Where To Stay In New York City: Best Places + Hotels In NYC

Figuring out where to stay in a place like New York City can be a daunting task. There are thousands of hotels scattered around dozens of neighborhoods and that can quickly become overwhelming. But in this comprehensive guide, we are going to help you choose the best hotels and places to stay in NYC based on your travel goals and budget.

Should you stay around Central Park? How about Times Square? Maybe Brooklyn?

We will explain everything you need to know about each of the popular NYC neighborhoods, including things to do, nearby major attractions and what makes it a desirable place to stay in New York.

Here’s what else you can expect from this guide:

• The 6 most popular NYC neighborhoods to stay
• Best areas for first time visitors to stay in New York
• Where to avoid staying in New York City
• Top tips for booking hotels in NYC
• NYC hotels map
• The top rated hotels in each NYC neighborhood

Note: This guide has been heavily updated for 2023 so you can expect the most up to date hotels.

Get this part of planning right and great NYC memories will become unforgettable NYC memories, so let’s find you the perfect hotel in New York City!

Why Trust Us To Help Book Your NYC Hotel?

Kristen is from Upstate New York and Mark is from England so we are always traveling across the Atlantic to see family. Nine times out of ten we transit through JFK or Newark and each time we spend a few more days exploring New York.

In fact, the city was so irresistible to us that we actually moved to NYC and lived there in early 2021. We spent our entire temporary residency relentlessly exploring attractions and hotels.

Therefore, we have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the popular places to stay in New York City than most.

And for the purposes of this guide, we spent our own time, effort and money staying at many of the New York City hotels we recommend below.

Perhaps more importantly, we have not included some of the hotels we stayed at if we didn’t think they would be a good fit for visitors who don’t know New York well.

NYC is one of the very best places to visit in the USA and we will use our experiences to get you off to the best possible start with the perfect hotel in the best New York neighborhood.

Best Hotels Anywhere

Another major update for 2023 is that we have officially launched our brand new hotels site (just in case you needed any more convincing we know what we are talking about!).

We love helping our readers find the best hotel options in new travel destinations. That includes NYC, and you can now read our complete guide to the 30 best hotels in NYC at Best Hotels Anywhere.

What is the difference between this guide and our new guide?

The guide you are reading will help you figure out which NYC neighborhood to stay and lists hotels. Our new guide takes a much deeper look at the hotels and goes lighter on the neighborhoods.

Both are extremely helpful and will suit different types of planners!

Best Hotels In NYC

Are you in a hurry and just want to know the best New York City hotels?

That’s fine, we know this is a detailed guide and you might not have time to read it all!

Here are our top 5 hotel picks for NYC based on our own experiences as well as where we see the most bookings from our readers:

• 1. Cambria Hotel – Cheap hotel between Midtown South and Chelsea
• 2. CitizenM Times Square – Cheap hotel right in Times Square
• 3. Park Terrace – Mid range budget hotel right on Bryant Park
• 4. Archer Hotel – Affordable luxury hotel in Midtown South
• 5. LUMA Hotel – Top rated affordable luxury near Bryant Park

Have a little more time and enjoy putting in the research to find the perfect New York hotel?

Continue reading to find all of the top rated hotels across NYC!

How To Choose The Right Hotel In New York City

The key to choosing the best NYC hotel in the perfect area is to ask yourself three questions:

• First – What are the bucket list things to do in NYC that you just can’t miss?
• Second – Do you want to be in the heart of the action on relax on the periphery?
• Third – How much money do you want to spend?

If you already know exactly what you want to do in NYC, pin the locations of each attraction on a map and look at where the highest concentration of pins are located.

That will give you a good idea about which areas you will spend most of your time. But remember you can always travel to those places from your hotel.

For the most part, hotels in New York City are not budget friendly. However, there are a handful of hidden gems and we will show you the best cheap, mid range and luxury hotels within each area of NYC.

Once your New York hotel is booked, you can start working on the fun part, building your bucket list NYC itinerary.

6 Best Places To Stay In New York City

Working out where to stay in New York City is an impossible task, unless you break the city up into smaller areas.

We personally think there are 6 awesome places to stay in NYC that are perfect for different types of visitor.

Here are the New York neighborhoods we suggest looking into for first and even second time visitors to NYC:

• 1. Central Park: Best for families – Including Upper West Side and Upper East Side
• 2. Times Square: Best for cheap hotels – Garment District, Midtown West, Diamond District
• 3. Midtown South: Best for location – Bryant Park, Koreatown, NoMad and Chelsea
• 4. SoHo: Best for shopping – Including Little Italy, Nolita, Tribeca, Bowery and LES
• 5. Lower Manhattan: Best for business – Financial District and Seaport
• 6. Brooklyn: Best for authenticity – Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg

Each of these 6 areas brings its own unique benefits to the table.

We are confident that almost all of the things on your NYC bucket list will be spread throughout these popular places in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Important: It is crucial to mention at this point that we will not cover every single neighborhood in New York City.

Some areas we don’t talk about here could potentially be a better fit for you, but we are keeping this guide as broad as possible for first and second time visitors to NYC.

The infographic below shows a summarized version of the 6 NYC areas with our favorite cheap, mid range and luxury hotels in each neighborhood:

What Is The Best Area To Stay In NYC?

Midtown South is the best overall place to stay in NYC. It is centrally located within Manhattan, has excellent transport links, a classier feel, loads of hotel options and countless places to eat out.

