Preferably near some interesting tourist stuff.
Reminds me of when Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western civilization.
What exactly do you mean by “reasonably priced”? And where do you mean by “in Manhattan.”
The Hosteling International New York Youth Hostel is a good deal. it’s not far from Columbia University, the Catherdral of St. John the Divine, and the northern part of Central Park. Depending on if you consider those things “interesting.”
They have private rooms, but not many. In all likelihood you’d be sharing space, bathrooms, kitchen facilities, etc.
If I had to guess and generalize, the closer you are to ‘tourist stuff,’ the more you’ll have to pay.
There are no reasonably priced hotels in Manhattan. If it appears to be reasonably priced, it is a flea-bag.
The Hostel thing is a good idea, but I’m a much bigger fan of the YMCA. I used to stay at a very nice one called the Sloan House, but it wound up being taken over by some university as student housing. Last time we visited, we stayed at the Y in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and we’ve also stayed at the Vanderbilt Y near the UN. We’ve never stayed at this one, but it looks really nice - a lot nicer than any hotel I’ve been able to afford on my own dime in NYC (I’ve stayed in good hotels for business training). The main hassle is the communal bathrooms. I realize this may be a deal killer for a lot of folks, but I shower before going to sleep at night and rarely encountered anyone else. Basically, if you’re emotionally equipped to handle a health club, you can handle this. Is a private bath worth $200 additional a night? Bring a robe, flip-flops and a fluffy towel and you’ll be fine.
Most of the Ys are close to subway stations, and any tourist should learn how to navigate the subway. A multi-day pass is the only affordable way to get around. Cabs will bankrupt you and take far longer to get anyone, and renting a car in Manhattan is the definition of insanity. You can get a one-bedroom apartment in most US cities for less than it will cost to park for a week. When we’ve driven to NYC, we park in New Jersey.
If you’re going to get on the subway, staying in Brooklyn or Queens is just a matter of a few more subway stops than staying in Manhattan, and the extra couple of minutes is far, far less than the time you’ll spend trying to park or flag down a cab.
I stayed in the Big Apple Hostel just off Times Square a few years back. It was functional and reasonably priced.
Missed the edit window:
The cheapest way around is definitely the MTA unlimited ride pass. I’m not sure what the bit about “…until midnight” is all about, but $8.75 for a day of transit around NYC is astoundingly cheap and $27 for 7 days is even better. If you have a cell with a data plan and can view Google Maps, you can get around very easily.
We’ll be newlyweds so the hostels are a great idea but not for us. I’m flexible with what ‘reasonably priced’ means, how about reasonably priced for Manhattan.
Portland Square Hotel. It’s on W. 47th St right off of 7th Ave. I’ve had friends who stayed there and while it’s very plain & basic, it’s cheap, clean & right in Times Square.
**Do not **go to the Carter Hotel on W. 43rd St. It’s a flea bag and everyone I know who’s stayed there has said it’s disgusting.
In that case, a vacation rental (through a site like VRBO.com) or a Bed & Breakfast is almost always a better deal than a hotel.
Something along these lines:
http://www.vrbo.com/113194
The hotels in the $200/nt range talk a good game but are generally pretty rundown (Hotel Pennsylvania, I’m looking at you). realistically, you’re looking at the $300/nt range, for something relatively recently renovated an up-to-date in terms of amenities.
The GEM hotel on Houston St. (I thought this was a Howard Johnson but it seems to have either been rebranded or sold) is another option running around $200/nt in a very trendy active neighborhood. I haven’t been inside but its probably no more or less fancy than you’d expect of a Howard Johnson. I think you’d be more comfy in an apartment for the same price, just my opinion.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-351176-the_gem_hotel_so_ho_an_ascend_collection_hotel-i
On that subject, there is this article, though granted some things may have changed in fifty-three years.
You can actually get some good deals on hotels if you order them at the last minute but you might end up dealing with slim pickings. You might be able to get something for under $ 200 a night if you’re lucky. Otherwise that hostel is a pretty good one. It’s not the only hostel here, and it’s one of the more expensive ones. A cool hostel in the same area that was there when I used to live there and had a Jazz bar in the basement was called ‘Jazz on the Park’.
Thanks for that link. The prices have gone up a bit.
Have you tried here?
The Edison Hotel is in the theater district, and is worth checking out. Luxurious, no, but conveniently located and won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Also do not get fooled by the reasonable prices and great location of the Hotel Pennsylvania. Nasty.
Does it absolutely have to be in Manhattan? You could always get a room in Long Island along the LIRR. Then you could just take a short ride into Penn Station and you’re right in the middle of everything.
Before I went that far, and tied myself to the somewhat infrequent late-night LIRR schedule, I’d consider the Brooklyn Marriot. Just steps from Brooklyn heights and the Promenade, plus you’ll be in downtown Manhattan in 10 minutes. You’re also walking distance (as New Yorkers measure it) from Junior’s Cheesecake which is definitely a NYC landmark!.
Or used Hotwire or Priceline?
Pods are seriously small and some rooms use communal bathrooms, but everything is very clean and seemingly new. I was very happy with it when I went in May. And really, who needs a big hotel room in NYC?