Choosing where to stay in New York is not easy but it is essential to make the most of your vacation. It is a huge city with many districts that offer a very different experience from each other, as well as remarkable differences in the quality and price of its hotels.
The city is made up of five major metropolitan districts: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. Of all of them, the best area to stay in New York by far is Manhattan. It is also the most expensive. If you want to save a little Brooklyn or Queens are a good option since they are much cheaper and are very well connected to Manhattan.
Manhattan is an island about 21.6 km long and 3.7 km wide. There are several districts here that are as different from each other as the Financial District, China Town, Midtown, or Harlem to name a few.
The most popular and touristy place to stay is Times Square. However, it is also one of the most expensive and noisy in the city. There are other areas with a huge attraction that we will also recommend in this article.
Before analyzing the best places to sleep in New York, it is worth mentioning that this city is one of the most expensive in the world. If you want to find a simple double room with a private bathroom and in a more or less decent area you will hardly find anything below 150 dollars a night.
Between $150 and $200 you can start to find some decent hotel deals, and the vast majority of 4-star hotels are above $250 a night.
It is important that you book in advance to get good prices and that you evaluate well in which area your hotel is located and what connections with public transportation it has.
The best areas and neighborhoods to stay in New York City
The best areas to stay in New York are in Manhattan. In this list you will find some of the best neighborhoods to stay on the island, and other possibilities like Queens or Brooklyn that can be a very good option to save on accommodation.
The Midtown, the best area to stay in New York
This is undoubtedly the area to stay in New York most demanded by both businessmen and tourists. As its name suggests, it is the center of the city.
In the Midtown are located some of the main tourist attractions of the city as Times Squares, the heart of the city, the emblematic Empire State Building, or Broadway theaters to name a few. It is a very congested and quite noisy area.
The hotels in Midtown are very sought after and therefore their prices are much more expensive than those in the rest of the city. Especially expensive are those on the eastern side where you can find some of the most luxurious and exclusive hotels in New York.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN MIDTOWN
Luxury Hotel: Times Square Edition
It is in Times Square itself and is one of the best rated sleeping accommodations in New York. It has an elegant design, rooms for all types of rooms and outdoor terraces overlooking Times Square. Gymnasium, luxury restaurants and showroom.
Mid range hotel: LUMA Hotel – Times Square
Downtown Midtown, two minutes from Times Square. The rooms have a small lounge area with a couch. The bathrooms are fully equipped and you can have dinner in a restaurant with a menu inspired by Basque cuisine. The best rated hotel for staying in New York as a couple.
Low range hotel: St. James Hotel
Just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean the experience is bad. This two-star hotel is one block from Times Square and right on Broadway. Rooms with everything you need, 24-hour reception and the possibility of buying theatre tickets at the hotel itself.
Accommodations in Midtown
Upper West Side, ideal for sleeping in New York as a family
The Upper West Side is a residential area and quieter than Midtown. The entire downtown area of Manhattan, on the west bank facing the Hudson River, makes up this famous neighborhood that has inspired writers and screenwriters. With Central Park to the east and Riverside Park as a boundary before the river, this great neighborhood has countless attractions.
The first of them is Central Park itself which, with its 4000 m long and 800 m wide, is the green lung of Manhattan. Other important attractions are Lincoln Center and the spectacular Natural History Museum.
It is a quiet neighborhood ideal to sleep in New York with family that is also very well connected. On the other hand, the Upper West Side offers better value for money than Midtown.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE
Luxury Hotel: Trump International New York
Yes: it is one of the hotels of the 45th president of the United States and also the most valued in the area. Its location is unbeatable in a corner of Central Park. It has a spa and two luxury restaurants: Jean Georges and Nougatine. There are rooms with kitchen.
Mid range hotel: Hotel Beacon
A hotel to stay in New York mounted in a typical New York building, with its exposed brick facades and everything. The rooms have a kitchen and living room for eating and talking. Located in the heart of the Upper West Side, you’ll have museums, Broadway and Central Park itself within easy reach.
Lower-end hotel: Upper West Side Apartments
The option to rent apartments is one of the most chosen in the world, and also to stay in New York. North of the Upper West Side, you will have the opportunity to enjoy one or two bedroom apartments with all the amenities to make you feel at home.
Upper West Side Hotels
Upper East Side, very exclusive and the Golden Mile
The Upper East Side is also a residential area but with much more class, where luxury shops and restaurants are concentrated that are not affordable for everyone. It is one of the most exclusive and elitist areas of Manhattan.
The Upper East is home to some of the most famous names and fortunes in the city and as you can imagine it is one of the most expensive areas to stay in New York.
The neighborhood is by no means devoid of tourist attractions, quite the contrary. It shares Central Park with the Upper West Side, is the neighborhood of the famous Quita Avenue, and is the best area to go to museums.
It is home to the famous Museum Mile, which includes several world-class museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim.
