Should I Stay In Manhattan Or Brooklyn
This is really a personal choice but most people stay in Manhattan as it is centrally located and close to all the major sights. If you are looking for some more affordable hotel options, that are a little further away, then the best area would be Brooklyn.
Regardless of whether you decide to stay in Manhattan or Brooklyn both offer great hotel choices and you are almost always near a subway to getting around NYC wont be a problem.
So Grab your New York Pass and lets get ready to start planning your New York City trip.
Soho & Tribeca: Best Place To Stay In Manhattan For Shopping
Soho is south of Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village and Tribeca is a bit further downtown, south of Soho. Both neighborhoods have trendy boutiques and classy restaurants that draw visitors and locals alike. Soho is also where to find upscale art galleries and street vendors selling local/original art and trinkets. Every spring, Tribeca hosts the annual Tribeca Film Festival which features up and coming films, Q& A sessions with the directors and casts, music events, and more.
Where To Stay In New York City: The Best Neighborhoods In Nyc
- Where to stay in New York City: The Best Neighborhoods in NYC
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Wondering where to stay in New York City? For first time visitors, planning a trip to NYC can be somewhat difficult since there is so much to see and do in my dear city. Believe it or not, where you stay can really impact your experience. As a Native New Yorker, I am here to help ease your trip planning to NYC. In this guide, you will find a list of the best neighborhoods in NYC to stay, along with a few suggestions for hotels in those areas.
Ah, dear New York! The city that never sleeps. Something you would never notice, until you are actually trying to get a good nights sleep in one of those sleepless neighborhoods.
New York has an abundance of different areas to explore and, for a visitor, this can easily get overwhelming quickly. Let me help you a little by providing this guide on the best areas to stay in New York City! It will hopefully make your choice of where to look for an Airbnb or hotel somewhat easier and will provide you with a sense of comfort, knowing you have chosen a neighborhood that seems just right for you.
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Where To Stay In Harlem
The most famous black community in America, Harlem has not been spared New York Citys rapid gentrification, but it remains a bastion of African-American culture, with a vibrant street life, fabulous West African and soul food restaurants, a dynamic local jazz scene and some of the prettiest streets in the city.
Best for guesthouse vibes: Soul Food
Elegant 19th-century brownstone, just across from Marcus Garvey Park, with shared kitchen and freshly baked cakes every day.
Best for an apartment stay: The Harlem Pearl
Small apartments with kitchenettes, in a lovely building, that dates from 1910, in the Sugar Hill neighbourhood.
Best Affordable Hotel In Williamsburg Pod Brooklyn
Pod Brooklyn is a modern and stylish three-star hotel and our best recommendation for where to stay in Williamsburg. Located at the centre of this trendy neighbourhood, this hotel is close to bars, bistros, and boutiques.
It has a bright and airy atmosphere, and rooms are outfitted with contemporary amenities and fixtures.
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Best Airbnb In Lower East Side Cozy Room With Street Facing Window And Memory
Renovated two-bedroom apartment , with a private room is furnished with brand-new amenities, including a desk, ultra-comfortable queen-size memory foam mattress, soft towels and a 26 flat-screen TV with Netflix. This is an ideal place for where to stay in New York City if you want to have a home away from home.
Midtown And Times Square Best Place To Stay In New York For First
Like any major city, New York has uptown, midtown, and downtown areas. Midtown New York City is the most desirable place to stay in New York, and it is often described as the district where tourists can get the true feeling of the metropolis.
Midtown is a place that already lives in your mind before you arrive you have seen it in countless movies and also as the backdrop of many television shows. The sightseeing in Midtown is top-notch if your stay in New York is entirely spent in this district, you will have seen and experienced a lot of what the city has to offer.
From theater to shopping and from sightseeing to dining, Midtown has it all, and it also has the greatest concentration of iconic buildings. If you are a fan of architecture, Midtown is where you will want to stay in New York, and the same goes for visitors who are into the performing arts because Times Square is just blocks away from the renowned Broadway Theater District.
Midtown is highly recommended to those who prefer a more pedestrian approach to their vacations even though you should take at least one subway ride for the experience, you can actually cover all of the citys major tourism attractions when you stay here.
You will invariably visit Times Square for its billboards, which sine 2012 have been synchronized to put on a show just minutes before midnight. At any given time, you can find interesting public art installations for the benefit of visitors and all passerby.
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Where To Stay For Solo Travelers: West Village
No corner of Manhattan is immune to tourists, but if you want to blend in with the locals, head to Greenwich Village, where youll find clusters of people all on their own, doing their own thing. Days can be spent traversing the twisting streets of the village, admiring the townhomes, sitting in cafes and Washington Square Park with a book or a notepad or striking up conversation with an eccentric local at one of the neighborhoods many bars. With people roving through the West Village at every hour, solo travelers will never feel truly alone.
