New York
Good-value hotels in New York: seven affordable places to stay
The room is just big enough for the bed and your case, yet you sleep three blocks from Times Square. Here are seven affordable hotels in New York and the three tricks that keep the bill down.
Manhattan hotel rooms are expensive because Manhattan land is expensive. There are still three ways to get more for your money: accept a smaller room, stay somewhere other than Midtown, or cross the river to Brooklyn or Queens.
Each of the seven hotels here uses one of those tricks, and every one is well rated by guests on Hotels.com. A cheap room is only a bargain if you sleep well in it.
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In short
New York's best affordable hotels either have small, cleverly planned rooms or sit in Long Island City in Queens, one subway stop from Manhattan. Always compare the total with tax and any nightly fee. citizenM New York Bowery is our first choice.
Our first choice: citizenM New York Bowery, with the Lower East Side on the doorstep.
Book your stay: See rooms at citizenM New York Bowery (Paid link)
How to keep the cost down
Look for the nightly fee: Many New York hotels add a fixed charge per night on top of tax. Two hotels with the same headline rate can end up with different totals.
Try Sunday to Thursday: Midtown fills with business travellers midweek and with tourists at weekends, so rates move more than you might expect. Compare several dates.
Think in subway stops, not miles: A hotel in Queens can be closer to Midtown in minutes than one on the Upper West Side.
Small rooms in the middle of it all
Pod Times Square
The brand turns a lack of space into a concept: compact rooms with shelves above the bed and room for your case underneath. Pod Times Square is west of Times Square, within walking distance of the theatres. It suits travellers who use the room for sleep and spend the rest of the day out.
Book your stay: See rooms at Pod Times Square (Paid link)
Arlo NoMad
Arlo NoMad is on East 31st Street between Fifth and Madison, with small rooms and big windows. Its rooftop bar looks straight at the Empire State Building. It suits travellers who want a central Midtown base and would rather spend the money on dinner.
Book your stay: See rooms at Arlo NoMad (Paid link)
Moxy NYC Chelsea
Moxy Chelsea is in the Flower District on West 28th Street, where wholesalers line the pavement with buckets of blooms each morning. Rooms are compact, while the shared spaces are big and busy. It suits couples and friends who like a sociable base.
Book your stay: See rooms at Moxy NYC Chelsea (Paid link)
Pod Times Square
The rooms are small, but the bar at Pod Times Square has room for the whole evening.
Downtown for less
citizenM New York Bowery
citizenM offers self check-in on screens, big beds and floor-to-ceiling windows in otherwise small rooms. The rooftop bar looks out over the Lower East Side. It suits anyone who wants a neighbourhood full of restaurants and bars without SoHo prices.
Book your stay: See rooms at citizenM New York Bowery (Paid link)
Arlo SoHo
Arlo SoHo sits in Hudson Square on the western edge of SoHo, with small rooms and a large courtyard. You can walk to the SoHo shops and West Village restaurants. Good for travellers who would rather spend the money in the city than on square metres.
Book your stay: See rooms at Arlo SoHo (Paid link)
Moxy NYC Lower East Side
Moxy Lower East Side is between the Bowery and Orchard Street, in a district where nights run late. Rooms are small and practical, and the hotel has several bars and a rooftop. Light sleepers should look elsewhere.
Book your stay: See rooms at Moxy NYC Lower East Side (Paid link)
Across the river: Queens
The Boro Hotel, Long Island City
Long Island City faces Midtown across the East River, and the subway here reaches Manhattan in one stop. The Boro has big windows, and the higher floors look straight at the skyline. It suits travellers who want more space for their money and do not mind a short train ride.
Book your stay: See rooms at The Boro Hotel (Paid link)
Good-value hotels in New York: frequently asked questions
Where can I find cheap hotels in New York?
Cheap hotels in New York are most often found in Long Island City in Queens and in Brooklyn, a few subway stops from Manhattan. On Manhattan itself, the lowest rates tend to be at small-room hotels such as Pod and Moxy. Always compare the total including tax and nightly fees.
Is it worth staying in Queens or Brooklyn?
Staying in Queens or Brooklyn is worth it if you want more space for your money and pick a hotel near a subway station. Long Island City is one stop from Midtown, and several lines run from Downtown Brooklyn into Manhattan. The trip home at night is a little longer.
What is a destination fee at New York hotels?
A destination or facility fee is a fixed nightly charge many New York hotels add on top of tax. It should appear in your booking, but not always in the first price you see. Check the full total before you confirm.
How small are budget hotel rooms in New York?
Budget hotel rooms in New York are often small, some with space for little more than the bed. Hotels such as Pod and Moxy use clever fittings, with shelves above the bed and luggage space below. If you travel with big cases, check the room size in the description.