I stayed at the Sonder in Long Island City Queens last month when I visited, and me and my spouse loved it! It was super accessible to every part of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the rest of the boroughs. My tips for choosing hotels in New York after visiting 3 times in the past year would be utilizing sites like Priceline, Booking, etc. and comparing prices. I also like these sites because you can book without paying and if you choose hotels with free cancellation you can continue to search for better deals. I also agree that staying somewhere that has great access to several subway lines is crucial.
This is super helpful, thank you! Again going to NYFW in February so this is soooo helpful to know February is cheaper, and everything else is as well! Watching you’re videos are making things so easy!😄😄
When looking for a hotel, I often rely on Booking. It’s very easy to compare prices and for users who often book through their website/app, you can automatically “level up” your membership, granting you certain bonuses such as 10% off or free breakfast at some hotels. That said, after finding a hotel that is to my liking, I often check for the hotel’s own website. Not sure if this applies to NYC too, but at least here in Germany, you’ll often find that the hotel itself will offer you a cheaper price per night, compared to Booking. I assume it’s because Booking is taking a fee from the stays so they raise their price accordingly. Also, this is probably a given, but I think it’s important that you know what kind of trip you’re going to make. Personally, I think it’s not worth it to book a stay in some high-class premium hotel with a high price if you’re going to be up and about all day long and literally only come back to sleep and shower. Especially for shorter stays. But if I’m going to stay for 2+ weeks somewhere, or I plan on spending a little more time lounging in the hotel, it might be a good idea to look for a high-quality place. I just wish there were more affordable places to stay at for solo travelers. 😅
Thanks for the tip! I also like to use Google Hotel Search as well to compare prices. And yes, sometimes prices are cheaper from the actual hotel website. NYC has hostels like they do in Europe if solo travelers were looking for something less expensive than a hotel room.
Another excellent video Thea, we missed this one and we just discovered it! Great tips. We also read the fine print below any hotel listings, as in NYC many hotels charge "Resort fee" and taxes that are not included in the listed price. Moreover, we read reviews, as you mentioned, because another common practice in some hotels is charging a "security deposit" when you check-in, that you may never get back in many cases...
Yeah, hotels in NY have all sorts of fees which makes staying here so expensive. A fee estimate should show up when you book a hotel. As for deposit fees, I've never had a problem getting it back. Sometimes it just takes a few days. My tip is to inspect the room and report anything damaged when you arrive to prove it's not your fault. Also take a video or picture of the state of the room right when you leave to prove that you didn't damage anything.
@@UrbanCaffeine sounds like a good idea!:) We were thinking of getting someone from the front desk too, to verify that there is no damage in the room when we leave:) The relevant comments about this in some hotels were one too many to ignore. Thank you for the feedback Thea, we always appreciate it!
Great and useful video again :) 2 weeks ago we stayed at Hyatt Place, Secaucus New Jersey. It was just a 20minute bus ride and the bus station is right in front of the hotel also there is a huge Walmart supercenter so you can buy 12bottle of water for $2 so you don’t have to pay $2-$4 for each in the city :)
Good tips! Here’s my own quick tips: When looking at places on Tripadvisor I’ll often search key words for things I might have specific concerns about, like noise, location, restaurants, breakfast, etc. I also tend to book more expensive places we are staying longer and a cheaper place for a quick overnight. Also, I trust the reviews on Booking the most because I know the reviewers have been verified as actual guests.
I pick the area that I wanted to spend the majority of my time in. Then used Apple or Google Maps zoomed in displaying the transit routes. Then scroll around to see what hotels are close to where you want to be. It can be quicker to walk from a local hotel than you would save coming from another borough. Those minutes can add up. I also used the airlines hotels options as they can be quite good deals. Though if you are collecting hotel loyalty points stick to those chains.
That's kinda what I do too when going to other places. Try to find a hotel walking distance to most of where I want to walk to. Taking out transit is a huge time saver.