Hip New York Area: West Village & Soho
The West Village is a universally loved neighborhood by both locals and tourists alike. Beautiful brownstone homes, local boutiques and great restaurants and bars for date-night make it an excellent choice for the day- and nighttime strolls.
Extra tip: Try the Banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery its unlike everything youve ever had! Soho is home to the famous cobblestone streets where you can shop while spotting the cities hottest celebrities.
Pros & cons of staying in the West Village & Soho
PROS
- Lots of restaurant and bar choices
- Close to Washington Square Park
- Boutiques and well-known stores for shopping
CONS
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Where To Stay In New York City: A Complete Guide To Picking The Best Place To Stay
On my last visit, I spent a full week in New York City and stayed in three different neighborhoods during that time.
Prior to that, I had been to NYC for roughly 36 hours for work, and spent the entire time locked in a conference room. I really didnt get a chance to explore at all, so I was stoked to have a full week to walk around and uncover some hidden gems and explore the city on a deeper level.
The first thing I was struck by was the buzzing energy that fills the streets of NYC at all hours. 6am? Tons of people out and about. 2am? Same same. It boggles my mind, but I guess thats what happens when you pack millions of people into a place the size of Manhattan.
The second thing that blew my mind was the size of the buildings and the density. It truly is a concrete jungle.
I grew up in Seattle and live in San Francisco, and in both places there is a downtown area with massive buildings, and once you get out of that relatively small area, the tallest building is roughly three stories and you find green spaces around every corner. In New York City, I regularly looked up and saw a 40 story building when I was staying on the Upper East Side. The density is incredible.
Here are my top picks for the best areas to stay in NYC for all styles and budgets.
Psst! If you need to eat gluten free, youll want to read my guide to gluten free NYC to find the absolute best gluten free eats.
Brooklyn Where To Stay In New York City For Return Visitors
Brooklyn is renowned for its diverse residential neighborhoods. The most populated borough of New York City is huge and covers over 3 times the land area of Manhattan Island.
The Dumbo area close to Brooklyn Bridge is extremely touristy but not in a gimmicky way like Times Square. However, the area we recommend you consider staying in Brooklyn is Williamsburg.
If youre looking for hipster, bars spilling out onto streets, artsy, chilled and quite frankly awesome, Williamsburg is the place you should book. You can always get a subway into Manhattan.
The reason we say Brooklyn / Williamsburg is where to stay in New York City for return visitors is because most first timers will stay in Manhattan, explore Brooklyn and Williamsburg, then say Ahh, next time we will stay here.
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Upper West Side Best Area To Stay In New York For Families
This neighborhood is located across Central Park from the Upper East Side, and it competes in terms of affluence and museums. This is a family-friendly section of New York City, and it offers plenty of museums, art galleries, bistros, and shops.
After Midtown, the Upper West Side is the most iconic and representative districts of Manhattan this is where you can find the world-famous Childrens Museum of Manhattan, The Hayden Planetarium, the American Folk Museum, the Grand Bazaar, and many other landmarks that feel like they can only be found in New York.
The western section of Central Park is the one that tends to be featured more often in films and television shows.
When planning your stay in New York City, keep the following hotels in mind:
Upscale:The Mandarin Oriental international chain of hotels is known for its luxury approach to hospitality, and this is certainly the case with this location, which shares space with the Time Warner Center. Some of the best views of Manhattan can be appreciated from this hotel. The spa experience and the Tea Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental are superb, and guests can enjoy Asian fusion cuisine at the award-winning Restaurant Asiate.
Mid-Range:Hotel Beacon offers large suites complete with kitchenettes and seating areas that are very popular with families who stay in New York on museum tours. The sofa in the living rooms of suites unfolds into a bed. The American Museum of Natural History is only three blocks away.
Where To Stay In Upper East Side
The Upper East Side has been home to dynasties such as the Rockefellers, Whitneys and Astors since the 1890s. A world aptly portrayed in Breakfast at Tiffanys, Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, it still boasts the plushest hotels, the most elegant cafés and the swankiest shops.
Best for tasteful elegance: The Sherry-Netherland
Absolute luxury since 1927. The ornate lobby is modelled after the Vatican Library and room service comes from the in-house Harry Cipriani restaurant.
Best for a step back in time: The Surrey
This plush Relais & Châteaux hotel has hosted guests such as Bette Davis and JFK since 1926, sports its own modern art , and contains the Coco Chanel-inspired Bar Pleiades.
