Where to Stay in New York City: A Guide for First Timers

Where to Stay in New York City: A Complete Guide for All Budgets and Styles

When deciding where to stay in New York City, it is important to consider what type of New York experience you’re seeking.

Are your intentions to fully indulge in the local cuisine and experience the city like a hometown resident (as I aim to do)? Or do you want to visit all exhibits and museums showcasing art? Perhaps you want to see as many tourist attractions as humanly possible (though I don`t recommend trying to cram it all in)?

The best area to stay in New York City will vary depending on your lifestyle, budget, and expectations.

Luckily for you, we compiled this detailed guide of the best neighborhoods to stay in, complete with pros and cons, highlights of each area, and highly rated hotels we`ve handpicked in each location.

Don’t have time to thoroughly read the entire guide below? Here’s a brief summary to commence your search for the perfect place to stay.

• Our general suggestion is theFlatiron District / NoMad area. This location provides all the benefits of Midtown (actually, it`s essentially the southern portion of Midtown), but with less hectic energy and overwhelm. Also unlike Midtown, where cuisine and drinks are underwhelming at best, this region has many excellent places to eat and drink. You`re also within walking distance to Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and the East Village, all great for food and drink too. We like the Ace Hotel (I stayed there a couple years ago) and the Freehand (we also stayed – it’s a relatively affordable choice).
• If it’s your initial visit to New York (or you have a brief trip), stay in Midtown. It’s as central as you can get, walkable to Central Park, and filled with the unrestrained energy that defines NYC. We will say that it gets a little overstimulating near Times Square. We adore CitizenM Hotels (we’ve stayed in three of their hotels in the past four months, at the moment of writing), and their Times Square location receives great reviews and is relatively low-cost.
• If standard tourist attractions are familiar to you and a unique experience is sought, lodging inBrooklynorWilliamsburgis advised.Brooklyn,if considered separately,features extensive attractions and activities in its own right,and ferry transportation between Manhattan and Brooklyn is very pleasant.Brooklynpossesses a more urban environment – the downtown area comprised towering skyscrapers, surprisingly.Williamsburgfeatures a more residential setting.
• If you’re on a constrained budget, there isn’t really a single region that incorporates all the inexpensive accommodations. There’s the HI Hostel on the Upper West Side, which has dormitories that are affordable (though it’s located far away). Pod 39 in Times Square has tiny, affordable rooms. The Jane Hotel in Greenwich Village represents about as good a value as you’ll find in the city.

Where We’ve Stayed in New York City

We like to typically start these guides by sharing our own experiences staying in the featured city.

I’m going to disregard my initial time in New York City, which was a two day trip where I spent most of my time inside a meeting room.

For the next couple of trips that lasted a week each, we stayed at a few different places during that time period.

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Our First Real Trip to New York City

For the initial weeklong voyage, we lodged in the Flatiron District, which is – FORESHADOWING ALERT – our top recommendation. We appreciate this area, from the verdure of Madison Park and Union Square, to the exceptional bars, eateries, and coffee shops it offers.

Additionally, it is in a wonderful central area between Midtown and Central Park, and Lower Manhattan (not to mention close to Penn Station, which means easy travel if that`s where you`re arriving).

We stayed at two different hotels during that trip.

Firstly, we spent a few nights at the budget-friendly Freehand Hotel. The Freehand provides smaller rooms and great communal areas like a nice rooftop area along with reduced prices, as well as elegant decor and good service typical of boutique lodgings

Accommodations are moderately sized, though some arrangements are larger to suit groups traveling together (some including upper bunks). Overall, we enjoyed our stay and the cost was reasonable at the time.

Next, we moved several blocks over to the Ace Hotel. We have stayed at the Ace in Seattle before, and this hotel delivered an improved experience compared to that one, with larger, quieter rooms and a nicer lobby area. There are rooms of various measurements, ranging from cozy single rooms to expansive loft suites bigger than the average NYC flat.