Specifically, we would suggest booking a hotel as close to Bryant Park as possible for the ultimate Manhattan location.

However, Midtown won’t suit everyone.

So we think first time visitors to New York City should also look for hotels around Times Square, Central Park, SoHo and Lower Manhattan.

Return visitors to New York should also consider Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Greenwich Village, Chelsea and Lower East Side. These NYC neighborhoods are more residential and will give you a more authentic feel for the city.

Remember, you are planning a visit to one of the most diverse, tourist heavy and unique places in the world. Demand is sky high and that means supply is in abundance.

New York City is a vacation planning monster. It is an enormous, hotels and attractions galore jigsaw puzzle. But it is also one of the most irresistible cities on Earth and we will help you piece it all together.

Is It Better To Stay In Times Square Or Midtown?

One of the questions people ask the most before visiting NYC for the first time is:

Should I stay in Times Square or Midtown Manhattan?

Well, you can expect hotels in Times Square to be cheaper on average when compared to Midtown Manhattan, which means it is a better place to stay for those traveling on lower budgets.

However, Midtown Manhattan is a more upscale place to stay with higher quality hotels than Times Square, which makes it more desirable for travelers with comfortable budgets.

We would say book a hotel in Times Square if you want to be in the thick of the action with easy access to most of Manhattan. Otherwise book your hotel in the more upscale Midtown Manhattan area.

Where Not To Book A Hotel In NYC

Another important consideration when figuring out where to stay in NYC is knowing what areas to avoid when looking for hotels.

Let’s narrow down your search:

Boroughs

Firstly you want to be in Manhattan or Brooklyn so that you are close to the major tourist sights. Therefore, you can instantly rule out the other NYC boroughs of Harlem, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island.

You can of course choose to stay in any of those areas, but you would spend a lot more time riding the subway.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is enormous and very residential.

There are so many cool neighborhoods around Brooklyn but for first time visitors we recommend staying only in Williamsburg or near Brooklyn Bridge so you have easier access to attractions.

Some would argue that Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights and Bed-Stuy are rough around the edges. But they are also full of life, things to do and places to eat.

We have included Brooklyn in this guide but we do think the majority of first time visitors to NYC should stay in Manhattan.

Our top pick for Brooklyn is Williamsburg.

Manhattan

In Manhattan, we honestly think that as long as you use common sense, there are no “avoid at all costs” areas below 96th Street.

There are certain streets around Garment District near Times Square that feel a bit sketchy, but this is also where many of the cheapest NYC hotels are located.

With that said, you will find grittier streets in almost every single neighborhood in NYC. Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Meatpacking District and Chelsea all have sketchier parts.

Central Park is the safest place to stay in New York City, so we recommend families with younger kids try to book a hotel close to 59th Street or in Upper East Side where it is much quieter.

Our top recommendation for Manhattan is Midtown South.

Tips For Booking The Best New York City Hotels

Let’s take a quick look at some of our top tips to consider when choosing where to stay in NYC.

1. Subway Stations

The best piece of advice we can offer you for booking hotels in New York City is to book a hotel near a subway station.

Having a long walk to the nearest subway station will very quickly become frustrating. You need to be close to at least one subway station so you can easily get around the city.

We typically book hotels around Midtown South in Manhattan, so we tend to use 34 St Herald Sq for yellow line, 34 St Penn Station for the red line and 33 St for the green line.

2. Hotel Cost

In the end your NYC hotel choice will more than likely come down to cost. You can find the perfect neighborhood and area, but if there are no hotels to suit your budget you are back to the drawing board.

Are hotel prices just too high for you to visit New York?

Our advice is to consider visiting New York in Winter or at least in shoulder season months such as March, April, October and November when hotel prices in NYC are more affordable.

3. Tax Added To Hotels In New York City

Remember to look out for tax exclusions when booking your hotel in New York. Taxes are always added to hotels in the US but certain areas have much higher tax rates and New York is one of those places.

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) or more simply “bed tax” is 14.75% in NYC and that is a lot of money added on top of already sky high hotel prices.

You will also see a “city tax” fee of around $3.50 / night added to every room and some hotels might even try to throw in a “resort fee” like you can see in the screenshot we took below.

To find additional fees for NYC hotels on Booking.com follow these steps:

• 1. Click on a hotel name from our neighborhood lists below
• 2. Enter your travel dates
• 3. Click “see availability”
• 4. Scroll down to the available rooms and prices
• 5. Look under “today’s prices”
• 6. Find the Excluded section at the bottom
• 7. Tax, city tax and resort fees are not included in the price until final calculations

It is important to note here that these additional tax elements are also added if you book direct with any hotel in NYC.

4. Use Booking Rewards For Cheaper Prices

We have personally run comparison tests on NYC hotel prices using Booking.com with all taxes included versus prices when going direct with hotels.

Almost every time Booking.com prices were cheaper because we have Genius Rewards with Booking.com, simply by signing up for free and staying at hotels.

All you have to do is create a free account with Booking.com and 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 in NYC.

Note: If you typically prefer to use other hotel booking platforms like Hotels.com, go ahead and create a free account with that platform instead. Each platform has perks you can take advantage of to save.

5. Find Promotional Offers For Hotels In New York

Hotels run promotions and discounts at different times of the week, month and year.

