New York neighborhoods
Central Park South
The short stretch that separates the Theater District from Central Park has a markedly different feel than its southern neighbor, as though the magical line of 55th Street separates the Times Square chaos from this more refined sector where Carnegie Hall, high-end shops and many a glitzy hotel hold court.
Fortunately for Cheapos, though, there are a few affordable hotels in the midst, offering convenience, comfort and that oh-so-coveted proximity to all things luxe.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Times Square / Theater District
• Midtown East
• Upper West Side
Chelsea
Bordered by the West Village to the south and the Garment District to the north, Chelsea boasts a staggering concentration of art galleries. In addition, it's home to the Dia Center for the Arts and the Joyce Theater—a Mecca for modern dance lovers.
For much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Chelsea was the epicenter of New York's gay scene, although these days much of that scene has moved uptown to Hell's Kitchen. Today Chelsea is simply a comfortable, upscale residential area, characterized by long streets lined with century-old brownstones.
Hotels in Chelsea are somewhat limited, but several small independent properties and guesthouses do offer a chance to sleep in a more residential, yet very central, part of town. The Chelsea Inn and Leo House are two of our favorite budget options with rooms right in the heart of the neighborhood.
Other nearby neighborhoods:
• Union Square / Gramercy
• Greenwich Village / West Village
• Times Square / Theater District
Downtown Brooklyn
With new high rises sprouting all around, this centrally-located neighborhood offers a surprising number of hotel options now. With Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO nearby, this makes a great location to explore the waterfront or head into Manhattan via the many subway connections. Don't miss the cheesecak at the classic Junior's Restaurant & Bakery!
» See hotels in Downtown Brooklyn.East Village
The down and dirty East Village really isn't so down and dirty anymore. It used to be New York City's troubled teen—a hub for bad-boy rock-and-rollers and other rabble-rousers. But things took a turn in the late '80s and '90s as the city cleaned up.
Now it's all about NYU students, quirky shops, cheap food, raucous pubs, and sleek little bars. There's still a little edge left to the East Village. St. Marks Place, for example, has its share of dive bars. Traces of the neighborhood's Ukrainian community remain, there's a cluster of back-to-back Indian restaurants, and quite a few eateries catering to Japanese expats.
A few budget hotel options in the East Village exist, although the area has never really catered to visitors. You'll have many more accommodation options if you wander a bit west (into Greenwich Village) or north into the Union Square neighborhood.
Other nearby neighborhoods:
• Lower East Side
• Greenwich Village / West Village
• Union Square / Gramercy
Greenwich Village & West Village
Roughly speaking, the "Village" runs between Broadway and 7th Avenue, and from Houston Street to 14th Street. This is classic New York—brimming with history, culture, and lively characters. It's also home to New York University, which, despite lacking a conventional campus, permeates the area with its presence and purple flags. And there are plenty of cafes and cheap restaurants to accommodate its students.
Washington Square Park attracts impromptu picnickers, street performers, dog lovers, and contemplative chess players. Washington Square Hotel is located just steps away from the action, and you can score an affordable rate, especially if you book in the off-season or far in advance. On weekend nights, Greenwich Village becomes a cacophonic melee as out-of-towners, bent on partying it up in the "real New York," and students fill up the bars and comedy clubs around Bleecker Street and MacDougal.
The West Village, which begins after Seventh Avenue, is one of the most charming places in Manhattan. Buildings are rarely more than a few stories high, and the narrow, diagonal, and dead-end streets offer a pleasant change from the rest of the grid-happy Manhattan. Gourmet food shops, stylish boutiques, intimate restaurants, and beautiful brownstones round out the perks. The Jane Hotel is an excellent (and cheap!) choice if you want to get a feel for this iconic New York neighborhood. Incentra Village House is another charmer with studios located in a 19th-century Victorian house and affordable prices at certain times of the year.
