Hotels in New York City are expensive. Rents and property in New York City are also expensive. The perfect answer to these woes? Short-term rentals*, of course. Sites like Airbnb and HomeAway have opened a new door for city-dwellers looking to supplement their income and for visitors looking to save a little bit of cash and have a more "authentic" New York City experience. What comes with the territory of "more authentic New York City experience," though, may be the tight, tiny quarters New Yorkers have become so accustomed to. Here now, 14 of the best small overnight rentals available throughout the city.
↑ First up is this room in a Greenwich Village guest house that looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film. The 400-square-foot room has original tin ceilings, a cute bright blue kitchenette, and an overnight stay even includes continental breakfast at a nearby restaurant. It's asking $190 per night.
↑ This Upper West Side apartment is the quintessential crashpad for anyone propelled to New York City by their love for Sex and the City. It's incredibly charming in the idealistic kind of way, and makes no fuss about using wooden chairs as wall decor in their off moments. Its $115-per-night ask is the fraction of the cost of a pair of Manolo's.
↑ Behold the most intimate apartment available for a short-term stay in the city. This $175-a-night Chelsea studio appears both intimate in size and jiggy intimate. Too bad there's no way to specify rose or lighting preference.
↑ This West Village studio is "adorbs" all right, with the world's smallest tufted couch and teeny-tiny semicircular dinning table (drop-leafs are essential for studios). The 300-square-foot pad is asking $150 a night, but guests must stay at least three.
↑ Plus-one for utility at this Astoria studio, which takes a more innovative approach to the hide-a-bed than a giant standing cabinet, which these days is about as inconspicuous as Dustin Hoffman when hiding from paparazzi. This little guy wants $109 a night.
↑ A quintessential loft in Chinatown is asking $145 a night. That pipe over the bed may be some kind of liability, though.
↑ A teeny-tiny studio in Brooklyn is offering up the big amenity of private outdoor space. In fact, the deck might be larger than the apartment itself, so it may be better to stay in this $150-per-night Greenpoint pad in the warmer months.
↑ This lofted Upper East Side studio is perfect for guests who really just don't like color (but also want to be close to Central Park and have access to a laser printer). It's asking $189 a night.
↑ At first glance, this Williamsburg studio looks more seaside cottage than New York City hideaway. Caveat: visitors must take on the arduous task of watering the host's plants. For all that work, visitors are asked to cough up $110 a night.
↑ This petite Upper East Side studio comes with its own gym, kind of, and is asking $145 a night.
↑ It seems the main gripe that people who've stayed in this demure East Village pad have with it is that it's above a karaoke bar; but for some, that may not be a shortcoming at all. It's one block from the L and asking $135 a night.
↑ There's something downright charming about this lofted Clinton Hill apartment. Maybe it's the minimal decor and airiness; whatever it is, the place is asking $129 a night which, even with its location, seems decent.
↑ This Williamsburg loft is so squeezed for space that a hammock has, oddly, been placed over the bed. For guests, though, the $125 a night may all be worth it for the apartment's stunning view and deck space.
↑ This decidedly non-micro Harlem room that formerly appeared in the Times is asking $150 per night, which affords guests "Belgian stone-washed linens" (whatever that means) and the chance to luxuriate around some very "dramatic" wallpaper.
*We'd be remiss not to mention the legal battle swirling around Airbnb and short term rentals, so parties interested in these rentals should keep in mind that they may violate New York's law that prohibits apartments in multiple-dwelling buildings (three or more units) from being rented for less than 30 days unless the resident or tenant is present.
· Airbnb [official]
· Home Away [official]
· All Airbnb coverage [Curbed]
· All Micro Week 2015 coverage [Curbed]