Trying to plan a weekend in Manhattan and I’m shook by the prices. Even the Pod hotels are like $250 lol. Are there any legitimate budget options left? Or do I need to stay in Queens/Jersey City and commute in? Just need a clean bed, don’t care about size.
2 Likes
NYC prices are honestly shocking these days 
When I went, I found it much more reasonable to stay outside Manhattan and just commute in.
Queens or Jersey City can be a really good option if you just need a clean place to sleep, and the subway/train connections are usually pretty easy.
Honestly, staying in Queens or Jersey City is probably your best bet now. You’ll usually get a much nicer, cleaner hotel for the price, and the commute into Manhattan is super easy.
We rented an apartment in New York City, but we were there for more than a weekend.
Where are you travelling from, and when?
Can’t you get an ‘all-inclusive’ deal for travel and accommodation?
Ugh yeah unfortunately that’s pretty normal these days, especially if you’re visiting on a weekend or during a busy season.
I’d personally agree with @FatosPur and @MilesAndSmiles to stay somewhere in Queens or Jersey City instead. You can often get a much nicer room with a private bathroom for the same price you’d pay for a tiny room in Manhattan.
The NYC subway and bus systems also accept contactless tap-to-pay with your credit or debit card, phone, or smartwatch, so there’s no need to worry about buying a MetroCard unless you want to. It makes commuting from Queens or Jersey City really straightforward
As a native New Yorker and former resident, $200/night IS the budget option . As others have suggested, your best bet is Queens, or NJ. Although, you’d have to go further into NJ since Jersey City now has closer to NYC prices. I recently want back for a wedding on a weekend and got a private room via Airbnb (incl private bathroom) for $125/night. For a 3 night stay, the total after taxes and fees was $471.66. That was the budget option considering it was during the World Cup. Wherever you book, just look at the map before committing so you can route how to get around in NYC using public transport, but Airbnb for rooms is a fairy decent option depending the time of year you’re booking.