It’s not the most inexpensive hotel in New York City, but it’s somewhere around the mid-range classification, and probably is one of the better possibilities in that particular tier.

Our Most Recent Trip to New York City

On our most recent prolonged NYC adventure, we spent most time in Lower Manhattan, and Matt independently occupied lodging in Midtown for a couple nights at journey`s end.

We were pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it was to stay in the area of Lower Manhattan, which we anticipated would have numerous office structures and not many cool places, but found otherwise.

To some level, that’s factual, but there’s also certain genuinely constructive aspects: good public transport links to the rest of Manhattan and Brooklyn, and some of the most excellent museums and conventional visitor attractions in the city.

We lodged at Sonder Battery Park, which offers apartment-style rooms with full kitchens and spacious common areas.

There are a few Sonder spots in Lower Manhattan, but we favored this place a block away from Battery Park. There’s a pleasant rooftop deck, a fitness center, a couple of lounges, and additional amenities in the building.

Our residence – which offered a contactless experience (though staff were at the front desk if you had queries) – was spacious and well-stocked with everything we needed for our trip. We`d definitely stay there again.

On the rear side of our excursion, which took us to Boston, Vermont, and NYC, we separated and I, Matt, spent a week doing some additional investigating on the eastern coastline, counting a few evenings in Philadelphia. I flew out of JFK in New York, so I came back to the city for a couple nights before my flight, and stayed in Midtown.

To be fully transparent, Midtown is a bit too chaotic for my preferences. While I enjoy urban living, Midtown`s walkways are densely packed from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm without exception. It creates a frenetic environment.

However, I also think Midtown is a solid place to stay. Because there are so many hotels, the prices are actually reasonable considering their proximity to places like Times Square and Central Park. Plus, it’s extremely central.

In other words, it’s an ideal escape from urban life. For our honeymoon, we undertook a Vancouver Island road adventure, and Tofino was among the highlights of the trip. In this article, we will provide you 10 magical lodging options in Tofino, BC.

The CitizenM Times Square was also on our list because we very much appreciate CitizenM lodgings (we’ve stayed in three of their hotels in the past four months, at the time of composing).

Flatiron and NoMad: Our Personal Pick for Best Area To Stay In New York City

The reason we think Flatiron and NoMad should be at the top of your list of the best places to stay in New York City is straightforward. It’s essentially the lower part of Midtown Manhattan, which has a decidedly different, more pleasant atmosphere than the area further north towards Times Square.

It amalgamates the energy and centrality of Midtown and the excellent access to food and drinks of Chelsea and Greenwich Village (and the West Village).

First, let’s discuss the geographic area referenced. In regards to location, what place is being referred to? Essentially, the region spans from Union Square in the south to W32nd St in the north. Concerning east and west borders, it`s approximately Park Ave and 7th.

This little slice of paradise in the city has everything we enjoy in a neighborhood: excellent green spaces (Union Square and Madison Square Park), great food and drinks (Cosme for Michelin starred Mexican) and Devoción (for excellent Colombian coffee), and a perfect central location between Midtown, Chelsea / Greenwich Village, and the East Village.

As you travel further north into the central area, the energy level escalates, at least for us. This portion of Manhattan has a taste of that vivacity, but it’s far more accessible and less overwhelming, and shares the same transportation connections that make the central area a perfect location to stay during your first trip to New York.

Pros and Cons of Staying in Flatiron / NoMad

Pros: 

• Excellent culinary and drinking establishments. This area contains a profuse number of restaurants and bars, and there is a strong possibility whether you lodge here or not, you`ll end up here for at least one meal.
• Suitable public transportation links. With the exception of Brooklyn (more on that in the cons section), this is an ideal place to use to explore Manhattan. It won’t consume too much more than 30 minutes to get anywhere needed, from Battery Park to the Upper West Side.

Cons: 

• It’s somewhat distant to Brooklyn / Williamsburg. This is an exception to the “good public transportation” point above. Not that the transportation is subpar, but you’ll likely need to transfer, and it could take you 40-45 minutes or more. If possible, catch the East River ferry here – it’s a much more pleasant journey than the subway.

