tight budget accomodations

I%26#39;ve read back a few pages and everyone has a much bigger budget than I do! First (probably *only*) trip to NYC and I need something for less than $100 a night. I%26#39;ve considered Big Apple Hostel and Hotel 17. It is for me and my 17 y/o daughter, for a museum and theatre trip, four nights around St Pats Day. The only person I know who has ever even been to NYC suggested Hotel Pennsylvania, but I cannot afford that. I don%26#39;t care about sharing a bathroom, having kitchen facilities like at a hostel would be cool, since the tight budget means little or no dining out, but I don%26#39;t want to stay in a place with a bunch of young party animals. I am from a very small town and I have no idea how to get around in this city, so central location is best. Walking longish distances is no problem. Any advise?

tight budget accomodations

You can try http://www.pickwickarms.com/ ... I just stayed there from 1/12/07 to 1/15/07. You can get a room for under $100. As of jan 15 they are now called The Pod Hotel. The rooms are very small, dorm style. I don%26#39;t really have any complaints other than the toilet in our room (1118 - a corner room) was right against the wall, unless your under 70lbs you need to sit crooked on it!!!!

tight budget accomodations

You might be able to stay at one of the women%26#39;s residences which are inexpensive and may include some meals, since your stay is at least 3 nights. Have a look

http://www.thebrandon.org/

http://www.websterapartments.org/

http://www.sacredheartresidence.com/

Another idea is the Vanderbilt YMCA which has some private rooms for 2--very centrally located.

www.hostelz.com/hostel/553-Vanderbilt-YMCA

That above website hostelz.com lists other hostels and has reviews.

I should add the Pickwick Arms/Pod option mentioned above also sounds very good. The only benefit to the women%26#39;s residences is the possibility of some meals included.

My daughter and I stayed in one of the private rooms at the Big Apple Hostel when she was 16 and it was fine for the price. The room is very, very small but clean. We never had to wait for the bathroom and it was always clean. No loud parties either. I think that they run a pretty tight ship in that department. We had a room on the 6th floor which was quiet but keep in mind that the only elevator at the BIg Apple is strictly for luggage only. I%26#39;m used to hostels (a misspent youth!) and this one%26#39;s okay. You can%26#39;t beat the location (right in Times Square and the TS metro has lots of different lines, easy to get elsewhere in Manhattan) and there%26#39;s a 24 hour desk so no curfew. The kitchen has commercial fridges but is pretty basic otherwise. Make sure you label everything you put in the fridge or it will get thrown out. There%26#39;s a deli/convenience store next door which has reasonable (for New York) prices and a nice dining room upstairs.

Given a choice of the Big Apple or the Pennsylvania I%26#39;d choose the Big Apple hands down.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Jennifer

Thanks for the suggestions! Turns out the prices at The Pod went up with the name change; it is $159 a night for the internet special, -sadly out of my budget. Big Apple Hostel and the Y look like my best bets. I don%26#39;t understand the layout of the city very well, so location wise, do you have any thoughts on those two? My daughter is an art student and the purpose of the trip is to visit MOMA, Met Museum of Art, Guggenheim, Whitney. We *may* see a show if I can afford it. Should we plan on watching the St Pats parade? We have no interest in shopping, the Statue of Liberty or Empire State building (except perhaps from the street.)

We will be the proverbial fish out of water, so any advice on making this trip less stresful would be appreciated too! This site is great, thanks.

All of the museums you mention except MOMA are on the upper east side. Here are some ideas for that area to be within a walk of the Met, Guggenheim, Frick, Whitney

%26gt;there%26#39;s a place called staythenight.com --a b %26amp; b It looks nicer than it is. Phone or email them for prices.

%26gt;citylightsnewyork.com has hosted and unhosted apts. Hosted means you%26#39;re staying with someone in their apt. but get your own room and usually bathroom. Contact them and find out what they have in your price range on the upper east side.

Both the Big Apple Hostel and the Vanderbilt Y (there%26#39;s also a Westside Y that%26#39;s fine but not sure about private rooms theres) are in locations better for more typical tourist stuff. Of the 2 you mention, the Vanderbilt Y is a better location for you for museums.

The Brandon women%26#39;s residence would also be a decent option. Have you considered that?

Hi

I would suggest Hotel 31, where we lived in November which was very clean and with nice staff and the room was ok. Its in a good location, about 15-20min to Times Sq. and 10 min to Penn st and Macys.

A double room with shared bath is $79 + tax in February.

You can check the reviews on this site.

Their webadress is: www.hotel31.com

Have a great time

Matte75

If money%26#39;s tight (know where you%26#39;re coming from, btw) MOMA is free on Friday nights.

Jennifer

The women%26#39;s residences were a great idea, but they had application critera I don%26#39;t meet. I cannot present for an interview which is required for all but international travelers at the Brandon, and I was too old for one of the others (women to ago 30 only) and the Catholic one required you to have a job in the area. Now that was just according to their web sites. If you know those criterea to be more flexible, I%26#39;d absolutely consider them.

I was scared off of Hotel 34 (am I remembering that # right?) reading the reviews at travelocity. It seemed Hotel 17 was marginally better. I%26#39;m prepared for basic accomdations, but I guess I%26#39;d rather stay home, than stay in a place that gives me the heebe jeebes.

Truth is, I%26#39;m very nervious about the prospect of visiting NYC. I%26#39;ll be buying guides and reading up on it, but I find it to be very intimidating. I have never been in a cab or on a bus or subway. I don%26#39;t even know how I%26#39;m going to get into the city from the airport. I%26#39;m clueless, pretending to be brave for my daughter%26#39;s sake (wink). I just want to get there, see some art, taste the flavor of the city and get back without a catastophe. I also have a budget of about $1500 for the whole trip (excepting airfare, I%26#39;m not THAT totally unrealistic).

I%26#39;m going to look at some of those additional places you mentioned. You are a great help and making me less anxious about it, thanks.

Hi again

Its Hotel 31 and its got good reviews on travelocity so I dont know what hotel you were reading about. The hotel is not luxurious in any way but it is really good for the price you pay and the location is excellent. Again read the reviews on this page under NYC hotels on your left.

Matte75

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