Hostels in New York
There are 21 hostels listed within about five miles of central New York, which is 1.2% of everything on offer in the city — a modest but real hostel scene. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against New York's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in New York?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of New York's accommodation is hostels rather than hotels — a city can have plenty of hostels and still be a hotel city. The second is how those hostels score against the hotels sitting next to them, which is the only fair benchmark, because guest scores drift by city and a 7.8 in one place is not a 7.8 in another.
| Measure | New York | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 21 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 1.2% | A modest but real hostel scene. Measured against all 1,693 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 7.2/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 8.0/10 | The same measure for New York’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in New York score well below the city's hotels, which is worth knowing before you book on price alone — a gap of 0.8 points. That gap is normal and mostly measures the product, not the management: a shared room with six strangers in it will rarely be scored like a private one, however well the place is run. It is worth reading the individual scores below rather than the average.
Hostels in New York, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of New York. Pick your dates to see what a bed actually costs — hostel pricing moves more than hotel pricing does, because a dorm can sell out one bed at a time.
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Chrystie Street Apartments
Various Locations, New York
Central Location in Lower East Side This self-catering accommodation in the Lower East Side offers a convenient stay in the heart of New York City. Just steps away from Little Ita…
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U.S. Pacific Hotel
106 Bowery 2FL, New York
Convenient Location Located in New York, U.S. Pacific Hotel offers easy access to popular attractions like Little Italy and Brooklyn Bridge. Comfortable Rooms Each room is equippe…
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Bowery Grand Hotel
143 Bowery, New York
Convenient Location Situated in Manhattan, the Bowery Grand Hotel is a short stroll away from vibrant neighborhoods like Little Italy and Chinatown. Cozy Accommodations Guests can…
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The Nolita Express Hostel
220 Bowery, New York
Central Location Convenient Amenities Multilingual Staff Book your stay at The Nolita Express Hostel for a comfortable and convenient experience in the heart of New York City!
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Now Now NoHo
338 Bowery, New York
Prime Location in NoHo District Convenient Access to NYU, Bloomingdales, and Flatiron Building Comfortable Rooms with Shared Bathrooms and Free WiFi To experience the best of New …
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New York City Summer Dorms - Hostel
Conolly Hall, Long Island University, Brooklyn
Convenient Location Explore popular attractions such as the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Museum within a short distance from the hostel. Home-like Accommodation Feel at home in t…
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American Dream
168 East 24th Street, New York
Convenient Location Modern Amenities Nearby Attractions Ready to experience the best of New York? Book your stay at American Dream now!
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Interfaith Retreats
370 Eighth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York
Spiritual Retreat in the Heart of NYC Pod-Style Rooms with Shared Bathrooms Experience a cozy stay in our pod-style rooms, each equipped with a shared bathroom for your convenienc…
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Lamartine Chelsea
305 W 29th St, New York
Convenient Location in the Heart of New York City Charming Accommodations and Shared Spaces Near Major Attractions and Transportation Hubs Experience the vibrant city life of New …
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West 30th Street Guest House
360 West 30th Street, New York
Central Location in New York Located in the heart of New York City, West 30th Street Guest House offers convenient access to popular attractions such as Macy's, Madison Square Gar…
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NY Moore Hostel
179 Moore Street, Brooklyn
Modern Dormitory-Style Rooms NY Moore Hostel in Brooklyn offers modern dormitory-style rooms with contemporary furnishings, providing a comfortable and stylish stay for guests. Wh…
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Nap York Central Park Sleep Station
940 8th Avenue 4th floor, New York
Prime Location in the Heart of New York City Luxurious Amenities Indulge in our free WiFi and relax in the shared lounge. The shared kitchen and 24-hour front desk cater to your e…
Staying in a hostel for a New York event
A hostel makes most sense on exactly the kind of trip StubOrder sends people on: one or two nights, built around a fixed start time, where you are out of the building all evening. The bed is somewhere to sleep afterwards, not somewhere to spend the weekend, and the saving against a hotel on a sold-out event night is usually the largest saving available on the whole trip — event nights are when city hotel rates spike and hostel beds barely move.
