Where to stay in New York?

Lodging near Times Square: in the heart of New York!

Let's face it, staying in the heart of Midtown is a must when visiting New York! This area is home to many iconic landmarks, including Times Square, the Broadway theaters, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center (with the Top of the Rock skyscraper), MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art), 5th Avenue and its boutiques, etc...

Without having an exact delimitation, it extends globally between :

• to the north, south of Central Park
• to the south, towards the Empire State Building (W 34 th Street)
• to the east, on 5th Avenue
• west, to 9th Avenue

There are many accommodations, especially hotels. Some are very high-end, like the Baccarat or the Ritz-Carlton. Others are more classic, but still very affordable. This is the Big Apple's most sought-after neighborhood, so lodging here should be budget-conscious. When choosing accommodation in this area, you're looking for location and ambience rather than price.

As well as being right in the center of Manhattan, ideally located for all the main entertainment, it's also well served by the subway. Most lines run here, whether north-south or east-west.

Staying here also puts you at the heart of the nightlife, with the lights of Times Square illuminating the city after dark, or the evening performances of musicals. You can also enjoy the general atmosphere of the many bars, restaurants and boutiques in the area, all with a wide range of prices.

Other places to stay in Midtown

Staying in the Times Square area isn't the only way to enjoy the hustle and bustle of downtown New York. The other neighborhoods that make up Midtown are a good alternative for staying, with :

• to the south, lively NoMad, Flatiron and Union Square
• to the west: Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea, where you can enjoy one of the many restaurants.
• east of 5th Avenue: Turtle Bay, Murray Hill and Kips Bay.

The southern part of the area offers a wide range of hotels to suit all budgets. Especially along the streets from 33rd st to 23rd. Generally between the blocks where the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park are located. But also along and around Lexington Avenue to the east.

This area is also home to a number of notable points of interest, including :

• the High Line, a park built on a former overhead railroad line, which is a pleasant place to walk along
• the distinctive Flatiron Building, at the corner of 5th Avenue and Broadway
• the Chrysler Building
• Grand Central Terminal
• the Madison Square Garden sports and entertainment venue.

To get around the city, these areas are well served by the subway via the lines that cross Manhattan from north to south. Staying here means you don't have to walk too far every day to take public transport.

Lodging on the edge of Central Park

Central Park is considered New York's “green lung”. Stretching almost 4 km long and just under 1 km wide, it's a must-see when visiting the city.

Located to the north of the heart of Manhattan, the Upper West Side (to the west) and Upper East Side (to the east) are both residential areas. You can still find a few hotels where you can stay, especially on the west side, near Broadway. But these are mostly tourist apartments for rent.

There's clearly less hustle and bustle than in midtown and lower Manhattan, but you can still find some pretty swanky restaurants to go out at night.

On the tourist front:

• Upper West Side is home to the Museum of Natural History, the Lincoln Center cultural center and the Time Warner Center shopping mall on Columbus Circle.
• Upper East Side is home to the Guggenheim and MET museums, as well as luxury boutiques.

Upper West Side is crossed from north to south by subway lines 1, 2 and 3. This makes it easy to reach the heart of Manhattan and the South Side in no more than 30 minutes. The same applies to the Upper East Side, with lines 4, 5 and 6.

Staying here means you're not far from Central Park, as well as 3 of the major museums, while still having easy subway access to the rest of New York. More quiet than the more effervescent southern neighborhoods, they are a good compromise for accommodation in New York. The only drawback is that the accommodation on offer is not extensive.

Soho, China Town & Little Italy: New York's iconic neighborhoods

Staying in the heart of Lower Manhattan is a good alternative if you don't want to be too far from downtown and the main tourist activities. It's made up of 3 main neighborhoods:

• SoHo, between Greenwich Village and TriBeCa
• Chinatown, near the Brooklyn Bridge
• Little Italy, between Chinatown and NoLIta

SoHo is the most popular, trendiest and most attractive of the 3 for accommodation. It's home to many bars and restaurants. It's also where you'll find the best shopping. It' s a very touristy area, especially at weekends. So, to stay in SoHo, you'll need a good budget.

Chinatown and Little Italy, meanwhile, will transport you to the Asian and Italian cultures in the heart of New York. You'll be able to sample the specialties of both worlds, and discover places of interest such as :

• the former Saint Patrick's Cathedral in northern Little Italy
• the Mahayana Buddhist temple in southern Chinatown

Nevertheless, despite their characteristic ambiance, these are not necessarily the best neighborhoods in which to stay during a tourist visit to New York. Especially as the supply is relatively limited.

Finally, you'll also find mid-priced accommodation on the western side of the Lower East Side, close to Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. This is a quiet, modern area, mainly residential, but with a few good restaurants.

Other places to stay in Lower Manhattan

In addition to the central Lower Manhattan area mentioned above, you can also find accommodation on the outskirts, in :

• Financial District, to the far south
• TriBeCa, to the west
• Greenwich Village to the northwest

The Financial District is the city's business district. It's a lively place by day, but don't expect to spend your evenings there. At the end of the working day, the streets are virtually empty. The same applies at weekends. The area is a little out of the heart of Manhattan, but just a stone's throw from Battery Park. You'll still find a few reasonably priced hotels.

