Discount travelers will find a Hosteling International Hostel on the Upper West Side, close to Broadway and minutes from Central Park. HI New York has only five single rooms, 15 of which are quad-occupancy rooms along with 90 dorms, some separate for male and female guests and some coed. HI New York offers a number of different events each day. The specifics change, based on the month and day of the week, but some highlights from the 2011 calendar include the Brooklyn tour, which tours Brooklyn Heights and Williamsburg, pub crawls and comedy nights. Another tour goes to Greenwich Village to experience the home of, as the proprietors call it, "Punk Rock, Politics, Hippies & Hipsters." Beds in the dorms are available starting at $29 per night, which includes linens and a towel (as of January, 2011).
The Central Park Hostel echoes the concerns of most budget travelers with its slogan: "Stay in New York and have enough money to see it." The Central Park Hostel has mostly coed "dorms," although most rooms only have two beds. Lockers are provided (minus a lock, which you must provide), and the hostel has a large common area with a kitchen and dining room, TV area and a pool table. This hostel also has private studio apartments for rent. Central Park Hostel is close to the B and C subway lines and across the park from "Museum Mile" and a 15-minute walk from Columbia University. Rates start at $30 per night for a dorm room and jump to $89 for a private room, as of January 2011.
The Big Apple Hostel claims to have the best location in Manhattan. The hostel is central to the most touristy parts of of New York: (quite a few) steps to Broadway and Times Square. Just a 10-minute walk from the Greyhound station, the hostel has a large kitchen and common area and a backyard patio with a barbecue. Sheets and blankets are provided in the dorm, so you don't have to bring a sleeping bag. However, bath towels are not provided, but the hostel sells them. Dorm beds start at $35 per night and private rooms are available for $110, as of January 2011.
Located in -- you guessed it -- Chelsea, the Chelsea Hostel offers guests a free continental breakfast in addition to the standard hostel offerings. The shared rooms are for two guests, and some rooms have a shared bathroom; others have a private bathroom. The hostel organizes tours to or has information about the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, Staten Island and Rockefeller Plaza's "Top of the Rock." Visitors will find a selection of private rooms available. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in the common areas. Dorm beds begin at $38 per night, and private rooms start at $105, as of January 2011, but seasonal rates apply.
