Where To Stay In New York City For Tourists

Other Areas To Stay In New York City

While Time Square is certainly a place with the buzz and charm of central New York, the public transport system is highly effective and affordable which opens up many other places to stay around the city. New York is such a wonderfully diverse city that comprises of five main boroughs Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Manhattan Island is famous for uptown and downtown neighbourhoods that have hotels to accommodate anyone on any budget.

For a cultural heritage experience and to immerse yourself in the urban African-American culture of New York, Harlem offers many historic restaurants and clubs and areas made famous during the Harlem Renaissance. The Upper-East Side is a place of historically elite bastion of old money where the streets are dotted with upscale restaurants and posh hotels. The Upper-West Side is where you will find the heart of liberal, intellectual and political New York. Here you can watch Shakespeare in the Park or see the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon or just wander through the streets and soak in the artistic atmospheres of this funky neighbourhood.

A place filled with culture, history and a unique ambience, New York is bound to impress with activities and places to see as well as fine accommodation to rest your body after a day exploring this amazing city.

Best Hotel In Lower East Side Sago Hotel

The Sago Hotel is one of our favourite hotels on the Lower East Side. Conveniently located in the middle of the city, this four-star hotel is close to bars, restaurants, museums and galleries. It boasts a variety of amenities that include an outdoor terrace, on-site restaurant and 24-hour room service.

Best Hostel In Lower East Side Blue Moon Hotel

The Blue Moon Hotel is our top recommendation for where to stay on the Lower East Side. Walking distance to some of New Yorks most famous landmarks, this hotel is close to shopping, dining, drinking and more. It boasts private bathrooms and balconies, as well as refrigerators, coffeemakers, and minibars.

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Why Is Soho Of The Best Places To Stay In Nyc

SoHo is about style and appearance but in a more gritty way than the Champ-Elyses in Paris. Is it pretentious? Maybe a little, but SoHo is better for its swagger.

SoHo has the most local and residential feel in Manhattan among this list of where to stay in New York City.

However, if youre looking for a more authentic NYC stay, you should look at hotels closer to Chelsea and Greenwich Village.

Hotels range from the top end of budget to luxurious but it is a little isolated in the Manhattan landscape. Long walks either direction are required to get to the next touristy area.

Where To Stay In The Upper East Side

Luxury :The Mark Hotel Well run and beautifully designed hotel, close to the art galleries and museums. Comfortable rooms and great service. The best hotel in the area. Check out Availability and prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com

Mid Range :Loews Regency New York This hotel has spacious rooms, a great location on Park Avenue, and the service is some of the best in the city. Check out Availability and prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com

Budget : Gardens Suites Hotel by Affina This hotel is discreetly located on the Upper East Side on an intimate, tree-lined street. Suites offer generous living space, including a full kitchen. there is a wine hour each night. Check out Availability and Prices on TripAdvisor or Booking.com

• Pros to Staying on the Upper East Side:
• Close to all the Museums
• Access to Central Park

• You are further away from NYC main attractions
• Not much in the way of Nightlife

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Trip To Nyc With Unvaccinated Teen

Hello all!

My family has a trip planned to NYC in December. We have been fully vaccinated for months now. However, my sons 17-year-old girlfriend will be coming with us. She is unvaccinated and will not be getting vaccinated. No rude comments please. We love her like she is our own but that is ultimately not our decision to make for her.

We understand proof of vaccination is currently required at restaurants. While we have considered simply ordering take-out, I wanted to ask if it’s reasonable to think NYC patios would be comfortable in December? In other words, do most have patio warmers, wind-blockers, etc.?

Additionally, does anyone know if proof of vaccination will be required for ice skating and other outdoor activities?

Thanks in advance!

76 replies to this topic

***She is unvaccinated and will not be getting vaccinated. No rude comments please. We love her like she is our own but that is ultimately not our decision to make for her.***

Fully agree, it’s her decision to make.

In my opinion, eating outside in December is far from optimum, but many will likely still be doing so. Sure, those heaters help, but it’s still outside.

Her choice not to get vaccinated, but maybe NYC isn’t a good place for an unvaccinated tourist especially in winter with limited options.

