Visit New York City for $109 a Night—The Savings Secret is Within Sight

Expectations for the first night I ever spent in a budget hotel near Newark Airport were fairly low. It was Newark, it was the airport, I was paying $109 a night. What could possibly go wrong? (Oh, just everything.) I was there out of sheer necessity: My flight was scheduled to leave so early the following morning, so I had no choice but to sleep somewhere close by.

Surprise! The stay was great. Free internet, free breakfast, spacious, clean room—even a view of the New York City skyline. Climbing aboard the airport shuttle (also free) the next day, I found myself among a group very unlike what you'd typically find pre-dawn in a hotel van headed for the airport.

These weren't somber, sleep-deprived flight attendants, or impossibly-coiffed-for-this-hour business travelers—instead, I was surrounded by European tourists clutching cameras and maps. They seemed to be having…fun? Clearly, they weren't heading for the airport. At the first shuttle stop—the one with the connection to New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains—they all hopped out. Of course: They were headed into Manhattan, just 25 minutes or so away.

This wasn't a fluke, I would learn. You or I might bunk at Newark Airport only when absolutely necessary, but savvy overseas travelers see insanely low prices and relatively decent transit links to New York City and say to themselves, "Yes, please." Why shouldn’t they? They get to have a vacation in New York City for $109 a night at a decent hotel that won't nickel and dime them for the extras. Who cares about a little commute, particularly when far less generous hotels in Manhattan could cost up to four, five times more on any given night?

For some, the idea of a vacation to Newark Airport is a jet bridge too far—entirely understandable. Luckily, Newark has more tricks up its sleeve for the budget traveler looking for a cheap New York City getaway. Anyone unfamiliar with the city might be just as hesitant to consider Newark's downtown as a base of operations when visiting New York. Fact is, the area has undergone some major improvements in recent years. It's also where you'll find a handful of very good hotels, each within walking distance of one of the most underrated transit hubs in the Northeast, Newark Penn Station.

Here, you can catch New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains, plus the efficient PATH train, which accepts NYC Transit's MetroCard and whisks you to One World Trade Center in twenty minutes or so, all day long. (A quick transfer along the way will take you the West Village and then on to Herald Square—home of Macy's—and Midtown.)

Not that you need to be in a huge hurry to hop the train—from the increasingly vibrant (and very historic) downtown to the thriving Portuguese-Brazilian area (The Ironbound) just east of the train station, plus pre-existing cultural lures like the impressive Newark Museum (like a mini-Met, with a terrific mix of American art and a top-notch Tibetan collection) and the busy New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark is hardly a wasteland, even if it can look like one in places. A Whole Foods Market will open soon on Broad Street. Art galleries, small cafes and independent restaurants are filling up blank spaces on Halsey Street. There's a real, live artist community here, thanks to relatively affordable rents.

Okay, so Newark on its best day will still never be New York, but this is actually a pretty interesting place to based—and did I talk about those low, low hotel prices?

Check first with the cheerful Hotel Indigo Newark, the latest tenant of a handsome, Cass Gilbert-designed bank tower just a few seconds on foot from New York fave Dinosaur BBQ, a Chipotle (useful!), events and games at the Prudential Center, and a couple minutes more from Penn Station. Upcoming weekends priced out at around $129 a night—that's at least $100 less than you'll typically get at the Indigo in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

Equally easy on the wallet—particularly on weekends—is the Courtyard Newark Downtown. It is not unheard of to find this business travel-focused Marriott brand hotel going for $119 a night. It's just a few doors down from the Indigo; when you're too lazy to go out, the hotel's simple (but-does-the-trick) Bistro offers dinner until 10pm.

Up Broad Street where the new Whole Foods will go, the Best Western Robert Treat Hotel used to be the budget pick downtown. This is still a great deal, even if it's very much in third place now—there's always seems to be a $100/night-ish rate floating out there somewhere. Penn Station is once again a short walk away.

For extreme proximity to transit, the Hilton Newark Penn Station is, as advertised, pretty much on top of Penn Station. As such, rates here tend to be much higher. Staying here, you never really need to set foot in actual Newark—it's located inside the Gateway Center, essentially an office park in the middle of the city, with sky bridge connections eliminating the need to ever set foot on the street.

As with any city, downtown hotel rates can climb, depending on demand—Devils games, reality shows filming at NJPAC (as America's Got Talent has), weekdays during peak times for business travel can all play a part. Not that you should give up on Newark, however—at times like these, you'll typically find those airport hotels still offering up some of the best value for the price near New York City.