Outside NYC (New York, York, Carlton: hotels, dorms, live in)

[Wel]

I am in early stages of planning a visit to New York, but have been advised that it is a great deal cheaper to stay outside the city and to travel in by day as transport system is very good. I have never been to the US.
Is there any advice out there for an intrepid (but not so young anymore)traveller?

[honeychrome]

Splurge and spend whatever extra it costs to stay in Manhattan. Yes, you might save a little bit by staying outside the city and 'commuting' in, but do you really want to spend any amount of your visiting time in a crowded subway, commuter rail or bus? You'll have a much better NYC experience if when you step outside your hotel you are right in the thick of it! There is also so much to do and see in NYC that it's nice to be able to zip back to your hotel room to take a nap, change out of sweaty clothes (in the summer), or just decompress for a little while. Having a centrally located 'home base' will make figuring out where you are and where you want to go easier.

Look around- there are (relatively) cheap places to stay in the city. They'll be small, and maybe not the nicest, but it's the city you are here for, not the hotel.

[Wel]

Thanks Honeychrome - seems like sound advice. Seeing I'm coming all the way from Africa I might as well get it right. I'll do the research ... but any advice on less expensive options will be appreciated My interests are the art museums, restaurants, people ... Don't mind slumming, but no dorms please!

[honeychrome]

As I live in NYC I don't know too much about specific hotels, but try reading this, it seems to have some good info:

rudy maxa dot com slash
article dot php?ArticleID=76

you'll have to 'edit' the address- this site seems to automatically delete web addresses in posts, probably per order of their advertizers. The article mentions Carlton Arms, which I know is kinda funky, but at least one freind stayed there and said it wasn't bad. Of course ALL hotel rooms in NYC are tiny, at least if you are not rich.

[repo]

If your visiting NYC you might as well stay in NYC. No need to shlep back and forth on the train or bus and waste time commuting. You can find nice places close to where you want to see/visit, and since there is so much to experience you won't want to waste time traveling back and forth to a hotel.