Cheap hotels in Greenwich Village and the West Village
Finding a budget hotel in Greenwich Village or the West Village can be a challenge, but is not impossible by any means. A few small independent hotels, inns, and B&Bs still operate in the area (along with a few chains). Staying here is certainly a convenient, and leafier, option for travelers. Staying in any of the budget hotels listed below is certainly a convenient, and leafier, option for travelers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of Midtown hotels.
Just outside of Greenwich Village's borders, options include the Chelsea Inn (just three blocks away) and Chelsea Pines Inn steps from the West Village and Meatpacking District. Looking for more New York cheap hotels? Check out our full list of budget hotels.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Union Square / Gramercy Park
• East Village
• Chelsea
• SoHo
Hell's Kitchen
The westernmost area of Midtown stretches from Eighth Avenue out to the Hudson River, bounded by 34th Street to the south and 59th Street to the north. The area's evocative name refers to its tumultuous history—through much of the 19th and 20th centuries—as a concrete jungle notorious for its crime, slaughterhouses, docks and tenements. In the '50s the murderous "turf wars" raged on in the "West Side," even while the the musical they inspired ("West Side Story") snapped, sang and high-kicked a few blocks away.
These days, much of the area's gritty past has been glammed over by chic eateries and luxury condos, and the city's largest gay scene has moved to the neighborhood from nearby Chelsea.
Affordable hotels in Hell's Kitchen: As you'll see below, there are a few options for sleeping cheap in Hell's Kitchen, although you'll find many more options just east of here in the Theater District and Times Square neighborhood.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Times Square / Theater District
• Chelsea
• Upper West Side
• Central Park South
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, which extends southwest from the intersection of Bowery and Houston Street, is an area in flux. Since the 1800s, it's been a neighborhood of immigrants: starting with the Irish, Germans, Jewish, and Eastern Europeans, whose often unbearable living conditions are well-documented at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.
However, these days the LES is known more for its hipster denizens than anyone else. Beginning in the late 1980s grungy artist types started moving into the area. Fifteen years later the trendy masses followed, bringing their French bistros and funky boutiques with them. But don't be fooled by the 20-something fanfare. Walk a few blocks beyond the bars and newly renovated buildings, and you'll find that the neighborhood is much the same. Immigrants still form the bulk of LES residents, only now they come from China, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Affordable hotels in the Lower East Side do exist, although they can be tricky to find. We have a few picks below, but if you need more suggestions, be sure to look in the nearby neighborhoods.
Other nearby neighborhoods:
• SoHo & Tribeca
• East Village
• Greenwich Village & West Village
Midtown E-Murray Hill
Midtown East begins at Fifth Avenue and works east toward the water, encompassing the residential (and reviving) Murray Hill along the way. More business-oriented than Midtown West, Midtown East is all about business (think law firms, investment firms, publishing houses, and advertising agencies).
Still, there are plenty of noteworthy tourist sights in Midtown East, including Grand Central Terminal, the United Nations headquarters, the Chrysler Building, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Midtown East is also somewhat of a shopping haven. The flagship Saks Fifth Avenue store is located here, as are Takashimaya, Chanel, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Niketown … Basically, if it isn't in Midtown East, then it's a few blocks north in the Upper East Side.
Affordable hotels in Midtown East are plentiful, as many small chains and independent hotels cater to business and leisure travelers. While it may not be the most pictureque neighborhood to call home, choosing a hotel here is undeniably convenient.
Other nearby neighborhoods:
• Midtown West / Theater District / Times Square
• Central Park South
Soho & Tribeca
SoHo—South of Houston—once associated with bohemian artists, is now decidely upscale, its streets packed with designer stores, pricey boutiques, and swanky restaurants. Prada? Agent Provacateur? Chanel? Check, check, and check! Now tour buses regularly patrol the area. And the chain stores on Broadway are slowly invading this upper-crust neighborhood.
Tribeca—the Triangle Below Canal—is still somewhat arty but increasingly filled with financial types who work in nearby Wall Street. On weekends, the area is best for brunching at a see-and-be-seen restaurant.
