Airbnb alternatives in New York City

AIRBNB has been the alternative to forking out for a cramped, expensive New York hotel room in recent years, but that’s about to change.

AIRBNB has been the alternative to forking out for a cramped, expensive New York hotel room in recent years, but that’s about to change.

New York City has introduced new legislation that imposes fines of up to $US7500 ($10,285) on residents caught breaking the city’s short-term rental law by renting out their apartment for less than 30 days.

Listings for a room in a home where the host is present, or apartments in a ‘Class A’ building (one that houses less than three families) are still allowed, but the majority of hosts in NYC are flirting with the law if they accept bookings shorter than a month.

There’s no fine or legal punishment for the guest in an illegal Airbnb, however you could find yourself in a situation like California couple Annette van Duren and Alan Sacks, who were booted from the apartment they booked in the trendy Chelsea neighbourhood after just one night, when a resident in the building discovered they were Airbnb guests and complained.

The couple had to outlay thousands for a two-week stay in a Manhattan hotel room at short notice, and while Airbnb promised to reimburse them, Ms van Duren and Mr Sacks told the New York Post it did not cover the full amount they had to cough up.

There are plenty of alternatives — like the Bowery House in Manhattan.

Airbnb spokesman Peter Schottenfels told news.com.au that the company has a 24/7 customer care number for when “rare” situations such as what happened to Ms van Duren and Mr Sacks arise.

“There is always a risk with Airbnb that a host could cancel the booking at the last minute, and we have processes [the customer care line] in place to deal with that.”

Mr Schottenfels also explained it’s actually been illegal to rent out an apartment in New York City for less than 30 days since 2011, it’s just the fines that are new.

But there’s no question that New York City’s recent crackdown on illegal rentals has raised tensions among landlords, property managers, and anti-Airbnb residents who, as in the case of the couple from California, aren’t afraid to speak up if they suspect there’s a short-term Airbnb guest in the building.

Is the stress of sneaking around and risking getting kicked out of your lodgings worth the hassle when you’ve spent thousands and travelled to the other side of the world for a New York holiday? If not, there are alternatives to Airbnb that offer a similar experience.

A BOUTIQUE HOTEL

The William Vale Hotel offers an excellent location.

One of the main appeals of Airbnb is that it makes a tourist feel like a local by being

based in a homely space in a residential neighbourhood. The next best thing is a boutique hotel, and there are some reasonably prices stays to be found away from the madness of Midtown and Times Square.

Harlem is a historic, vibrant neighbourhood with an increasingly sophisticated food and bar scene just a short subway ride downtown, and the Sugar Hill Harlem Inn is a cosy, B&B-style property with just four rooms starting at $A135 per night. Brooklyn is also a great choice; hip enclave Williamsburg is just five minutes by subway to Manhattan, and offers a laid-back but stylish atmosphere with interesting boutiques and street art. Staying in Williamsburg has become even more enticing with the opening of the William Vale Hotel. It’s a modern property with a fantastic rooftop bar and restaurant, each room also has a private balcony with views over the New York skyline, and really the only thing better than being in Manhattan is looking back at it.

The view doesn’t come cheap though, with rates ranging between $A300-$A400 per night.

A HOSTEL THAT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE A HOSTEL

B&B-style charm at The Jane in New York’s West Village.

Upscale hostels are on the rise, providing clean and stylish accommodations at a lower price than most hotels, and without smelly backpackers playing drinking games until 3am. The Jane in NYC’s West Village, which has a Wes Anderson-esque, old-fashioned train travel aesthetic, has 30 ‘Captain’s Cabin’ rooms with a private bathroom and flat screen TV for under $A200 a night, and The Bowery House in Manhattan’s thriving Lower East Side area, with its luxury bedding, rainfall shower heads and art on the walls, has rooms starting at $A120 a night.

PET SITTING

The most affordable option is to stay for free, which is possible by joining a pet sitting website like Trusted Housesitters. Membership is around $A160 a year, and in exchange for caring for someone’s pet while they’re away, you’ll enjoy an entire apartment in New York for free. You’ll need to be an animal lover and be willing to allow ample time to care for the pet, so sightseeing from early morning until late at night isn’t feasible in most cases — unless of course, you’re minding a goldfish.