The Best Areas to Stay in New York City: Top Districts and Hotels

Midtown NYC occupies (as its name suggests) the central part of Manhattan and is where the heart of New York beats.

Midtown is home to must-see attractions such as Broadway and its musical theaters, Times Square and its giant advertising displays, the famous Empire State Building skyscraper, the viewpoint of Top of the Rock or the famous 5th Avenue of New York and its legendary stores.

If you want to be in the middle of the action or emulate Audrey Hepburn and have breakfast at Tyffany’s, this is one of the best areas to stay in New York City for your trip.

Hotels in this area tend to be expensive, but staying in the heart of the Big Apple is well worth it.

Midtown is the most connected area in New York and almost all subway lines pass through here. In addition, Penn Station (the train station that connects to JFK airport) is also located in Midtown.

For all these reasons, Midtown is the best area to stay in New York for first-time visitors.

As the name implies, the Upper West Side of New York is located in the upper part of the city, west of Central Park and bathed by the Hudson River.

It could be considered the chic-bohemian face of Central Park and is the neighborhood chosen by many stars and artists.

The Upper West is a mixture of residential and shopping areas.

Among its attractions are, in addition to Central Park, the Museum of Natural History and the Met Opera.

The Upper West Side of New York is connected by metro, as lines 1,2, A and E cross the neighborhood from north to south.

On the other hand, keep in mind that the Upper West Side is not the cheapest area to stay in New York.

The hotels in this area tend to be luxurious and the cheap hotels are not of very good quality. However, from time to time, it is possible to find offers.

The fantastic Morningside Park and the legendary Hell’s Kitchen limit this area that goes from the classic residential neighborhood to the most exclusive shops, restaurants and hotels.

The Upper East Side of New York is located north of Manhattan and east of Central Park.

This neighborhood is the summit of exclusivity in New York. Its central axis is the famous Park Avenue, one of the most expensive and exclusive residential streets on the planet.

The Upper East Side contains some of the most important attractions in New York, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, along with other important world-renowned galleries.

In addition, the Upper East Side of New York has great metro connections, as the Q and R lines cross its south side from east to west, and the 4 and 6 cross it from north to south.

This area is not the cheapest place to stay in New York. Most establishments are high priced and super luxurious. However, the quality of the hotels in this neighborhood is usually very high, in line with the prices.

The Upper East Side is the best area to stay in New York for luxury travelers.

The Lower East Side is located in southern Manhattan, on the banks of the East River and bounded by Broadway and 14th Street.

This neighborhood of New York, of traditional immigrant and worker origin, was the place of asylum for the first Jews who arrived in New York at the beginning of the 20th century.

It is a traditionally working class area, which over the years has been gentrifying to be one of the city’s creative epicenters nowadays, as well as one of the best areas to stay in New York City.

Currently, the Lower East Side has a trendy vibe and is known for its exclusive boutiques and restaurants.

Hotels in this area tend to have the cheapest prices in all of Manhattan, making it an excellent area to stay in NYC.

The Lower East Side is connected by metro (lines D, F and M).

SoHo (South of Houston Street) and TriBeCa (“Triangle Below Canal Street”) are two areas denominated with acronyms that are among the most trendy in the city.

SoHo and TriBeCa form an area full of galleries, boutiques and exclusive restaurants that make it one of the best areas to stay in New York City.

If you want to be close to this important shopping area of emerging designers in New York, here, you will be just one step away.

SoHo and TriBeCa are very vibrant, both day and night, thanks (in large part) to the gastronomic scene of SoHo, which is legendary around the world.

Little Italy is one of New York’s most charming neighborhoods par excellence.

This neighborhood is located in the Mulberry Street area between the intersections of Broome and Canal.

It was in Little Italy that settlements were established, made up of Italian immigrants at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.

The Mediterranean character of the area is still palpable and still has one of the highest concentrations of pizzerias and Italian restaurants in America, making it one of the best areas to stay in New York City for foodies.

Furthermore, besides being a lively area for a gastronomic visit or food tour, Little Italy includes several alternative-style bars that are worth checking out.

The Greenwich Village is New York’s best neighborhood for Sex and the City fans since Carrie, its leading lady and main character, lived in Perry 66.

It is a bohemian neighborhood, relaxed and quiet during the day, but, at the same time, with a lot of nightlife, creating the perfect contrast for your stay in New York City.

Greenwich Village is also the epicenter of gay nightlife in New York, with the iconic Stonewall pub (considered the birthplace of civil rights claims for LGBT people) and Many LGBT oriented venues.

