Last Updated on February 15, 2024

Ten years ago, people would still raise an eyebrows when you told them you were staying in Brooklyn on a trip to New York, but oh how things have changed! These days, it is almost cooler to stay in Brooklyn and NOT in Manhattan, and more and more people are seeking a more authentic New York experience that goes beyond the Midtown hotels that visitors usually stay in during their first visit to New York.

The thing with staying in Brooklyn is: this borough is massive! When you take a closer look at the map of Brooklyn, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, because there are so many neighborhoods (over 70!), and so many different places to stay. So the question is:

Where to stay in Brooklyn?

While some people opt to stay in Brooklyn for the ‘cool factor’, others want to stay in Brooklyn simply because it’s cheaper than staying in Manhattan. If you are familiar with Manhattan hotel prices, you know what I’m talking about. More and more hotels have been opening in Brooklyn over the past few years, especially around the Brooklyn Bridge / Downtown Brooklyn area, as well as in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood. The Williamsburg hotels are great if you’re looking for a splurge (check out some of my favorite hotels below) and want to base yourself in the most “happening” part of Brooklyn.

Your budget is definitely something that plays a crucial role when deciding where to stay in Brooklyn. If you’re more of a frugal traveler, you’ll be happy to hear that Airbnb’s are still very affordable in Brooklyn – especially if you consider staying in a room instead of a full apartment. I am sharing some of the best neighborhoods to rent an Airbnb in Brooklyn below.

Remember that Brooklyn is larger than most of the major cities in the U.S. and Europe – larger than Barcelona, Boston, Dublin or Washington, D.C. Also remember that there are 70+ neighborhoods in Brooklyn, which means that even traveling within Brooklyn can easily take around one hour – and getting to Manhattan and the New York City’s other boroughs can even take longer. It’s important to know the layout of New York City when booking an Airbnb or hotel in Brooklyn to avoid getting frustrated with long commutes.

This map gives you a better idea of the size of New York City’s borough’s – Manhattan (purple) is the most compact one, Brooklyn is yellow, the Bronx is red, and Queens is orange:

Where to stay in Brooklyn: Airbnb vs Hotel

Airbnb’s used to be cheaper than hotels in Brooklyn, especially when you were only renting a room in somebody’s apartment – you could find rooms for as little as $60 a night! However, as I mentioned above, the number of Airbnb’s has declined considerably since a new short-term housing law was passed in 2023, so there are barely any rooms for rent anymore, and the best deals are snatched up months in advance. Often, you can find hotel rooms for less than an Airbnb in Brooklyn these days.

With hotels, it’s similar to Airbnb’s: the closer to Manhattan, the more you’ll be paying for your room.

The best value hotels in Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn is the neighborhood in Brooklyn that has the most chain hotels, like:

• Holiday Inn (rates start at US$249)
• Even (rates start at US$195)
• Sheraton (rates start at US$159)
• Hilton Brooklyn (rates start at US$300)
• Aloft (rates start at $169)

Downtown Brooklyn is also close to a large number of subway lines and it is close to Manhattan.

The best (read: fanciest!) hotel in this part of Brooklyn is the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (rooms start at $649 per night), which has an exquisite rooftop pool and stunning views right over the Brooklyn Bridge and the Downtown Manhattan skyline.

Best Budget Boutique Hotel in Brooklyn

A cheaper option in Downtown Brooklyn is the NU Hotel (rates start at US$199), as of now the only boutique hotel in that area. The NU Hotel has a great artsy vibe and features street art from local artists in the room.

Hotels in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: the trendiest area of Brooklyn

Most people who visit Brooklyn want to stay in Williamsburg, which is known as Brooklyn’s hipster neighborhood. Because of its popularity, many boutique hotels have opened in Williamsburg over the last few years, and if you love boutique hotels as much as I do, you’ll want to treat yourself to a stay at one of these five hotels – they’re all in a great location near the East River, just one stop on the subway or the ferry from Manhattan, and surrounded by dozens of fantastic bars, restaurants, cafes and shops.