Eating outside in the winter is ok on warmer winter days. It pretty much sucks on colder days or on most nights. And it’s closed for days when we get a decent snow.

Edited: 6:29 pm, September 12, 2021

Where To Stay In Soho & Tribeca

NoMo SoHo

Located in New York City’s trendy SoHo district, this 5-star hotel is inspired by the Jean Cocteau Film, “La Belle et la Bête” and offers a fitness centre, bar and modern guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. NOMO SOHO offers Molton Bath Products, Frette linen and flat-screen HDTV with streaming capabilities. Down bedding and a marble bathroom are also included in each room. In-room spa services are available.

Duane Street Hotel Tribeca

Surrounded by art galleries and shops in the lively Tribeca neighbourhood of lower Manhattan, this boutique hotel offers an on-site restaurant and rooms with flat-screen cable TVs and free Wi-Fi. Guest rooms at Duane Street Hotel Tribeca are furnished with hardwood floors and slate rain showers. Work desks and bathrobes are also provided.

The Roxy Hotel Tribeca

All rooms at The Roxy Hotel Tribeca have a work desk and a seating area. Bathrobes and complimentary toiletries are provided. The rooms also come with a flat-screen cable TV. The Roxy Bar & Lounge boasts an 8-story atrium and serves modern American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Bar & Lounge offers up DJs and live entertainment.

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Finding Your Bearings In New York

At around 8.5 inhabitants, New York is the city with the biggest population in the United States.

Theres a reason Manhattan is packed with skyscrapers: All those people have to fit into a relatively small area, and over 50 million tourists who visit New York every year need a place to stay, too.

Of course, that means it can be a bit overwhelming at first if youre used to comparatively tiny and laid-back European cities.

New York City consists of 5 large districts, which are known as boroughs.

• Manhattan
• Queens
• Staten Island

If youre traveling to New York for sightseeing, Manhattan is your only real option. All the most famous and important sights of New York are located here. 4 of the 5 areas in New York that we recommend are in the borough of Manhattan.

Soho And Tribeca Best Place To Stay For Culture

SoHo and Tribeca are becoming hot neighborhoods to visit and live in Manhattan. So much so that they are two of the top five most expensive areas for real estate in New York City. That being said, you should stay and visit here while in NYC.

Historically the factory center of Manhattan, these neighborhoods are for architecture buffs. You can explore endless streets of the most stunning cast-iron buildings in the world, with gorgeous pillars, fire escapes, water towers, and cobblestone streets.

As the factories left New York in the 60s and 70s, artists moved in turning them into lofts. Galleries followed, and then shopping, turning the area into a giant shopping mecca.

The Film Forum is also nearby for film buffs to catch a classic movie.

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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.

Best Neighborhood For Eating & Drinking: Lower East Side

The Lower East Side is a prime shopping, eating, and drinking neighborhood. Its an incredibly diverse area there are gritty pubs and bars, late-night comedy clubs, tattoo parlors galore, and a number of art galleries too. The Tenement Museum, one of my favorite museums, is also located here.

Youll get the full NYC experience staying in the Lower East Side and its one of my favorite neighborhoods.

Best places to stay in the Lower East Side

• BUDGET: Blue Moon Hotel A clean, friendly place to stay with dorm rooms. They have a brand new lobby bar/café area, and a TV common room for guests. Youre just a quick walk to the subway from here too.
• MID-RANGE: The RIDGE Hotel Small rooms, but with some great amenities like iPod docking stations and wall-mounted TVs in each room. The helpful concierge can help you book tours and show you how to get around the city.
• LUXURY: Hotel Indigo This hotel is dedicated to supporting local street art and artists, and youll see plenty of their work throughout the building. Locals flock to their Mr. Purple rooftop bar and pool area in the evening for fancy cocktails.

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Where To Stay Near Times Square

Moxy Hotel Times Square

Opened in the summer of 2017, Moxy prioritizes combining design with having a good time. A year-round rooftop as well as several in-house restaurants and bars by the Tao Group, offer a place to unwind any time of day or night.