Always shop around, click on every single hotel in each area of New York to find the best hotel prices for your travel dates.

If you are visiting NYC from Monday to Friday you are likely to pick up promotional prices compared to weekend prices.

Example: You visit New York City in January. A luxury hotel that usually costs a small fortune in July only has 50% of rooms filled in January, so you can stay there for the same price you would get a low budget hotel in summer.

Do you need help planning your visit to New York City?

Our popular 40 + page NYC Guidebook & Itinerary covers every aspect of planning a trip to New York including hotels, restaurants, getting around, things to do, example itineraries and so much more!

New York City Hotels Map

Here is our interactive Google Map showing the locations of every NYC hotel in this guide.

Hotel price category:

• Green icons – Cheap hotels in NYC
• Red icons – Mid range budget hotels in NYC
• Blue icons – Luxury hotels in NYC

Neighborhood outlines:

• Blue outline – Central Park
• Green outline – Times Square
• Red outline – Midtown South
• Orange outline – SoHo
• Yellow outline – Lower Manhattan
• Black outlines – Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg

Click or touch the map to activate.

Scroll around, zoom in and out, get to know the different neighborhoods of New York City and look for hotel locations we have listed below.

OK, let’s get stuck into the 6 popular NYC neighborhoods for first time visitors to book hotels!

1. Central Park – Best Place To Stay In New York City For Families + Luxury

Central Park is New York City’s most iconic green space.

Loved by locals and tourists alike, you will find runners, cyclists, dog walkers, photographers and couples taking romantic strolls through Central Park year round.

In Spring the cherry blossoms bloom, in Summer the park radiates with emerald green leaves, Fall brings vibrant autumnal foliage and Central Park in the Winter is a magical snow white oasis.

Upper East Side has been home to some of the richest families in American history and is where many of the top luxury NYC hotels can be found.

Things To Do In Central Park

You can easily spend a full day of your NYC itinerary just walking around Central Park but you likely won’t have that much time available.

We would recommend starting with the following:

• The Mall, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields and The Ramble.
• After that, you should visit The Met which is one of the very best NYC museums.
• If you have more time you can also visit Guggenheim Museum and Natural History Museum.

The museums are all located close to the sides of Central Park and are easy to access.

Staying around Central Park also means you have easy access to 5th Avenue shopping, Top of the Rock, MoMA and Broadway.

Why Is Central Park One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

Central Park’s Upper East Side is the best place to stay in New York City for families and a more luxurious experience.

Upper East Side is a calm, safe and upscale place to stay in NYC. However, it only has access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan via 77 St green metro line.

Upper West Side is more lively and less glitzy than Upper East Side. It also has better subway access to the major tourist spots in Manhattan with red, blue and orange subway lines at 72 St.

Both are excellent places to stay in New York City if you like the sound of a morning stroll around Central Park with a coffee every morning.

You can also stay in the more touristy and cheaper part of Central Park, right along the southern edges of the park around 57th, 58th and 59th streets.

Best Cheap, Mid Range and Luxury Hotels Near Central Park, New York City

Hotels near Central Park are typically more expensive than most other areas of New York City. A low budget hotel in Central Park will likely cost more than a mid range budget hotel in Times Square.

We stayed at 1 Hotel Central Park and it was fantastic. The furniture materials of wood with wrought iron were elegant and relaxing. It reminded us of when we stayed in traditional Ryokans in Japan.

The Whitby Hotel located near Central Park has one of the highest ratings on Booking.com for all hotels in New York. We enjoyed a wonderful NYC afternoon tea in the Whitby Hotel restaurant.

Here are the best hotels for each budget around Central Park (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels Near Central Park

1. The Lucerne Hotel (Upper West Side) – Cheapest hotel around the Central Park area with a very good guest rating. Close to 79 St subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

2. Voco, The Franklin (Upper East Side) – Cheapest hotel in the ritzy Upper East Side area with much better ratings on Booking vs Google reviews. Close to 86th St subway station.

• Google – 3.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

3. Hilton Garden Inn (Central Park South) – Cheapest hotel close to the southern edge of Central Park. Not the best ratings but very popular choice on Broadway close to several subway stations.

• Google – 3.8 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.1 / 10

4. Hotel Belleclaire (Upper West Side) – Popular choice with solid guest ratings at the lower budget price point for this area. Close to 79 St subway station.

• Google – 4.0 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels Near Central Park

5. Hotel Beacon (Upper West Side) – Highly rated mid range budget hotel on Broadway close to 72 St subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

6. The Wallace (Upper West Side) – One of the top rated New York City hotels according to previous guests. Close to 79 St subway station.

• Google – 4.7 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.3 / 10

7. The Manhattan Club (Central Park South) – Very popular mid range budget Central Park hotel with excellent location close to 57 Street subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.1 / 10

8. Courtyard by Marriott (Central Park South) – Another popular choice slightly closer to the Times Square area and near 7 Avenue subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

Luxury Hotels Near Central Park

9. The Carnegie Hotel (Central Park South) – Affordable luxury with excellent location near 57 Street subway stations.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.6 / 10

10. 1 Hotel Central Park (Central Park South) – Plush hotel steps from Central Park and near 57 Street subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

11. Park Lane (Central Park South) – Popular hotel directly facing Central Park next to 5 Av / 59 St subway station.

• Google – 4.0 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

12. The Plaza (Central Park South) – Iconic NYC hotel from Home Alone 2 located next to 5 Av / 59 St subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

Need more info on Central Park? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels near Central Park on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

2. Times Square – Where To Stay In New York City On A Budget

Times Square is where you will find those famous NYC flashing lights and the New Year’s Eve ball drop. It is the beating heart of touristy Midtown Manhattan and attracts millions of visitors each year.

