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Where is the best place to stay in New York City? There are certain cities where even locals rarely have a good answer to this question and NYC is one of them. When I lived there and we had friends visiting we tightened our proverbial belts and made space for our guests in whichever shoebox apartment we were living at the time. And when parents came to visit they simply chose the closest Hilton/Marriott/Name of Hotel chain to our shoebox and called it a day. Lucky for me, my friends are all grown up now and have houses or flats with spare bedrooms.
If you are not as lucky, the best area to stay in New York is probably the one you can afford. Unfortunately, NYC accommodation is notoriously expensive and even New York Airbnbs usually don’t offer anything for less than $100 a night plus it is officially illegal.
First time in Big Apple?
Check out the best things to do in New York.
So where to stay in New York City if you don’t have a friend’s couch to crash on? During my last visit, I did stay at a few different hotels in NYC that I am sharing with you now. I stayed at 3 different hotels during my 5 day New York trip and while none of them are recommendable for a backpacker’s budget there is something for everyone – the best places to stay in New York City according to me. All tried and tested in person!
The best place in New York City? my 3 favorite hotels
When booking a hotel in New York City you have to keep in mind that you will also need to pay taxes and often service charges. These taxes change over the years but what remains is that they are not included in the room rates on booking sites or hotel websites and can be quite hefty. Make sure to check what is or is not included before you hit the ‘book’ button.
The Broome, Soho
Yeah, yeah, New York is the city that never sleeps. I, on the other hand, am the girl who travels and who sleeps a lot. Especially when getting off a plane after a trip that was a lot longer than it should have been.
Mind you, arriving at 10 pm is actually the perfect time to arrive from Europe because you just need to get to town, fall into bed, and should be good to go the next morning. That is if you have the proper bed to sink in. I did which leads me to one of the best hotels in Soho, NYC: the Broome.
The Broome NYC is one of the newer boutique hotels in Soho. With all the talk of Brooklyn, Queens, and even New Jersey (oh shock!) being the new Manhattan, my heart still beats for downtown, and Soho is the best area to stay in NYC for me. So I was absolutely thrilled to call this little gem home for my first couple of nights back especially when I discovered Raffaello next to my bed and the best linens in town.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t bought melatonin yet and even those sheets couldn’t keep me asleep when jetlag kicked in and the kitchen started to bake croissants at 5 am. In fact, my room was right above the kitchen and I think this smell was the deciding factor in waking me up. You try to resist the smell of freshly baked goods. Impossible!
I spent a couple of hours lounging around before making my way to the courtyard patio where breakfast awaited and yes, croissants. I honestly don’t care for big hotel buffets, however, I dig a place that gives me great coffee or tea and something quick and yummy to eat – New York style.
The Broome is also a great starting point to discover all that is quintessential New York like you know from the movies: old buildings full of chic lofts, Prada, Balthazar, Little Italy as well as Chinatown just around the corner. Oh, and of course some of my favorite eateries are within walking distance!
Hotel Giraffe, Midtown
When I was looking for the best place to stay in New York City I was hesitant, to say the least when Hotel Giraffe came up a few times during my search: why the heck would anyone want to stay in Midtown? Then again, Hotel Giraffe is not really in Midtown either. It is located in an odd corner for a lack of better word. But you are incredibly central, next to Koreatown, and within walking distance from Union Square Park which makes it one of the best neighborhoods to stay in NYC.
Mind you, for me, it was definitely the name that swayed me because after all, giraffes are my favorite animals of all time. You will find giraffes and giraffe- mementos all over the hotel which is a big plus in my books.
The rooms are classic and comfortable and some even have a tiny balcony, not a given in New York hotels. To be honest, this isn’t a hotel I would recommend for design lovers and friends of boutique hotels but the rooms do have a decent size and it is easy to get around the city from here.
A big bonus is their complimentary wine and cheese hour in the early evening for all hotel guests!
The Collective Paper Factory, Long Island City
If you are looking for NYC hotels with the best views you will have to leave Manhattan so you can get said views aka skyline views. Don’t get confused when you hear the name Long Island City as this has nothing to do with Long Island. Long Island City is in Queens and well connected to get you to Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Mind you, the neighborhood is so up and coming that you may want to spend some time exploring. The perfect base for these explorations is the Collective Paper Factory Hotel.
As the name implies it is located in an old paper factory and the perfect hotel in New York for industrial design lovers. Lots of art and unusual pieces in the lobby, brushed steel, and exposed brick in the rooms which will make you feel like you are living in a cool New York City loft. All that, without feeling too cold.
This is also the place to splurge on a room with a Manhattan view because it is awesome and will give you all the New York, New York vibes you came for.
Looking for a cheap hotel in New York City?
My first trip to the Big Apple, a journey wholly funded by my waitressing tips at the tender age of 19, took me to the Bowery Grand. Even then, I wasn’t a fan of hostels and neither were my parents so the Bowery Grand was it.
Mind you, there was nothing grand about it. My room was cell-like, with linoleum floors and a TV mounted on the wall. I don’t think I cared. For me, it was the best area to stay in New York for the first time – vibey and easy to get around from, both on foot and by Metro.
In hindsight, I am both impressed that the hotel is still around 20 years later and worried that it actually has to advertise with clean sheets and towels on its website. Honestly, it is probably not the best place to stay in New York but definitely one of the cheapest. So if you are just looking for a bed to sleep in at night and are on a budget check it out:
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