Tribeca symbolizes New York's former industrial zone. The area has become very sophisticated, with a rather chic population. Many movie and music stars stay here during their stay. As a result, staying in Tribeca requires a fairly substantial budget. The area is safe and well served by the metro.

Finally, if you're looking for accommodation in a typical New York neighborhood, Greenwich Village is the place for you. Bourgeois-bohemian, authentic and essentially residential, it's often considered the artists' neighborhood. Buildings here have given way to Browstones (red sandstone houses), conveying a different atmosphere. Tourist activities are almost non-existent, but there are plenty of stores and restaurants.

Upper Manhattan: Harlem and its surroundings

As its name suggests, this area is located in the northern part of Manhattan, over a stretch of more than 8km. So you don't come here to stay in the heart of New York's hustle and bustle, but to take advantage of lower prices.

Among the neighborhoods that make up Upper Manhattan, the best-known is Harlem. But there are others, such as Morningside Heights, just above the Upper West Side. Or those of Inwood, Fort George or Washington Heights, just to the north. There are few tourist attractions here, other than a stroll through the streets of Harlem, with its many churches, and a visit to its jazz museum. Harlem, originally an African-American neighborhood, was the cradle of jazz in the 1930s.

Clearly, the farther north you go, the more difficult it is to find accommodation, as the supply diminishes. Moreover, there are few hotels, but rather apartments for rent. Especially in Harlem.

As you can see, people come here looking for a remote location to reduce the cost of their accommodation, while still remaining in Manhattan. The area may be off the beaten track, but it's well served by the subway. With 4 main lines, you can reach the heart of the island in 20 to 30 minutes.

Queens: a good compromise between price and location

Queens is New York's largest and most culturally and ethnically diverse borough. You can get there by subway or ferry across the East River. As well as being well located geographically, it's the safest area of the city after Staten Island.

Many of the neighborhoods are residential. However, there are a few neighborhoods that offer a good alternative for accommodation during a stay in New York, such as :

• Long Island City, along the East River. Hotels are reasonably priced, and downtown can be reached in just 20 minutes by subway. It's the best option in the area.
• Astoria, backing onto the East River. This is where LaGuardia airport is located. There are trendy spots and traditional restaurants, but few places to stay.
• Flushing, in southwest Queens, home to Corona Park's famous Unisphere and the city's second Chinatown. It's an average-priced place to stay, but only a 40-minute commute from Manhattan.

Jamaica, more out of the way, is also quite well known, since it's here that JFK airport is located. However, it's not a good place to stay if you're exploring New York. It's a long way from the tourist sites, and accommodation isn't exactly affordable. To be avoided...

Brooklyn: the trendiest place to stay in New York City

We're focusing here on the western part of Brooklyn, where you might consider staying in New York.

To the northwest of Brooklyn, you can stay in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. These are trendy areas where the population is mostly made up of artists, students, hipsters... You'll find many lively bars and restaurants, as well as local markets and vintage boutiques. Lodging in this part of the city also offers panoramic views of New York City, as well as affordable accommodation.

You can also stay further south, near Dumbo, Downtown Brooklyn, or Brooklyn Bridge Park (Brooklyn Heights). This is the heart of the borough. Located near the Brooklyn Bridge and along the East River, it's a family-friendly park. In fact, it's a must-see for any New Yorker looking out over the skyline!

The area is mainly residential, but you can still find hotels where you can stay for not too much money. At least, in a lower price range than in Manhattan. There are plenty of restaurants and bars, making the area very lively. Downtown Brooklyn, around Brooklyn Heights, on the other hand, is much less lively in the evenings. It's a neighborhood frequented mainly by workers and students.

It's worth noting that the above-mentioned areas are served by the subway. On average, you'll be about 30 minutes away from the center by public transport.

Jersey City: interesting accommodation on the other side of New York

You might not think about it, but it is possible to find accommodation on the other side of the Hudson River, in the eastern part of Jersey City. In particular, there are hotels on the Waterfront, opposite Manhattan. They are close to restaurants and transportation.

East Jersey City is home to several PATH subway stations, linking New Jersey to the heart of Manhattan in just 30 minutes. There are also water shuttles to and from the island.

Apart from the beautiful walk along the Hudson River, which offers a magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline, there is no tourist attraction to justify staying here. The main advantage is that you can reduce your accommodation budget.

As you can see, the east coast of New Jersey City is a good alternative for staying in New York City in a decent establishment, on a lower budget than in the city center. And all within easy reach of public transportation.

Lodging in New York's far north: in the Bronx

The Bronx is an iconic name in New York culture. Although some areas are best avoided, the South Bronxis the quietest place to stay.

It's far from downtown and the heart of Manhattan, but it's well served by the subway, and accommodations are less expensive.

On the other hand, apart from saving money on your accommodation budget, the Bronx isn't really interesting from a tourist point of view. There are a few places of interest, such as the Bronx Zoo, Yankee Stadium (if you're interested in baseball) and the New York Botanical Garden. Or, for movie buffs, the grand staircase seen in the 2019 film Joker. Nevertheless, going there during the day is already more than enough to get the pulse of the neighborhood.

In short, staying in the South Bronx is a great way to save money. However, it's clear that you'll spend a lot of time commuting to New York's tourist attractions. Opting for accommodation in the Bronx is therefore an uncommon choicefor travelers. All the more so for a first stay in New York.