When you started researching where to stay in New York City, was Times Square the first place you searched for on a map?

It is nothing to be ashamed of, almost all first time visitors to NYC book a hotel somewhere in or near Times Square. And that is not a bad thing.

Times Square is without question the best place to stay in New York for cheap hotels. On top of that, it is ideally located for a huge portion of NYC’s top bucket list attractions.

So why would you not stay in Times Square?

Well, it is always chaotic, loud and a sensory overload. The area is also renowned for pickpockets and tourist traps, although we have never had any problems.

Let’s just say there are more attractive and calmer places to stay in New York City than Times Square.

Things To Do In Times Square

Times Square in itself is a major NYC tourist attraction but it is also incredibly convenient for visiting almost all of the best things to do in Midtown Manhattan.

Here are the top attractions around Times Square:

• Top of the Rock
• Edge NYC at Hudson Yards
• Fifth Avenue
• Broadway
• Radio City
• Rise NY

If you do decide to book a hotel in Times Square, our top tip is to visit at night to see the chaos unfold, but then go again just before sunrise to see Times Square all but empty.

Why Is Times Square One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

Lower hotel prices make Times Square one of the best and most popular places to stay in New York..

Times Square is also centrally located within Manhattan, which means it is extremely convenient for getting around NYC by subway, it is easy to reach from both JFK and Newark airports and it has endless places to eat.

Connections to all areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn are made easy with various subway lines running through or very close to Times Square.

You can book a room at a quality Times Square hotel with excellent value for money in NYC.

Best Cheap, Mid Range And Luxury Hotels Near Times Square In New York City

Times Square area has the highest concentration of cheap hotel rooms in NYC, so this is definitely where to stay in New York City on a budget.

YOTEL Times Square and Pod Times Square are both very popular super low budget places to stay in NYC.

You will find a clustering of low budget hotels between 42 St Port Authority and 34 St Penn Station. This whole area is hotel after hotel.

We have personally stayed at Renaissance, CitizenM, AC Hotel and Arlo Midtown during separate visits to Times Square in New York.

All 4 were excellent stays, but CitizenM and Renaissance were higher quality. AC Hotel and Arlo both have rooftop bars and more affordable room rates.

Also, Riu Plaza hotel in Times Square often runs deals so look out for those offers.

Top tip: If you are a photographer and can’t afford to stay at Renaissance Times Square, go in to the lounge for a drink and you will still be able to see one of the most iconic views over Times Square.

Here are the best hotels for each budget around Times Square (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels In Times Square NYC

1. CitizenM Times Square – One of the most popular cheap places to stay near Times Square, close to 50th Street subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

2. Hampton Inn Times Square Central – Very cheap hotel with excellent location near Times Square 42 St subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

3. The Belvedere Hotel – Popular low budget hotel set back slightly from the chaos, close to 50 St subway station.

• Google – 4.1 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

4. Pestana CR7 – Cristiano Ronaldo’s new hotel in Times Square is a popular cheap NYC lodging option close to 42 Port Authority subway station.

• Google – 4.0 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels In Times Square NYC

5. Riu Plaza New York Times Square – Extremely popular place to stay near Times Square, close to 50 St subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.6 / 10

6. Arlo Midtown – Affordable mid range hotel between Times Square and Hudson Yards, close to 42 St Port Authority subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

7. M Social Times Square – Another popular hotel located between Times Square and Central Park near 7 Avenue subway station.

• Google – 4.1 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

8. Renaissance Times Square – Classy mid range Times Square hotel with a fantastic view overlooking the action, next to 49 St subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

Luxury Hotels In Times Square NYC

9. LUMA Hotel Times Square – One of the most affordable and highly rated luxury hotels in NYC, located perfectly between Times Square and Midtown South near 42 St Times Square subway station. Top pick.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.0 / 10

10. The Michelangelo – Plush hotel at lower end of luxury budget with fantastic Times Square location close to 49 St subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

11. Times Square Edition – Highly rated luxury hotel in a superb location just steps from Times Square and close to 49 St subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

12. Hotel Scherman – Top rated luxury hotel near Times Square but a three block walk to nearest subway station at 50 St.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.0 / 10

Want more from Times Square? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels in Times Square on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

3. Midtown South Manhattan – Where To Stay In The Heart Of New York City

Midtown South in Manhattan is about the closest ‘area’ we could come up to encompass the strip of real estate between Madison Square Park and Bryant Park, sandwiched between 5th and 6th avenues.

This central strip of Midtown South is where you will find NoMad, Koreatown, the Empire State Building and Macy’s department store.

Technically this area could stretch a little further south and west into Chelsea, which we loved walking around but think is more for third, fourth or fifth time visitors to NYC.

Remember, the summer months of June, July and August are naturally going to be busier around the Midtown area of Manhattan. Consider visiting New York in April or another shoulder season month to avoid crowds and pick up better prices on hotels in NYC.

Things To Do In Midtown South Manhattan

Staying in Midtown South means you will be surrounded by endless shopping, dining and rooftop bar options.