@@UrbanCaffeine Yes I also use Rome2Rio to find the best transport routes from the airports to the hotels. I had a list of about a three dozen hotels depending on exactly where in Manhattan I wanted to stay. For example staying in the financial district was handy for the Staten Island outlet malls and the connecting ferry. It’s all moot now because I can’t fly to the USA because I now need a visa, because the USA has raised the criteria for Visa Free travel with an ESTA even though nothing has changed for me. So I am now will be going to Asia destinations instead.
Great Video Thea! Just last weekend we stayed at a microtel in Astoria. New hotel, very clean, and just a couple blocks from the the N train. We could get just about anywhere we wanted to go from there, and it was very affordable. I don't think I'll ever pay the upcharge to stay in Manhattan again.
Upper West Side seems like a good option as well because it's only a quick subway ride to Times Square and beyond! Food options are limitless also. I stayed at Hostel International near 103rd St subway. Can't go wrong with HI! Just be sure to book early.
We stayed at a property "Chelsea" something in the 90s upon last minute recommendations, by the time we checked in, it's rates were similar to ones of better places, little did we know ahead of time, no bathroom in the room, just a hand sink, it makes one wonder what that sink has been used for. There was no parking besides street parking, at least we fled town early the next morning for our hour and a half drive home. I tried even taking the train out to Farmingdale years before where a shipmate from my navy time was from, the taxi driver took me to a no-tell motel, and before I could say something he was long gone. Being asked do you need the room all night was enough to clue me in. Later I called my friends parents (cell phones weren't common then) and they said they would have put me up for the night, even picking me up from the train station, regardless of the hour.
I have a hotel rewards system I stick to. However I typically think of a hotel as a clean safe place to crash and moe emphasis on doing things… not spending too much time at the hotel.
Business travel is an important variable. In the beforetimes hotels near Wall Street were expensive during the week (lots of business travelers) and very cheap on the weekends (no business travelers). Not sure how true that is anymore though. A tip I give is to ignore negative reviews where the traveler just complains about the price of parking. Lots of travelers won't bring cars and the price of parking doesn't matter to their experience.
That's true. I don't know how the prices at the Financial District are nowadays. But more and more people are going back to the office so it might go back to being the same soon. Thanks for the tip! I feel like people should already expect parking to be expended knowing its New York.
Thank you I love and appreciate all of your videos😃👍💕On a budget 2nd May I am staying 2 weeks at North Bergen New Jersey. $3:50 per shuttle journey to Manhattan. Is this a good choice or should I change location?❤️💋
Hi there. That place is near Port Authority Bus Terminal (a major transit hub) and lots of other hotels are near it. So it's going to be pretty busy but you're near a train line which is nice.
This is good. Yes, read comments of the hotel. If there is no warm water many times, forget it. Read more than one or two comments and read between the lines. Someone is not happy for anything, sometime there coud be elevator broken that could happen ones in ten years.
Greate video and please try to include a guide on how to chose in more detail an Airbnb. I stayed last November in a special family Airbnb in Flushing. Great location (7-10 mins from Subway)+security+price.
Indeed there are interesting AirBnbs, so a similar video would be great! You just have to watch out for the bathroom situation as too many of them have shared baths..
Lots of good affordable hotels in Harlem with access to nearly every subway line within an avenue or so away. Especially on 125th st
That's true. Especially if you catch take express trains, it's pretty easy to go to and from Midtown.
I stayed at the Sonder in Long Island City Queens last month when I visited, and me and my spouse loved it! It was super accessible to every part of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the rest of the boroughs. My tips for choosing hotels in New York after visiting 3 times in the past year would be utilizing sites like Priceline, Booking, etc. and comparing prices. I also like these sites because you can book without paying and if you choose hotels with free cancellation you can continue to search for better deals. I also agree that staying somewhere that has great access to several subway lines is crucial.
That's a good tip! To book a hotel and keep looking. Thanks for sharing 😊
This is super helpful, thank you! Again going to NYFW in February so this is soooo helpful to know February is cheaper, and everything else is as well! Watching you’re videos are making things so easy!😄😄
When looking for a hotel, I often rely on Booking. It’s very easy to compare prices and for users who often book through their website/app, you can automatically “level up” your membership, granting you certain bonuses such as 10% off or free breakfast at some hotels.