Where To Stay In Flatiron And NoMad 

Part of the reason I appreciate this particular area is the great assortment of charming hotels. From budget to boutique, it has something for everyone.

The Freehand NYC: Best Affordable Hotel in New York City

Listen, if you’re searching for an affordable place to lodge in NYC, and you’re not too invested in having all the extravagant amenities that some of the upscale hotels offer, this location is superb. Besides, you won’t be spending much time in your hotel anyway, you’ll be out exploring!

We stayed at The Freehand for three nights on our initial trip and were astounded by the value. This beautifully designed, minimalist hotel offers very reasonable rates and is a terrific choice for groups of friends or couples traveling together.

They have large plant-filled social areas and restaurants. My favorite part of this hotel was the rooftop bar and lounge; such a great way to finish up a day exploring!

The Ace Hotel: Best Combination of Style and Budget

Another truly fantastic accommodation option situated in the heart of NYC, I stayed at the Ace Hotel for 3 nights and it served as an excellent home base for exploring the surrounding areas. Specifically, in my opinion it achieves the best combination of style and budget in the neighborhood. Large, bright rooms, an assortment of modern conveniences blended with vintage accents, and a central location.

The Ace Hotel is located centrally in NoMad, a five-minute walk from Koreatown and some excellent cafes. The hotel`s public spaces and rooms are decorated in vintage style with some of the larger rooms having a record player. Rudy`s Barbershop is situated onsite for a bit of pampering. I stayed here and found it very convenient to get around by subway.

The MADE Hotel: Splurge-worthy Boutique Hotel

The Made Hotel is the hotel I have always wished to reside at when visiting New York, but it was fully booked last time I visited. It possesses a zen-like atmosphere to the entire hotel with plenty of exposed wood, greenery, and natural light. Aka my ideal style.

There’s a cafe, rooftop bar, and a patio for hotel guests only. Minimalist rooms with sweeping city views and super comfortable beds are the main draw, though.

Midtown Manhattan: Best Central Location for First Timers and Short Trips

Nowhere captures the boundless energy characterizing New York City quite like Midtown Manhattan

Especially during the day, when tourists and office workers make it so that, no matter where in Midtown you find yourself, it’s a pretty good bet that the sidewalks will be packed.

To be truthful, we are quite accustomed to city living (we`ve lived in San Francisco and Seattle, and at the time of writting are relocating to Portland, Oregon) and Midtown can feel a bit overstimulating, even to us.

However, for a few nights, this is the most central place to stay in New York City. Just north is Central Park, the best urban green space in the country (sorry, Golden Gate Park), and you’ll be surrounded by some of the most iconic sites, sounds, and eats in Manhattan. 

Matt has stayed in Midtown a couple times over the course of past trips to New York, and firmly believes it`s best experienced in moderately small doses.

The location has convenient subway connections all over NYC making it great, though busy. Additionally, a variety of quality eating and drinking establishments can be found with a walk of at least four blocks away from Times Square.

One memory we enjoyed from that recent trip was unexpectedly finding ourselves in the midst of an impromptu dance celebration in Bryant Park. On a Thursday afternoon at 4:00 pm. Such energy represents New York City best, experienced most vividly in Midtown, the pulsating core of Manhattan.

A note regarding the geography: The giant region of Central Manhattan that includes neighborhoods like Hell’s Kitchen as well as areas described as “Midtown East” and “Midtown West” is collectively referred to as Midtown Manhattan. We will be combining them all in this section, which covers everything in Manhattan between the southern end of Central Park and the Empire State Building (roughly).