Finding affordable hotels in Soho and Tribeca can seem an impossible task, but there are a few surprisingly affordable options (see below). If you're willing to walk a bit, the surrounding neighborhoods offer more accommodation options.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Lower East Side
• East Village
• Greenwich Village / West Village
Times Square-Theater District
Welcome to New York! Midtown West is a sort of tourist-heaven, filled with big sights, theaters, photo ops... and hotels. Stretching west from Fifth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and north from 37th Street to 55th Street, the Theater District (and "Midtown West") is not only home to all the Broadway babies, but to Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Bryant Park and the Museum of Modern Art.
And then there's Times Square—an entity within itself. Although most New Yorkers steer clear of this congested area, the neon lights, larger-than-life billboards, and wise-talking street vendors keep the visitors coming. (Related: Read our guide to saving on theater tickets in New York.)
Hotels pack the blocks surrounding Times Square and the Theater District, and while rates can be staggeringly expensive (especially around the holidays), it is possible to find some great deals here, especially if booking well in advance or at the last minute (during slower seasons). Below you'll see some of our favorite hotel options within a quick walk of Times Square. Remember to check out options in the nearby neighborhoods, as well, as they could be cheaper.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Midtown East / Murray Hill
• Central Park South
• Hell's Kitchen
• Upper West Side
Union Square-Gramercy
Once the provenance of political rallies and drug pushers, Union Square underwent a complete overhaul in the 1980s and is now lined by trendy restaurants and giant chain stores. Four times a week the park hosts the Greenmarket, where local vendors fill tents and stands with regionally produced products and organic vegetables.
Union Square is one of the best people-watching spots in the city: New Yorkers flock to its steps and benches at the first sign of pleasant weather. Artists, t-shirt vendors, and political activists are quick to follow.
Gramercy is an upscale area filled with elegant Victorian-style townhouses. The area garners its name from the serene Gramercy Park, built in 1831. Only residents of the surrounding square have keys to this private garden. Most visitors have to make due with admiring the greenery through its stately iron gates.
There are a few budget hotel options near Union Square and Gramercy, most of which are interesting (and old-school) small hotels that offer surprisingly reasonable rates. In addition, staying in the neighborhood offers excellent subway access: the 4, 5, 6, N, R, and L are literally below Union Square.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• East Village
• Chelsea
• Greenwich Village / West Village
• Midtown East / Murray Hill
Upper West Side & Harlem
More laid-back (and allegedly more intellectual) than its East-Side cousin, the Upper West Side is a largely residential area, filled with tall apartment buildings and stately brownstones. This area, which begins at Columbus Circle and ends at Morningside Heights, is home to Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, and Columbia University. However, one of its greatest attributes may be on its borders: it's sandwiched between the iconic Central Park and leisurely Riverside Park.
Famous Harlem, whose importance as a historically African-American neighborhood cannot be matched, begins north of Morningside Heights. Despite its dangerous reputation, Harlem has become much safer... and much more popular with tourists.
Cheap hotels in the Upper West Side and Harlem
There are many affordable hotel options in the Upper West Side and Harlem, the best of which are listed below. Staying in these neighborhoods offers tourists the chance to sleep a bit cheaper than in Midtown, and have a more residential and local experience. (The access to Central Park doesn't hurt, either!)
Even though the Upper West Side has a reputation as a very nice neighborhood, some of the most affordable places to stay are located here. One of the country's largest hostels is up near Columbia University. If you don't mind a shared dorm room or are traveling with a group, HI NYC Hostel could be for you. Farther down near Columbus Circle is the popular West Side YMCA with a mix of nicely priced private rooms (with shared bathrooms) located literally steps from Central Park. You won't find a better location!
Looking for more affordable hotels in NYC? Check out our complete list.
Other neighborhoods nearby:
• Hell's Kitchen
• Central Park South
• Midtown West / Theater District
Williamsburg and Greenpoint
Two of Brooklyn's trendiest neighborhoods, Williamsburg and Greenpoint both offer fun nightlife, great shopping and dining, and easy access to Manhattan.
» See hotels in Williamsburg and Greenpoint.
