Growing up on the East Coast, I had been to New York City many times. However, I had never traveled there solo. The main reason? It’s ridiculously expensive to stay in a hotel by yourself in Manhattan!
And now that Airbnb has officially been banned in the city (boo), an affordable place is almost impossible to find. Let me rephrase that: an affordable place in a SAFE neighborhood is almost impossible to find.
I’m happy to say I found a cute little place to stay in a great neighborhood called Washington Jefferson Hotel. This hotel specifically caters to solo travellers and offers single rooms that are actually affordable. I wouldn’t say cheap, because that seems to be an oxymoron when it comes to Manhattan. But I think you can catch my drift, ay?
The Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
The hotel is right in the middle of all the action in New York City, yet it is located down a quiet side street. Washington Jefferson Hotel is located in the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City.
Out of the 8-10 times I have been to NYC, I can say that this was one of my favorite areas to stay. Why you may ask? It is the most central area I could ask for when exploring NYC. Almost all the major attractions are walkable from Washington Jefferson Hotel. It is located in Midtown after all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP3VOEaDBKS/?taken-by=crazytravelista
To give you an idea, here are the walking distances I experienced while staying at WJH:
- Times Square-6-7 minute walk
- Central Park (south entrance>): 10 minute walk
- Theatre District: 1-5 minute walk
- Rockefeller Center: 7-8 minute walk
Strolling through Central Park on a bike in January? Why not? 🙂
Where to Eat
Bibble and Sip for morning coffee and pastries. If you exit the hotel and take a right, this cute little cafe will be about a 20 second walk on the left side.
Head to Aria for good Italian food and wine in a romantic setting. It was a little strange going here solo, but the ambiance was great as well as the food! It’s literally 10 seconds from the hotel.
There were SO many food options in the Hell’s Kitchen area, and at a fraction of the cost than what you would expect to pay in NYC. This area is also known for the variety of ethnic foods on offer, including some of my favorites Thai, Indian, and Italian.
Basically, if you exit the hotel and take a left, you will have a plethora of affordable food options, including a market and a few $1 pizza slice places.
Note: the hotel is attached to a Japanese restaurant called Shimizu; however, I did not have time to try this place out unfortunately. I got sidetracked by all the other awesome choices right outside my doorstep!
Petite Room Catered to The Solo Traveller
The Petite room is a small room with everything you could need: comfy bed, goose down comforters, desk, WIFI, flatscreen HDTV, HBO, radio with iPod docking station, your own private bathroom, and more. Basic yet efficient! For a full list of amenities, check out the hotel’s page highlighting the Petite Room here.
A Few Other Perks of Washington Jefferson Hotel
Concierge service-if you’re staying at a hotel that offers concierge service, by all means utilize it! I must say I’m guilty of taking this service for granted. However, when I needed to copy stuff late night, the staff called several copy stores for me while I was resting from my day in my room. They gave me a ring with all the information and options and it was super helpful! I was literally so exhausted I could barely function so this was a lifesaver!
Free Walking Tours of NYC-every Thursday at 9:30am there is a free walking tour of Hell’s Kitchen area. You also have access to all other free walking tours from other Triumph Hotels (NOT to be confused with Trump hotels…God no) in the city. Pretty cool!
Airline ticket printer booth-located in the lobby for all guests to print their airline tickets beforehand. I had never seen this before in any hotel and thought it was great….and necessary!
A small fitness center-call me crazy, but I always work out when I travel. Having a fitness center inside a hotel is key!
Although rates vary based on season, I saw rates as low as $95, an awesome price for a quality/centrally located hotel in NYC!
Verdict
Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Washington Jefferson Hotel and would recommend it for solo travellers. I initially thought it was strange that they didn’t have a restaurant or offer breakfast. However, after I saw how many cute cafes were within a minute walk I didn’t even care!
This hotel may not have been as visually stunning/colorful as most the boutique hotels I usually stay in, but for the price, location, awesome service, and safe neighborhood, it’s definitely a great choice if you’re visiting the city alone. It had everything I needed and I was quite comfortable, what more can you ask for?
To check rates on booking.com, check here. And if you’re new to booking.com, you can use my $20 off coupon here. Yay!
Hover over image to PIN for later! ♥
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Washington Jefferson Hotel. However, my opinions remain my own and I’m in no way obligated to write a positive review. I enjoyed my stay and would recommend this hotel to solo travellers.♥
