Find Cheap Accom in New York

Q: We are visiting New York in May and are looking for cheap hotel or flat accommodation near Times Square for five nights. Can you please help? - Gwen Le Torres

A: The search for affordable accommodation in New York is one of the most common questions I receive. So, for all those planning to visit the Big Apple, here is a guide to finding something to suit your pocket, with a list of some examples:

Stay in a youth hostel:
HI-New York, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is the largest youth hostel in the world, With 624 beds, rates start at around $30 person for a bunk bed with linens and a locker. Holds, an outdoor barbecue cookout every summer evening (www.hinewyork.org).
Broadway Hotel n Hostel is one of the boutique-style hostels which are popping up all over New York on the trendy Upper West Side. Facilities include a lounge, a lift (elevator), a library with a fireplace and a state-of-the-art cinema. Well located for public transport and offers a shuttle service from the airport. (www.hostelnewyork.com).
West Side YMCA is situated only a minute's walk from Central Park and 15 minutes from Times Square. For $105 you can get a private room with airconditioning and cable TV. Free access to the YMCA's health club and swimming pools (www.ymcanyc.org)

Rent an apartment:
Your best bet is to check the listings for the city in Craigslist under the heading "sublets/temporary". You may get a room in an apartment or a studio or apartment of your own. Either way, it will be much cheaper than any hotel or bed and breakfast. You could also post an advert in the housing section (www.craigslist).

Book a budget tourist hotel:
The Milford Plaza Hotel is within easy walking distance of Times Square and the Rockefeller Centre. Rooms are small, but clean. (www.milfordplaza.com).
The Edison is a popular tourist-class hotel in a good location near Times Square (www.edisonhotelnyc.com).
414 Hotel offers an intimate atmosphere in two historical townhouses in 46th Street. The charming courtyard is a bonus.(www.hotel414.com).
The Washington Square Hotel, a recently renovated century-old hotel situated on Washington Square in the heart of Greenwich Village (www.wshotel.com).

Choose a small boutique hotel:
The Pod Hotel (230 E 51st Street) offers unbelievably small rooms with classy fittings and features. Get a surprising level of comfort at bargain rates (www.thepodhotel.com).
102Brownstone (102 west 118th street) offers private studio apartments and suites, all with fully-equipped kitchens, internet access and DVD players. Stylish rooms, with some featuring jacuzzi tubs (www.102brownstone.com).
Hotel Le Bleu (370 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn) offers spacious rooms and close proximity to the subway. Cool colours and stark furnishings have a Miami South Beach feel, making it a refreshing hideaway in this busy city (www.hotellebleu.com).
Hotel 373 (373 Fifth Avenue) offers a comfortable base in a great location - close to the Empire State Building. Rooms are small, but equipped with flat screen LCD TVs, wi-fi internet access, iPod docks and a Starbucks in the foyer (www.hotel373.com).


Check for specials:
As New York is popular throughout the year, bargains are few and far between. However, the major hotel groups like Hyatt, Sheraton, Hilton, Ritz Carlton and Marriott have special offers that extend to their New York hotels. For the best rates, try business hotels during the weekend and popular tourist hotels during the week.