Many of the top rated coffee shops and best bagel joints in NYC are located between Empire State Building and Penn Station. Our favorites are Best Bagel and Coffee and Liberty Bagels Midtown, both on W 35th Street.

Here are the top NYC attractions around Midtown South:

• Empire State Building
• SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
• Grand Central
• The Morgan Library
• Macy’s Department Store
• 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
• Flatiron Building (nearby)

Why Is Midtown South In Manhattan One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

Midtown South is right in the thick of Manhattan action.

You will find yourself gravitating to this area filled with restaurants, culture and shopping throughout your stay in NYC.

Grand Central and Penn Station are close, providing major transportation access and subway lines into each area of New York City.

International visitors: Penn Station is the easiest place to access Manhattan from both JFK and Newark.

Hotel options span the budget ranges around Midtown South and it is a much less chaotic area than Times Square.

Best Cheap, Mid Range And Luxury Hotels In Midtown South Manhattan

We prefer to book hotels in Midtown South when we stay in New York City.

In fact, some of our favorite hotels and the hotels we see most people booking are in the Midtown South area of NYC.

We have stayed at Cambria in the lower budget price range, MOXY Chelsea for mid range budget and Archer Hotel in the luxury budget category. All 3 were fantastic places to stay in New York City and they are also exceptionally popular hotel choices for our readers.

Archer Hotel in particular is a standout NYC lodging option and it is surprisingly affordable for a luxury hotel. King rooms at Archer have direct views over the Empire State Building.

Park Terrace is another luxurious top end of mid range budget hotel in Midtown South that we see loads of bookings. We plan to stay at Park Terrace next time we are in NYC.

Here are the best hotels for each budget around Midtown South (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels In Midtown South, Manhattan

1. Cambria Hotel Chelsea – Cambria is a very popular cheap hotel in New York City. It is located near 28 St subway stations in a quieter part of Midtown Manhattan.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

2. MOXY NYC Times Square – Despite the name, this low budget hotel is excellently located in the heart of Midtown South close to many top attractions and 34 Street subway stations.

• Google – 4.1 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

3. Hampton Inn 35th Street – Another popular low budget hotel with a superb location opposite Macy’s and next to 34 St Herald Square subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

4. Arlo NoMad – Quieter location in Koreatown with rooftop bar at a lower price point makes this Arlo hotel another good choice. Close to 33 St subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.1 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels In Midtown South, Manhattan

5. MOXY NYC Chelsea – Lower end of mid range budget hotel between Midtown South and Chelsea in a quiet location near 28 St subway station.

• Google – 4.1 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

6. The Kitano Hotel – Unique location close to Morgan Library and Grand Central subway station, with excellent reviews.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

7. MADE Hotel – Very highly rated hotel in NoMad close to 28 St subway station. Moving into the more luxurious mid range hotels now.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.6 / 10

8. Park Terrace Hotel – We love the Park Terrace Hotel. You can book into a Bryant Park facing room, the location is hard to beat, it is pet friendly, has a great gym and all you can eat breakfast. Close to 5 Av subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

Luxury Hotels In Midtown South, Manhattan

9. Archer Hotel – Archer is one of our absolute favorite NYC hotels. Book a room with Empire State Building view, relax with a drink at Spyglass rooftop bar and enjoy the perfect location near 5 Av subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

10. Renaissance Midtown – Stylish and classy Midtown Manhattan hotel next to Madison Square Garden with easy access to 34 St Penn Station. Excellent for events, concerts and sports games in NYC.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

11. Bryant Park Hotel – Another Midtown hotel with top location and excellent ratings close to 5 Av subway station. Compare prices with Park Terrace and Archer in the same area.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

12. The Langham – If you are looking for the ultimate 5 star hotel in NYC with world class service and endless luxury, look no further than The Langham on Fifth Avenue near the Empire State Building and 5 Av subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.1 / 10

Want to stay in Midtown? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels in Midtown NYC on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

4. SoHo – Where To Stay In NYC For Fashion, Style + Celebrity Spotting

SoHo, which is short for South of Houston Street, is a small but fashionable and trendy pocket of Manhattan.

Little Italy and Nolita are technically different areas but they are all intertwined so we are bunching them together in this section. We are also including the northern part of Tribeca, southern part of Bowery and even the western part of Lower East Side into this one overall area called SoHo.

All are excellent places to stay in NYC but in particular, couples, families with older kids and solo travelers will all enjoy staying around these areas of SoHo, New York.

Picturesque cobblestone streets and high end shops make SoHo a popular place to live and explore. Nearby, the small grid style streets of Little Italy and Nolita are filled with places to eat.

SoHo is always packed wall to wall with tourists and locals, restaurants are overflowing with no chance of getting a table unless you reserve ahead of time and there’s a natural feel good aura.

Things To Do In SoHo

SoHo is a relaxing residential area overflowing with dining options, which means the best thing you can do here is eat and drink your way through the area.

Here are the top things to do around SoHo:

• Shop ’til you drop (you might need a couple thousand dollars spare in your budget!)
• Soak up the atmosphere at a bar or coffee shop
• Walk down Canal Street
• Look out for celebs if that interests you
• Visit the popular Museum of Ice Cream
• Eat pizza at one of many top rated joints around Little Italy
• Take the kids to the Sloomoo Institute
• Walk down to the Ghostbusters Headquarters

Why Is SoHo One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

SoHo is stylish, fun and the perfect place to stay in New York for socializing.

