Where Can I Find Hotels in New York City?

Midtown Manhattan is full of hotels, with the Garment District, Times Square, Jacob Javits Convention Center, Central Park and Lincoln Center nearby. Three major transportation hubs also dot the Midtown landscape, making this area Hotel Central. The close proximity to Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central Terminal, and Penn Station mean easy travel for out-of-towners. In this area, look for the New Yorker Hotel, W Times Square, Club Quarters Rockefeller Center, along with a large number of national chains.

Going downtown, there are more of the super-trendy boutique hotels that cater to fashionable jet-setters. Hotels like the Tribeca Grand, Soho House and the Hotel on Rivington have luxury amenities, popular bars and pretty high prices. The area is full of small cafes and stylish shops, and contains a mix of both yuppies and collegiate types. Tourists may want to bring a map to get around town in this area, since many of the streets deviate from the numbered grid pattern that dominates most of the Manhattan landscape.

In this elegant, genteel section of the city, many of the hotels favor an old, classic decor and feel. The staff here doesn't wear Converse sneakers like they do at the Soho Grand; instead, there's a quiet, more conservative tone. Great hotels like Le Parker Meridien and the Lucerne specialize in first-class service for luxury travelers. However, there is also a smattering of hotels in this neighborhood for the more budget savvy. The 92nd Street Y has rooms available, and several hostels, including the Candy and West Side Inn, make low-cost sleeping a snap.

Near the Statue of Liberty, Fulton Street and Wall Street, the southern end of New York City has several hotels that are targeted towards both tourists and business travelers. The Millennium Hilton near Ground Zero is a popular large hotel, with easy access to the PATH train system to New Jersey, as well as several subway lines. There's also a W Hotel Downtown, and a branch of the members-only Club Quarters chain. This area isn't as densely packed with accommodations as other sections of the city since bankers' hours prevail, but you can find some great prices and availability for a city stay if you're willing to travel for the late-night stuff.