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Hey Paulie,

I have driven my car to the the New York International Hostel. It's the biggest hostel in the U.S. And i think it used to be biggest in the world.

Someone told me the reason that it is so safe is because it's close to a large police station. I felt comfortable walking across the street at 2 am for a sandwhich.

Jazz on the park is also a good buy. But maybe it's a little sketchy for walking around alone late at night.

Rule of Thumb: Basically anywhere south of 90th street in Manhattan is reasonably safe to be alone at night.

I would NOT recomend taking the subway up to Sugar Hill Hostel alone at night.

I would highly recomend the night time music tours offered at the International hostel. Even if you're not staying at this hostel you can still go there to meet the tour guide. You see a lot of music for your 1 time cover charge. A short guy with the last name of Rose used to give this tour.

If you don't have a car (often a benefit in NYC) the Big Apple might be a good choice also. I remembered it to be a little smaller and more crowded, but it is more centrally located.

If you have any more questions email me at [email]mytriptoireland@yahoo.com[/email].

HAVE FUN!

One more thing regarding the rule of thumb.

Rule of Thumb: Basically anywhere south of 90th street in Manhattan is reasonably safe to be alone at night.

When an NYC police officer gave me this rule of thumb he was referring to streets. He was NOT referrring to Central Park or roads going through Central Park.

Enjoy NYC!

You might want to check out craig's list. They have some rooms for cheap! Also, you can find cheap hotels on Orbitz.com. Have fun there! I used to live in NYC and aboslutely loved it there!

Has anyone actually stayed at the Big Apple Hostel? I hear they have a great location, but what about the cleanliness and security?

Daymeeyan,
I stayed there years ago. I just remember it being coed and cramped. But the location is excellent.

Hey Daymeeyan,

I was thinking about the Big Apple hostel as I was driving to work. I remember that it was cozy and I did enjoy it. I've never really felt unsafe at any hostel. And I'm not really a neat freak either.


It is in a slightly safer part of town than the official hostel on 103rd. What I really liked about it was the fact that you could walk right to Times Square at night, it was right there. Perhaps it's just one of those places that you have to try once.
There was another hostel on times Square that I didn't enjoy as much.
I certainly would not recomend taking the subway to Sugarhill Hostel up in Harlem alone at night.
There is another hostel that is an "international type" and maybe they require a passport. that might be good too. there are many to choose from.

The official one is great if you have a car.

Philly has a hostel that is centrally located and two and half hrs away, $20 bus ticket.

Happy trails!

Ok I just got back from spending 10 days at The Big Apple Hostel in NYC.

Excellent location! It's pretty much right in Times Square and close to everything. It's clean and seems well managed. The common areas are small, but I didn't go to NYC to sit in the hostel.

Good for you, Daymeeyan! And thanks for sharing your experience the rest of us backpackers.

[ 01. May 2004, 05:44: Message edited by: skate1968 ]

I stayed at the big apple in 2000. I really liked it. I did get pretty sick after staying there and when I got home my doctor thought that I was sick from the hostel - I guess that I had an allergic reaction to it - ODD! - I am allergic to dust mites and to mold - But I still recommend this hostel. Since I stayed at the bid Apple I have recommended it to friends who also enjoyed the experience.
A hostel is a hostel is a hostel - NOT TRUE - but the big apple is alright!


Reading these posts have brought back great memories from my NYC trip.

Chelsea Center Hostel (%212-643-0214, www.chelseacenterhostel.com, 313 W 29th St)

Small friendly but GREAT because it has a BETTER location in the East Village, which is where you want to be. You gotta go by the Chelsea location to get to the EV one.

I think you'd be fine around Jazz in the Park at night. I hear it's the best of the big ones.

What would you think of this hostel then?

Central Park Hostel at 19 West 103rd Street & Manhatten AveNew York, NY 10025
...located on the Upper West side of Manhattan. In it’s newly renovated classic brownstone building, this 5-story walk-up features colorful, sunny dorm style rooms with 4, 6 or 8 beds per room (plus air conditioning).

I found their rate cheapest on www.backpackers.com.au ($25, $23.75 with their VIP pass)-26$ on their official site. (Any idea if the backpackers rate is guaranteed then? ;)

HI on Amsterdam Ave seems cheapest at $29 for a female. But if it's safer then I guess the price difference is too small- Any thoughts?

I wanted to point out that both hostels seem to share one street, that's why I'm asking;) - Where is that police station? /If I didn't mix everything up?/
The cheaper one is closer to the park though. hmm..

Well, if it's possible, I'd need the info/opinion asap.