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 best places to stay in New York City.

SoHo includes Nolita and Little Italy, plus it is close to West Village and Greenwich Village, all of which feature heavily in our very popular guide to the best pizza in NYC.

Best Cheap, Mid Budget and Luxury Hotels Near SoHo, New York City

Hotels in SoHo range from the top end of low budget to ultra luxurious but it is a little isolated within the Manhattan landscape.

Long walks either direction are required to get to the next touristy area, so you’ll be riding the subway more often than if you stayed in Times Square or Midtown South.

We have stayed at NobleDEN, Arlo SoHo and CitzenM Bowery. All 3 were great, but our favorite was NobleDEN.

If you are looking for the ultimate luxury splurge on your visit to New York, Crosby Street Hotel should be near the top of your list. It is way out of our price range but we would love to stay there!

Here are the best hotels for each budget around SoHo (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels In SoHo NYC

1. Sheraton Tribeca – Cheapest hotel with a good rating in the SoHo area with excellent location next to Canal Street subway station.

• Google – 4.0 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.6 / 10

2. CitizenM Bowery – Very popular and highly rated low budget NYC hotel on the border between Little Italy and Lower East Side, close to Bowery subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.8 / 10

3. Arlo SoHo – One of the more popular cheap NYC hotels, tucked away slightly to the west of SoHo near Canal Street subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.9 / 10

4. NobleDEN Hotel – One of our top picks for best place to stay in New York City, very highly regarded hotel with excellent location in the heart of Little Italy close to several subway lines.

• Google – 4.7 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.0 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels In SoHo NYC

5. Walker Hotel – Solid lower end of mid range budget hotel surrounded by culture, eateries and residential areas between Tribeca and SoHo, close to Canal Street subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

6. Roxy Hotel – Very popular and well-rated mid range NYC hotel surrounded by places to eat and located near Franklin Street subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

7. SoHo Grand Hotel – Popular luxury boutique hotel in New York City, located in the southwest of SoHo near Canal Street subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

8. The Broome – Superb and stylish boutique hotel in the heart of SoHo with Parisian style breakfast, located close to Spring Street subway station. One of our top hidden gem picks for where to stay in New York City.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

Luxury Hotels In SoHo NYC

9. SIXTY SoHo – Luxury hotel in a prime time SoHo location surrounded by places to eat, near Spring Street subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

10. The Dominick Hotel – Luxury SoHo hotel with small rooftop swimming pool, located idyllically next to Spring St subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

11. The Bowery Hotel – Popular luxury hotel excellently located between Soho, Lower East Side and East Village, close to Bleecker Street subway station.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.9 / 10

12. Crosby Street Hotel – Simply stunning 5 star luxury hotel in NYC with impeccable ratings. This has to be one of the very best places to stay in New York City. Top location between SoHo and Little Italy, close to Spring Street subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.4 / 10

Sold on SoHo? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels in SoHo NYC on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

5. Lower Manhattan – Where To Stay In New York City For Business + Photography

Lower Manhattan or Downtown Manhattan includes the Financial District, Seaport and parts of Lower East Side.

This area is famed for business and stock exchanges but don’t let that put you off, there’s a lot more to do at the bottom of Manhattan and it is currently in a growth phase.

Cobblestone streets, stunning architecture, hidden gem hole-in-the-wall eateries, up and coming live music bars and riverside activities will more than keep you busy in Downtown Manhattan.

Things To Do In Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan is full of fun things to do on a typical first time visit to NYC. You might be surprised by just how many of the most famous landmarks are down here!

Here are the things you can’t miss around Downtown Manhattan:

• One World Observatory
• Statue of Liberty Ferry
• Wall Street
• Brooklyn Bridge (read our guide to Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise)
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum
• Piers 15 and 17 along the East River are full of eateries

If you are interested in visiting this area, read our complete guide to the 18 best things to do in Lower Manhattan.

Why Is Lower Manhattan One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

Lower Manhattan is filled with top NYC tourist attractions and landmarks.

It might not be the first place you think of when considering where to stay in New York City, but the Lower Manhattan area is booming with tourists after new shops and hotels have been developed in recent years.

The area around Oculus, One World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial is growing in popularity.

You can of course stay in Times Square or Midtown South and take a subway down to this area, but you might just find the perfect hotel at a great price point close to Brooklyn Bridge or Battery Park.

Anyone hunting the best NYC photography locations should seriously consider booking a hotel in Downtown Manhattan because it is right next to Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street and One World Observatory.

Another huge bonus?

Many hotels in Lower Manhattan offer discounted rates at weekends when business travel guests vacate hotel rooms otherwise occupied at inflated rates during the week.

Best Cheap, Mid Range And Luxury Hotels In Lower Manhattan NYC

Lower Manhattan hotels typically fill up during weekdays but often run cheaper weekend prices. Like most other areas in Manhattan, you have plenty of hotel options ranging from budget to luxury.

Surprisingly, we found Downtown Manhattan one of the most challenging parts of New York City to pick out the best hotels because there are so many excellent options.

We have stayed at Artezen Hotel and Club Quarters Hotel. Both were wonderful experiences and we would stay again. This might be an area of New York we invest more time in future.

