Hotels in Long Island City

Staying in one of the hotels in Long Island City is a great option for your trip to New York, as many affordable New York hotels can be found here. Long Island City (LIC) is located in Queens, and you can quickly get to Times Square and the rest of Manhattan on the subway. Due to its location just outside Manhattan, hotels in LIC, Queens, are generally more budget-friendly compared to the rest of New York. Long Island City is also easily accessible from JFK Airport via subway.

Hotels in Long Island City, Queens

If you’re looking for a cheap hotel in New York, you’ll likely find one in Long Island City, a neighbourhood in the Queens borough. To get here from Manhattan, you can take the subway, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes from Times Square. You could also cross the Queensboro Bridge. This makes it easily accessible, unlike hotels in New Jersey.

In this list, I will share the best hotels in Long Island City, Queens, where I have stayed. I have spent at least one night in each hotel so that I can properly compare the hotels and give you my honest opinion based on my own experience.

1. Residence Inn By Marriott New York Queens

   If I had to pick my favourite hotel in Long Island City, it’d probably be the Residence Inn By Marriott. Quality-wise, it’s one of the best hotels in Long Island City. The hotel is close to the East River, so you can enjoy skyline views while taking a stroll. You can also book a room here with a view of Manhattan.

   This hotel in Queens has one downside: it’s a bit of a walk to the nearest subway compared to some other hotels. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the 21 St-Queensbridge station, and then another 15 minutes to get to Times Square. The total travel time is about 25 minutes.

   Book Residence Inn By Marriott here

   📍 Location: 38-39 9th Street, Long Island City

   

2. Boro Hotel

   The Boro Hotel is well located in Long Island City. The hotel has a minimalist look with floor-to-ceiling windows and a beautiful rooftop where you can take in the Manhattan skyline. Overall, this is a great hotel to stay in during your trip to New York; however, I would only book this hotel if the price is right.

   You can walk to the closest subway station, 39 Av, from the hotel in about 5 minutes, and be in Times Square in about 20 minutes.

   Book Boro Hotel here

   📍 Location: 38-28 27th Street, Long Island City

   

3. Courtyard Long Island City

   One place to stay cheap in New York is the Courtyard Hotel in Long Island City. This hotel has simple rooms that provide everything you need: such as a coffee maker, a small fridge and a hairdryer. The New York subway runs above ground in front of the hotel, which is very nice to see from your room, but can be a bit noisy.

   The hotel is a 5-minute walk to the subway station, and within 20 minutes you are in Times Square. You can take the subway from Queensboro Plaza or from Queens Plaza.

   Book Courtyard Long Island City here

   📍 Location: 29-15 Queens Plaza North, Long Island City

   

4. Ravel Hotel

   Located near the East River, the Ravel Hotel offers a nice view of the Queensboro Bridge and the New York skyline. During my stay, I had a spacious room (with enough floor space to easily open my suitcase) and a large bathroom, including a bathtub and separate shower.

   Because of its location, the walk to the closest subway stations (Queensboro Plaza and Queens Plaza) takes about 15 minutes, and the subway ride to Times Square takes another 15 minutes. The total travel time is about 30 minutes.

   Book Ravel Hotel here

   📍 Location: 8-08 Queens Plaza South, Long Island City

   

5. The Local NY

   The Local NY is actually a hostel, but you can also book a private room with a private bathroom. The rooftop terrace has a lovely view of the Manhattan skyline. There is also a café for a cup of coffee and a bar where you can grab a drink.

   The Local is a few minutes’ walk to the subway station Court Sq-23 St, which will take you to Times Square in 15 minutes.

   Book The Local NY here

   📍 Location: 13-02 44th Avenue, Long Island City

   

6. LIC Hotel

   Around the corner from The Local NY is the LIC Hotel. This hotel is popular among young travellers. I’ve received many questions about it, so I decided to test it out. I would only book this hotel if it were significantly cheaper than the other options on this page. I didn’t find the hotel so welcoming, and it needs some maintenance.

   The location is good though, just 20 minutes from Times Square. Court Sq-23 St station is just a few minutes’ away from the hotel.

   Book LIC Hotel here

   📍 Location: 44-04 21st Street, Long Island City

   

I personally paid for each hotel on this list. I was not invited or asked by the hotel to share my opinion. I experienced it as a hotel guest, just like any other visitor.

For more great hotels, also check out my personal, hand-picked options for the coming months on my New York hotel deals page.