[ 25. August 2004, 05:16: Message edited by: Andreya ]

Oooops.
It seems as though I have not gotten back to Andreya fast enough. I hope she had a good trip. Someone told me that the official hostel on 103rd and Amsterdam is the one closer to a police station (although i don't actually remember ever seeing a police station close by). One good thing about the official hostel on 103 & amsterdam is that you can make it safe by attaching yourself to a group, since travelers are constantly coming and going.

Good luck, all.

Cheers!

I am going to be staying in NY for a few days over Jan 06.

Is it cheaper (and safer) to actually stay within the city, or to go to New Jersey? Which is only a few minutes away on the bus?

I need to save on my hostels/accommodation!

Hey Reubania,

The hostels in NYC leave you, as Ace would say, "spoilt for choice." There are many to choose from. Like all City hostels, they are a bit pricier.

I can't remember ever hearing of someone using Jersey as a base for touring NY. I don't know if the savings (if any) would make it worthwhile.

Tim has yet to write a book on the States, so reference the "Let's Go NYC." The hostel prices are not always current but they'll give you a good idea.

I personally love to "wake up in a city that doesn't sleep!"

The crime factor in NYC tends to get a bit over rated. You can be as safe as you want to be. Don't ride the subway, solo, late at night, north of 85th or 92nd street. Don't walk central park, solo, at night. Common sense.

Cheers for the comments. My friend in NY was a bit baffled why I would base myself in Jersey...so I just have to settle for a slightly expensive hostel...it will be only 2 night though.

One would expect that hostels in New Jersey (or Brooklyn and Queens) would be cheaper than Manhattan. Also the commute on the PATH train makes Hoboken and Jersey City actually closer to midtown and downtown Manhattan than the hostels above 100th Street.

In theory it seems like a good idea, except there are no hostels in the close parts of New Jersey and alternate accommodation would cost more than hostels in the heart of the city. There is a B&B in Jersey City that takes backpackers but it is no cheaper than staying in Manhattan.

Also staying in Manhattan is all part of the New York experience. I agree with Skate and would also prefer to "wake up in a city that doesn't sleep!"

Cheers Tim.

A friend in New York mentioned that to me. I guess I will have to look for some moderately cheap hostels to stay in Manhattan! Any suggestions?

Hey Reuben,

I was actually just looking at places to stay for a getaway weekend.

This site looks credible:
http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php/ChosenCity.New%20York/ChosenCountry.USA


I'm usually skeptical of all things on the net. But this seems to have an unbiased review system. The review that I read seem to be consistent with what I already know. And it's very clear that they're not all written by the hostel owners themselves (otherwise there would be no bad reviews).

[ 20. February 2005, 21:39: Message edited by: skate1968 ]

I just stayed at the Hostel on 103rd Street and Amsterdam AVe. and I must say, that I really liked it.

Booked it on Hostelworld.com, so I got a cheaper price than on the official HI Website..maybe there's an even better rate out there.(we paid $27 it's 29 on the HI-Hostels Website)

Hostel was fun, staff was friendly

Just make sure you ask for sheets and towels when you arrive...we forgot and by the evening I had to go to the 'staff only' Laundry room and 'steal' some sheets.
Also try to get a second blanket..it was freezing in our room but by the morning it was boiling.

Hi there
I have been to NY a couple of times. I found a great Hostel in Harlem, I know Harlem, it aint as bad as people say it is but you should be careful, especially walking alone at night. By the way I was told to never venture down to East Harlem as aparently its really dangerous down there.
The "Wonderes Inn West" is a great place to stay and it is located at:
257 West 113th Street, NY 10026
http://www.hostels.com/en/availability.php/HostelNumber.4835

If you go there be sure to say hello to a woman named Berna who will frequently be seen sitting on her step chatting to people or playing cards, she's really nice and loves talking to people from all over the world.

Have a great trip and be sure to enjoy the NY experience...........
Peace ;)

We now have a complete listing of all American hostels (including all the New York Hostels) on the new BUG hostel review system. Please share your experiences and write some reviews of any hostels you have stayed at.

You can find the New York Hostels here: http://www.bug.co.uk/cgi-bin/rs/redqueen/do/redqueen.cgi?module=find_item&rank_things_by=column_known_as_ASC&dynamic_links=1&skin_id=default&category_id=42

I agree that Harlem isn't as bad as people say. Generally the rule of thumb in NYC is not to travel at night especially on the train. As far as the rule of thumb of not to go past 90th st. I do agree with that somewhat as well but there are also other parts of lower manhattan that are worse than any part of Harlem. Harlem has some very nice sections but once you get into Washington Heights then you do not want to be in that area as you really have no reason to. Stay out of Central Park when it starts getting dark as crime is high and a lot of weird people, the police try to keep a good presence there but it is just too large. Overall if you use common sense and you gut feeling it should keep you safe, also don't stick out like a sore thumb especially at night such as carrying around a camera and snapping a lot of photos because you are just asking to get robbed or pickpocketed.