On the other hand, it is the best place to stay in New York if one of your main goals is to go shopping. The most luxurious brands in the world come together here. It is also ideal, just like the Upper West Side, for families with children.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
High-end hotels: The Mark New York
It’s one of the best hotels to sleep in New York. Boutique hotel with a colonial style and big rooms. It has a gym and luxury restaurants. It is also in an ideal area for luxury shopping.
Mid range hotel: Loews Regency New York Hotel
Located in one of the most famous streets of New York: Park Avenue. It is family oriented, with two bedroom rooms and extra large beds. Very close to Rockefeller Center, surrounded by good restaurants and with 24 hour reception.
Lower-end hotel: Upper East Side Apartments
These apartments stand out because they allow you to stay for 30 days, in case you want to know New York thoroughly. In order to do so, the apartments have complete bedrooms and kitchens, living room and everything you need to feel at home.
Accommodations in Upper East Side
The Financial District, Wall Street and the One World Trade Center
The last neighborhood of Manhattan is the Financial District, in the south of the island, where you can find the famous Wall Streeet, the National Museum of American India and the remodeled One World Trade Center.
It is a business area where people mainly go to work. During the day there is a lot of movement but at night it is a very quiet area. If you are looking for calm at night it is your place, but if you feel like going out to dinner, have a drink, and experience the real New York, choose another neighborhood to stay.
In this neighborhood you will find some of the symbols of the city like Wall Street or the Brooklyn Bridge, and it is from here that you can access the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island by ferry.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT
Luxury hotel: The Beekman
It belongs to the Thompson franchise and is one of the most luxurious hotels in the area. It has normal rooms and suites with all kinds of luxuries, even marble bathrooms. It has 9 floors with many paintings and sculptures on each floor and a restaurant run by two popular New York chefs.
Mid range hotel: Artezen
With a nice exterior design, this hotel offers you a gym and rooms with full bathroom, desk and big beds. You’ll be a ten-minute walk from the September 11th Museum and National Monument, and a couple of hundred meters from popular Wall Street.
Low-rent hotel: The Wall Street Inn
This hostel includes breakfast and comfortable rooms in classic style, like the building itself. You will have at your disposal refrigerator, WiFi, full bathroom and plasma TV. The accommodation is very well connected to the most interesting places in the area both by metro and on foot.
Hotels in the Financial District
Soho, chic area with designer shops and avant-garde restaurants
It is part of Lower Manhattan and is one of New York’s most touristy neighborhoods. It has a lot of shops of the latest design and avant-garde restaurants. During the day it is common for the neighborhood to be filled with stalls and street shops to create a very dynamic and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Once the bohemian and artistic area of New York. Today little is left of that atmosphere due to the excessive increase in real estate prices. You won’t find hotels with affordable prices either, they are all quite expensive.
In Soho you’ll find high-end designer boutiques, some top-end art galleries (although many of them and especially the more modest ones have moved to the Chelsea area), some of the best restaurants in town and a very chic atmosphere.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN SOHO
Top range hotel: Crosby Street Hotel
Sophisticated as the neighborhood itself and with airport transfer included. Travelers have rated it almost a ten due to its great rooms with DVD included. It has a gym, an inner courtyard for drinks and even a private theatre where you can watch movies.
Mid range hotel: The Broome
One of the best hotels to stay in New York thanks to its good value for money. In this case you will find a hotel with 14 rooms, very cozy and with a classic design. The building was built in 1825 and has kept that style.
Low range hotel: CITY ROOMS NYC – Soho
If you’re looking for cheap hotels in New York City in the middle of Manhattan this is one to keep in mind. This simple 3 star hotel has good prices especially considering the area where it is located.
Soho Accommodations
Lower East Side, good restaurants and nightlife
Facing the East River and with the Manhattan Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge to reach Brooklyn, this neighborhood will surprise you with its variety. You will find luxury areas and others a little more neglected. Still, it keeps the New York spirit alive.
The Lower East Side is a great place to experience New York City neighborhood life. This neighborhood offers great restaurants and a lively nightlife.
Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown are nearby. There are many designer hotels but there are also a few more affordable options than Soho.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN NEW YORK ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE
High-end hotel: Sixty LES
Excellent design and very modern hotel located only 500 meters from the New Museum and about 800 meters from the Little Italy. It offers services such as gym, spa, rooftop pool. An excellent option to stay in New York.
Mid range hotel: The Ludlow Hotel
Another hotel with a classic style (with a fireplace included) and mixed with oriental and avant-garde European decorations. Rooms with minibar, bathrooms with rain effect shower, free WiFi and 24 hour gym.
Low range hotel: Ridge Hotel
It is worth mentioning its restaurant with terrace and Skybar from where you can have one of the best views of New York. Rooms with everything necessary and facilities adapted to people with reduced mobility.
Lower East Side Hotels
Chinatown, to live the Chinese culture
You can’t visit New York and not go through Chinatown. And if you stay in this colorful neighborhood, all the better. West of the Lower East Side and near the legendary Brooklyn Bridge, it’s like being in China itself.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN CHINATOWN
High-end hotel: 50 Bowery
It is one of the most luxurious hotels in the neighborhood: you will discover it at the entrance. The rooms have a desk, full bathrooms, a safe and a very artistic decoration. There is also a 24-hour gymnasium.
