Sleep Cheap in New York:
High-Quality Lodgings at Rock-Bottom Rates
by Lisa Mullenneaux
 

- Incentra Village House
- Broadway Inn
- The Bentley

WEST VILLAGE

INCENTRA VILLAGE HOUSE

32 Eighth Ave.
New York, NY 10014
(BETWEEN W. 12TH & JANE STREETS)

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If you hate overpriced, impersonal hotels with staff who treat you like an intruder, you’ll love the Incentra Village House. Easy to miss, only a small sign above the doorbell indicates that the attractive drawing room visible from the street is part of a guest house. The Incentra Village House encompasses two red brick townhouses dating to 1841. In fact, most of the surrounding area is landmarked for historic preservation, making the neighborhood a favorite among history and architecture buffs.

Each guest room features a private bath and kitchenette as well as its own doorbell at the main entrance. Most of them contain a double bed with a few offering twin beds or pull-out couches. All the mattresses are firm and in good shape. The larger suites and studios can accommodate up to four guests. Several rooms provide VCRs.

Each guest room is uniquely decorated and named for something important in the life of founder Gaylord Hoftiezer. For instance, guests in the Garden Suite enjoy exclusive access to their own little Eden. The Maine Room has a four-poster bed from a farm in that state.

The Incentra Village House doesn’t offer any meals. All the kitchenettes are in good shape, if small, and the suites have a microwave. Also, the rooms don’t have voice mail or answering machines, so guests rely on the house manager for phone messages.

Guests are welcome to lounge in the downstairs parlor as well as borrow newspapers, magazines, and books. Smoking is permitted throughout the house. If you enjoy playing the piano, the 1930s baby grand is always in tune. Public transportation is a cinch with two subway stations within a five-minute walk.

On average, expect to book four to eight weeks in advance, especially for weekends. Also, prices increase approximately $20 during holidays. Considering price, location, and the guest rooms themselves, this was our favorite property in Greenwich Village.

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MIDTOWN WEST

BROADWAY INN

264 W. 46th St.
New York, NY 10036
(BETWEEN BROADWAY & EIGHTH AVE.)

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As you enter the second-floor lobby of this charming bed-and-breakfast inn, fresh flowers brighten the café tables, where breakfast is served each morning and the daily papers are always close at hand. The dark burnished wood of the front desk and stairs is accented by exposed brick walls and café curtains. Bookcases are well stocked in case you forgot to bring bedtime reading material.

This inn certainly adds a touch of glamour to drab Eighth Avenue, and it wins raves from its far-flung clientele, if the guestbook doesn’t lie. Perhaps its only handicap is that there’s no elevator. Brian the bellman calls that handicap "job security."

Rooms vary in size, and are stylish and spotless. Doubles offer a pleasing contemporary décor of black lacquered furniture, tables with black director’s chairs, and walls and textiles in gray-green and rust. There’s plenty of space, firm mattresses, and good lighting. Bathrooms have either a stall shower or a tub/shower. Families of four will be comfortable in the suites, which have two double beds and a pullout day bed; kitchenettes; walk-in closets; and medium-sized, fully equipped bathrooms. Double-paned windows help block street noise, but a back room is preferable.

The Broadway Inn with its enthusiastic, competent staff and personal touches scores high on all counts. Manager Mohammad Butt says, "We will gladly upgrade guests to better rooms at the same rate when we can." This bed-and-breakfast proves that it isn’t necessary to sacrifice style and comfort for affordability. Reserve as far in advance as possible, especially for holidays and summer months.

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UPPER EAST SIDE

THE BENTLEY

500 E. 62nd St.
New York, NY 10021
(AT YORK AVE.)

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Tall and sleek, the Bentley looks like just another office building along York Avenue. But fortunately for us, it’s one of New York’s great new hotels. In 1998, Amsterdam Hospitality Group transformed the interior space by doubling the height of the lobby ceiling and emphasizing glass exposure to maximize city and river views. The result is a joy to behold, especially when you consider their rates. 

The serene lobby is a harmonious blend of brown and taupe leather sofas, silk draperies, floating silver-leaf lights, and original art. A mahogany-paneled library off the lobby provides a 24-hour cappuccino bar and rack of magazines.

Guest rooms and junior suites feature the same cream-brown-black color scheme and contemporary décor. A standard double/double is huge with a large working desk, tall standing mirror, small walk-in closet, and TV with pay movies and games. The small bathroom in beige marble is fully equipped. Junior suites look the same, except they have two TVs and a separate bedroom with a queen bed. All the rooms have great views of the city facing west or the East River facing east. If you want to overlook the river and Queensboro Bridge, ask for an east corner room. There are two on each floor.

The restaurant and bar on the 21st floor really takes advantage of this building’s panoramic views. Two-tiered and glass-enclosed, it’s an invigorating way to begin your day over bagels, fruit, and coffee, compliments of the house. You can grab a cocktail at the bar here from 3 p.m. to midnight and order dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is worth a visit even if you’re not a hotel guest.

Expansive views; clean, comfortable rooms; a highly rated restaurant/bar; and great value: it’s all part of the welcome package in this carefully designed boutique hotel. Judging by the gracious, eager-to-please staff, it must also be a great place to work.

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