Cheap hostels in NYC

[broadway_show_fan]

Funny you ask, morosco - my friend from Tennessee just stayed there in late May/early June.

Quick under-5-minute walk to the subway. The street seems impressively quiet and calm.

It is very cute and rustic - lots of wood and duck figures/wallpaper, plus old class pictures or military pictures or something like that. It's a walkup with a narrow staircase as an FYI.

The rooms are nice - small, but very nice. As soon as you got in the room, there was a small private in-room shower and a sink. They also had a chest of drawers, a TV, an overhead fan and a nice in-window A/C unit, both of which kept the room nice and cool in sweltering heat. The bed seemed nice and the room seemed clean.

I didn't use the communal toilet, but I heard that it was nice and pretty clean. It was like a 10-step walk around the corner from her room.

They also offer wifi and a mailbox! I feel like you'd never need it but it's cute and in the lobby.

I didn't stay in it but I would say it was a pretty nice deal!

[mlsheehan]

Morosco,
I've stayed at Chelsea Lodge about two years ago. And it is pretty much as broadway_show_fan described.

My husband and I stayed for a week and the place was great. If I remember right, there are 2 toilets on each floor. In our week, there was only one time when both of ours were occupied. So I just went up to the next floor.

It is clean and a good location. It's my first choice to check for availability, unfortunately the last couple of trips it was booked when I was in town.

[ChiChi]

I've stayed at the West Side Y about a dozen times and I love it. Yeah it's dorm like, but all ages stay there and the ammenities are amazing. I also like that it's in more of a neighborhood tucked between Broadway and Central Park.

[jazzynat]

I've stayed at The Jane several times. Its not bad, off season I believe its $100 a night, $125 ish a night for peak season. Shared bathrooms, air conditioned rooms. I never had to wait for a shower or bathroom though. I was traveling across country quite a bit so it was fairly economical.

[LegallyBroadway2]

West Side Y is my pick, very very nice location and wonderful services for its cheap price.

[fosca3]

The Big Apple Hostel closed about a year ago -- until then I stayed there every time I came to NYC

Their website says they are renovating, so I guess it's possible they will reopen some day

I've been staying at the Americana, which is perfectly fine, clean and cheap, it's just not as conveniently located as Big Apple, so I do miss it

[Comden Green]

long ago i stayed at the Menno House. Pretty rustic then. photos look a lot better now. 19th near 2nd ave.

http://www.mennohouse.org/

[Kelly2]

Personally, and I know this is a little unpopular, I ADORE hotels, especially nice ones. New York has so many GORGEOUS hotels that I never get to stay in because I live here. I personally take fewer trips out of town so I can spend more money to pamper myself while I'm away. Am I the only one with this philosophy? I stayed in a couple hostels while traveling Europe and found it interesting to really get to know people, but there were a lot of reports of theft at many of them and even of sexual assault (though I have never heard of that at any in Manhattan or any mentioned in this thread).

[broadwayjim42]

I stayed at the Pod 39 earlier this month and loved it. My single room was $105 a night and while it is compact, they make very good use of limited space. It was in the midst of a soft opening when I was there and some things are still unfinished (the cable TV that wasn't set up when I was there is apparently working now--other restaurant and "great room" issues were still under construction), but I checked my dates in January and rates go from $99 to $145 then.

Might be worth a look.