New York’s Best Hostels
Hotel prices in New York can be ridiculously expensive, especially at certain times of the year when there are festivals occurring such as July. However, you need not worry too much about blowing most of your holiday budget on accommodation as there are plenty of low cost hostels in the city which are well located, cheap and comfortable. Here is a guide to some of the best hostels in the city.
Williamsburg HostL
If you have come to New York to sample some of the nightlife in Brooklyn, then you should definitely check out Williamsburg Hostl on Bedford Avenue. The avenue has seven bars and various restaurants all within a block radius of the hostel, including the city wide famous DuMont Burger Shop.
The hostel is privately run and has just six beds spread over two rooms, with a common area and kitchen being included. The sleeping rooms are divided into a two bed mixed dorm and a four bed mixed dorm, with the bottom bunk beds being queen sized beds, which are great for couples. Prices start at around $70 at any time of the year making it great value, especially if you take advantage of this year round value by and book a flight to New York outside of the holiday season.
American Dream
While the American Dream hostel may claim it has a Midtown location, it is closer to the university and busy Union Square than anything. The rooms in the hostel have two beds or four beds, while if you are lucky enough or book early enough in advance you can get a room with a double and single.
The hostel also comes with the added bonus of a free breakfast which is served between 7 and 11 am in the main dining area. Rates are quite reasonable, starting from $55 and go up to around $80 at certain times of the year.
The Pod Hotel
The neighbourhood that the Pod Hotel is in has bars lining many of the streets that give you plenty of options for where to enjoy 5 pm happy hour. Located just around the corner from the Turtle Bay Grill and Lounge, you will find this great little hotel. You will find proper hotel rooms here as well as a range of single and bunk pods.
Each pod or bed comes with its own flat screen TV and extra linen and pillows, although the toilets are shared. However, lights in the room indicate when the toilets are engaged or free meaning you won’t have to stand around in the corridor waiting. While the hotel is a great option, it is not as cheap as some other locations in the city with some of the pods starting at $169.
The Jane Hotel
Formerly a boarding house for sailors and a shelter for the people who survived the sinking of the Titanic, the Jane Hotel underwent an expensive renovation in 2008. The hotel still retains the feel of ship cabins but with some modern aspects, such as Wi-Fi, iPod docks and flat screen TV’s.
The hotel has its own restaurant on the ground floor but it is quite expensive, so try to get out of the hotel and check out the local restaurants for some better priced and quality food.
