Boutique Hotels in NYC: Staying in the City vs. New Jersey

The great debate for any tourist visiting MetLife Stadium is whether to book a hotel in the heart of New York City, or stay in New Jersey close to the stadium. If you want the boutique, ultra-trendy aesthetic, Manhattan is tempting, but there are massive logistical differences you must understand.

The Manhattan Boutique Experience

Hotels like the Crosby Street Hotel (SoHo) or The Bowery Hotel offer an impossibly cool, cinematic New York experience. You step out of your lobby into the greatest dining and nightlife scenes in the world. However, reaching the stadium requires taking the subway to Penn Station, transferring to an NJ Transit train to Secaucus, and transferring again to the Meadowlands. It can take up to 90 minutes.

The New Jersey Alternative

New Jersey has rapidly developed its own boutique hotel scene, specifically along the Hudson River. The Envue Hotel in Weehawken or the W Hotel in Hoboken offer stunning modern design, rooftop bars, and incredible views of the NYC skyline. Crucially, staying here cuts your stadium commute time in half.

Making the Choice

If you are coming to America strictly for football and plan to attend multiple matches, staying in New Jersey is the only logical choice. If the World Cup is just one part of a two-week sightseeing vacation, staying in a Manhattan boutique is worth the grueling transit day.

Final Advice

• Split Your Stay:

  If you have the budget, spend three nights in a Manhattan boutique for sightseeing, and transfer to a New Jersey hotel the night before the match.