Brooklyn, with its iconic Brooklyn Bridge and seemingly endless options for cool, laid-back food, drink and entertainment, is a great option. You’re bound to find some incredible deals on accommodation here, too, and you can still access Manhattan quickly and cheaply via the subway.

To narrow down your choices of affordable hotels in this borough, we chose some of our favorite budget hotels in Brooklyn, specifically in the popular neighborhoods of Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Downtown Brooklyn, to add to our New York guide.

So choose your hotel and read up on our New York tips to have a fun Big Apple trip like a true Cheapo.

NY Moore Hostel offers great deals and a youthful, spirited ambiance.

NY Moore Hostel

Neighborhood: Williamsburg and Greenpoint
179 Moore Street
Beds starting at $40 a night

With a spirited vibe, the NY Moore Hostel will warmly welcome you to New York and situate you just a short walk to the subway into Manhattan.

Rooms here feature playful murals and artworks as well as vibrant pops of color. The grab bag of furnishings feel a bit collegiate, but fun. You can save money and make friends by grabbing a bed or reserve a private room that sleeps up to three people.

You’ll find everything you need for a comfortable stay: free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a library, a game room. Breakfast isn’t available, but you’ll find something delicious in the neighborhood.

Book a cheapo stay at NY Moore Hostel.

Rooms at NU Hotel benefit from trendy decor and city views.

NU Hotel

Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
85 Smith Street
Doubles starting at $114 a night

The lovely three-star NU Hotel in Downtown Brooklyn is conveniently close to the subway.

Each room features a sleek design and plenty of amenities: free Wi-Fi, flat-screen televisions, iPod docking stations, satellite radio and a 24-hour gym. Nearly every room benefits from city views, too.

The hotel also has extras like private workstations for business travelers and an on-site bar with a great tapas menu. The hotel also offers its guests free bike rentals to explore the city.

Breakfast is included in the room rate.

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, NU Hotel has a room for you.

From lobby to guestroom, The Box House Hotel welcomes visitors with attractive, industrial chic decor.

The Box House Hotel

Neighborhood: Williamsburg & Greenpoint
77 Box Street
Doubles starting at $185 a night

The industrial chic, three-star Box House Hotel is tucked into a converted factory building just a short walk to the nearest subway station.

From the lounge areas to the guestrooms, the building’s history lends extra charm to the hotel. Rooms feature attractive decor and benefit from NYC views. The spotless marble bathrooms feel luxurious, and the studio hotel rooms also include full kitchens. If you can splurge, some rooms have balconies available. The hotel also has a gym, a sauna and a business center.

Breakfast is served daily for an additional $19, or you can venture into the neighborhood and stop at a cafe.

Live luxe on a budget by booking a room at the Box House Hotel.

Looking for more cheap accommodations in this borough? Check out all budget hotels in Brooklyn.

The post New York City: New budget hotels in Brooklyn appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Related: Our 10 favorite independent bookstores in New York City

WORD
126 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Web site

Situated on certifiably hip Franklin Street in Greenpoint, this cheery store is fully stocked, but somehow not overwhelming—maybe due to the helpful and passionate employees. Browse the latest literary fiction and nonfiction, plus an array of literary journals, and books by small independent presses you’ll be grateful to have discovered.

WORD also hosts a slew of fun literary events several nights per week, including readings by notable authors (past events have featured names like Kate Christensen and Maud Newton), several different book clubs covering everything from Russian literature to David Foster Wallace, and a new series hosted by blogger David Gutowski delving into the influence of music on writing.

Greenlight Bookstore
686 Fulton Street (at South Portland)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
Web site

Fort Greene has no shortage of literary prowess—authors like Colson Whitehead, Jhumpa Lahiri and Richard Wright have called the neighborhood home—and since October 2009, local residents have had a cool and quirky bookstore to call their own.

The shop is located on bustling Fulton Street, and owned by Rebecca Fitting and Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, two friends with decades of publishing and bookstore experience between them. The spacious, well-lit community meeting spot hosts compelling events and readings by local poets and nationally renowned authors every week.

powerHouse Books
37 Main Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Web site

Not all bookstores strive for quaint, and in fact, some fly directly in its face. In DUMBO, powerHouse Books occupies an airy and modern space, all white and brightly lit, with sculpture and modern art on display throughout. In addition to a thorough selection of fashion and art titles published by powerHouse Books, the store holds plenty of mainstream and independent fiction and non-fiction, plus an irresistible selection of colorful children’s books. Events like art openings, readings and performances are held in the mezzanine area.

