The 5 Best Hostels in New York

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Ready to get into the nitty-gritty? Here are why these hostels in New York are my fave – you’re sure to find a budget spot for you in no time.

1. Chelsea International Hostel: Best Overall Hostel

• Price tier: $$
• Best for: Budget and solo travellers
• Highlights: Operating since 1992, 24-hour reception, two blocks from the High Line
• Dorms from: $70
• Private rooms from: $100
• Location: 251 West 20th Street, Chelsea, Manhattan

Chelsea Hostel is a no frills spot but has the basics locked in: a clean, safe base with a banging location. It isn’t winning any awards for it’s social vibe, but it’s sure to provide you a comfortable bed, clean bathrooms and staff that know the city like the back of their hand. The subway is right outside and you’re just a few steps from Grand Central station, the Empire State Building and Central Park. This was actually the first place I stayed at when I visited as a poor-ass student back in the day, and the location was second to none! Close to public transport and many sights, but also close to heaps of cheap places to eat too which was super helpful on the pocket.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• 15-minute walk to Times Square
• No bunk beds
• Multiple subway lines on the doorstep

There’s a bathroom on every floor at Chelsea International Hostel that are kept spick and spam, and other facilities include outdoor seating in the courtyard, a lounge, two kitchens, and a dining area. My favourite part of this hostel is the lack of bunk beds. No climbing up rickety steps here, just single beds that keep the room from feeling overcrowded. Also, the dorms are single beds rather than bunks so you won’t feel overcrowded. Each room comes with AC in the summer, which is awesome – a complete non negotiable to me, but you’d be surprised how many hostels in NYC don’t come with them.

2. NY Moore Hostel: Best in Williamsburg

• Price tier: $$
• Best for: Solo travellers and Brooklyn explorers
• Highlights: 20,000 sq ft renovated loft building, street art and murals throughout, coffee lounge with free hot drinks
• Dorms from: $50
• Private rooms from: $180
• Location: 179 Moore Street, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn

NY Moore sits in East Williamsburg, which means you’re in the middle of one of Brooklyn’s most creative neighbourhoods: street art on every corner, decent bars, live music venues, and cafés that haven’t been ruined by tourists yet. The L, J, and G subway lines are a short walk away, putting Manhattan and the rest of the city within easy reach. The hostel itself is a 20,000 sq ft renovated loft with high ceilings, natural light, and murals throughout. Dorms sleep three to six and every room has its own private bathroom, which at this price point in New York is worth noting. Female-only and mixed options available.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Located in Williamsburg
• Co-working space
• Games room with a pool table

Social spaces are spacious and easy to settle into. The games room has pool, foosball, and a PS3 for breaking the ice, there’s a common room for movie nights, and a coffee lounge with free hot drinks. The communal kitchen comes with a dishwasher, which feels like a dream after one too many times cleaning up in a dingey hostel kitchen.

3. Q4 Hotel: Best for Public Transport

• Price tier: $
• Best for: Backpackers prioritising transport links
• Highlights: 4-6 bed dorms with private en suite bathrooms and lockers, communal kitchen, linens and towels included
• Dorms from: $55
• Private rooms from: $180
• Location: 2909 Queens Plaza North, Long Island City, Queens

Q4 is in Long Island City, just across the East River from Midtown Manhattan, and that’s a deliberate choice worth making. Queens gives you a more local side of New York, cheaper food, less tourist noise, and a bit of breathing room from the Manhattan grind. One block from Queens Plaza subway station with seven lines on your doorstep, you’re ten minutes from Midtown when you want it and comfortably removed when you don’t.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• One block from Queens Plaza subway station with seven lines nearby
• 10-minute commute to Midtown Manhattan
• Games Area with Pool Table and Ping-Pong

The hostel itself is well set up. There’s a communal kitchen, a brightly coloured common room with comfy seating, a book exchange, a large screen movie area, and a games area with pool and ping-pong. Dorms come in single-sex and mixed options, most with their own en suite bathrooms, and each bed has a large locker. Access throughout is by key card. Private double rooms with en suite are available too if you’d rather have your own space. Air conditioning in summer, heating in winter, free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee on tap. It’s no-frills but it covers the bases well.

4. HI New York City Hostel: Best for Solo Travellers

• Price tier: $$$
• Best for: Solo travellers, social travellers, digital nomads
• Highlights: Huge kitchen, theatre room, daily events including walking tours and comedy nights, dorms with curtains
• Dorms from: $105
• Private rooms from: $380 (whole dorms)
• Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan

HI New York City Hostel sits in a historic, castle-like building on the Upper West Side, just two blocks from the subway and minutes from Central Park. The building alone makes this one worth the booking. Inside, the facilities go further than most hostels bother with. There’s a huge kitchen, a theatre room, a games area with a billiards table, a yoga and exercise room, and two full floors of common space to spread out in. Outside, there’s the largest private greenspace in Manhattan, which is not something you’ll find anywhere else in the city at this price.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• Co-working space
• Yoga room, two floors of common spaces and a theatre room
• Largest private outdoor space in Manhattan

Dorms are properly kitted out: privacy curtains, individual reading lights, USB charging, and secure lockers in every room. Bathrooms are freshly renovated and kept spotless, with free linens and towels included. There’s also an on-site café for breakfast and lunch, plus laundry facilities and luggage storage for late check-outs. There are in-house events most nights of the week, including walking tours, comedy nights, and pub crawls, plus discounted local tours through the front desk. With this much going on inside the building, you’d be forgiven for never wanting to leave.

5. The Brooklyn Riviera: Best Budget Spot

• Price tier: $
• Best for: International travellers, social backpackers
• Highlights: Small breakfast included, super chill but social, no frills but clean and comfortable
• Dorms from: $40
• Private rooms from: N/A (dorms only)
• Location: Brooklyn

There are few places left in the city where you can really do New York on a budget, and The Brooklyn Riviera is one of them. If you want an authentic NY experience, this is the place, the crowd leans cool and everyone’s pretty social. Despite being out in Brooklyn, you’re close to JFK airport and the Brooklyn Bridge, and just a 10-minute walk from the A train and C train lines, so you can get anywhere from here.

Why you’ll love this hostel:

• International travellers only, for a genuinely mixed crowd
• Backyard BBQs hosted by Talib, the heart of the hostel
• Walking distance to the A, C, and 3 train

Talib, the owner and host, is an amazing person with a huge heart who makes you feel safe and at peace. There’s a common room with a TV and a Wii, or you can relax outdoors in the yard, complete with a BBQ that puts in some serious shifts come summer. The conversations, BBQs, and time spent with other travellers here set this place apart from any other hostel you’ll visit. It’s a whole vibe that stands apart from the chain hostels and Airbnbs in the city.

Getting Insured BEFORE Visiting New York

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New York’s hostel scene rewards a bit of research. Location changes everything here, and the gap between a Manhattan base and a Brooklyn or Queens one is bigger than in most cities, both in price and in what kind of trip you end up having.

Chelsea International Hostel would be my top pick. It’s been running since 1992, sits in a central Manhattan location, and skips bunk beds entirely, which makes a real difference after a long day of walking the city. Solid for solo travellers and anyone who wants Manhattan convenience without the inflated hotel price tag.

Don’t wait, just pack your bags for NYC and take a nice big bite of the Big Apple already!