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Where To Stay In Upper West Side
Arthouse Hotel
Greeted by custom artwork, an original fireplace and a 1920s elevator system in the lobby, guests at this century-old hotel in Upper West Side will be 700 yards from the Central Park. Rooms and suites at Arthouse Hotel include flat-screen TVs and desks. Some units come with a private balcony as well, and all units feature an in-room safe that can hold a laptop.
Hotel Lucerne
A flat-screen TV and video games are provided in every room at Hotel Lucerne. Rooms feature light colors and offer luxury bath products. In-room coffee and a work desk are also included. The Lucerne Hotel offers the French restaurant, Nice Matin. It is open all day and serves a weekend brunch. Guests can dine in or on the outdoor patio. For breakfast included rates, guests will get juice or fruit, a choice of breakfast entree and coffee or tea.
Hotel Beacon
Each room and suite offers free cable on flat-screen TVs, iPod docks and WiFi access. The kitchenettes have a microwave, refrigerator and coffeemaker. Suites at the hotel have a living room with a sofa bed. The quiet and comfortable lobby offers space for visiting or reading and relaxing. Theres a business centre for guest use and the hotel offers laundry service and luggage storage.
Where To Stay Inn The Lower East Side
Luxury :The Bowery Hotel Gorgeous lobby, loft-style rooms with Hardwood floors & floor to ceiling factory windows and an excellent restaurant. Check out Availability and prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com
Mid Range :The Nolitan HotelLuxury Boutique hotel. An excellent, hip hotel with a great restaurant in the heart of Nolita and Little Italy. Check out Availability and Prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com
Budget :The Leon HotelCheap, super clean budget hotel. This is a great no-frills hotel in the center of Chinatown, The Lower East Side, and Little Italy. Check out Availability and prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com
The restaurant/food scene is one of the best in the city and includes numerous old mainstays such as these New York Foodie Mainstays
- Katz Delicatessen
- Walking distance to some of the best downtown areas in Manhattan
- Incredible food, cultural institutions, and theaters
- Shopping, bars and clubs, many new hotels.
- Close to the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Staten Island Ferry and the Financial District.
- Cons of Staying on the Lower East Side:
- Nightlife in certain areas can get very loud and crazy
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Best For Nightlife: Chelsea
This area used to be a prominent gay district but today it is more known for its vibrant clubbing scene, upscale boutiques, art galleries, and expensive restaurants. There is a gay community and many gay bars as well. It is adjacent to The Meatpacking District, a former enclave of meat companies. The popular High Line, an elevated linear park built on abandoned railroad tracks, is nearby too. A great mid-range hotel in Chelsea is the Stewart Hotel, which offers comfortable rooms at great rates.
Dont Stay In Midtown Or Downtown But In Other Boroughs
If budget is a big concern, then you might want to consider looking at other neighborhoods or cities and just having a bit of commute to get to where you want to go.
Heck, you could even consider places in New Jersey near the subway.
And there you have it! All my best tips on where to stay in New York City and some hotel recommendations!
for more travel in the usa
The USA is a massive country, and I always love discovering new places to visit. Im actually pretty sure Ill still be hearing of new gems when Im 90 years old and need a wheelchair to get around! Since Ive been interested in travel, Ive visited a number of different places in the US alone. Check out some of posts:
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Best Cheap Mid Budget And Luxury Hotels Near Times Square New York City
Times Square hotels are plentiful and span the entire travel budget range. This area has the highest concentration of low budget rooms in NYC.
We stayed at AC Hotel for a night, which was great. It has a rooftop bar and affordable room rate. The Riu Plaza often runs discounted prices but our top pick for Times Square is CitizenM as long as you can get it at a good rate.
Top tip: If youre a photographer and cant afford to stay at Renaissance Times Square, go in to the lounge for a drink and youll get one of the most iconic views over Times Square.
Here are the best hotels for each budget around Times Square :
- 10. Luxury The Chatwal 9.1
Greenwich Village Best Place To Stay In New York City For Nightlife
For history buffs, there are few neighborhoods as evocative as The Village. If you want to stay in an area that has an authentic feel of New York, this is one of the best neighborhoods. The village was once the Bohemian capital of New York and the center for the LGBT, 60s Counterculture, and Beat movements. While that era is long gone, the feel of the neighborhood is not.
Get lost on a side street after side street of gorgeous townhouses and tree-lined blocks. The neighborhood is simultaneously quiet and happening with a great music scene. If you arelooking for where to stay in New York City that has a great history this is it!
Visit Washington Square Park, the Cherry Lane Theater , see a jazz performance at Blue Note or Village Vanguard in the West Village or have a drink at the White Horse Tavern, Chumleys, or the Stonewall Inn.
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