espresso machines. Instead of a concierge, there's an attaché desk, where experts in fashion, art, theater, and dining provide tailored advice and make reservations. While many hotels bury their fitness centers in the basement, the Quin's is on the second floor, overlooking the bustle of 57th Street through the bright two-story lobby.
With a design aesthetic and food offerings inspired by the neighborhood's multifaceted heritage, this thoroughly modern hotel from Hyatt's Joie de Vivre group takes full advantage of its downtown location. Street-art-style paintings; a year-round rooftop bar (the Crown); and a permanent exhibition curated by the nearby Museum of Chinese in America make this a standout in an area of town that tends to lack in quality accommodations.
A favorite for travelers looking for good value in a desirable Midtown location, this intimate hotel offers rooms with a French country living feel, including wooden headboards, rich carpeting underfoot, and—in a few cases—tubs and balconies. In the Club Room, complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks are available to guests all day; a continental breakfast is served. Four of the old-world guest rooms have terraces. Opened in 1926, the hotel served as a home to Tennessee Williams, Ava Gardner, Sidney Poitier, Joe DiMaggio, Vladimir Horowitz, and Marlon Brando over the years, and is the location of the Monkey Bar, one of Manhattan's most storied watering holes. Valet parking is through a nearby parking garage.
Situated near Penn Station and convenient for Chelsea's attractions, the Hotel Hayden doesn't look like much from outside, but step inside, and a stylish atmosphere unfolds—all the way to your room. The colorfully bedecked rooms (and two suites) are large by New York hotel standards and are equipped with coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, plush bathrobes, and a cozier-than-usual bed.
In the center of the dynamic Lower East Side, this hotel is a great base for restaurants, nightlife, and people-watching, and it's hard to beat the sweeping city views from the Mr. Purple restaurant and bar and terrace on the 15th floor. The neighborhood's artistic spirit is honored through the hotel's emphasis on art, which is notable, especially for a chain hotel. Rooms aren't huge—as is common in this part of Manhattan—but they are bright and cozy.
Positioned unobtrusively by Central Park on the Upper East Side, the Plaza Athénée (now related in name only to its Parisian cousin) makes stellar service a priority, with a personal sit-down check-in off to the side of the lobby and extravagant in-room dining service with white tablecloths, candles, and flowers. Rooms have big bathrooms and refined, if nondescript, furnishings and linens. The hotel might seem stuffy to some younger visitors, but to others, it's a welcome dose of old-school luxury. Bar Seine is a fabulously dark and secretive hideaway, and surely the only bar in New York with a floor made of leather. Arabelle serves American fare with a French accent.
This trendy hotel truly exemplifies mid-century modern design with its decor and furniture, from its rooms to the spacious, yet cozy lobby—a welcoming place for a cocktail, or to just to work on your laptop. It's also home to acclaimed eateries K'Far and Laser Wolf, which grace the ground floor and rooftop.
Fashionistas and other modish folks who mind their budgets are drawn to this stylish, affordable hotel with its fabulous lobby (resembling a set from A Midsummer Night's Dream) and contemporary art that's an escape from the usual hotel design. Starting at just 150 square feet, some rooms are tight on space but do have nice touches such as rich wood-paneled walls, work desks, and peekaboo showers. The hotel's once-splashy lounge has closed, but guests can still relax in the common areas with games and comfy seating (but no drinks served).
If space is a priority, head to the southern tip of Manhattan: this sleek Hyatt Centric hotel has generously sized rooms with large windows, hardwood floors, 12-foot ceilings, and extra-large bathrooms. Deluxe rooms are 450 square feet, with king beds and roomy bathrooms with walk-in rain showers. The on-site restaurant is open daily for breakfast, and the Centric Bar & Grill serves breakfast and dinner, with lounge service all day. This full-service, modern hotel also has an always-open fitness center, is kid-friendly, and welcomes dogs (with a one-time cleaning fee).
Tall and pale, the tower that houses the new Hyatt Place is not particularly easy on the eyes, but when you're marveling at the stunning skyscraper-laden view from an upper-floor room, you won't give a damn what the facade looks like. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, blackout shades, complimentary water, coffeemakers, ultracomfy king-size beds, and 50-inch, flat-screen TVs. The in-house eatery and bar doesn't compare to the surrounding restaurant landscape—all the more reason to take advantage of the Chelsea restaurant scene.
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