Top tip: Stay further around the bottom portion of Manhattan in Lower East Side if you are visiting New York City to eat, drink and party.

Here are the best hotels for each budget around Lower Manhattan (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels In Lower Manhattan

1. World Center Hotel – Fantastic cheap hotel in Downtown Manhattan, located almost next to 9/11 Memorial and near several subway stations.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

2. Hilton Garden Inn Financial Center – Excellent Downtown Manhattan hotel located near Battery Park and Whitehall St subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.4 / 10

3. MOXY NYC Downtown – Another solid entry for the MOXY brand, cheap hotel located close to the Manhattan side of walking the Brooklyn Bridge and Fulton St subway station.

• Google – 4.1 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

4. Holiday Inn Financial District – Exceptionally popular cheap Lower Manhattan hotel with thousands of reviews on both Google and Booking. Located close to Wall Street subway station.

• Google – 4.0 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.9 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels In Lower Manhattan

5. AC Hotel Downtown – Superb location in Seaport close to Pier 15 and Wall St / William St subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

6. Club Quarters Hotel WTC – Next door to World Center Hotel (listed above), same excellent location near several subway stations and ideal for business trips.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

7. Residence Inn Downtown – Excellent mid range hotel in Downtown NYC with top location near World Trade Center and Fulton St subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.6 / 10

8. Artezen Hotel – Our top pick for best Downtown NYC hotel, superb ratings and location in the heart of Lower Manhattan. Close to Fulton St subway station.

• Google – 4.7 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.0 / 10

Luxury Hotels In Lower Manhattan

9. Gild Hall – Highly rated hidden gem hotel in a quiet part of Lower Manhattan between Wall Street and Brooklyn Bridge, close to Fulton St subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

10. The Beekman – Popular, highly regarded and excellently located near Brooklyn Bridge and several subway stations. This is a very good higher budget choice for Lower Manhattan.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.6 / 10

11. The Wall Street Hotel – Magnificent and sophisticated boutique hotel ready made for this new Financial District vibe. Located near Wall St / William St subway station. Excellent luxury NYC hotel.

• Google – 4.9 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.2 / 10

12. Conrad Downtown – Wonderful luxury New York City hotel with stunning location on the banks of the Hudson River, close to WTC and multiple subway lines.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 9.2 / 10

Tempted by Downtown NYC? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels in Lower Manhattan on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

6. Brooklyn – Best Place To Stay For Return Visitors To New York City

Brooklyn is the most populated borough of New York City. Renowned for its diverse residential neighborhoods, Brooklyn 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 you’re 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 suggest the Brooklyn or Williamsburg areas are where to stay in New York City for return visitors is because most first time visitors to NYC will stay in Manhattan, explore Brooklyn and Williamsburg, then say ‘next time we will stay here’.

Things To Do In Brooklyn

Brooklyn is one of those places you could eat, drink and chat your way through an entire vacation. You can visit trendy bars or dive bars and dine out at any type of restaurant you can imagine.

Chances are high you will end up meeting other friendly tourists or locals who are enjoying a cold afternoon beer in the sun at a table on the sidewalk.

Bedford Ave and Berry Street in Williamsburg are great for just hanging out.

Here are the places to consider visiting around Brooklyn:

• Prospect Park
• Red Hook (don’t miss Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie!)
• Greenwood Cemetery
• Domino Park
• Bushwick Art Collective
• Dumbo
• Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Williamsburg

Why Is Brooklyn One Of The Best Places To Stay In NYC?

Want to know what it’s really like to live in New York City?

Spend a long weekend in Brooklyn among commuters and local residents eating and drinking after work in a varied selection of bars and restaurants throughout Brooklyn.

Brooklyn has a slightly lower population than Chicago, which means if Brooklyn was a city it would have the 4th highest population in the US.

Most tourists will visit Brooklyn on a first visit to NYC and leave thinking ‘yeah, I could live here!’

If we were to ever move back into New York City, we would strongly consider neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Best Cheap, Mid Range And Luxury Hotels In Brooklyn NYC

Brooklyn is far less touristy when compared to Manhattan. Just from a quick hotel search that much is apparent because there are fewer hotel options.

However, there are also far fewer people booking hotel rooms in Brooklyn.

We have stayed at Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg and EVEN Hotel in Downtown Brooklyn.

Both were excellent for what we wanted at the time. Wythe Hotel is located perfectly for socializing in Williamsburg and EVEN Hotel is close to the best of Downtown Brooklyn.

Next time we are in Brooklyn, we would like to stay at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge which has one of the best views of any hotel in NYC.

Here are the best hotels for each budget around Brooklyn (with Google and Booking.com guest ratings):

Cheap Hotels In Brooklyn

1. Pod Brooklyn Williamsburg – The best cheap hotel in Williamsburg with excellent ratings and superb location near Bedford Av subway station.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.3 / 10

2. NU Hotel Downtown Brooklyn – Cheapest hotel with a good rating around the Downtown Brooklyn area, located close to Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.9 / 10

3. EVEN Hotel Downtown Brooklyn – Excellent low budget Brooklyn hotel with fantastic location next to Nevins St subway station.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.8 / 10

4. Hampton Inn Downtown Brooklyn – Slightly out of the way but has the top rating of any low budget hotel in Brooklyn. Jay Street is the nearest subway station.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

Mid Range Budget Hotels In Brooklyn

5. Penny Williamsburg – Newer boutique hotel with good early ratings located between the lively Williamsburg social scene and Metropolitan Av subway station.

