Are you wondering where you should stay and find the best area to stay when visiting New York? Well, worry no more we have a neighborhood guide for you to make the right decision. But we often wonder if New York is a good place to live, well it is a perfect place for vacation with lots of hidden gems you can discover on your trip, and the best part is the food, who doesn’t love a place with beautiful sits along with delicious food? So apart from that we have a guide of affordable accommodations in New York for you, let’s get into it.
Since we are all aware of how big New York is, the question is where to stay in New York City so, we need to understand all the pros and cons of living in New York and the fact that it is quite massive, it is spread out over 302.6 square miles over huge boroughs including the Bronx which is north of Manhattan. And Manhattan is basically the borough of Queens. Where the Hudson and East Rivers meet south of the Bronx, it progressively narrows, and across the East River is Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is located across the East River from Manhattan; both it and Queens are actually located on Long Island. Queens also shares a western border with Brooklyn and a southern border with The Bronx. And Staten Island is across Upper Bay from Brooklyn on a separate island. Let’s dig deeper and keep on reading to discover the best area to stay in New York.
Where to Stay in New York for New Visitors and Travelers
Let’s have a quick look at where to stay in New York for new visitors and travelers. You can easily choose the best part of New York to stay;
Meat Packing District Manhattan
Harlem Upper Manhattan
Upper East Side Manhattan
Upper West Side Manhattan
Lower East Side Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Williamsburg Brooklyn
Long Island City.
Where We Choose to Stay at Our First Trip to New York City
We chose to stay at the Heritage Hotel in the Flatiron District, Manhattan. This area is the best location to stay in NYC. It has everything like fine dining spots and cafes, shops, and subways. The main accessible areas are Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and West Village from this location. This area offers lush green parks like Union Square and Madison Square, an excellent dining experience for Mexican meals at Cosme Restaurant, and yummy Coffee at Devocion Coffee Shop.
Likes and Dislikes to Stay in Flatiron District Manhattan
Likes to Stay in Flatiron District Manhattan
This location has the best New York Transit options. It’s an ideal place to stay and access the Manhattan attractions via subways. It takes just half an hour to access the other locations in Manhattan from this place.
This area has the best dining options, affordable restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops. They offer excellent meals, drinks, snacks, and coffee for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Whether you would like to stay here or somewhere else, taste the delicious meals at one of these excellent restaurants.
Dislikes to Stay in Flatiron District Manhattan
It’s a bustling and noisy area. If you are looking for a calm and peaceful atmosphere, choose Williamsburg in Brooklyn to stay in waterfront accommodation. However, Flatiron District Manhattan is an area that is easily accessible by subways. But traveling on a water ferry across the East River and enjoying waterfront vistas are the remarkable options to stay in NYC.
Our Top Picks to Stay in Flatiron District Manhattan
The Freehand Hotel is another affordable hotel with minimal settings and is good for groups and family stays. The hotel has a rooftop lounge and a restaurant. They offer delicious meals for lunch and dinner and all amenities at reasonable rates.
The Ace Hotel is the next budget-friendly option. They offer all essential amenities like free internet access and car parking, an excellent dining lounge, and great food and drinks. It has vintage-style furnishings in wide rooms and comfortable spaces.
The Made Hotel is the ideal boutique hotel that offers wooden furniture, lots of green pot plants, and wide windows for sunshine. The hotel has a café and coffee shop, a patio space, a rooftop lounge, a restaurant, excellent food and drinks, free internet access, car parking, and minimalistic setting in rooms.
Best Area to Stay In New York City
So, we have broken it down to the best area to stay in NYC yet easy to find for first-time visitors, by that we mean by neighborhoods and major famous landmarks for your ease. Follow along in order to discover the best area to stay in NYC.
QUEENS – JOHN F KENNEDY AIRPORT
Let’s get this option out of the way. You might want to consider that both of NYC's major airports, La Guardia and JFK, are located in Queens. You should Grand Central Parkway to get in between them, as it typically takes about 30 minutes with traffic.
