Cheap New York City hotels that are actually good

Not one bargain, but two, the Pod hotel group has two midtown locations for you. Both of which are in its signature style: hip yet inexpensive. If you want to be right in among it all, Pod 51 is the place to book. Just a couple blocks from the booming bright Times Square. The rooms themselves have everything you need (including desks, free wifi, TVs and a rain shower.) With six pod choices to pick from, the rooms can fit anywhere between one and four guests, so bring the mates if you want. In the hotel you'll also find a lively café for good slow coffee mornings, and a rooftop deck suited for sunbathing and shmoozing. The other spot is Pod 39, and that's very much the same, except it's in the less congested lower midtown. 

With a prime location a few blocks from the neon signage of Times Square, Row NYC is at the very core of The Big Apple. This snazzy hotel provides modern and gleaming white rooms with pops of bright color that'll get you ready for the hotel’s iconic surroundings. However, with the first-rate facillities in place here, you may well find it hard to even step outside! See, inside Row NYC you'll find a huge food hall called City Kitchen, which offers up some of the finest eats anywhere in New York. Whether you're looking for Dough's vibrant doughnuts or Kuro Obi ramen. At District M, travelers can even revel in a hand-pulled Neapolitan-style pizza and then have a go at spinning at the hotel’s very own cycling studio (though we'd allow a few hours between the two activities personally). There's also a Glam&Go beauty bar in the hotel. If you do step outside, you'll find you're walking distance from basically every main attraction: Empire State Building, Radio City Music Gall, Rockefeller Center. amd more. 

Opened in 1907 as the American Seaman’s Friend Society Sailors Home, this 14-story landmark was a residential hotel when Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson took it over and renovated it. The wood-paneled rooms were inspired by vintage train sleeper compartments—there’s a bed (or bunk bed) with built-in storage and brass hooks for hanging up your clothes. No en suite, however, which is reserved for the Captain’s Cabins, along with iHome docks and wall-mounted TVs. Very much the vibe you'd expect in prime trendy Metpacking District accomodation. There's also the Old Rose, which you can grab good local produce cooked Italian style bite at across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night dining, alongside local craft beers on tap, and natural wines. The hotel offers a 24-hour front desk too, so you can really experience the city that doesn't sleep. 

With a name so heavily imbued with history and character, you won't be surprised to discover that The Harlem Flophouse is a darkly atmospheric Victorian townhouse. Much of the decor has been kept as such too, so stepping through the door at the top of the stone stairs is a little like stepping back in time (the website looks old-school too!). You're in good company too, as each of the rooms is named after artistic greats of Harlem past, such as Thelonious Monk and Chester Himes, jazzy. While the location is fairly north of central NYC, the lights and the music is just a short subway ride away, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. The idea was to make this a European-style guesthouse but also an inexpensive alternative to typical NYC hotels, they suceeded. While the heart of NYC is a short subway away, you are right by Colombia University and the world-famous Paris Blues jazz club. 

Set in the edgy neighborhood of Bushwick, this boutique hotel offers up comfortable accommodation and a contemporary aesthetic. Rooms are minimalistic and modern, with hardwood floors, wood furnishings and dark walls and there's a rotating display of work by local artists. Staying in Bushwick is ideal for those looking to stay out of the chaos of Manhattan and appreciate the authentic feel of the area, which is full of warehouses, bars, galleries and restaurants. Notable perks of BKLYN House include the complimentary buffet breakfast and day passes to two local gyms. There's a 24 hour front desk, so you can fully immerse yourself in the city's nightlife without worrying about missing your bed, and what a nice bed it is here too.