• The William Vale (rooms start at $310)
  
• Moxy Brooklyn (rooms start at $232 per night)
• The Hoxton Hotel (rooms start at $335)
  
• Penny Williamsburg (rooms start at $185 per night)
  
• The Indigo Williamsburg (rooms start at $299)
  
• The Wythe Hotel (rooms start at $300)
  

Budget option in Williamsburg: The Pod

The Pod Brooklyn is located right in the heart of Williamsburg and Queen Pods start at only US$125! (Note that rates fluctuate drastically, depending on what season you’re visiting New York).

High-quality budget hotels in Brooklyn

Most of these hotels are a bit further away from Manhattan, but offer great value for money. Before booking any of them, I recommend putting the address into GoogleMaps and get directions to a place you’re planning to visit in Manhattan, so that you’ll get an idea of what your commute will be. For someone who plans on seeing a Broadway show, the 45-minute commute to the RL Hotel in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood might be too much of a hassle.

Here are the best Brooklyn budget hotels that are further away from Manhattan but that offer great value for money:

• Sonder The Industrialist (Gowanus / Park Slope) – rooms start at $249
• Hotel RL (Bushwick) – rooms start at $99
• Hotel Le Bleu (Gowanus) – rooms start at $199
  
• Fairfield Inn & Suites (Gowanus) – rooms start at $199
  

The best neighborhoods to stay in Brooklyn

The Airbnb map gives you a better idea of the layout of New York City, and also shows you how large Brooklyn is. My recommendation would be to stay as close to Manhattan as possible, especially if you are looking to spend a considerable amount of your time outside of Brooklyn. The further south you go in Brooklyn, the cheaper it gets, but that’s because the commute to Manhattan gets notably longer. You have to decide what’s more important to you: convenience and less time spent on public transportation / in Ubers, or a cheap place to stay.

The closest Brooklyn neighborhoods to Manhattan are:

• • Williamsburg
  • Greenpoint
  • Brooklyn Heights
  • Downtown Brooklyn
  • Dumbo

2024 update on the Airbnb Ban in Brooklyn

After a new law for short-term rentals was passed in NYC in September 2023, which requires Airbnb hosts to be officially registered with the city, the number of available Airbnb’s in New York City has decreased considerably (the city doesn’t make the registration process very easy, and there’s a huge backlog of license applications to be processed). As of the time of writing (January 2024), there are just over 700 Airbnb’s available in Brooklyn. Be aware that the available Airbnb’s book up quickly, so if you’re planning on staying in an Airbnb when you visit NYC, I wouldn’t wait too long to book one.

These neighborhoods also have the best public transportation access to Manhattan, i.e. a direct subway connection (except Greenpoint).

Note: Neighborhoods south of Prospect Park and east of Prospect Park are quite far from Manhattan. Many Airbnb hosts boast in their description “20 mins from Manhattan” (by subway) but in reality that usually means just across the East River. To give you a few examples:

Bedford-Stuyvesant

This is a neighborhood you’ll definitely come across if you look for an Airbnb in Brooklyn, because Bed-Stuy, as the locals call it, is one of the neighborhoods in Brooklyn with the most Airbnb’s. They’re usually around the Utica Ave subway station (on the A / C lines).

• Utica Ave to Fulton Street (first stop in Manhattan on the A Express Train): 15 mins
• Utica Ave to Central Park: 40 mins
• Utica Ave to Times Square: 35 mins

Bushwick

Bushwick is another neighborhood with lots of Airbnb’s, and while you’re quickly in Midtown with the M or L train, you’ll have to change trains in Manhattan to get to places of interest:

• Myrtle-Wyckoff to Delancey Street (first stop in Manhattan on the M train): 15 mins
• Myrtle-Wyckoff to 1 Ave (first stop in Manhattan on the L train): 20 mins
• Myrtle-Wyckoff to Central Park: 40 mins
• Myrtle-Wyckoff to Times Square: 35 mins

Flatbush / Kensington

A neighborhood south of Prospect Park, which has many inexpensive Airbnb’s. Here are the travel times to Manhattan:

• Beverly Road to Fulton Street (first stop in Manhattan on the 2 / 5 Trains): 30 mins
• Beverly Road to Canal Street (first stop in Manhattan on the Q Train): 25 mins
• Beverly Road to Times Square (on the 2 train): 45 mins
• Beverly Road to Central Park (on the 2 train): 55 mins