Broadway, Central Park and the skyline – compare stays from Midtown to Brooklyn.
Results open in a new tab on our partner's site. We may earn a commission if you book – it never changes your price. How we make money
Photo: Patrick Tomasso / Unsplash
New York hotel rooms are famously small and rarely cheap, but rates swing widely by season, day of the week and neighbourhood. Midtown has the largest concentration of hotels, while Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island City often give you more space for the money with a quick subway ride to the sights. Comparing hotels across the city in one search shows you where the trade-off between location and price works best for your dates.
Since 2023, strict city rules have taken most short-term apartment rentals off the market, so hotels are the main choice for visitors. Hotel bills also carry several layers of tax and, at many properties, a nightly facility or destination fee. Below you will find the areas we'd shortlist, when demand peaks, how to get in from JFK, Newark and LaGuardia, and booking tips that make a real difference to the total.
Busiest monthsDemand peaks from September to December: the United Nations General Assembly fills Midtown in September, the New York City Marathon and Thanksgiving follow in November, and December brings holiday shopping, the Rockefeller Center tree and New Year's Eve in Times Square. Late spring is also busy.
Best valueJanuary and February are usually the cheapest months, with cold weather and fewer events. July and August can also bring better rates at business-focused hotels, though summer is hot, humid and popular with families.
Based on typical seasonal hotel demand, not live prices. Run a search to see current prices for your dates.
Midtown covers Times Square, the Theater District, Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, with the largest choice of hotels in the city and subway lines in every direction. It is the most convenient base for a short first trip and evening shows. Rooms are often small and the blocks around Times Square are crowded and noisy, so consider the quieter East Side or the streets around Bryant Park.
The Financial District and the area around the World Trade Center hold the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Wall Street and the ferries to the Statue of Liberty and Staten Island. Hotels here serve many business travellers, so weekend rates are often lower than in Midtown. Streets get quiet at night, but Tribeca and the Seaport have good restaurants close by.
Between Central Park and the Hudson River, the Upper West Side is residential and relaxed, with the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center and Riverside Park on hand. The 1, 2 and 3 trains on Broadway and the B and C trains along Central Park West run straight down to Midtown. There are fewer hotels than in Midtown, but rooms can be larger and evenings calmer.
Williamsburg, DUMBO and Downtown Brooklyn offer a different view of the city, with Manhattan skyline views, food markets, bars and plenty of newer hotels. Downtown Brooklyn has excellent subway connections into Manhattan, while Williamsburg is one stop from the East Village on the L train. Rates are often lower than at comparable Manhattan hotels.
AirTrain JFK links every terminal with Jamaica station, where Long Island Rail Road trains reach Penn Station or Grand Central Madison in about 20 minutes and the E train runs to Midtown, and with Howard Beach for the A train. Allow about an hour door to door by rail. Yellow taxis charge a flat fare to Manhattan, plus tolls, surcharges and tip, and the drive takes 45 to 90 minutes.
Newark is in New Jersey, roughly 25 km south-west of Midtown. AirTrain Newark connects the terminals with Newark Liberty International Airport station, where NJ Transit and Amtrak trains reach New York Penn Station in about 25 to 30 minutes. Taxis and ride-hailing cars take 45 minutes to well over an hour, depending largely on traffic at the Hudson River tunnels.
LaGuardia, in Queens, is the closest airport to Midtown but has no rail link. The Q70 LaGuardia Link bus runs to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue and Woodside for several subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road, and the M60 bus crosses to Upper Manhattan. Taxis and ride-hailing cars take about 30 to 60 minutes to Midtown, depending heavily on traffic.
For a first trip, Midtown is the most convenient base, close to Times Square, Broadway, Fifth Avenue and Central Park, with subway lines in every direction. Lower Manhattan suits weekend visitors looking for better rates, the Upper West Side suits families, and Brooklyn suits repeat visitors who want food and nightlife.
Four to five nights is a good length for a first visit, giving time for a few major museums, a Broadway show, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty or an observation deck, and a day exploring Brooklyn. Shorter trips work, but distances and queues eat into your time.
Hotels are usually cheapest in January and February, after the holiday season ends, and late summer can be reasonable at business hotels. The most expensive periods tend to be September, especially UN General Assembly week, and November to December, when the marathon, Thanksgiving and the holiday season fill the city.
New York has no separate per-person tourist tax, but hotel bills carry state and city sales tax, a city hotel occupancy tax and a flat per-room nightly fee. Many hotels also charge a facility or destination fee, so compare the total price including all taxes and fees rather than the headline room rate.
The fastest public option is AirTrain JFK to Jamaica, then a Long Island Rail Road train to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison in about 20 minutes. The E train from Jamaica is slower but cheaper. Yellow taxis charge a flat fare to Manhattan, plus tolls, surcharges and tip.
Casino resorts, big shows and desert day trips – compare stays from the Strip to Fremont Street.
Ancient ruins, Baroque piazzas and long lunches – compare stays from Trastevere to Prati.
Gothic spires, castle views and Christmas markets – compare stays from the Old Town to Malá Strana and Vinohrady.
Beach clubs, rice terraces and surf breaks – compare stays from Seminyak and Canggu to Ubud and Nusa Dua.