Pros and Cons of Staying in Midtown Manhattan

Pros:

• The location is as central as possible. Numerous attractions can be found within Midtown itself, and just outside the neighborhood borders are additional amazing sights such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park to the north, and Chelsea Market, the High Line, and Flatiron Building to the south).
• The Transportation Links. Penn Station, NYC’s primary train station, is at the southwestern corner of Midtown, where you’ll find trains to Newark International Airport and the Amtrak to various other Northeastern cities. Additionally, nearly every subway line runs through Midtown, which will receive you anywhere you need to go in the New York Metro Area.
• The Unbridled Vitality. When we think of New York City, we envision a kind of energetic buzz around the clock. Which is exactly what you’ll find in Midtown. Is it overwhelming at times? Yes. But also, where else in the world will you find a spontaneous impromptu dance party at 4:00 pm on a Thursday, like we found in Bryant Park during our trip?
• It offers good value. Despite being one of Manhattan`s most “touristy” districts, this remains a relatively affordable area to lodge in.

Cons:

• It’s not very clean. Given the “unbridled energy” mentioned above, it is understandable that there would be tradeoffs to the constant influx of people. This area of the city tends to collect a lot of trash and debris due to the high volume of human traffic passing through.
• It’s just… A GREAT DEAL. Especially around Times Square, which is an overwhelming place to visit. We like the northern end of Midtown because it’s walkable to Times Square, and the southern end because we love the Flatiron District / NoMad, which is walkable from there.
• The restaurants surrounding Times Square are generally not very good. Please avoid eating at Olive Garden while in New York City! There are plenty of terrific food and drink places in Midtown, but the immediate vicinity of Times Square itself tends to lack quality options. The sole exception being Los Tacos, which is said to be outstanding (but they use wheat tortillas, ruling out tacos for us since Matt has Celiac disease and gluten causes illness for days).

n – of the Constitution, and the original stuffed animals that inspired Winnie the Pooh. Plus, it’s free!

The Best Places to Stay in Midtown Manhattan

Several accommodation options are mentioned in Midtown Manhattan, ranging from affordable options to more luxurious boutique hotels.

Arlo Midtown: A Great Mid Range Option in a Great Location

I, Matt, stayed at the Arlo Midtown for a couple nights solo before flying back home to California, and I truly enjoyed it. The rooms are compact yet comfortable, thoughtfully arranged and designed (USB ports by the bed, reading lights, mini fridges!), and some have spectacular views of Manhattan.

It`s also situated a few blocks north of Penn Station, so the hotel can be reached easily on foot for those arriving by train, creating a more convenient travel experience.

I paid a small additional cost for accommodations with a city perspective, and enjoyed the ample light permitted by the expansive windows. If searching for a unique stay, the rooms designated as King with a city view present a good selection, though the vistas differ by room, and my room featured an Empire State Building view, but only from the foot of the bed.

If you’re not too concerned with what kind of view you’ll have, you’ll save a few dollars by booking a room without a view.

The lodging also features a pleasant rooftop bar with wonderful views (it’s small, so be sure to arrive early if you wish to enjoy the setting for sunset), a fitness center, and an assortment of appealing common spaces on the ground floor, such as an enjoyable little atrium.

Overall, I’d recommend it, and I’d stay there again if I wanted a place in Midtown (though, to be honest, I don’t think I’d stay in Midtown again).

They also offer lodging in NoMad and SoHo, which are comparable concepts in divergent neighborhoods.

CitizenM Times Square: The Best Overall Hotel in Midtown

First of all, we have a deep affection for CitizenM hotels. They routinely rank highly on our lists of the best accommodations in locales like Seattle and London as they excel at providing guests with everything essential and nothing superfluous.

Ideal for travelers that will spend most of their time exploring outside, they only have one room size. No more decision fatigue around whether you should choose “comfort” or “economy.”

The CitizenM Times Square is extremely highly rated. If it’s your first time in New York City, this might be the perfect place to lodge. It’s situated right in the heart of all the action with a Times Square address.

It’s a great value with no unnecessary amenities – instead of a reception desk, there is self-check-in available with staff present to assist if needed. There is a gym located on the 20th floor with impressive panoramic views of the city and a rooftop bar, so they provide the essential features.

They also have a location in Lower Manhattan that would be well suited for business travelers wanting to be near the Financial District.

