Hostels are great when you’re a college kid backpacking across Europe, but the no-frills approach can be a turn-off to those of us who like to shower more than once a week. With that in mind, a duo of new hotels in New York City offer shared accommodations with all the perks of a luxury hotel. While these bunks cost a bit more than you might pay in a traditional hostel, you’d be hard-pressed to find a backpacker’s haven with amenities like a spa, rooftop garden, or high-end linens.
THE OUT NYC, a “straight-friendly” hotel that opened in March, recently unveiled new Sleep Share rooms that accommodate up to four guests. Even the beds are an improvement over standard hostel digs, with full-sized mattresses, privacy curtains, and 22-inch flat-screen TVs in every bunk. Each Sleep Share also has an in-room bathroom. As for the rest of the hotel, OUT NYC boasts multiple outdoor spaces, a New American restaurant with communal tables, and a 5,000-square-foot gym and spa. The on-site nightclub hosts events every night of the week. Bunks start at $99/night.
Once a half-way house for soldiers returning from war, the Bowery House (opened August 2011) retains the original dorm-like accommodations with upgraded style and amenities. Although private rooms are available, a range of shared room options sleep six to 12 people, with certain rooms segregated by gender. Some may lack en-suite bathrooms, but Ralph Lauren towels, heated bathroom floors, and Red Flower bath products go a long way to make up for it. Tour the town with a loaner bicycle then relax back at the hotel on the rooftop garden, in the lounge in front of the 65-inch flat-screen, or at the ground-floor R Bar. Bunks start at $69/night.
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