Five 'Secret' Hotels Where You Can Stay Cheap In New York

Finding a cheap place to stay in New York City isn't always a picnic in the park. But SmarterTravel has compiled a list of five Big Apple hotels that don't cost a bundle.

One property on the list is actually not in New York, but why quibble. We're talking deals here, and just in time for events like the tree-lighting at Rockefeller Center.

The Hotel Wolcott New York is in Midtown, a short walk from the Empire State Building and Broadway. Guestrooms come with private bath and TV, Internet access (via WebTV) and an in-room safe, and the hotel provides free coffee and muffins in the morning. Rates start at $183 in December.

At the East Village Bed & Coffee, a B&B without breakfast, guests can relax in one of 11 private rooms with shared baths and communal amenities including kitchens with free coffee, lounges with TV and DVD players and computers and printers. The place, which SmarterTravel calls a "funky inn," is in the East Village in lower Manhattan. Rates are from $135 to $155. Plus there's free Wi-Fi.

The Hotel Newton is located on the Upper West Side near the 96th Street subway and close to Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History. Rooms come with a flat-screen TV, microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker, and start at only $167 if you are willing to share a bath ($295 if you want a private bathroom).

The Westin Jersey City Newport is a short ride from the city, but from the hotel you can see Manhattan across the river. The hotel's 400 rooms come with flat-screen TVs and luxury bedding and bathrooms, and the property even has a pool and whirlpool. Rates are from $195 in December.

On West 46th Street in Midtown, Hotel 414 is two townhouses connected by an inner courtyard and garden and offers a "home-away-from-home getaway," the website says. Guestrooms have private baths, high-speed Internet access and flat-screen TVS and even have MP3 docking stations. Free continental breakfast is included in rates that start at $190 per night.