Visiting New York City is expensive, and it doesn’t look like prices will be dropping anytime soon.
Food? Sure. You can eat well in New York City on a budget. If you’re staying in Manhattan, walk over to Adele’s Famous Halal Truck on the Avenue of the Americas for one of the best value meals you’ll find (possibly in the entire country). It’s delicious. Or you can take a Subway to Jackson Heights in Queens and sample everything from Nepalese to Haitian street food for next to nothing. Also delicious (take a food cart tour for local tips).
Museums? Entry fees can add up fast, but if you’re thrifty enough, you can find ways in for less on certain days.
Hotels? Yeah, that’s where you’re going to struggle. New York City prices many tourists out because a night in a hotel could set you back double what it would elsewhere. Everyone wants to visit this city, so hoteliers have no qualms about charging for the privilege.
That’s where budget-conscious hotels come into play. There aren’t many in a borough as sought after as Manhattan, but if you know where to look, you can avoid staying in a dodgy (illegal) Airbnb or a sketchy hostel. With your own room, genuine comfort, great service and a good location. These hotels are hard to find, so I’m here to tell you about one that I feel balances price point, comfort and location better than pretty much all others.
It’s eccentric and some may find the decor tasteless, but Staypineapple, an Artful Hotel wears its theme with pride, sporting a cheeky, self-aware glow that sets it apart.
The name isn’t cryptic. There are pineapples everywhere throughout the hotel. On the soft, cloud-like pillows, dressing the narrow facade on W 36th, and even on the table in the profoundly weird lobby.
It’s a fun design with a retro lean. But the true value lies in its location and affordability.
Location
You’re just steps away from the constant thrum of Times Square, which also means you’re a hop from Madison Square Garden and a brisk ten-minute walk through to the flashing lights of Broadway. Hudson Yards isn’t hard to reach, and you can just keep walking west to reach one of my favourite parts of Manhattan, the sustainable masterpiece that is Hudson River Park with its numerous converted piers, various sports cages, food halls, the unique Little Island, and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
Although the Lower East Side, Alphabet City and East Village are my favourite parts of Manhattan, I much prefer staying on the quieter (and safer) west side. This to me is the perfect area to stay in for that rare sense of peace and privacy in a city where such a thing is a rare treat.
Design
Did I mention the Pineapples? You’ll find the motif everywhere, reminding you exactly where you are at almost every corner. Yet, surprisingly, it doesn’t feel garishly overdone once you get used to it. You are booking into a hotel with the conceit in the name, after all.
It’s even charming after a while, especially because none of those optics matter more than how comfortable and efficient the stay is. Decor may be eccentric but it’s warm and inviting, tearing away from the lobby’s noisy visuals once you get to your very peaceful room.
The lobby isn’t for everyone. Some may view it as if Guy Fieri was given the keys to a Gilded Age gothic mansion and raided the flea markets of Bushwick for furniture. Others may find it charming. Some may even consider if nightmare fuel. I sit somewhere in the middle of all three. It’s inoffensively offensive enough that you can’t help but smile each time you walk through.
Rooms
There are 89 rooms, 18 room types, and only 4 rooms per floor. This is clearly a play to cater to a wider number of groups who travel together. Book out an entire floor together and turn it into a pineapple party (please don’t read into that if you’re an avid cruiser).
My Glamour King room is one of the lower categories so it’s only a little under the size of a standard hotel room in Manhattan. Not bad at all. Clever design features help maximise the space as well, like a pull-out desk on the nightstand and ample space to hang your clothes.
The bathroom is, as you’d expect, on the small side but comfortable enough that it exceeds the price point. Again, there’s real value in this hotel, which is my favourite thing about it.
Bright shades of yellow and purple play nicely with the zebra-patterned floor mat and genuinely comfortable bed, which has textured white linens and feels like an appropriate hideaway after one of those requisite big Manhattan nights.
The bed itself is more distinctive than the Pineapple motifs. The Seattle-based brand call this the “Naked Experience” where you get two twin duvets on each bed. It’s meaningless for solo travellers but I would imagine couples appreciate having separate duvets to cocoon themselves under.
I guess the best metric is, would I stay as a paying customer? Given Manhattan has priced almost all journalists out (we aren’t the wealthiest of folk), hell yes. In fact, I’d pay extra just to get one of those terraced rooms with funky colourful outdoor furniture and astroturf. Having your own outdoor space in Manhattan is always bliss.
Food & Drink
Here’s where costs are kept low. This isn’t a full-service hotel where you’ll find a bar and restaurant. There is a good alternative nearby if this is a deal-breaker. But it shouldn’t be. The location means you’re a skip away from great food, whether that means walking over to Chelsea Market (don’t, it’s a tourist trap) or stumbling into the 24-7 Empanada Mama, which is a 20-minute straight-shot up 9th avenue.
There’s also the stylish Bar Sprezzatura at the fresh-faced Kimpton Theta, which is only a 16-minute walk from Staypineapple.
And if you don’t want to go anyway, you’ll just have to settle for some pineapple cookies and pineapple water, available for free in the lobby each afternoon.
There’s also a small mini fridge in the lobby acting as a communal mini bar. Mostly with staple NYC snacks and ice creams. In the rooms, expect a few snacks and cans of soft drink, but not much beyond that.
Amenities
Free-use bicycles are there so you can zip around Hudson River Park on a nice day, or ride on up to Central Park through Times Square. It’s a good way to avoid the Subway if you’re rightfully sick of Manhattan’s most chaotic offering.
Aside from being pet-friendly, there isn’t much beyond notable features for the hotel. Instead, there’s a constant roster of deals to further entice people away from those swankier Manhattan boltholes. Stay two nights and get the third free? With these prices, I’d say you’re milking more value out of Staypineapple than the Ritz-Carlton.
Service
I’m too cynical to refer to the person checking me in as an “Everything Person,” yet that’s what they’re called. Much like W’s “Whatever, Whenever” branding, these are just ways of saying “this is good service and anything you need, within reason, will be satisfied.”
I didn’t need much during my stay but my main metric of service is whether I feel like a guest, or a number. It’s most definitely the former here, with friendly, personable service that could be as dialed back or in-your-face as you want.
In all likelihood, you’ll only be seeing the “Everything Person” and perhaps a security guard during your stay. I appreciate the privacy.
Verdict
A night at Staypineapple rests at around AU$250. On quiet days, you’ll even find rates that dip below $200. For the location, that’s absolutely bananas (or, pine…). For the comfort, that’s unheard of. For the size, that’s kind of expected.
This means Staypineapple is the most valuable hotel in Manhattan. At least that I’ve stayed in so far. And I’d stand by that, especially given how stressful it is finding somewhere to sleep in Manhattan that still leaves you with enough money to buy a Martini at Bemelmans.
And so I’m giving this hotel a perfect five. Not because of its food. Not because of its design. But because the location with that price point is something you simply will not find elsewhere in Manhattan. This is where I’m staying next time I’m in New York; cynicism be damned.
A comfortable, private room in a great location for hostel prices? Take. My. Money.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Address: 337 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018
Contact: +1 866-866-7977
The author flew to New York City on Delta Air Lines and explored the city as a guest of NYC Tourism.