And definitely stay near the airports in NYC for a few reasons. Perhaps it would have been better to book a flight from JFK to Norway during a more convenient time, such as avoiding a midnight departure in January. How about considering alternative routes for traveling from midtown Manhattan to JFK in January? Because you might enjoy staying overnight at an all-inclusive resorts New York near the airport, as there's a very cool-looking TWA Hotel designed to resemble an airport from the sixties!
| Hotels near JFK | Why Stay | Where to Book |
| TWA Hotel $$$ | Vintage kind of style with a pool, IN the airport | Booking, Hotels |
| JFK Area Home Away from Home $$ | cozy vibes, good reviews | Booking |
| Fairfield Inn by Marriott JFK Airport $$ | good enough reviews and price | Booking, Hotels |
| Courtyard by Marriott New York JFK Airport $$$ | for a more upscale Marriott | Booking, Hotels |
DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN
Lower Manhattan basically starts at 14th Street and it goes to the end of Manhattan. It is known to be home to lots of famous neighbourhoods you have probably heard of or even seen on TV shows which includes SoHo, Tribeca West Village, Nolita, the Financial District and Wall Street, Chinatown, the Meatpacking District, Little Italy, Lower Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan and East Village. Downtown is the best area to stay in Manhattan for new visitors.
Downtown Manhattan Attractions Not to Miss
This is the best area to stay in New York City. Aside from all the cool things to do in Lower Manhattan, you're still close to Midtown and Brooklyn, and from Battery Park, you can take a free ferry to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty from afar! (And, of course, the ferries to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are not free).
You could also walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from this side. Don't forget to visit some of the cool museums in the area, such as the Tenement Museum, Jewish Heritage, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Visit the 9/11 Museum, Ground Zero, the 9/11 Memorial South Pool, and the Oculus to pay your respects. Visit Bowling Green, New York's oldest public park, and take in the views from One World Trade. Fans of "Friends" will recognize the exterior of their famous apartment at 90 Bedford St. There's a TON more, you should look up before visting but those are good places to start!
| Hotels in Downtown Manhattan | Why Stay | Where to Book |
| Crosby Street Hotel (SoHo) $$$$ | fun, colorful and funky interior design | Booking |
| The Beekman, a Thompson | Hotel (Financial District) $$$$ super modern hotel with the incredible 9-story atrium | Booking, Hotels.com |
| citizenM New York Bowery (LES) $$$ | cool, colorful, funky design | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Colours of the Spirit (East Village) $$$$ | boho-style kind of hippy apartment, good if you have group of people with you | Plum Guide |
| The Frederick Hotel Tribeca $$$ | Sleek and modern boutique design | Booking, Hotels.com |
| SIXTY Soho $$$$ | Very chic, contemporary boutique design | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Walker Hotel Greenwich Village $$$$ | Quite vintage 1920s-inspired decor, pretty views | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Hotel Mimosa (Chinatown) $$ | It’s great if you are on a budget | Booking |
MIDTOWN/MID MANHATTAN
Midtown Manhattan is basically the easiest yet best area to stay in new york city.if you wish to be in the center of all the major attractions. It starts from the north of 14th street and it ends on the south of central park at 59th street. The midtown is so famous for the plenty of neighborhoods which includes Theatre District, Hell’s Kitchen, Flatiron District. Rockefeller Centre, Garment District, Hudson Yards, Koreatown, Madison Square, and Chelsea.
