Traveling to New York certainly isn’t easy on the pockets. The city is notoriously expensive and even looking at hotel prices alone (average prices can go up to 300 USD) can be daunting enough. But wouldn’t you rather opt for cheaper hotel and spend more of your budget for exploring around the city? Afterall, New York is the city that never sleeps, so you’re likely to spend most of your time out and about.
Here are 15 great hotel options that can save you money so you can empty your pockets on the city’s other pleasures instead. The rooms aren’t big and posh, but they’re stylish, clean, and have more amenities than the generic hotels that cost three times as much.
We handpicked these listings carefully, considering (wherever possible) recent guest reviews, location, accommodation type, prices, availability of dates, decor, and amenities. The image galleries get refreshed with the latest updates regularly. They were last updated on November 21, 2024.
Shared Bathrooms
1. The Jane Hotel (from USD 129)
Limited food options due to renovations. Nearby restaurants and bars available.
Great value for New York City, especially for solo travel.
Fantastic location in Chelsea, close to High Line, restaurants, and museums.
Historic building with unique boat cabin-style rooms. Clean shared bathrooms. Under renovation with potential for a cafe and bar.
First of the pack is The Jane Hotel, a six-floor, red-brick boutique hotel with a Bohemian old school charm. Built in 1908, this former sailors’ hotel boasts a rich history, including the time when they housed survivors of the Titanic in 1912, so don’t come here expecting things to be shiny and new.
The rooms in The Jane are referred to as cabins, having quirky and nautically themed accents and retaining the worn historic look. They are in no way roomy, but it shouldn’t deter you from coming if you are a budget traveler who don’t spend too much time in your room anyway.
And while you’re here, take the time to unwind at the Jane Rooftop, mingle around with other guests while sipping cocktails and looking out to the unobstructed view of the Hudson River. Or pop by the Jane Ballroom, a chic bar that was converted from a small Off-Broadway theatre and the birthplace of Hedwig and the Angry Inch!
The most attractive point of this hotel, though, is the fact that it’s set deep within the West Village neighborhood in Greenwich Village, so you can’t find a more perfectly located hotel than this at this price point. It’s an easy walk from the Meatpacking District, Soho, and the High Line Park, so you are set for exploring what New York has to offer.
The Jane Hotel
Address: 113 Jane Street
2.31 km (1.5 mi) from Empire State Building
Private Bathrooms
The Pod Hotels
The Pod Hotels are popular for good reason. Both Pod 39 and Pod 51 are located right in the middle of all the action of New York, just a short 0.5-0.9 mile (0.8 km-1.4 km) away from Grand Central Train Station and a stone’s throw from Times Square.
The rooms at these hotels are compact, as the name suggests, but you get your own private bathrooms in both hotels (with the exception of Single and Bunk Pods at Pod 51). There is a range of rooms from singles to bunk beds, to studio pods, to cater the solo traveler or a group of friends. The overall vibe in the properties is modern and youthful, and the playrooms are conducive for those who love to make new friends while traveling.
3. Pod 39 Hotel (from USD 62)
Pod 39 is a hot favorite for the savvy traveler looking to get the best experience in New York. It’s hip, affordable and the rooms are elegantly designed with a clean minimalist style.
Rooms are all thoughtfully equipped with necessities like free Wi-Fi, a hairdryer, in-room media center and a LCD flat screen TV - things that you won’t normally find at hotels in this price range.
Pod 39
Address: 145 East 39th Street
766 meters (0.5 ft) from Empire State Building
4. Pod 51 Hotel (from USD 84)
Rooms at the Pod 51 have MP3 docking stations and free Wi-Fi. Each room is also equipped with a safety deposit box.
While Pod 39 has a clean and sleek finish, its sister hotel, Pod 51 has a more retro-contemporary style. The rooms come with mood lighting and a clean white, red and orange colour tone that is soothing, perfect for a good night’s rest after a long day of exploration.
Although the cheaper rooms (single pod and bunk pods) at Pod 51 do not come with private bathrooms, it is closer to restaurants and bars than Pod 39. So if convenience and good food is essential to you, then Pod 51 would be a better fit.
Pod 51
Address: 230 East 51st Street
1.63 km (1.1 mi) from Empire State Building
9. DoubleTree by Hilton New York City Financial District (from USD 109)
DoubleTree by Hilton is more suitable for those visiting on a business trip, but is still a family-friendly hotel. Sitting in the Historic District of Lower Manhattan, it’s close-by to all the notable sights New York has to offer, including the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Memorial.
While the room design, furnished with warm mahogany, is nothing to rave about, they provide amazing views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Ellis Island. Guests can also catch up with work with the free Wi-Fi, or relax for a bit with the flat-screen TV in the rooms.