The post Brooklyn Books: 3 independent bookstores to check out appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

In the age of Amazon, a good bookstore is hard to find. Mom-and-pop and big-box alike have been on a shuttering spree, as the e-book claims dominance. But thankfully not in New York, land of Algonquin’s round table, Harlem’s Renaissance, and Gatsby’s greatness. Sure, there have been some troubles here too, but there have also been some wins, and so far New York’s indie bookstores still shine like a beacon in the storm. Here, some favorite spots to hit the stacks.

Related: 5 independent bookstores in Brooklyn worth checking out.

Best all-around:
Housing Works Bookstore Café
126 Crosby Street, Soho

Bookstore, café, event space, charity… This New York literary fixture functions as a book lover’s, well, everything. You can scrounge up great used books on the floor-to-ceiling shelves, and then enjoy them in the cozy café. Reading and music events are regular occurrences, and sometimes happy hours sweeten things even further.

Best place to feel the love:
Greenlight Bookstore
686 Fulton Street, Fort Greene Brooklyn

The folks behind this cheery gem love their people as much as they do their books. In fact, the store was created after a survey by the Fort Greene Association found that many thought the neighborhood was lacking a local bookstore (talk about giving back!). Now, Fort Greene has a brainy place that not only showcases local authors but holds many an event where the community can, well, commune with them.

Best place to plan a revolution (or read about one):
Bluestockings
172 Allen Street, Lower East Side

Feminism, anarchism and a host of other “-isms” all hold court at this free-thinking “activist center.” You’ll also find queer studies, Zapatistas and even “alternative menstrual products” (no joke). The café features an array of fair trade items, and nightly events bolster the communal spirit.

“Bookiest” smell:
East Village Books
99 St. Mark’s Place, East Village

What do bookworms dream of when they dream about books? The tiny, friendly East Village Books, which seems to specialize in worn, well-loved volumes. It’s the sort of place where you walk in to sell five books and walk out with 10, plus that special hard-to-find gem.

Book nerd-vana:
Alabaster Bookshop
122 4th Avenue

I’m not sure whether it’s the book nerd in me, or the little girl who loved Beauty and the Beast, or a combination of the two but there is something about a bookstore with ladders that opens my proverbial heaven’s gates (insert “aaaahhhhh….” sound here). In addition to ladders, this sweet spot ticks another bibliophile box—nooks and crannies, all packed with used books, from plastic-wrapped first editions to tattered copies of Little House on the Prairie.

Most resilient neighborhood icon:
St. Mark’s Bookshop
31 Third Avenue

I have a soft spot for this nerdy gem, and not only because I passed (and lingered at its windows) daily in my first days of living in New York. You see, St. Mark’s Bookshop is both an East Village icon and a steadfast survivor. Having first opened its doors to artists and academics in Manhattan’s gritty ’70s, the bookstore has weathered some hard times. It almost shuttered in these days of gentrification, only to be saved by a healthy dose of tenacity and the rallying efforts of a supportive community. Today, I’m pleased to report that many more will have the pleasure of enjoying the shop’s volumes of critical theory and impressive selection of lit mags.

Best children’s bookshop:
Books of Wonder
18 W 18th Street

Even the name of this sweet establishment captures the magic that takes hold when one is first discovering books. Beyond that, the selection of old, new and rare gems is magnificent, and a variety of readings are appealing to kids both big and small.

Hippest literary salon:
Molasses Books
770 Hart Street, Bushwick Brooklyn

In the infinite hipness that is the gritty, up-and-coming Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick, bookstores with an edge are cropping up. For brevity’s sake, we’ll focus on the first, Molasses Books, which opened in 2012 and set the bar high. With its shelves of used books (most $10 and under), plus comfy seating and coffee, beer and wine selections, this airy spot begs lingering. Bonus points for a daily happy hour and Tuesday evening DJ parties (plus other events). Block out some time to wander the area to check out the other book shops in this uber-literary area.

Best place for wanderlust:
Idlewild
12 W. 19th Street

Whether you’re planning a trip or just dreaming about one, this second-floor shop is for you. Its name comes from the JFK Airport’s pre-1963 moniker, and its décor (vinyl chairs and a slab of stained glass) come from the old American Airlines terminal, so you feel just ready to jet set as you browse the inspirational tomes, which are divided by destination. Headed to Spain? You can find everything from guidebooks to cookbooks to Don Quixote all in one place. The story also stocks some travel gear, and offers language classes. (There is also a second shop at 249 Warren Street, in Cobble Hill Brooklyn.)

