We have the best accommodation tip in New York, with great value for money for those who want to discover and enjoy everything that NYC offers to tourists!
Accommodation in New York: Frederick Hotel
I was in NYC with Clóvis at the end of June but, as it was a trip we had always dreamed of, the schedule started many months before: every detail of the itinerary was carefully thought out and, after buying the tickets, the first practical step was to look for a hotel in the city. We know that NYC is an expensive city to stay in and we also know that the release of Airbnb in the city is a dispute between city hall and the company that will never be resolved. The company has been in conflict with the New York government for years, as local legislation does not allow renting a property for less than a 30-day stay, a rule approved in 2010 to combat the proliferation of “illegal hotels” in the Big Apple. ‘. However, if you search the platform’s website, you will find cool apartments for rent in the city for periods of less than a month. On the other hand, advertisements for room rentals when the property owner also stays in the property are still allowed for periods of less than 30 days, according to the new law – but we wanted privacy.
I confess that I didn’t want to risk it either – some friends had bad stories about ‘orange’ owners, who disappeared with the initial deposit for payment of the stay, and I started browsing Booking in search of the perfect accommodation. After reading Rogério’s tips for searching for hotels on Booking, we went looking for a place where we would stay on our trip.
I love the Lower East Side and I really think it’s the best place to stay in NYC – there are a lot of hotels close to tourist attractions, like the crowded Times Square, but I think it’s a steal to stay there. They are usually gigantic hotels, where you are just another number, the service is non-existent, the Wi-Fi is weak and, reading the reviews on Booking of these places I became discouraged…
We then started looking for a hotel in Lower – always keeping an eye on the Booking score. That’s when we found the Frederick Hotel. It had all the requirements: well located, nice, the room seemed to be an ok size and it wasn’t that much more expensive than the others. We decided to stay there, but we had no idea what a great experience we were going to have.
We arrived on June 26th and were greeted by an employee who spoke poor English, but checked us in after a little confusion with names made by Booking itself. I confess that at that point I was a little scared, because the hotel lobby looked a bit old, dusty and I feared I had been robbed… I asked for the Wi-Fi password and I had my first surprise: the signal was super good. Ideal for those, like me, who travel for work and need to always be connected.
A luggage porter helped us up to our room and… surprise! For New York standards, we found the room super spacious. It was super clean, well decorated, had a really cool bathroom, with a bathtub, environmentally friendly bath products and a giant map of NYC on the tile… We loved it and thought it was charming!
In the following days, our impression became even better: room service came to our room twice a day – we discovered this because I had a back problem and needed to lie down for a while between walking around the city. When we arrived in the room at night, the bed was completely made and everything was clean for the second time that day! Wonder! 🙂
The sheets and towels were super clean, the bed was soft and we barely heard any noise from the street at night – or from other rooms, as is so common. For those who need it, there are computers in the lobby where you can order a shuttle, check in, print a file…
The view from our room
The location of the hotel is a separate chapter. Literally at the hotel’s doorstep is Chambers Station, a metro station where lines A, C and E and 1, 2 and 3 pass, taking you to everything in the city. For tourists who want to go to Times Square and Central Park, this is the way to go – and without any transfers.
Next to the hotel, there is a Starbucks and a Pret-a-Manger – this supplied our breakfast every day. And from there, you can walk to the World Trade Center, City Hall, the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, Century21 and Whole Foods Market – as well as enjoying Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo just a short walk away. A neighborhood delight!
Another service we ended up using was the hotel-JFK transfer for US$65 with a very friendly driver. We quickly arrived at the airport to board the flight back to Brazil. Anyway, we returned delighted with the Frederick Hotel and I came to recommend it to you, a super option for those traveling to NYC for leisure!
Service
Frederick Hotel
Address: 95 West Broadway – TriBeca – Manhattan
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