This area was also the home of Village People, a well-known disco group.

Greenwich Village is one of the best areas to stay in New York City for nightlife.

Chelsea is a central neighborhood that is located in the heart of Manhattan.

Chelsea is known for being a residential area for the Upper Class and, as such, for being very exclusive.

This area has a lot in common with Greenwich Village, but (in a way) is less alternative or bohemian and more classic and gentrified.

Hotels within Chelsea tend to be expensive and boutique style, so it’s considered one of the best areas to stay in New York City if you’re looking for luxury.

However, this neighborhood also has a rich cultural scene that includes museums, concert halls and leisure options for all types of visitor, ensuring that there is always something to see or do when staying in Chelsea, New York.

Chinatown is located on the southern tip of Manhattan Island and is one of the most important Chinese neighborhoods on the American East Coast.

This area, which was once the port district of New York, is full of bazaars, grocery stores, herbalists and shops.

In addition, Chinatown stands out in a special way for its great variety of restaurants that make it the dream of any foodie.

Chinatown has also been immortalized endlessly in Hollywood movies and is a neighborhood that will always be shrouded in mystery.

This is one of the best areas to stay in New York City to enjoy the cuisine of the Big Apple.

Harlem is located in North Manhattan, between 96th and 170th streets.

This place was immortalized in popular culture as the Spanish Harlem, one of the most vibrant areas of New York.

It is an area of ethnic mixture where different races and religions coexist. Afro-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Central Americans and other minorities, mostly from Latin America, turn this neighborhood into a cultural melting pot.

Harlem is one of the friendliest neighborhoods for visitors who do not fully understand English, as they can communicate perfectly with its inhabitants.

Harlem is one of the best areas to stay in New York City to attend a gospel concert or taste dishes from Latin American cuisine.

Despite its bad reputation, the Harlem neighborhood is, in fact, a safe area to stay in New York.

The Meatpacking District is the new luxury district, chosen by a large number of movie stars and music stars.

This district is located west of Midtown and, therefore, has a very central location.

The Meatpacking District has resurfaced after the opening of The High Line, one of the most unique urban parks in the city, and is dominated by the Chelsea Market.

This district is considered by many to be the coolest neighborhood in New York, thanks to its exclusive stores and luxury brands.

The Meatpacking District is among the best areas to stay in New York City, because it mixes the right amount of trendy with a more alternative vibe.

New York’s Financial District is, as the name implies, New York’s most important business complexes and building towers are located.

It is a neighborhood populated by suits, ties and briefcases, next to Wall Street, where the narrow streets and inmense buildings that we imagine of New York join.

In addition, the Financial District includes attractions such as Battery Park and Ground Zero, with the new Freedom Tower.

The Financial District is one of the best area to stay in New York for business travelers, as you will also find many business hotels in its vicinity.

New York’s financial district also has some of the best metro connections in New York, making it easy to move to other areas and attractions.

When finding cheap hotels in New York, a good option is to stay in the boroughs or districts that are around Manhattan like Queens, located across the East River, on Long Island.

Among the attractions of Queens are its multicultural mix, because walking its streets and encountering neighborhoods such as Little India, Little China and Little South America is like going on a trip around the world.

Queens also includes the John F. Kennedy International Airport, making it one of the best areas to stay in New York City for travelers in transit.

In the central artery of Queens, you will find a large number of restaurants and shops that make it a good place to stay.

The New York Bronx is the birthplace of hip hop and, as such, is a neighborhood famous for appearing in dozens of music videos.

It is in this neighborhood that you will find the New York Botanical Garden, the largest in North America, known for hosting the Bronx Zoo.

This independent district is to the north and is the only one of the boroughs that is not an island, and has excellent metro and bus connections.

In addition, Yankee Stadium is also in the Bronx, making it one of the best areas to stay in New York City for sports fans.

Despite having a reputation for being an insecure area, the Bronx has been pacified for the past several years. However, caution is advised during the night, especially on poorly lit streets.

Brooklyn stopped being an independent municipality in 1898 to join the Big Apple, joined by the famous Brooklyn Bridge.

This borough is known as the mecca of street art and contains several hipster areas such as Williamsburg and Bushwick that attract the alternative audience of New York.

If you have a hipster soul, Brooklyn is one of the best areas to stay in New York City for you. Its designer stores, art galleries, second-hand shops, and music will keep you entertained.

Also, as in most districts outside of Manhattan, the accommodation in Brooklyn tends to be cheaper.

More info, check our guide about where to stay in Brooklyn.