When you want proximity to the colorful party scene in downtown New York but prefer a more laid back and no-frills — hipster, if you may — bunk to stay in, the Brooklyn-Queens area is a wise option.
Speckled with artsy-craftsy spaces, quaint neighborhoods, and acres-wide parks, Brooklyn and Queens are a sobering surprise from their busier neighbor, Manhattan. You can go see and do without bumping strangers arm to arm, but also be only minutes away by train to the city.
 |
| Image by The Planet D via Trover.com |
Best of all, if you’re looking for affordable yet well-equipped accommodations (read: free high-speed WiFi and free parking) to simply sleep in at night, there are plenty of those hotels in Brooklyn and Queens that are as awesome as those found in Manhattan.
Check out these no-frills inns and hotels for starters.
NY Moore Hostel
Inspired by the global backpacker, NY Moore Hostel offers penny-pinching, spacious, and well-furnished dorms and private rooms with common-share spaces where guests can enjoy free-use computers and chatting accessories, an HD TV for movie nights, and a stocked kitchenette with fridge and microwave. Tea and coffee are served for free too!
The hostel sits at the thick and thick of East Williamsburg, where you will be surrounded by homey cafés, boho shops, bars, art galleries and various subway lines to other NYC boroughs.
Red Carpet Inn New York City
Also located in Williamsburg, Red Carpet Inn New York City puts you at the center of Bushwick’s bohemian scene, a short stroll from vintage shops, book cafes, and Knickerbocker Avenue’s eclectic dining and shopping hubs. The hotel is three miles from the Children’s Museum and a mere block from a subway line that connects the neighborhood to Manhattan.
The hotel offers basic but spotless accommodations with air conditioning and temperature control, a shower with a tub and free toiletries, and satellite TV. Complimentary Continental breakfast and all-day tea and coffee are served in the lobby.
Riviera Motor Inn
Inspired by 1970s design, Riviera Motor Inn Brooklyn features modest rooms with the usual vacationing essentials such as air conditioning, telephone with free local calls, cable TV, toiletries, and a hot tub.
Amenities are limited to express check-in and check-out, but the hotel’s strategic location is excellent for guests with children, with attractions such as the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, Cypress Hills Playground, Discovery Center, City Line Park, and Prospect Park accessible within only a few miles.
A subway station and a ferry terminal are situated nearby, making trips to other NYC counties quick and easy.
Jets Motor Inn
Jets Motor Inn is an excellent option for guests looking for comfortable, strategically located accommodations in Queens. JFK Airport, the Queens Zoo and Museum, and several parks — including Key Gardens, Rufus King Park, and Flushing Meadows Corona Park — can be reached within 15 minutes. For easy access to Manhattan attractions like the Empire State Building, head on to Grand Central Parkway.
These air conditioned rooms are furnished with an office desk, cable, radio clock, and jetted tubs. There is a vending machine on site as well as a restaurant serving grab-and-go meals.