Top Places to Explore of Midtown Manhattan
To be very honest all the major attractions you have seen listed in guides to New York City is here. Whether it’s Times Square, the Flatiron Building, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bryant Park, Museum of Modern Art the High Line, Broadway Fifth Avenue, Grand Central Station, the Vessel and if you want, the list goes on and on.
| Hotels in Midtown Manhattan | Why Stay | Where to Book |
| Hotel Elysée by Library Collection $$$ | Amazing views and gorgeous interiors | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Whitby $$$$ | sleek eclectic design | Booking, Hotels.com |
| 1 Hotel Central Park | warm, cozy and nature-inspired decor, sustainability focused | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York $$$$ | super fancy and beautiful Parisian decor | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Chatwal $$$$ | Incredible art deco design near Broadway | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Ritz Carlton New York $$$$ | iconic hotel with Central Park views | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Merion Row Hotel & Public House $$$$ | Irish vibe in Times Square, quite cool masculine design | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Plaza $$$$ | famous iconic New York City hotel | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Peninsula New York $$$$ | another iconic New York City hotel near Fifth Ave | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Lotte New York Palace $$$$ | gorgeous, opulent interiors with the famous tree | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Hotel Scherman $$ | fun boutique hotel, kind of midrange option | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Duffy Times Square by Kasa $$ | sleek design with pops of color, also a upright midrange option | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Fairfield Inn + Suites by Marriott New York Midtown $$ | A good budget option if you get a good deal! | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Jazz on Columbus Circle Hostel $ | It’s great if you are on a budget | Booking, Hotels.com |
UPTOWN MANHATTAN – CENTRAL PARK (UES & UWS)
Uptown Manhattan can cover among 59th Street to E 96th St and W 110th St and it surrounds Central Park. Since it is more residential with the most famous Upper West Side and Upper East Side but there is a lot going on over 37 streets and a whole park! It’s the best area to stay in New York first time.
Must-Visit Landmarks of Uptown Manhattan
We all know that Central Park is quite a big deal and it extends from around 51 streets! There are plenty of museum near the park which is the best part if you are staying around, you can easily visit any of them. The nearby museums are The Jewish Museum, New York Historical Society, Museum of the City of New York, The Frick Collection, American Museum of Natural History, The Met, and so many more!
| Hotels in Uptown Manhattan | Why Stay | Where to Book |
| The Sherry Netherland (UES) $$$$ | Quite fancy and luxurious | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Presidential (UES) $$$$ | Very luxury home and best if you have more than 3 people with you | Plum Guide |
| The Pierre NY $$$$ | wealthily designed, historic hotel on the UES | Booking, Hotels.com |
| Lowell Hotel $$$$ | pretty, historic UES hotel | Booking, Hotels.com |
| voco The Franklin New York $$$ | sleek, chic hotel, great midrange option if you book on right time | Booking, Hotels.com |
| HI NYC Hostel (UWS) $ | best options if you are on budget | Booking |
BROOKLYN – DUMBO & NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS
The borough of Brooklyn is quite massive. Staying somewhere close to the well-known DUMBO also known as Down under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. This neighbourhood will be the best option for you if you want to see some of the hidden gems of New York City. There are various interesting things to do in Brooklyn for travelers and visitors.
Memorable Destinations of Dumbo in Brooklyn
The photo op at the Manhattan Bridge is basically located at the intersection of Water Street and Washington Street, and without a doubt it is kind of a big deal in NYC. You can also go to Jane's Carousel, which opened in 1922 as well as walk along Brooklyn Bridge Park for the best views of the waterfront and cross the Brooklyn Bridge or either dine at Time Out Market and find the best restaurants in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are located a little away.
| Hotels near DUMBO | Why Stay | Where to Book |
| 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge $$$$ | Its super fancy with waterfront, and focuses on sustainability | Booking, Hotels.com |
| The Tillary Hotel Brooklyn $$$ | Slay boutique vibes in Downtown Brooklyn | Booking, Hotels.com |
| New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge $$$ | typical Marriott experience with great views | Booking, Hotels.com |
Conclusion
So, in conclusion the most popular yet best area to stay in NYC is Downtown Manhattan it is without a doubt one of the best of all the places you can stay in New York. Despite of all the fun things you will be able to do in Lower Manhattan, you will still be close to Midtown and Brooklyn, and from Battery Park. It is one of those areas, which is close to every iconic spot. We hope our recommendations on where to stay in NYC has been helpful to you. It is perfect for first-time visitors and we are sure you will significantly appreciate our neighborhood guide.
