3 options for an affordable hotel in New York

Many of you have asked me: “Hey, do you know where I can stay in New York on a budget?”
Me: “Yes of course!!” 🙂 🙂
New York City is an expensive destination. However, I have some great recommendations for cheap hotels if you want to save money! 😉

How to find a cheap hotel or apartment in New York?

If you’re looking for affordable housing in New York, there are few things to take into consideration:
– The closer your hotel or apartment is to the center of Manhattan (everything except 90^th street and beyond), the more expensive it gets.
– The more services and amenities are offered, the pricier it is.
In other words, to find cheap hotels in New York, look for a location further away from touristic attractions with basic amenities.

Nevertheless, make sure not to stay too far away from the city. Ideally, look for a place where you can quickly come back to Manhattan after a long day and be able to take a shower, change your clothes and go out again for the evening.
After a 40 minutes train ride home, I’m not sure you’d want to go out again.
I think that you should be able to stay 10 – 15 minutes away (subway ride) from Midtown, Chelsea or Downtown.
As a matter of fact, there are many neighborhoods in NY where you can find affordable housing: Brooklyn, New Jersey and Queens.

Brooklyn

Beware, Brooklyn is the largest borough so don’t just think: “I’m renting an apartment in Brooklyn, it’s so cool!”. No! Pay attention to where exactly you’ll be staying and where the closest train station is located (to find out, review my post about transportation in NYC).

The 2^nd thing with Brooklyn is that most neighborhoods close to Manhattan (DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Wiliamsburg) are rather pricey. So you’ll have to move further away so this wouldn’t be a great tip after all.

New Jersey

There’s a variety of transit options (PATH, Ferry, bus) from New Jersey to New York, but it won’t be ideal if you want to avoid long commutes in between the two States. New York and New Jersey have separate public transportation systems, leading you to increase your weekly budget since you’ll have to pay at least $29 for a Smartlink (PATH) and $33 for a Metrocard (NY).
Anyway, compare the rates of the hotels + transportation.

Queens

Just like Brooklyn, it’s a large borough so make sure that you have chosen a great location for your apartment or hotel.
On the other hand, if you pick a neighborhood like Long Island City or Astoria, you’ll be able to find very attractive prices less than 20 minutes away from Times Square.

3 good plans for cheap hotels in New York

Let me suggest 3 hotels in Long Island City, Queens, just 20 minutes away from Times Square. They are part of the cheapest places in New York! I already stayed in one of them and I always receive good feedback from travelers !!

– Ramada Long Island: www.booking.com/ramada-long-island-city.html or read my post.

– Country Inn & Suite Long Island City: www.booking.com/country-inn-suites-by-carlson-new-york-city-at-queens.html

– Best Western Plaza Long Island City: www.booking.com/hotel/us/best-western-plaza.html

Don’t hesitate to just type “Long Island City” as there are a lot of hotels now in this neighborhood!

Why are these hotels a good deal?

1^st reason:

First, because these 3 hotels are less than 20 minutes away from Midtown and offer a rooms for $110 to $120 per night which is a great deal for New York!!!

2^nd reason:

On the top of their rates and proximity with Manhattan, these 3 hotels include breakfast.

3^rd reason:

Finally, the best and ULTIMATE great tip :):) is the room for 4 people. If 4 of you are traveling and if sleeping in a 2 double beds room with 3 other persons doesn’t bother you then there’s always the option of sharing a room for 4 priced around $120 to $140 per night which is a steal!!

Where are these cheap hotels located?

These hotels are in the neighborhood of Long Island City, near the subway stations Queensboro Bridge and Queens Plaza (N, W, 7, E, M, R trains).
There are more hotels in this area of Queens, don’t hesitate to compare the rates to find the best deal!

Conclusion

If you have a small budget, don’t hesitate to book in one of these hotels or rent an apartment with in these 2 Queens neighborhoods: Astoria and especially Long Island City. You won’t regret it!
And I almost forget to tell you about the incredible view you may enjoy from your room! I took the following picture from my room at the Country Inn!