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Six of the Best Day Use Hotels in NYC

You may or may not have already heard of the day use hotel revolution which is transforming travel. Start-up companies are offering rooms during the day with late or early check-in to allow for more flexibility than booking a hotel room for a whole night. It is being used by travellers to rest during layovers, by business people for single day conferences and by tourists or day-trippers to have somewhere to store their things during a city visit. If you’re looking at day use hotels, NYC-based HotelsByDay has a long list to choose from. These are some of the most highly recommended hotels available throughout New York for day use during your next visit:

1. Sleep Inn, Long Island City

A hotel with a more casual feel to it, almost like one you’d get from a country B&B. Close to Grand Central Station, Hunterspoint Avenue and La Guardia airport, this is an ideal hotel for travellers to spend their stopovers in a comfortable and calm setting away from the New York "street noise." There are also a number of parks nearby for a relaxing stroll, free Wi-Fi and a business centre if you need to catch up on any important emails during your journey.

2. Days Inn Jamaica, JFK Airport

Another hotel to relax in during layovers. Not only does this hotel have all the regular amenities you’d expect from an airport hotel, including Wi-Fi, bag storage, a business centre and laundry, but it is conveniently located close to several attractions. There is the Resort World Casino, the Green Acres Mall (one of the top 50 largest in the US), along with several beaches and parks nearby if you want a relaxing walk.

3. Best Western Premier, Herald Square

A good hotel for day trippers located right in the middle of New York’s tourist area. The Empire State Building and Times Square are just a few blocks away while Madison Square Garden and the Museum of Modern Art aren’t much further. Grand Central Terminal is a short walk away, allowing for ideal transport to and from the hotel without the need of a taxi. There is also parking available in the hotel, for a much cheaper price than the city car parks; only $35 for the day, with the Manhattan average being $41 per day in some parts of the city, according to USA Today. If you’re in town just for a day to see the sights or take in a show, this hotel can give you somewhere to rest, eat and catch your bearings without having to navigate the subway system or run for your train.

4. Comfort Inn, Times Square South

This will be an excellent home base for anybody in town for a show, due to its proximity not only to the theatre district but also some of the city’s best restaurants in and around Times Square. Having somewhere to get ready, rest before the show and store luggage or shopping bags will take a lot of stress and hassle out of a theatre trip. The hotel also claims to be ideal for business travellers in town for a conference or meeting, as it is close to the headquarters of several prominent businesses.

5. The Hotel Wolcott, Midtown

For any day use hotel users who want their trip to be an experience rich in history, culture and beauty, this is the hotel for you. The Hotel Wolcott is not only stunning with chandeliers, classical architecture and oil paintings, but was also frequented by Mark Twain, Buddy Holly and many other famous figures at various points of history, which you can read about on the hotel’s official website. It really does feel like stepping back into a piece of New York’s past. A day use hotel allows you to experience the history and luxury of this hotel for only a fraction of the price. Plus, you get all the amenities and customer service you’d expect from a prestigious hotel.

6. DoubleTree, Financial District

A great place to stay during your next business trip. Located in the middle of the financial district and with some world class restaurants close by, the hotel even provides a freshly baked welcome cookie to all guests on arrival. This hotel is a fitting place to finish your presentation, have a power nap, work out at the gym, or spend some time sightseeing when all your meetings are done—the ferry to the Statue of Liberty is close by!

Check out some of the online reviews for each of these hotels to find out if it’s right for whatever you need on your next day trip or layover. The day use hotel phenomenon is a new one but these hotels have already taken advantage of it to provide quality service to day use guests. Make use of day use hotels yourself to open up your travel options.

Image by Jerry Ferguson via Flickr Creative Commons

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