The housing problem in New York is even more acute than anywhere in the world. According to statistics, spending on housing reaches 50-80% of the income of New Yorkers. That is why the best way to save here is to get an apartment sharing NYC. For tourists, this means that the main expense item during the trip will be exactly accommodation. In this post, we will tell you where it is better to stay in New York, which area to choose, and what are the pros and cons of hotels and apartments.

You should make a reservation right away: as always, it is better to prepare for the trip in advance. The sooner you start looking for housing, the more likely you are to find good options.

How Are Hotels in New York Arranged?

Average prices per night in a hotel start at $200 (some are lower, some are higher). For example, a room in the famous Plaza Hotel from the movie “Home Alone” will cost $1,000 per night. Hotel occupancy throughout the year in New York does not fall below 90%, demand is consistently high, and therefore hotels often do not value their customers. 

Even in 4-stars, you can get boorish service, wet sheets, and dust behind the bedside tables. Breakfast in New York hotels (as in all American ones) leaves much to be desired: 

  • buns with jam; 
  • eggs with bacon; 
  • the ubiquitous Americano. 

But the biggest disadvantage of hotels in New York is that you don’t know the final price of the room until the last moment. 

Listings on different websites do not include tax (14.75%), city tax ($3.5 per night), or resort fee ($27.22 per night). The most annoying thing is that the hotel can block money on your card in the amount of $1,000 up to the entire cost of the reservation and not return it until your departure (and in some cases even after). Stories about how hotels do not want to return the deposit can be read on booking in reviews of hotels.

Where to Stay in New York?

New York consists of 5 districts (boroughs): Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. For the first visit to the city, we would advise you to stop in Manhattan – all life, cafes, restaurants, and shops are nearby, and you can also feel the spirit of the big city, which we are familiar with from the movies.

The quarters that people like the most and where everyone would like to live on their next visit:

Soho – everything is here. Cozy streets lined with designer shops and famous boutiques, houses cut through by external fire escapes, trendy cafes, coffee shops, and easy transport access to other neighborhoods. Many attractions can be reached on foot.

Greenwich Village is quieter than Soho. This is where New York University, Washington Square is located and beautiful low-rise development begins.

West Village is quieter, cozy, respectable, and gay-friendly. Rainbow flags can be seen flying everywhere. It was here that all the heroes of famous serials lived. The rental price is high, but the plus is peace and quiet.

Tribeca РBeyonc̩ and Jay-Z live here, and it is also closer to Downtown, houses are growing. Lots of chic restaurants and cafes, but this is a more noisy area.

The Upper East Side is perhaps the most luxurious area in New York. Even the average age of residents here is much higher than in the same Soho. Remember Charlotte’s apartment overlooking the park from Sex and the City, in which she sued her husband, Trey? It was just located on the Upper East Side. Of the pluses – you can run in the morning in Central Park, silence, the proximity of boutiques on 5th Avenue.