New York City Travel Answers

There have been lots of questions like yours (and many good answers)although not lately. Have a look at previous posts in the NYC forum. The closest areas away from Manhattan with lower priced hotels are Long Island City and downtown Brooklyn, NY and Secaucus, New Jersey. Subways cover the areas in NY but only buses go to NJ, so you have to take into consideration bus fare going and coming every day. But none of them are very far distance wise, except from NJ you have to deal with street traffic and going through the Lincoln Tunnel.

Yes, fall is a very popular time to visit NYC! Not sure what sites you are using for your search but try booking.com? I just punched in a search for two nights (Friday/Saturday) the last weekend of Sept., and checked the 3-star star box - there appears to be some decently-rated choices running around the 300 pound sterling rate (total for two nights). Do be aware that this rate may not include taxes, though. Take a look - it's a very good resource for hotel bookings. Not sure what you are working with for budget? Apartment rentals in the city are complicated as there's a law banning short-term (under 30 days) leasing in most buildings because of a housing shortage - although a fair amount of owners appear to be letting their properties regardless. It's not so much a scam problem - although that chance does exist anywhere rentals are available if not using legitimate rental resources - as tourist confusion over the law. There are some legal, apartment-type hotels available, and you will see some of those on booking.com (I'm looking at a studio room for 296 pounds for 2 nights as I'm typing this). Our NYC members will also likely jump in here with good suggestions!

Brooklyn is mostly a very attractive area, We visited there a few times, walking across the bridge from Manhatten. There were some really attractive looking B&Bs, great coffee shops and restuarants . Have a look at some pics here: members.virtualtourist.com/m...

Your best bet to save some money AND still have an easy time getting into the city is to stay in Hoboken, NJ or Jersey City, NJ. They are a bit more expensive that other places in NJ but much cheaper than actually staying in the city. The PATH train is really just another subway that takes less than ten minutes into the heart of NYC.

I too was thinking of New York in 2013 but its so expensive. I thought there was a subway or rail line from Penn Station under the river to Hoboken? If NJ was accessible would it be less expensive even allowing for transit costs - time would not be an issue?

Colin, the PATH train runs from Hoboken and can either go to World Trade Center or 33rd street station which is right across from Penn Station. The 33rd street line stops at Christopher, 9th, 14th, 23rd and 33rd. The world trade line takes you to Vesey and lower Manhattan. The PATH is only2.00 for a single fare while the NYC subway system is2.50 a single fare. A bus from Hoboken is about3.20 and takes you directly to Port Authority Bus terminal on 42nd st. (good for going to the thearter district). So, I think the fare's from Hoboken are very reasonable and would definitely save money over staying directly in NYC.

Thats a great answer above - where would good areas with good but reasonable accomodation be in NJ?

There are hotels in NYC that are quite nice, real bargains and in a good location. www.quikbook.com is one site with good ideas, and I (who used to live near Manhattan but now in the UK) needed a hotel a few years ago. We stayed at The Time, which is very close to Times Square and it was a very good value for the price. The subway was just a block or so away and most everything of interest is within walking distance. I would not stay in NJ, Brooklyn or Harlem when there are alternatives. You'll find that meals and many other things are very much cheaper, even in NYC, than in most parts of the UK. Malvern is a very nice area and close to my hometown, Philadelphia. Enjoy your trip!

My daughter and I stayed in Queens the first time. The problem with that is the amount of time it takes to get to the room. If you want to change clothes to go to a show, it takes a great deal of time out of what you could be doing. You also have to carry everything you purchase the whole day. You have spent how much to get there? Is it worth missing so much to save a couple of dollars? Sometimes you can get a good buy depending what is happening there. I have found in the past that this place has good prices at times. It has a great location. The Paramount - Times Square: "Great location" - New York State Hotel Tip by Dymphna1

Try a room search on www.booking.com but be VERY sure about the location.

Colin, really depends what one thinks is reasonable. For example, the W Hotel in Hoboken could be about200 per night. I think that's a lot but for the area and proximity to NYC, it is reasonable for a top of the line hotel. You can go about 15 minutes west to the Meadowlands, which includes Secaucus/Carlstadt/East Rutherford. You could find hotels from150 to about75 per night. Most of the hotels do have some sort of shuttle service that can get you to a bus or the train station in Secaucus that will get you (eventually) to the city. Deals can be found at the W Hotel or a few others in Jersey City (water front) that are reasonable for the close proximity and easy access to Manhattan. But of course research and time of year/week/day is a factor.

That time of year is pretty expensive--business travel is in full swing in the fall, vs. summer when you are only competing for space with other tourists. It will be somewhat cheaper to stay in NJ, Long Island City (not that this is NOT Long Island, but a section of Queens that is directly across the East River from Manhattan), or Brooklyn. Any one of those will be fine and not too far from the action, as long as you stick to a hotel that is walking distance from a PATH or NY subway station. There are many possibilities--use Google maps to see where the closest stations are. If you have to take a shuttle bus (as you would for hotels in places like Secaucus or E. Rutherford), it will take you ages to get into the city and back home--I strongly suggest you avoid those properties.