Pod 51: The Most Affordable Hotel Near Times Square

Centrally located in Midtown Manhattan, this affordable lodging emphasizes location above all else. Residence 51sits just 15 minutes from Times Square and across from Greenacre Park with its spectacular waterfall, yet maintains rates more akin to New Jersey.

The top feature is the rooftop terrace with colorful loungers, ideal for absorbing the sun during summer months. It also has an on-site eating and drinking spot as well as a cafe. Hostel style rooms and private rooms are options.

Library Hotel: A Splurge-worthy Boutique Hotel

The Library Hotel is an extremely centrally located option – a hidden gem situated very near New York Public Library and Grand Central Station. It is library-themed, as one could deduce from its name, and goes so far as designing its rooms based on the Dewey decimal system.

So room 500.005 has a dinosaur theme, room 800.005 a fairytale theme and so forth.

This location also includes a reading area on the second floor with views of Madison Avenue and hundreds of books to browse through. Coffee, tea, and treats are always available in the reading room, so there is no need to ever leave to grab a quick snack or pick-me-up.

Lower Manhattan: A Well-Connected Hub with Plenty to See

On our latest trip to New York City, we spent the bulk of our time staying in Lower Manhattan just a block away from Battery Park, which has views of the Statue of Liberty.

At first, I will acknowledge that I was fairly against staying in Lower Manhattan, which felt like it was a little lacking in soul, full of towering business buildings with workers bustling about during the day.

However, after staying there for five nights, I would like to say that I have completely changed my perspective. Not only are there a huge variety of things to do in Lower Manhattan (like the moving 9/11 Memorial and Museum), but it’s also one of the most conveniently placed neighborhoods for accessing places like Brooklyn and the Lower East Side.

This area represents downtown New York City (also known as the Financial District), which consists primarily of commercial office buildings, formally dressed business workers, and enterprises that support them (such as the many fast-casual lunch options).

Combine that with several subway lines running north to get you to Midtown in 20-25 minutes approximately, and it’s not such a poor place to make your temporary home in New York City.

Pros and Cons of Staying in Lower Manhattan

Pros: 

• Great transport links. Between express trains from Lower Manhattan skipping stops uptown to an easy trip over to Brooklyn and Williamsburg, you`ll be able to get nearly anywhere within half an hour. Even reaching the Upper West Side (81st Street) only took around 25 minutes.
• Numerous activities and sights. Within the neighborhood (which is sizable), there`s plenty to see. Battery Park, the renowned bull statue, the Stock Exchange, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum… the list continues!

Cons:

• It offers little in terms of appealing food and beverages. Plan on dining elsewhere. This location contains an overabundance of Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and even a TGI Fridays, which I haven’t seen in about a decade or longer.
• It tends to be less crowded on weekends. Unsurprisingly, given the large number of office buildings and employees in this area, activity significantly declines on Saturday and is especially low on Sunday. Not a major issue, but worth noting.

Chelsea / Greenwich Village: Cool Neighborhoods with Tons to Eat and Drink

Chelsea is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York, filled with art exhibitions and industrial-style galleries.

It is nestled securely between Midtown and Greenwich Village, making it easy to navigate around and explore the area. It has charming cobblestone streets and many great places to eat, drink, and shop to wander through as you meander your way through.

Plus there`s the most distinctive green space in New York, the Highline, to wander through leisurely and appreciate the greenery and artistic installations.

It`s a repurposed train track suspended over streets. Now full of wildflowers, art, and shrubs, it`s about a mile and a half connecting Chelsea to Hudson Yards with spectacular NYC skyline views.

Arrive there in the early morning to take it in before the rest of the sightseers arrive.

Greenwich Village is just south of Chelsea, but has a completely different atmosphere, which was apparent as we walked north from Washington Square Park towards the southern end of the highline.

Greenwich Village is much more residential, with commercial strips containing bars, restaurants, and shops interspersed with brownstone homes. Probably the best stretch is along 7th Avenue, though Hudson Street is another good option.