Hotel Alexander

Anyone traveling to New York on a budget should check out Hotel Alexander on the upper West side. It's a mix of a hotel and hostel, with regular discounts when you book online. We were lucky to find 2 great deals (Sundays are free and there was a 30% discount this particular weekend as well!) $135 for 4 nights. Pas mal. Pas mal du tout. Granted, we had a shared bathroom, but maid service cleaned the rooms and communal bathrooms every morning. Located in a safe neighborhood close to Columbia University and right at the edge of Central Park. Also, two blocks from the metro 1, 2 and 3, so easy access to the entire city. No lock out times, free wifi in the common room and basic cable in the rooms. A few not so great things: the elevator was broken and we were on the 5th floor; doors/walls are thin so I was woken up easily, and well, let's just say we felt like we were in a graphic porno thanks to some rando chick down the hall.

All in all, it was all well worth the $135!!