I knew it's not possible to rent a flat just for few days in NYC

think the best compromise between cost and convenience is the long island city area, as above just across the river from MIDTOWN manhattan and with access on two major subway lines in one to three stops on the queens side of the river. this is just as speedy as taking a subway to the upper west side or harlem. Many of the major chains like days inn, comfort inn, have cookie cutter motels within a block or two of the subway stations. for instance there is a brand new day's inn one stop east of the queensborough subway stop on the 7 line, maybe the fourth stop in queens - in manhattan this train runs across 42nd st east west. rental apartments for short term by private owners are absolutely illegal, but most are still reputable and not scams. of course, it you find the scammer, too bad. no recourse. other than areas served by path trains, new jersey is simply a big inconvenience as described above. and even the path trains are not anywhere as near in frequency as the subways.

If you are going to be in Malvern, PA, I wouldn't want to be schlepping all the way to Long Island City or Brooklyn unless your airport is JFK. As others wrote above, stay in Jersey City or Hoboken with easy PATH access to Manhattan. Secaucus is fine, but you are mainly confined to using the bus unless you have a rental car to get you from your hotel to the Secaucus train station. I would take the convenience of the PATH anyday over the bus.

We booked a hotel but have not yet stayed there that I am VERY excited about. It is Seton hotel near Grand central station. We will arrive at Penn station and take the subway/shuttle over to GCS. We chose a room that shares a bathroom with another room for139. Private bath rooms cost189. Both of these rooms are in the remodeled in 2011 section. There is also a classic room section that has not been remodeled for cheaper.

That sounds like a steel!

LOOK AT airbnb.com. Many places across the Hudson in Union City NJ area.3 bus goes directly to Port Authority Bus Station in 15 to 20 minutes.

ok, I would love to hear great reviews about airbnb, If I wrote a review it would be bad but I cannot. I feel bad for the guy but airbnb does not have the same controls that others have. I would never recommend the place I stayed and now that I read my own words I am going to go to the place and tell the truth. In context to this post, do not go to airbnb unless they have great reviews.

Try AirBnB for apartments in NYC. You can also try advertising for a place on Roosevelt Island, a beautiful community in Manhattan, located on the East River between Manhattan and Queens. It's one subway stop from midtown, or the charming overhead cable car is 3 minutes to 60th and 2nd Ave in Manhattan. Go to Rooseeltislanderblogspot.com and place a free ad. Or place an ad in the Main Street WIRE http://nyc10044.com/ You can also check out this bed and breakfast in historic Harlem. http://michaelny.com/index.php Good luck!

Ooops, sorry, the correct URL to advertise on Roosevelt Island is rooseveltislander.blogspot.c...

The recommendation for the Seton gets another thumbs up here. On my last trip to NYC I checked this hotel out buy stayed on 42nd and 8th where I had two free nights at the great Staybridge Suites. The Seton has a great location between Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building. It is close to everything and the surrounding area is safe. There was quite a bit of construction going on when I visited but I think it is almost completed. If you are ok with sharing a bathroom with one other room, not several, it is a steal at about 150 a night with taxes. Unless my room in Long Island City or NJ was at least20 a night less I wouldn't feel that the time and money wasted in commuting was worth it.

YEA Steven! Thanks for that reply as we are staying at the Seton but have not yet done it. Also, I am SOOO excited, I just bought us both NYpass that is on 4th of july sale for 3 days for135(each). I will get my moneys worth out of it the first day for sure!! Free entrance to ALL the places I want to go and quite a few more that I never would have known about.

If you are doing some site seeing, you might look into the City Pass. I found that it saved me a great deal of money and put me in lines that were much shorter, so I could see more.

you can check for a B&B, it's easier to find one when you stay at least three nights. you can check close to Columbia University..

Brad, Harlem is unsafe, yes. Generally, places above 96 St in Manhattan are dodgy. To stay in a faraway place (L.I., Jersey), and take a cab in, is not only time-wasting, but not cost-efficient. Bed and Breakfast in Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights would put you on the doorstep of Manhattan without putting up with its noise and crowds. (I'm a native Brooklynite who had never lived in Manhattan.) Downtown Jersey City is 12 minutes away (without the waiting) on the PATH train, but you'll want to stay about 10 blocks away from downtown Jersey (very dodgy), so, again, it is time-wasting. And the PATH does not run 24 hours a day. Some areas in Queens, just east of Manhattan, may offer some reasonably priced hotels which are maybe 20 minutes, by subway, to the Grand Central. Bring some food from home!

But 20 minutes from Queens is nothing - I'm really surprised by these answers - when I stay in London it takes me 20 - 30 minutes in to central London from the hotel we use and its nothing - in fact quite a nice ride.

colin, i tend to agree with footstool a lot and this is no exception. both his negatives and positives. i am less entralled perhaps with brooklyn, but i know of both a comfort inn and a day's inn in long island city - less than ten minutes to 59th and lexington in manhattan, perhaps ten minutes more maximum to times square. there is nothing pretty about long island city but it works.

Lou its the same where we stay in London - its OK and safe but cheaper than central London and a short ride on public transportation is not an issue. I am however begining to think for the short amount of time we can devote to a winter trip its going to be too expensive anyway but thanks for all answers.

Hi We used www.vbro.com to stay at Weehawken in a three bedroom house with AMAZING views of New York all for220 per night!!!! Best decision we ever made was to stay outside of the incredibly expensive NYC....the bus stopped right in front of where we stayed and it was a 10 minute bus ride straight to times square for2.00 per person (cheaper than a cab!!)