That said, after finding a hotel that is to my liking, I often check for the hotel’s own website. Not sure if this applies to NYC too, but at least here in Germany, you’ll often find that the hotel itself will offer you a cheaper price per night, compared to Booking. I assume it’s because Booking is taking a fee from the stays so they raise their price accordingly.
Also, this is probably a given, but I think it’s important that you know what kind of trip you’re going to make. Personally, I think it’s not worth it to book a stay in some high-class premium hotel with a high price if you’re going to be up and about all day long and literally only come back to sleep and shower. Especially for shorter stays.
But if I’m going to stay for 2+ weeks somewhere, or I plan on spending a little more time lounging in the hotel, it might be a good idea to look for a high-quality place.
I just wish there were more affordable places to stay at for solo travelers. 😅
Thanks for the tip! I also like to use Google Hotel Search as well to compare prices. And yes, sometimes prices are cheaper from the actual hotel website. NYC has hostels like they do in Europe if solo travelers were looking for something less expensive than a hotel room.
Another excellent video Thea, we missed this one and we just discovered it! Great tips. We also read the fine print below any hotel listings, as in NYC many hotels charge "Resort fee" and taxes that are not included in the listed price. Moreover, we read reviews, as you mentioned, because another common practice in some hotels is charging a "security deposit" when you check-in, that you may never get back in many cases...
Yeah, hotels in NY have all sorts of fees which makes staying here so expensive. A fee estimate should show up when you book a hotel. As for deposit fees, I've never had a problem getting it back. Sometimes it just takes a few days. My tip is to inspect the room and report anything damaged when you arrive to prove it's not your fault. Also take a video or picture of the state of the room right when you leave to prove that you didn't damage anything.
@@UrbanCaffeine sounds like a good idea!:) We were thinking of getting someone from the front desk too, to verify that there is no damage in the room when we leave:) The relevant comments about this in some hotels were one too many to ignore. Thank you for the feedback Thea, we always appreciate it!
Great and useful video again :) 2 weeks ago we stayed at Hyatt Place, Secaucus New Jersey. It was just a 20minute bus ride and the bus station is right in front of the hotel also there is a huge Walmart supercenter so you can buy 12bottle of water for $2 so you don’t have to pay $2-$4 for each in the city :)
Good tips! Here’s my own quick tips: When looking at places on Tripadvisor I’ll often search key words for things I might have specific concerns about, like noise, location, restaurants, breakfast, etc. I also tend to book more expensive places we are staying longer and a cheaper place for a quick overnight.
Also, I trust the reviews on Booking the most because I know the reviewers have been verified as actual guests.
Thanks for sharing! Those are good tips to remember, especially searching reviews.
@@UrbanCaffeine I’m so glad I found your channel, you have great advice and explain everything so clearly! Thanks!
Fantastic video
Thank you! 😊
I pick the area that I wanted to spend the majority of my time in. Then used Apple or Google Maps zoomed in displaying the transit routes. Then scroll around to see what hotels are close to where you want to be. It can be quicker to walk from a local hotel than you would save coming from another borough. Those minutes can add up.
I also used the airlines hotels options as they can be quite good deals. Though if you are collecting hotel loyalty points stick to those chains.
That's kinda what I do too when going to other places. Try to find a hotel walking distance to most of where I want to walk to. Taking out transit is a huge time saver.
@@UrbanCaffeine Yes I also use Rome2Rio to find the best transport routes from the airports to the hotels. I had a list of about a three dozen hotels depending on exactly where in Manhattan I wanted to stay. For example staying in the financial district was handy for the Staten Island outlet malls and the connecting ferry.
It’s all moot now because I can’t fly to the USA because I now need a visa, because the USA has raised the criteria for Visa Free travel with an ESTA even though nothing has changed for me. So I am now will be going to Asia destinations instead.
