Travelers from around the world just cannot get enough of the glamour and old world beauty that New York has to offer. But the major challenge for many budget travelers is finding a place to hold their head at night. Though it may seem impossible to find a budget place to stay, keep in mind that the savings are in the legwork you’re willing to do to find and benefit from bargains.

Live Local

If you are staying in New York for a week you may want to save the cash you spend at a hotel and sublet a furnished apartment instead. Subletting is very popular in New York and because most in the city pay sky high rents subletting helps them make some money on the side. The added benefit of subletting is that it will give you some firsthand experience of how it feels to live in New York like a New Yorker .You can find subletting listings all over Craigslist.

Internet savings

Never pay the upfront price for a hotel always search for bargains. There are some great deals to be found in Manhattan hotels. Check hotwire.com, here you can find discount rates at numerous hotels some of which even the locals may not know about. The star rating identifies how good the neighborhood and the hotel is. Expect to pay around $200 a night though.

Websites like Priceline.com allow you to bid on what you’re willing to pay in a neighborhood you want to stay at. Once your offer has been accepted your credit card is charged. Here you can save a whopping 50% of the regular price or the published rates of most hotels that participate.

How about a hostel?

I’ve found that Broadway Hotel &  Hostel to be pretty cheap considering it is the city’s first boutique hostel. It boasts of dorm style, semi-private and private rooms. The price depends on the type of accommodation you book. You’ll get free Wi-Fi, a good media room and access to the kitchen to  prepare your own meals. Located at Upper West Side it’s just a minute’s walk from Central Park. Beds cost around $27 a person per night which is pretty darn cheap even if you’re a budget traveler.

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