Other amenities that can come in handy for the business traveler include the fully equipped and 24-hour business center, where you have access to high-speed internet and printing and photocopying services.
DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown
Address: 8 Stone Street
5.44 km (3.4 mi) from Empire State Building
10. The Lexington Hotel New York City, Autograph Collection®
The Lexington Hotel is one of Marriott’s Autograph Collection of fifty hotels that have historic or iconic qualities to them, honoring its roots that date back to 1929. Step inside and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into an art gallery with the glitz of a bygone Jazz era.
Filled with a mix of classic and modern pieces of furniture and art work, the entire hotel pays homage to Jazz, and feels both contemporary and nostalgic at the same time. Rooms are covered in rich colors and decorated with clever touches, such as Do Not Disturb signs with words that say “Chill Daddy-O”, and lyrics of “Russian Lady” stitched into bedsheets and lampshades. Fun!
And if all this is not enough Jazz for you yet, the hotel hosts live music three nights a week in its own swanky Mixing Room bar.
The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection
Address: 511 Lexington Avenue at 48th Street
1.3 km (0.9 mi) from Empire State Building
11. The Jewel Hotel
The Jewel Hotel’s location is ideal for travelers, especially families, who are visiting New York for Broadway or the ice rink at Rockefeller Center. It’s only a block from Rockefeller Center, and just a hair’s breadth away from the Theater District and Times Square.
This is not for those who are looking for good ambiance, as the rooms are modestly furnished, but offer a good amount of amenities that you might need: free Wi-Fi, LCD TVs, and workstations. Some rooms have views of Rockefeller Center or St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The Jewel, a Club Quarters Hotel, Opposite Rockefeller Center
Address: 11 West 51 Street
1.42 km (0.9 mi) from Empire State Building
12. Club Quarters Hotel, Midtown (from USD 78)
Yet another centrally located base is Club Quarters Hotel, occupying an elegant building just minutes from Grand Central Station and Rockefeller Center. It’s also a good spot for those looking for luxury shopping, famous restaurants and museums.
The rooms here have a clean finish and the designs are plain but sleek. Perks include complimentary Wi-Fi, iPod docks, hairdryers in the bathrooms and Keurig coffee or tea makers.
If you are looking for a good place for a pre-theatre meal, treat yourself to the on-site Restaurant Patrick, a quaint but high-end establishment which offers an extensive menu of American fare.
Club Quarters Hotel Midtown - Times Square
Address: 40 West 45th Street
924 meters (0.6 ft) from Empire State Building
14. Holiday Inn Manhattan 6th Ave - Chelsea (from USD 71)
Want something simple and more traditional? You can’t go wrong with Holiday Inn Manhattan 6th Ave, where rooms are plainly furnished but still contemporary and stylish.
Room perks consist of free Wi-Fi, a work desk, flat-screen TV with cable and MP3 connection. They also come equipped with coffeemakers so you can enjoy your usual morning cuppa without having to step out of your room.
Plus, the hotel has a 24-hour gym, perfect for those who want to keep fit even while traveling. And if you are traveling with children under 19, they get to stay here for free!
Holiday Inn Manhattan 6th Ave - Chelsea
Address: 125 West 26th Street
663 meters (0.5 ft) from Empire State Building
15. Hotel Novotel New York Times Square (from USD 139)
Hotel Novotel New York Times Square is the priciest in the list, but the price is still very affordable given New York’s standards. Plus, the location alone is so worth the price. Theatre fans who want to check out the Broadway scene will love how close it is to the theater district - with the Neil Simon and August Wilson theaters in sight from the hotel’s entrance, and more than a dozen more within five blocks of the property.
Plus, you can indulge in some pre-theater dining in-house at Café Nicole, located on the seventh floor of the hotel. Treat yourself to French and American fare while overlooking the dazzling Times Square from the restaurant’s terrace. Rooms here are located from the ninth floor and up, so you’ll get to see some stunning city views of the Manhattan skyline or Times Square. The sleek and modish rooms have geometric blue accents, and are equipped with 46-inch TVs and pull-out sofas to chill at after a long day.
Novotel New York Times Square
Address: 226 West 52nd Street
1.61 km (1.0 mi) from Empire State Building
Catch some Z’s in the city that never sleeps
With so many affordable hotels to choose from on this list, there really is no excuse not to book a ticket to New York and check some of these pads out. Even if you’re strapped for cash, you’ll definitely find one that suits you, and within budget so you’ll get to still spend your precious cash on sightseeing instead. Plus, some of these sleek hotels actually offer plenty of charm, unlike mundane hotels with generic designs.
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