Great Video Thea! Just last weekend we stayed at a microtel in Astoria. New hotel, very clean, and just a couple blocks from the the N train. We could get just about anywhere we wanted to go from there, and it was very affordable. I don't think I'll ever pay the upcharge to stay in Manhattan again.
That sounds amazing! Astoria is a nice neighborhood to be in too.
And I’ll be in Astoria this coming weekend. Sweet.
Upper West Side seems like a good option as well because it's only a quick subway ride to Times Square and beyond! Food options are limitless also.
I stayed at Hostel International near 103rd St subway. Can't go wrong with HI! Just be sure to book early.
That's right! And thanks for sharing your tip. As long as you are staying near an express stop, it's super quick.
We stayed at a property "Chelsea" something in the 90s upon last minute recommendations, by the time we checked in, it's rates were similar to ones of better places, little did we know ahead of time, no bathroom in the room, just a hand sink, it makes one wonder what that sink has been used for. There was no parking besides street parking, at least we fled town early the next morning for our hour and a half drive home. I tried even taking the train out to Farmingdale years before where a shipmate from my navy time was from, the taxi driver took me to a no-tell motel, and before I could say something he was long gone. Being asked do you need the room all night was enough to clue me in. Later I called my friends parents (cell phones weren't common then) and they said they would have put me up for the night, even picking me up from the train station, regardless of the hour.
Wow, what a night that was! It's great that your friend's parents came through for you.
I have a hotel rewards system I stick to. However I typically think of a hotel as a clean safe place to crash and moe emphasis on doing things… not spending too much time at the hotel.
That's nice that you use hotel rewards! Hotel rooms in NYC are already pretty small, so there's really not much to enjoy. 😅
Business travel is an important variable. In the beforetimes hotels near Wall Street were expensive during the week (lots of business travelers) and very cheap on the weekends (no business travelers). Not sure how true that is anymore though. A tip I give is to ignore negative reviews where the traveler just complains about the price of parking. Lots of travelers won't bring cars and the price of parking doesn't matter to their experience.
That's true. I don't know how the prices at the Financial District are nowadays. But more and more people are going back to the office so it might go back to being the same soon. Thanks for the tip! I feel like people should already expect parking to be expended knowing its New York.
Thanks Thea, I’m right in the middle of trying to get something for the end of September 22.
Great! I hope you find a good place to stay. I really like New York in September. Fall is my favorite time of year here.
Thank you I love and appreciate all of your videos😃👍💕On a budget 2nd May I am staying 2 weeks at North Bergen New Jersey. $3:50 per shuttle journey to Manhattan. Is this a good choice or should I change location?❤️💋
I never hear anything about Staten Island, would it be a good place to get a hotel, and ride the fairy across to Manhattan ♥
What about Jersey City? Is that a good alternative location to stay?
Very informative vlog! Can you give some honest info on the area of the Distrikt hotel (342 W. 40th St.)? I'm traveling solo soon.
Hi there. That place is near Port Authority Bus Terminal (a major transit hub) and lots of other hotels are near it. So it's going to be pretty busy but you're near a train line which is nice.
This is good. Yes, read comments of the hotel. If there is no warm water many times, forget it. Read more than one or two comments and read between the lines. Someone is not happy for anything, sometime there coud be elevator broken that could happen ones in ten years.
Where is a good (and cheap) area to look for a hotel/airbnb if I'm planning to go to the US OPEN 2023?
Which hotel u can recommend pls??
Hello I have a question how this hotel? Midtown west hotel? And visit in may is good?
I will the stay in the element times sq west. Does somebody have tried it already. How is it?
Next: Choosing an AirBnb in NYC, Choose a RUclips channel to watch about NYC
There are a some really nice AirBnBs in New York.
Greate video and please try to include a guide on how to chose in more detail an Airbnb. I stayed last November in a special family Airbnb in Flushing. Great location (7-10 mins from Subway)+security+price.
Indeed there are interesting AirBnbs, so a similar video would be great! You just have to watch out for the bathroom situation as too many of them have shared baths..