When it comes to affordable visits to New York City, Queens is king, with hotels sprouting up at breakneck speed (touting 101 options at last count, with some fifty more in the pipeline, according to hotel research firm STR). Plus, this little borough that could has been slowly creeping into the tourism spotlight, emerging from the shadows of hip-and-happening sister boroughs Brooklyn and Manhattan, thanks to its world-class arts scene, cultural centers, microbreweries, and ethnic eateries. Next time you're booking a trip to NYC, choose a Queens stay for reasonable rates and more spacious digs, which frequently come paired with cityscape views and single-subway-stop commutes to Manhattan.
By Elissa Garay
The Paper Factory Hotel
Long Island City
Sophisticated yet affordable, The Paper Factory Hotel debuted in late 2013 on the L.I.C./Astoria border. Tucked into a reimagined, century-old paper factory, decor retains an industrial edge with massive windows, metal doors, polished concrete floors, and recycled wood frames. An eclectic mix of vintage and imported furnishings and original artworks (many from local artists) rounds out the funky aesthetic. The 123, airy, loft-style rooms boast 12-foot ceilings, oversize windows, art pieces, flat-screen TVs, plush bedding, designer toiletries, and free WiFi and local and international calls; suites also come with kitchenettes. A popular on-site Mediterranean-meets-Latin restaurant and bar, Mundo, often hosts live music and DJs.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Marco LaGuardia Hotel & Suites
Flushing
The affordable, mid-range Marco LaGuardia Hotel & Suites comes packed with plentiful perks and amenities. Eighty-one rooms are appointed with pillow-top mattresses, Neutrogena bath products, WiFi, flat-screens, workspaces, coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges; suites also offer kitchenettes and dining areas. A well-reviewed on-site restaurant, Magna Ristorante, serves up classic Italian cuisine (the hotel proprietor is Sicilian). Amongst other complimentary extras: access to a 24-hour fitness and business center, shuttle service within a three-mile radius, and breakfast (when room is booked directly with the hotel). (Note: The lobby is undergoing a renovation through June 2015.)
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport hotel
Flushing
The 168-room Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport Hotel, which opened in May 2014, is set within foodie-friendly Flushing’s vibrant Chinatown, close to LaGuardia Airport, Citi Field (home of the Mets), and Flushing Meadows Corona Park (host to the U.S. Open)—and just a half-hour subway ride to Manhattan. Spacious, upscale rooms propose modern furnishings, with plush beds, flat-screens, mini-fridges, workspaces, and free WiFi. Look, too, for a rooftop indoor heated pool and outdoor garden (with distant Manhattan views), two fitness centers, a business center, a 24-hour bar/restaurant offering daily free breakfast, and free shuttle service to LGA Airport and within a 2-mile radius.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Z NYC Hotel
Long Island City
In the blooming hotel mecca of L.I.C., the trim, 14-story Z NYC Hotel overlooks the Queensboro Bridge and East River waterfront. Expect artsy, industrial-chic decor, from the retro, travel-hub-inspired lobby to the 100 well-appointed guestrooms. Rooms come with 10-foot ceilings; decorative accents like wall stencils and mason-jar light fixtures; rain forest showers and heated bathroom floors; LCD TVs, iPod docks, and WiFi; and floor-to-ceiling windows framing Manhattan skyline views. There's also a subterranean cocktail bar and restaurant, but the crowning glory is its rooftop bar. Continental breakfast, global phone calls, loaner bicycles, and shuttle service to Manhattan (just a 10-minute drive away) is included.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/Manhattan View
Long Island City
Yet another solid L.I.C. choice, the 10-story Home2 Suites by Hilton New York Long Island City/Manhattan View debuted in August 2014. Offering 115 suites, spacious units include apartment-style amenities in studio or one-bedroom configurations, each with kitchenettes. Other appointments include sofa beds, flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, and free WiFi. There's also complimentary daily breakfast, a common media room (with gaming systems like Xbox 360 and Wii U), and a combined laundry and fitness facility, where you can run while the washer runs. The hotel's set just a block from the subway (the ride's under 10 minutes into Midtown Manhattan).
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
The Local
Long Island City
This hip hostel's appeal extends well beyond a youthful backpacking crowd—in fact, half of the year-old property's clientele is aged 30-plus. Yes, The Local, with an artsy urban feel and 137 beds, has the hostel-standard shared bunk rooms (from about $39 per person, per night), coin laundry, and communal kitchen facilities, but it also offers several private rooms and amenities you'd expect from a full-service hotel, like a 24-hour reception, en suite bathrooms, and free WiFi. There's also a lobby café/bar (serving Queens-brewed beers and playing host to local bands), common area (with a projector screen and shared computers), and rooftop access.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Wyndham Garden Long Island City Manhattan View
Long Island City
Reliable and affordable, the three-year-old Wyndham Garden Long Island City Manhattan View is set just one subway stop away from Manhattan, in a gentrifying industrial area—many of its spacious 128 rooms boast views of Midtown, the East River, and the Queensboro Bridge. Rooms come dressed in blue-and-gray tones peppered with vintage pics of L.I.C.—pillow-top mattresses, free WiFi, iPod docks, flat-screen TVs, and coffeemakers round out the offerings. Look, too, for extras like a small 24-hour fitness center, and a complimentary shuttle to local subway stops (about a seven-minute walk away). A new on-site Pan-Asian eatery is set to debut in March 2015.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Nesva Hotel
Long Island City
The curvy and colorful Nesva Hotel tower pairs affordability with artistic whimsy, including walls trimmed with artwork (by local artists) depicting L.I.C. and NYC scenes. Modern guestrooms boast pops of color via accents like throw pillows and carpeting, providing rich contrast to the dark walnut furnishings. Expect pillow-top mattresses, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, deep-soaking tubs, workspaces, and WiFi; request a room with a Manhattan skyline view (above the fourth floor) and/or a private balcony. Continental breakfast is included in the rates. Set just a single subway stop away from Manhattan, the closest train station is two blocks away.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
Holiday Inn Manhattan View
Long Island City
As the name suggests at this reliably branded L.I.C. property, guests at the 136-room Holiday Inn Manhattan View can expect stellar Midtown Manhattan views indeed (from about 50 rooms), with a location convenient to several subway stops (it's a 10-minute ride into Manhattan). Affordably priced, modern guestrooms come with comfortable beds, HDTVs, Keurig coffeemakers, WiFi, iPod docks, and work areas; some have mini-fridges and balconies. The hotel's top two floors are dedicated to spacious suites, with upgraded amenities like balconies and guaranteed Manhattan views. There's also a small fitness center, a Brazilian-barbecue buffet restaurant, and a glass-enclosed patio bar.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide
SpringHill Suites New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott
East Elmhurst/Corona
Just a mile from LGA Airport, and close to Queens attractions like Citi Field and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the two-year-old SpringHill Suites New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott pairs great rates with cheery contemporary decor. The 173 spacious guestrooms come with modern furnishings and colorful design accents; expect plush bedding, pullout sofas, LCD TVs, WiFi, iPod docks, desks, and kitchenettes (suites also have stoves). Guests get free daily breakfast; plus, there's a well-equipped fitness center, full bar, and 24-hour convenience market. Hop the free shuttle to LaGuardia, or to the nearby 7 train, just a 10-minute walk away (it's a 30-minute ride into Manhattan).
PLAN YOUR TRIP: Visit Fodor’s Queens Travel Guide