• Google – 4.6 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.7 / 10

6. The Hoxton Williamsburg – Cheapest of three popular hotels in a row located in north Williamsburg (two are listed in luxury hotels below). Bedford Av is the closest subway but it is a longer walk.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 7.9 / 10

7. ACE Hotel Downtown Brooklyn – Newer mid range budget hotel in Downtown Brooklyn with excellent ratings, close to the action and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets subway station. Very good Brooklyn hotel option.

• Google – 4.5 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.8 / 10

8. NY Marriott Downtown Brooklyn – Solid mid budget place to stay in Brooklyn, close to the access point for walking Brooklyn Bridge and surrounded by multiple subway lines.

• Google – 4.3 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

Luxury Hotels In Brooklyn

9. The Williamsburg – Luxury boutique hotel in Williamsburg with rooftop pool. Similarly to The Hoxton, it is a longer walk to Bedford Av subway station but this is a fantastic spot for eating out.

• Google – 4.2 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.0 / 10

10. The William Vale Williamsburg – One of the best hotels in Williamsburg. Luxurious place to stay on the opposite side of the East River to Manhattan with spectacular views.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

11. Wythe Hotel Williamsburg – Our favorite hotel in Williamsburg. Wythe is a historic Brooklyn factory turned hip boutique hotel and we think it is among the best places to stay outside of Manhattan in NYC.

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.5 / 10

12. 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge – One of the very best hotels with a view in New York City. Directly overlooking the Lower Manhattan skyline from an infinity pool at sunset sounds idyllic to us!

• Google – 4.4 / 5
• Booking.com – 8.2 / 10

Like the sound of Brooklyn? Read our complete guide to the 12 best hotels in Brooklyn NY on our hotels site to see each hotel listed above in greater detail.

Best Places For Families To Stay In New York City With The Kids

When visiting New York City with younger kids, choosing where to stay becomes less about attractions and more about safety.

You won’t find any resort style hotels with swimming pools to keep the kids entertained, so the best thing to do is find a quiet spot away from the grittier or louder areas.

Places to avoid with kids in NYC would be party places like Meatpacking District and Lower East Side.

With that said, we highly recommend booking a hotel around Central Park because it is the safest area in NYC for traveling with a family. The Plaza Hotel on 59th Street would be a great choice.

If your kids are teens and above, you shouldn’t have any issues staying in any of the 6 places mentioned in this guide. Personally, we would try sticking to Central Park, Midtown South or Lower Manhattan.

New York City Attraction Passes

If you are planning to visit the top attractions in New York, we highly recommend you purchase a New York City attraction pass.

The idea is simple with these attractions passes; the more attractions you visit, the more money you will save.

Having used the NYC attraction passes ourselves when we lived in New York, our top recommendation is the New York Sightseeing Pass because it is extremely easy to use while offering both flexibility and big savings.

There are over 80+ attractions included on the NY Sightseeing Pass and we are happy to offer you an exclusive 10% discount just for our readers.

You can also read our guides below to help decide which is the perfect pass for your visit to New York:

• NY Sightseeing Pass – The most popular NYC attraction pass option for visitors who want to see as many attractions as possible.
• New York CityPASS and C3 Pass Review – How to visit select attractions in New York City at a competitive price point.
• New York Pass Comparison – Detailed comparison between each of the 4 New York Passes and which one you should buy for your visit.

Need Help Planning Your Visit To New York City?

NYC is a vacation planning beast and it can be overwhelming trying to get every aspect right. Trust us, we know!

After living in New York City, we created a comprehensive NYC travel guidebook that will answer every question you have about where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to get around the city.

Click see details below to read more about how we can help you plan your dream trip to New York City!

Where To Stay In New York City FAQ’s

Let’s take a quick look at the most asked questions about the best hotels in NYC.

More New York City Guides

• Activities – Best free, cheap and fun things to do in NYC
• Attraction Pass – Comparison of the 4 New York City Passes
• Bagels – Where to find the best bagels in NYC
• Itinerary – How to plan the perfect 4 days NYC itinerary
• Museums – 10 best museums in New York City
• Pizza – Where to find the best pizza in NYC
• Sky Decks – Comparison of the best NYC observation decks

Our Popular “City Hotels” Guides

• Las Vegas – 25 best Las Vegas Strip hotels
• Los Angeles – 25 best Los Angeles hotels
• San Diego – 20 best hotels in San Diego
• San Francisco – 20 best hotels in San Francisco
• Sedona – Best hotels in Sedona Arizona

Our Popular “National Park Hotels” Guides

• Acadia – 5 best places to stay near Acadia National Park.
• Grand Canyon – Best hotels near Grand Canyon South Rim
• Mt Rushmore – Best hotels near Mount Rushmore
• Yellowstone – Best places to stay in Yellowstone National Park
• Yosemite – Best places to stay near Yosemite National Park
• Zion – Best places to stay near Zion National Park

---

We hope this where to stay in New York City guide helps you choose the best hotel and place for your NYC trip!

Please let us know if you have any question about NYC hotels or places to stay around New York City in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

Find This Guide Helpful? Pin It For Your Visit To NYC!

Note: This article contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All Rights Reserved © Where Are Those Morgans, LLC. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, maps, graphics, etc.) in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.