New York's Secret Hotels . . .
and the Neighborhoods Are Fabulous 

 

 

New York Tourist Tip:
    Eat in neighbourhood coffee shops, (in midtown, East side, close to the United Nations, these are on First and Second Avenues, where breakfast is $3 for two eggs, potatoes and toast, not $12 or more in the hotel tourist traps. There's a 24 hour supermarket on the corner. Walk to First Avenue between 53rd and 54th Street and you'll find all the Sutton Place regulars tucked into the comforting diner booths at the  

all nighter Madison coffee shop, or a few clicks down at Tal Bagel, where the tofu scallion spread on an Everything Bagel is actually just as delicious as the cream cheese. And so good  for you.

 

You don't want to stay in a cheap cheap hotel in New York. Ever. But if you can be clean, safe and private, in an excellent neighbourhood, why pay more? Three of the best are here, and they're gems. more

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The Pickwick Arms Hotel 
A great clean, recently renovated cheap hotel on the East Side (230 East 51st Street) in a snazzy midtown residential neighbourhood. Walk home, singing and dancing, from the Broadway shows. The rooms won't win any design awards, but it's all immaculate, safe, and you've got a TV and a sink in the room. High rollers can book the rooms with private baths or showers. Budgeteers can use the sparkling showers just steps down the hall. More Pickwick info?

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The Excelsior Hotel
We have a big soft soft for the old Excelsior Hotel. It's on Central Park, so there's air there, too. What a concept! Unsurprisingly, Jerry Seinfeld, Tony Randall, and lots of celebrities, if you care about that sort of thing, live nearby. The Excelsior is located directly across 81st street, opoosite the new Planetarium, which looks stunning and awesome on the outside and is crushing and horrible on the inside (more on that disappointing debacle later). Just stay in celestial splendour at the historic Excelsior, where galaxies of wonderful sweet space scientists wander around in circles, jabbering to themselves, gawping at the beautiful blue ball glow eerily at night. There's a good coffee shop, and a subway and bus stops on the corner.
 
Righteous, and still under 200 clams per night! 
More info here

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The Y
You get more than a room when you stay at the Y. You'll find recreation, a concierge /tourist desk, swimming pools, and fitness facilities. And a cheap hotel. In New York City: Yes! Y not? 
Wise guys use Ys.
You can stay at the Y in Hong Kong, Delhi, Athens, Bangkok, London and even New York.
Get a free brochure by writing to:
The Y's Way International 
224 East 47th St.
New York, NY 10017
tel 212 308 2899. And lest we forget, click here

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