The two things to check before you book are the ones that catch people out. First, front-desk hours: a support act running long can put you back at 23:45, which is no use if reception closes at 23:00 and there is no night code. Second, whether the rate is per bed or per room — a private twin at £70 and a dorm bed at £35 each are the same money for two people, and the private room is the better buy.
What is on in New York
- From about $8.00View Tickets
- From about $17.00View Tickets
- From about $159.00View Tickets
Distance from a specific venue
The hostels above are measured from the centre of town. If you want to know what is actually walkable from the doors of one building, each venue has its own accommodation page that sorts every nearby property by real distance.
- Stays near Madison Square Garden
- Stays near MetLife Stadium
- Stays near Broadway Theatre - New York
- Stays near Gershwin Theatre
- Stays near Minskoff Theatre
- Stays near Neil Simon Theatre
- Stays near New Amsterdam Theatre
- Stays near Radio City Music Hall
Dorm bed or private room?
This is the decision that actually determines what your stay is like, and it is not the same decision as hostel-or-hotel. Almost every hostel in New York sells both, at prices that overlap with the cheaper end of the city's hotels.
| Dorm bed | Hostel private room | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced by | The bed. Two people pay twice. | The room, like a hotel. |
| Best for | Solo travel, and meeting people. | Two people, or anyone who wants a door that locks. |
| Bathroom | Usually shared down the hall. | Often private, but check — many are not. |
| Getting in late | Fine, but you will wake people. | No issue. |
| Luggage | A locker, usually needing your own padlock. | In the room. |
| Versus a cheap hotel | Much cheaper, especially on event nights. | Often similar money — compare properly. |
The rule of thumb that holds nearly everywhere: travelling alone, take the dorm; travelling as two, price the private room against a budget hotel before assuming the hostel wins. On an ordinary weeknight the hotel sometimes does. On the night of a sold-out event, the hostel almost always does.
What to check before booking a hostel
Hostels vary in ways hotels mostly do not, and the variation is in the policies rather than the rooms. None of the following is unusual, and all of it is easier to find out now than at 1am.
- Age limits. Some hostels are 18–35 only, some refuse under-18s without an adult, and a few are over-18 with no upper bound. This is a property-by-property rule, not a city rule.
- Reception hours and curfews. A genuine curfew is rare now, but limited front-desk hours are common. If your event finishes late, confirm there is a night entry code.
- Whether the rate includes linen. Mostly yes; occasionally a few pounds or dollars extra at check-in, which quietly changes the comparison against a hotel.
- Lockers and padlocks. Nearly every dorm has lockers. A good number expect you to bring your own padlock, and the ones sold at the desk cost more than one from home.
- Deposits. Some hostels take a key or damage deposit in cash at arrival and return it on checkout — worth knowing if you are travelling cardless.
- Cancellation terms. The cheapest hostel rates are frequently non-refundable, which matters more than usual when the trip depends on an event that could be postponed.
Two of these — cancellation terms and what the rate actually includes — are shown on the booking screen once you pick dates, so check them there rather than assuming.
Plan the rest of the trip
Frequently asked questions
Are hostels in New York any good?
New York's hostels average 7.2/10 in guest scores against 8.0/10 for the city's hotels, so they score well below the city's hotels, which is worth knowing before you book on price alone. Those scores come from our accommodation partner, not from StubOrder.
Is a hostel a sensible place to stay for a concert or a game?
For a one- or two-night trip built around an event, often yes — you are out of the building most of the evening anyway. The things to check are the front-desk hours and whether there is a curfew, because a show that ends at 23:30 is no use if reception shut at 23:00.
Are there hostels near the venues in New York?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of New York, not from any one venue. For distance from a specific building, use that venue's own accommodation page — each one is linked above and sorts every nearby property by real distance from the doors.
Can I book a private room in a hostel?
Most hostels sell private rooms alongside dorm beds, and they are usually cheaper than a hotel room of the same size. Whether a given property has one is shown when you pick your dates — if only dorm beds come back, that hostel has no privates free for that stay.
Does StubOrder sell hostel beds and tickets together?
No. Tickets come from our resale marketplace and accommodation from our booking partner. They are two separate bookings with separate confirmations, and neither depends on the other.
How many hostels are there in New York?
Our accommodation partner lists 21 hostels within about five miles of central New York, out of 1,693 places to stay in total — 1.2% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