The post Read Up! The Best Indie Bookstores in New York City appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Turns out said building, an elegant all-white number, is the soon-to-open Hyatt Union Square. I learned that it promises to be very hip—and also very un-Cheapo.

New cheapo hotels in New York?

This got me to thinking about what’s new on the New York budget hotel scene. A few months back, I added some new (and “like new”) hotels to our New York guide. These include:

• The high-tech and hip YOTEL near Times Square.

• The Milford, a Theater District institution with a peppy new look.

• The Chelsea Highline Hostel, a hotel/hostel hybrid that offers budget-basic rooms and a fabulous location between Hudson River Park and the always-happening High Line Park.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sprucing up our New York hotels, re-visiting some of our current picks and adding more cheap hotels in New York and (oh yes) Brooklyn. On my radar at the moment are the Pod 39 (sister to Cheapo favorite Pod 51) and Aloft in Brooklyn, a snazzy (and sometimes Cheapo) spot.

Your New York suggestions?

Help me decide what else to visit, and possibly include in our guide. Have you experienced the Pod or Aloft? And what’s your favorite budget hotel in New York? (Inquiring Cheapos want to know!)

Thanks for your help!

The post New York: Help us find new budget hotels! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Full confession: While I do love the holiday windows I wrote about last week, the crowds that go along with them put me a little bit on edge (okay, maybe a lot on edge). That said, one can’t help but get swept up in the holiday spirit in New York, and while this New Yorker may not like crowds, she’s certainly no lump of coal. So what’s a holiday-loving, line-avoiding girl to do?

The Other New York Lights

Enter the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dkyer Heights, known this time of year by its second moniker: Dyker Lights. Now, Dyker Heights is a bit of a trek from Manhattan, but it’s well worth the trip. (It is, after all, home to actor Scott Baio.)

Toyland light display

But “Charles in Charge” aside, the real draw compelling more than 100,000 people to flock to outer Brooklyn each holiday season is that the folks in this primarily Italian-American neighborhood know how to do it up for Christmas. We’re not talking a string of lights here, a few trees there. We’re talking incredible houses with light displays that outshine the Las Vegas strip.

The Dyker Lights tradition started somewhere around the 1940s and has grown to beyond spectacular. Think tens of thousands of bulbs—on a single house. That’s to say nothing of larger than life Santas and other props, like the pair of 15-foot nutcrackers that serve as only part of Lucy Spata’s extravaganza. Spata, who started putting out a few humble ornaments with her parents 40 years ago, has grown her collection to well beyond “humble” and “few.” And her neighbors have taken up the cause handily.

Get Your Lights On

But how to get out to the far reaches of Brooklyn? Well, Brooklyn native Tony Muia runs a three-and-a-half hour Christmas Lights and Cannoli tour on weekends. But, though it does include a round-trip transfer to and from Manhattan’s Union Square (plus coffee and a cannoli), I still find the $55 price tag to be decidedly un-Cheapo.

That’s why this Cheapo ventured out for some light-viewing of my own. I mapped out a route and tips for all those who may want to follow, sans $55 price tag. Here’s the plan:

Getting There

You can reach the heart of Dyker Lights via the D train to 18th Avenue. From there, walk south on 18th and turn right on 86th Street, then head down to 13th Avenue. You can also catch the B1 bus at 18th and 86th (toward Bay Ridge) and ride it to 13th.

A second alternative is the X28 bus, which picks up at Union Square (go towards Sea Gate or Bensonhurst) and drops off at 86th Street and 12th Avenue. Both options will take around an hour from the city.

Check HopStop for detailed directs from wherever you are in the city. Your destination will be 86th Street and 13th Avenue.

Go Towards the Light

The Dyker Lights reside in a square formed by 86th Street and 83rd Street, and 11th Avenue and 13th Avenue. The heart of the action is the block of 84th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues.

It’s along this block that you’ll happen upon the Spata house, whose display includes a series of angels, a ferris wheel and a miniature blimp, in addition the to aforementioned giant nutcrackers. On the night I visited there was also a tray with one lone chocolate cannoli, whose delicious friends, we assumed, must have been devoured by earlier visitors. (Get there early!)

Across from the Spata house is, in my opinion, one of the most incredible displays—a veritable toyland, complete with massive toy soldiers, moving merry-go-rounds, reindeer guarding each balcony (also moving, of course) and a two-story Santa. I do not exaggerate: From the lore I’ve read, the mechanized horses here weigh a ton each and the toy soldiers reach 29 feet.

