New York City! It’s such a great destination but the price of hotels can be more than a bit daunting, especially for solo travelers. So, as always in such circumstances, we went to our community and asked for their recommendations on the best hotels and places to stay in New York City for solo travelers.
The response was fabulous. From budget to luxury, from pods to efficiency units, we have some great recommendations for you. And the best thing about this list is that individual solo travelers have stayed in these accommodations and recommend them to others.
What’s Happened to the Price of Hotels in New York City
As I update this post on hotels of all types in New York City, I have been doing a price comparison to 2022. Pricing is very different than it was and, sometimes, in some surprising ways.
Before getting into the price comparison, I need to first describe dynamic pricing. There’s no such thing as a standard rate for a hotel room any more. According to Siteminder, a platform to help hotels maximize their revenue, “Dynamic pricing can be an important strategy for a hotel that’s looking to optimize occupancy and maximize profit. By tracking market conditions in real-time, hotels can both prevent too many rooms staying unoccupied and rooms being sold for less than their maximum potential value.”
Yes, dynamic pricing looks out for the hotels.
It also means that a cheap hotel is not always a cheap hotel and an expensive hotel is not always as expensive as one might expect.
Below are prices based on my search for a hotel for one person for one night, November 30, 2024.
Of the 20 hotels listed, 17 were more expensive than in 2022 and 3 were less expensive. That’s dynamic pricing in action. There was no pattern in the price increases. Some almost doubled in price and others went up a small amount, as low as 5%. Hopefully, having put in the effort to find the prices, these numbers remain somewhat relevant for the next year. I do suggest that you check out a few hotels that seem to be beyond your budget as you may get a surprising deal.
Hotels in Manhattan for Solo Travelers: Recommendations by Neighborhood
Let’s start by getting the lay of the land. While New York has five boroughs, Manhattan is the most popular for its entertainment and attractions for travelers. It is broken into 53 neighborhoods according to the city’s planning department. However, for practical purposes, there are three main areas of Manhattan: Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown. In Uptown and Midtown, avenues travel north and south while streets go east and west, making it relatively easy to navigate. Downtown streets get a little more complicated.
Favorite Manhattan neighborhoods for travelers are listed below with hotels in the area. Prices quoted were for a one-night stay on November 30, 2024. As described above, hotel pricing is dynamic so the price will go up or down depending on how many rooms are available. The prices below are just an indication of where the hotel pricing is on the budget to luxury spectrum.
- Theater District – Midtown West Times Square, at the center of the Theater District, is always buzzing with people, costumed characters, digital billboards, and lots and lots of light. It is also where the TKTS booth is located which sells tickets to Broadway shows running at the area’s historic theaters. The most budget-friendly recommendations we received for this area are the Hotel Edison at US$287/night and the Ameritania which goes for US$217/night. For something a little more special, stay at the Archer Hotel at US$323/night. Or, stay right in Times Square at the Marriott Marquis for US$569/night.
- Midtown East – Bryant Park The stunning, Art Deco Chrysler Building is in this area and, just a bit south, the famed Empire State Building. This is also the place to stay for high-end shopping along 5th Avenue. There are tourist landmarks like Grand Central Terminal train station (you’ve seen it in so many films) and the UN Headquarters building. Recommended hotels for this area are The Pod 39 at US$188/night and The Pod 51 at US$179/night or the Archer Hotel at US$323/night.
- Central Park – Museum Mile This area includes the south end of beautiful Central Park and the Museum Mile which has six museums, including the Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Jewish Museum. It is also near Carnegie Hall and The Plaza Hotel which comes in around US$1695/night. That price may put you off staying there but it doesn’t mean you can’t stop in for a drink or tea! Recommended hotels for this area are The Park Hotel at US$458/night and the Manhattan Club at US$386/night.
- Greenwich Village Two universities and the famous Washington Park are all within the Village. Recommended hotels for this area are The Jane, a budget hotel at US$199/night (with communal bathrooms) and Washington Square at US$243/night.
- Chelsea Chelsea is a residential neighborhood of townhouses, low-rise apartment buildings, and some luxury high-rises. The High Line, the elevated park built atop former railroad tracks, hundreds of art galleries, and the Chelsea Market are located there. Recommended accommodations are The Leo House with single rooms (shared bathroom) at US$159/night and The Gem Hotel at US$396/night.
- Upper West Side The Upper West Side includes the grand apartments of Central Park West, the Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet, and the American Museum of Natural History. It is also Seinfeld’s ‘hood, so if you watched the show, there will be a few landmarks to see. This is an expensive area. The recommended hotel is Hotel Beacon at US$287/night with some rooms containing small kitchens.
- Lower East Side Historically, this was a Jewish neighborhood of tenement buildings. It’s now trendy with lots of upscale apartments and trendy bars as well as the original buildings. Take the tenement tour when there. It’s very interesting. Recommended hotels are Hotel Indigo at US$269/night and the luxury Citizen M New York Bowery Hotel at US$675/night.
Budget to Luxury: Best Hotels for Solo Travelers in New York City
This post is a companion piece to Solo on a Budget in New York City: 50+ Tips to Make NYC Affordable though not quite so budget focused. After all, when you head to New York City, you just might want to do it in a big way. So, I’m going to break these hotels down, from budget to luxury.
Before 2023, it was actually illegal to rent out a home for fewer than 30 days unless the resident is present. This made Airbnb a dicey option. Now, Airbnb hosts can register with the city making short term rentals legal.
Best Budget Hostels and Hotels in New York City for Solo Travelers
There isn’t a lot in the way of budget accommodation in New York City, but here are a few spots that were recommended by readers.
- The Pod 51 in Midtown East. The rooms are small and cozy, perfect for one. US$179/night.
- The Jane in the Meatpacking district (north west Village) was recommended by two readers. Note, it has communal bathrooms. US$199/night.
- HI NYC Hostel. HI (Hosteling International) hostels are pretty reliable and this one is recommended by Scott. It is located on the Upper West Side and comes in at US$89/night in a multi-bed dorm.
- Leo House. Cindy thought it was nice and reasonably priced with single rooms at US$215/night.
- The Pod 39 in Murray Hill (east, mid-Manhattan). US$188/night.
Moderately Priced New York Hotels for Solo Travelers
What is considered moderately priced in New York might be a bit different than you would find elsewhere. Here’s what our readers recommend.
Luxury New York Hotels for Solo Travelers
Hotel Taxes and Fees in New York City
New York is famous for promoting one rate for a hotel room and adding fees and taxes at checkout. There is the Hotel Room Occupancy Tax collected by the city as well as city and state taxes. In addition, some hotels will charge a Resort Fee. This can break a traveler’s budget and leave a sour feeling after a wonderful vacation.
To get all the details on room cost we recommend booking on booking.com. To see the full cost of a room, hit See Availability then click on I’ll Reserve. At this point you are not making any commitment. On the left side you’ll see pricing details such as that in the image here. You’ll also see what it will cost to cancel. In most cases, it’s free before a certain date as it is in this example.
Getting to New York City: Which Airport?
The city is served by three airports and all take under 30 minutes by taxi to get to the city center in ideal conditions. For city center, we’re using Penn Station. By ideal conditions, we mean no traffic tie ups as these are not predictable.
To learn how to get from each airport to your destination in the city and the typical cost, use Rome2Rio.
For affordable things to do in New York City, read Solo on a Budget in New York City: 50+ Tips to Make NYC Affordable.
Last updated: 21st November, 2024