Where to Stay in New York

Finding accommodation in New York is not difficult. What could be difficult is choosing the right hotel and location. Places to stay could be luxury hotels, mid priced ones and a host of B & B places. Though there are plenty of hotels and motels, sustained demand from tourists and business travellers have kept prices high in the city. It is important to choose the right area to stay: one that is central, within walking distance to a subway station and being on the bus route would also help.

There are five boroughs in the city and if you are there as a tourist just for a few days, it may be wise to stay in Manhattan as that is where many of the sights are located and though hotel prices maybe on the higher side, you would cut down on commuting expense. Manhattan is further divided into Lower, Midtown and Upper Manhattan, with Midtown being the most central area, close to the sights, shops, theaters and museums. Remember, in Manhattan, the Eastside hotels are pricier than their counterparts on the Westside and also the closer you are to Central Park the higher the price!

There are many hotels in midtown Manhattan that you could choose from. Some of the top notch luxury hotels in the city are the Pierre, Ritz Carlton Central Park, Intercontinental New York Times Square, Mandarin Oriental and The Surrey New York amongst many others. They all have world class facilities and promise a comfortable and luxurious stay.

Mid range hotels are dime a dozen too and many of them in mid town Manhattan. In this category some of the hotels are the Radisson Lexington, New York Hilton, the Sofitel to name a few hotel chains.

Although budget accommodation is also pretty expensive, they too promise a comfortable stay and you could try Hotel Walcott and the New York Inn Hotel. Advance bookings are essential, especially during Christmas and summer.

The New York Youth Hostel is ideal for student travellers. It is located right in the middle of the city and has various facilities.

You can also book a hotel in New Jersey or Brooklyn. It is cheaper and is just 25 minutes from Manhattan, but as we said earlier taking commuting time and expense into account you may be better off in Manhattan!

However if you know a local resident it is best if you stay with them. You will save money and you will be able to see the city a lot better.