Mid range hotel: Mulberry
We return to the hotels with large terraces from which to enjoy the views. In addition, the rooms have plasma TV, there is 24-hour reception and the stay includes breakfast. There is also room service and you will like the decoration of the rooms based on classic and antique furniture.
Low range hotel: Leon Hotel
You’ll have everything you need to rest and relax. Two-bed rooms with plasma TV, desk for work and small coffee service. The best rooms have very good views and there is a tourist information service.
Accommodations in Chinatown NYC
Greenwich Village and Chelsea, bohemian and artistic area
It is historically the most vindictive neighborhood in New York, where many demonstrations were held in the 1960s. Today it is also a place where you can enjoy a good Jazz concert, a play beyond Off-Broadway and restaurants at low prices.
This is one of the most interesting areas to sleep in New York. It is a very lively area that still has its neighborhood life. In recent times it has become the new bohemian and artistic area of the city, especially in Chelsea where a significant number of art galleries are concentrated.
You won’t lack shops, restaurants, bars, jazz clubs, and some of the best clubs in town. It has a vibrant nightlife, in fact it is one of the favorite areas for New Yorkers to party.
For sports lovers, nearby is the mythical Madison Square Garden. There is a wide range of hotels for medium and high budgets.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN GREENWICH VILLAGE AND CHELSEA
High-end hotel: Kimpton Hotel Eventi
This luxurious 5-star hotel is ideally located a short walk from places like the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden or Penn Station. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel in the area, this is an excellent choice to stay in New York.
Mid range hotel: Walker Hotel Greenwich Village
Would you like to stay in a Victorian-style inn? Well, this is your place. It’s very close to Chelsea Market, has rooms with a small kitchen and bathroom. There is also a community room, WiFi and a very cozy decor.
Low-rent hotel: The Jane Hotel
Despite its two stars, you will be surprised by its facilities. The hotel has been designed like a ship, with rooms that look like more cabins. There are also larger ones with a terrace and views of the Hudson River. It has the Old Rose restaurant, which specializes in Italian food. Without a doubt, it is one of the most interesting hotels in New York where you can stay.
Accommodations in Chelsea
Brooklyn, to save a little money on lodging
We left the Manhattan neighborhoods to go south, across the East River where this great neighborhood is located, much more popular but also with places of interest, especially around the Brooklyn Bridge.
Located in the southeast of Manhattan is next to Queens is a good alternative to sleep in New York and save a good deal of money. Brooklyn is a popular neighborhood that hosts many artists and music venues, as well as tourist attractions such as Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, or Coney Island.
If you don’t have a problem spending some time every day with public transportation, it’s well enough connected to make it worth your while to stay in this district.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN BROOKLYN
High-end hotel: 1 Brooklyn Bridge Hotel
You can stay precisely in this hotel with magnificent views of the Financial District and only 500 meters from the famous bridge. Deluxe rooms and beds, 24-hour gymnasium, cinema room and common areas with equipment to be able to work.
Mid range hotel: New York Marriot at the Brooklyn Bridge
A little further south than the previous hotel, it will also allow you to enjoy a pleasant stay. It has an indoor swimming pool and Spa, a bathroom with hydro-massage and rooms with all the equipment. It also has a bar and restaurant and is close to Downtown Brooklyn, where you can go shopping, eat and do other activities.
Low-end hotel: Holiday Inn Brooklyn Downtown
Located precisely in Downtown, in the most lively area of Brooklyn with popular shopping malls such as Barclays within a five minute walk. Rooms with full bathrooms, desks and large comfortable beds. Quality restaurant, cocktail bar and wellness center with sauna.
Hotels in Brooklyn
Queens, cheap accommodation in New York
The third of New York’s five most famous neighborhoods, east of Brooklyn and across from Manhattan Island. It has the airports of JFK and La Guardia, Flushing Meadows Park and its famous Unisphere sculpture, and the New York Science Museum. Don’t miss the Queens Museum, with the New York Panorama model.
Queens is also a good alternative to Manhattan for booking your accommodation in New York. Like Brooklyn its hotels are cheaper than those in Manhattan.
Besides, Queens is really well connected to Manhattan, in fact it takes almost as long to get to Midtown from Queens as it does from the Upper West Side. Many new hotels are opening in this neighborhood, many of which offer affordable prices.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS IN QUEENS
Mid range hotel: Boro
Very close to the Queensboro Bridge that takes you to Manhattan. You will also be surrounded by museums: the MOMA, Moving Image or Noguchi. Rooms with private terrace and modern designs. A good opportunity to rest in a quiet area.
Low range hotel: Holiday Inn Express Queensbury
This hotel will allow you to be very close to the famous park of Flushing Meadows. The Queens Botanical Garden is not far either. The stay includes breakfast and the rooms have large windows and better views. Gymnasium and common area for work.
Accommodations in Queens