New Yorkers love the hunt for a bargain as much as the bargain. So if you're traveling on a budget you'll have to roll up your sleeves.
If you want to stay in Manhattan, a good place to look for bargain prices is the extreme west side of the island between 90th and 14th Streets. The hotels there, including the Habitat Hotel on East 57th Street and the Excelsior Hotel on 81st Street, offer easy access to Broadway and are often about $100 less than comparable hotels on the East Side or in the center of the island.
If you're dead-set on staying in the heart of things, try checking in at the Hotel Edison on W. 47th Street, a stone's throw away from Times Square and Broadway. A room at the Edison can be had for a low $130 per night.
On a really tight budget, there are a number of Youth Hostels and YMCA/YWCA facilities in the city. And in the summer, many of the universities in the city rent out dorm rooms to travelers. New York University, for one, has an extensive rental program. In addition to its low costs, these options offer the budget traveler a built-in community, and a foot in the door of some of New York City's most exclusive neighborhoods.
If you have your own transportation or don't mind taking public transport into Manhattan, lodging in the Outer Boroughs of Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island have considerably lower prices. Nearby New Jersey also offers cheaper lodging rates with more amenities per buck than you will find in Manhattan. In particular, Hoboken, N.J., offers its own nightlife and is just a $1 train ride away.