Andreya;9050:

What would you think of this hostel then?

Central Park Hostel at 19 West 103rd Street & Manhatten AveNew York, NY 10025
...located on the Upper West side of Manhattan. In it’s newly renovated classic brownstone building, this 5-story walk-up features colorful, sunny dorm style rooms with 4, 6 or 8 beds per room (plus air conditioning).

I found their rate cheapest on [ ($25, $23.75 with their VIP pass)-26$ on their official site. (Any idea if the backpackers rate is guaranteed then? ;)

HI on Amsterdam Ave seems cheapest at $29 for a female. But if it's safer then I guess the price difference is too small- Any thoughts?

i stayed at the HI hostel in august. was sweet place. they have tours pretty much everyday. the onyl one i rmemeber that you have to pay for is the walking tour of new york and that was only $10.

they have a big kitchen with decent seatig. big lounge area and a tv room downstairs with comfy couches. good bunks!!!!! and decent sized lockers.

and two nights a week they have a bbq dinner for $6 which fills you up!!!!

one place to avoid in NYc is 5th ave spot in harlem. stayed there for a night whilst waiting for connecting train. worst place. its a walk up, the beds are extremely narrow and the top bunks have no railings, no storage in the rooms. toilets are very cramped. rude staff,a dn if you are female its scary at night.

skate1968;9039:

Hey Paulie,

I have driven my car to the the New York International Hostel. It's the biggest hostel in the U.S. And i think it used to be biggest in the world.

Someone told me the reason that it is so safe is because it's close to a large police station. I felt comfortable walking across the street at 2 am for a sandwhich.

Jazz on the park is also a good buy. But maybe it's a little sketchy for walking around alone late at night.

Rule of Thumb: Basically anywhere south of 90th street in Manhattan is reasonably safe to be alone at night.

I would NOT recomend taking the subway up to Sugar Hill Hostel alone at night.

I would highly recomend the night time music tours offered at the International hostel. Even if you're not staying at this hostel you can still go there to meet the tour guide. You see a lot of music for your 1 time cover charge. A short guy with the last name of Rose used to give this tour.

If you don't have a car (often a benefit in NYC) the Big Apple might be a good choice also. I remembered it to be a little smaller and more crowded, but it is more centrally located.

If you have any more questions email me at [email]mytriptoireland@yahoo.com[/email].

HAVE FUN!

I have found your response to the post on best Hostels and Hotels in New York is quite informative, useful and based on real experiences. I have collected some interesting data from your response. So whenever there is any question regarding my next US tour, I would sought your advice.

Thanks Tim for the list of hotels

Jreck_p;16503:

I have found your response to the post on best Hostels and Hotels in New York is quite informative, useful and based on real experiences. I have collected some interesting data from your response. So whenever there is any question regarding my next US tour, I would sought your advice.

Well thank you very much!! That's very flattering. Really!

Way back when, i was happy that i had found a place where my endless babblings would even be tolerated -- much less appreciated. (i am, of course, referring to BUG fourms)

Anyhow i hope you and all other backpackers would do the same -- pay it forward, so to speak. When on the road, people have befriended me, offered me their couch, trusted me in their home, fed me, driven me places, taken me out on the town, etc.

Giving someone a little bit of information while online seems like such a very small price to pay for what i have recieved. Really, I feel that I've come out far ahead.

Anyhow, Tim and MusicD, to their credit, have since given me some tips which have nothing to do with backpacking.

FYI, i now hang out at this irish forum:

General Discussions - Irish Emigrant Forums

(I've posted up Bug's link on the irish forum so i feel it fair to do vice a versa.)

Hi Skate,

It's good to see you on the forums again.

Tim

Wow. Thanks for posting many useful information. I found many different and affordable hostel. Can you suggest many more? By the way, this will be helpful to us and it was very useful.

Hello Frnds,

What's your opinion on "New York Hostel99". I heard that its a good hostel. And the most special about it is that its located in the midst of the city. Did anyone had a stay over here?

NY Hostel 99 is an hostel and a accomodiation that you can afford and the accomplishment is okay.

New York International Hostel, great hostel !