Merilyn is lucky to be heading to New York, but doesn’t want to spend a fortune on accommodation, especially as she’s travelling alone. What are her options?
Q. Merilyn
I have been interested in spending four or five nights in New York, maybe late September. But as a single person, I am being quoted between $300–400 per night for a three-star hotel, which is not affordable. What’s the alternative? For instance, can one stay out of town and catch the subway?
A. How fabulous that you’re off to New York, but we agree, it can be expensive if you’re travelling alone or in high season.
You certainly can stay out of the city and travel in by subway, as this is an affordable and extremely effective mode of transport. However, as you’re only planning on being there for a few nights and there’s so much to see in the city itself, we wouldn’t recommend going too far. Brooklyn is a great place to stay and commute into the city, and, if the weather is pleasant, a walk over the bridge is a nice alternative to the subway.
However, a few affordable options exist for staying in the city itself – it just depends on what you’re after. And remember you can stay a couple of nights in budget accommodation to then allow yourself to splurge on something more luxurious.
Yotel offer cabin-style rooms that have a queen bed, free wifi, television and wet room. They’re not large, but are clean, centrally located and have access to galley kitchens on each floor, so you don’t need to be eating out every night. This is ideal if you’re planning on being on the go most of the time and are simply looking for somewhere to rest your head and have a shower in the morning. The rate is about $200 per night. To find out more visit Yotelnewyork.com
If you’re looking for a little more space and a little more luxury, then we can recommend the Evelyn Hotel, which has city packages that include a free metro card, wifi, early check-in or late checkout. And the rooms are also beautifully decorated. You can get a room for just under $300 per night, which isn’t cheap, but there are often specials on offer.
Find out more at Theevelyn.com
For basic accommodation, but with a little history behind it, The Bowery House, which is a youth hostel, could be just the place. Offering single cabins with shared facilities at affordable rates, this is a good way to keep down costs as well as be in the centre of everything. Original cabins are available for less than $100 per night.
Find out more at Theboweryhouse.com
I hope this has given you a few acceptable options, but don’t forget to check some of the hotel websites, such as Hotels.com or Booking.com for last minute specials.