485 7th Ave., New York, NY 10018, 967-6699, moxy-hotels.marriott.com

To book: expedia.com

Tips For Booking The Best New York City Hotels

• The best piece of advice we can give for booking a hotel in New York City is to pick one close to a subway station. Having a long walk to the nearest subway station will very quickly become annoying.
• Remember, NYC hotels will typically include a 14.75% tax rate and a US$ 3.50 city tax per night. However, some hotels might try to include a further fee for something such as Resort Tax. Do not book a room with any extra additional fees, other than basic tax and city tax.
• To find all additional fees for a hotel room on Booking.com: Click on a hotel below, click select rooms, click on a room type, scroll down to the Not Included section.
• Hotels will run promotions and discounts at different times of the week, month and year. Always shop around, click on every single hotel in each area to get prices for your travel dates.
• For example, if you visit New York City in Winter, a typical mid-range or even luxury hotel could have huge savings and be well within your budget.
• We use Booking.com for almost all hotel bookings when we travel. If you create an account and sign in to Booking.com, then book 5 hotels within 1 year, you will become a genius member and that activates tons of awesome perks. There are no contracts or ties of any kind when signing up. This is the quickest and easiest way to save money on hotels.
• Create a free Booking.com account here.

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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.

Greenwich Village: Best Area To Stay In Nyc For Nightlife

Greenwich Village, the Village for short, is south of Chelsea on Manhattans west side. The citys rigid, predictable grid pattern relaxes and is reminiscent of Manhattan long ago with curving lanes and house-lined streets. Greenwich Village and the West Village is one of the best neighborhoods for restaurants. Youll find everything from grab and go bites to romantic cafes tucked away on tiny streets. The vibe of the area is young , classic, and attracts actors, artists and the like without the edginess of the Lower East Side.

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Where To Stay In New York The Best Neighborhoods On A Map

To help you find your bearings, weve compiled a map for you with all the best places to stay. To give you an even better sense of where everything is in Manhattan, weve added 10 popular tourist attractions.

We recommend staying in one of these 5 areas:

• Midtown: Ideal for your first visit to New York.
• Upper East Side: Ideal for luxury, shopping, and museum lovers.
• Chelsea & Greenwich Village: Ideal for New York romantics.
• Soho & Lower East Side: Ideal for hipsters and coolhunters.
• Queens: Ideal for travelers on a budget.

In the next sections, well take a look at each of these areas to help you find the right one for you.

Central Park Best Place To Stay In New York City For Nature And Luxury

Central Park is New York Citys most iconic green space. Loved by locals and tourists alike, you will find runners, cyclists, dog walkers, photographers and couples taking romantic strolls.

The beautiful park is exceptionally seasonal. In Spring the cherry blossoms bloom, in Summer the park radiates a deep green, Fall brings stunning autumnal foliage and Winter is a magical snowy wonderland.

Upper East Side has been home to some of the richest families in American history and is where many of the most luxurious NYC hotels can be found. But there are good deals to be found in the area for lower budgets.

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Best Places To Stay Outside Of Manhattan

This is one of the cool areas to stay outside of Manhattan. It is a beautiful and upcoming neighborhood in Brooklyn, which for decades, has been home to many old families.

However, new vibrant, and young residents have also started living in the region while some of them have made it their permanent residence.

This stunning waterfront area derives its name from Sunset Park, which is found within the region.

It is a good area to relax as you enjoy the sunset or even swim in the community pool. If you ever travel to Manhattan and are looking for an affordable place outside of New York City with a cool community park, consider Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Transport to New York City from Sunset Park is not a problem as one can take a subway. It takes around 35 minutes to get to Times Square in New York City, while it might take less than 20 minutes to get to some other parts of the city.

There are several accommodation options in the sunset area, but the most notable hotels include Hotel BPM, Sleep Inn, and Wyndham. While Wyndham has some of the highest rates with $40 more than the others, it has the most positive reviews without any consistent complaints.

The region is suitable for travelers who are on a budget or individuals who want to feel part of the Brooklyn community.

The city center is easily accessible from Sunset Park, and hotel costs here are cheaper than in Manhattan and most other parts of Brooklyn.