Around this house you’ll start to hear the music in the distance. Follow it over to 12th Avenue, making stops along the way, of course. There you’ll find a giant tinsel Frosty standing guard over a group of “It’s a Small World” children (yes, that’s one of the songs you’ll hear).

And these are just three houses. There are so many more that do it up big, and even the “subdued” homes twinkle up a storm.

Bottom line: If this place can’t get you into the holiday spirit, well, Ebenezer, there’s not much hope for you.

The Rest

Most houses leave their lights up through January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. The lights will be lit just about any night of the week, but weekends are obviously the liveliest, and most likely to be graced by special visits from Santa.

And, lest we forget the true spirit of the holidays, many of the houses collect money for various charities, including St. Anthony’s and the American Cancer Society. Don’t forget to bring along a few extra dollars to spread good spirit.

Cookie case at the Mona Lisa Pastry Shoppe

The Dish

All that light-looking is likely to leave your hungry. At least it left this gal looking for a little warmth and something sweet. Lucky for me, with Italian neighborhoods comes good Italian cooking. Head back out to 86th Street and over to 14th Avenue, and you’ll find a few good options along that stretch.

If it’s a full meal you’re after, pay a visit to the legendary Tommaso’s (1464 86th Street), a neighborhood mainstay marked by cozy furnishings, large walls of wine and big tables of Italian families that put those uncomfortable Olive Garden commercials to shame.

For a lighter bite, head next door to sweet-lovers’ heaven, in the form of Mona Lisa Pastry Shoppe. The display cases here are a rainbow of deliciousness: cookies, cannoli and just about any other Italian sweet you might want. Grab a bunch to go, or have a seat in the adjoining cafe to complement your treat with coffee.

The post New York: The Christmas Lights of Dyker Heights appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

1. The High Line
L, A, C or E Train to 14th Street & 8th Avenue (see Web site for other access points)

The High Line is a true New York success story. The elevated train tracks, a 1930’s answer to freight train accidents, were under threat of demolition until the non-profit group Friends of the High Line turned them into an oasis in the sky in 2009. Its wild patches of green are overgrown on purpose, spilling out onto concrete walkways and, of course, the rails themselves. Enjoy views of the Hudson River and the Meatpacking District, or check out one of their free events.

Governors Island. Photo by jonmeyer.

2. Fort Tryon Park
A Train to 190th Street

If the High Line is an urban playground, Fort Tryon Park at Manhattan’s northern tip is anything but. In fact, if it weren’t for views of the George Washington Bridge, you might even forget you were in New York City. Picture massive boulders, lush vegetation and one of the largest heather gardens on the East Coast. Oh, and then there’s that museum that looks like a French monastery…

3. Governors Island
Free ferry from Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street;adjacent to Staten Island Ferry)

This little island is a Cheapo happy place. The blissful feeling starts on the free ferry ride over and builds when you’re welcomed by historic buildings (including a castle), unbelievable views of the Statue of Liberty and, um, a “beach.”

4. Coney Island
D, Q, N or F Train to Stillwell Avenue

Once the playground of New York’s elite, then later an entertainment destination for the masses, today this boardwalk/beach at Brooklyn’s southern edge is trying to fight its way off the list of New York’s endangered treasures. We advise visiting Coney Island while you still can. Take in its beach, its historic, rickety (and exhilarating!) Cyclone and the amazing (and disturbing) Shoot the Freak carnival game.

Sunset Park. Photo by Lorianne DiSabato.

5. Conservatory Garden in Central Park
4 or 6 Train to 103rd Street (Enter at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street)

We know, we know! Central Park is a terribly obvious pick for New York’s best outdoor spaces, but the idyllic Conservatory Garden at its northeastern end is all too often overlooked. And its manicured hedges, fragrant flowerbeds and Secret Garden-esque fountains will not disappoint.

6. Sunset Park
N or R Train to 45th Street, Brooklyn

The neighborhood of Sunset Park, Brooklyn is a miniature United Nations built up around its namesake park, which offers views that rival those from the top of the Empire State Building. Only here you can also see said building—and the views are free. While you’re in the area, stop at Greenwood Cemetery, a Civil War battle site and final resting place of Boss Tweed, Samuel Morse and other New York elite.

7. Stargazing

Believe it or not, it’s possible to see stars from the city. And no, we’re not talking about the artificial kind. The Amateur Astronomy Association of New York hosts “observing sessions” at parks throughout the city. Try Inwood Hill Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, said to be the best place see stars since it has no streetlamps. The AAA takes groups there every Saturday. Bring comfortable shoes, a flashlight and your sense of wonder.

The post New York: 7 free outdoor adventures appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.