Central Park West Hostel

About Central Park West Hostel

Central Park West Hostel suits travelers who want a simple base on the Upper West Side and plan to spend most of the day out in the city. The 2-star hostel sits on West 87th Street, about 0.6 miles (1 km) in a straight line from Central Park, so morning walks and museum afternoons are easy to reach. Couples traveling on a budget, friends sharing, and families who value a kitchen and a 24 hour front desk fit here well. Book through the IMPT app.

Central Park West Hostel holds a 2-star rating, which places it at the practical end of Manhattan accommodation. Guests use it as a place to sleep between long days out, not as a resort. The listed facilities include lifts, air conditioning, free Wifi and a kitchen. Stays tend to be short and city-focused. Couples, friends traveling together and families all fit the pattern. Read the room details carefully when you book, and confirm what your rate includes with the property.

Rooms and listed facilities

Facilities listed for Central Park West Hostel cover the basics a city stay needs. Air conditioning and free Wifi appear on the list, along with a kitchen, laundry service, lifts and luggage storage. Couples can cook quiet evenings in; families get room to store bags and wash clothes; business travelers can use the internet access and leave bags after checkout; late arrivals can rely on the 24 hour front desk. A shuttle service is also listed. Confirm room type, bathroom arrangements and shuttle details with the property before booking.

The setting

Central Park West Hostel stands at 201 W 87th Street, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a few blocks from the park itself. Central Park is about 0.6 miles (1 km) away in a straight line, an easy walk for a morning run or a picnic. The observation decks sit about 2.5 miles (4 km) away. Subway routes and service patterns change, so check current lines with the MTA before you travel.

Location and neighborhood

Between 72nd and 96th Streets, the Upper West Side settles into a residential rhythm that visitors rarely see from a bus window. Numbered streets run from Central Park west to Riverside Park, and Broadway cuts diagonally through the grid with the subway beneath it. Columbus Avenue carries most of the daily errands and the outdoor seating; the side streets hold brownstones, prewar apartment blocks, schools and churches. Central Park West Hostel sits inside this working neighborhood, so mornings come with strollers, dog walkers and delivery bikes rather than tour groups.

Riverside Park runs along the Hudson on the west side, with a waterside path and a boat basin near 79th Street. Central Park forms the eastern boundary, close enough that most blocks are a few minutes from a gate. The American Museum of Natural History, on Central Park West at 79th Street, is the anchor sight and the reason many families choose this stretch. Sidewalks are wide, crossings are marked, and strollers fit. Central Park West Hostel sits between the two parks, with the museum steps a short walk away.

Getting there and around

Arriving by air, the airports sit around 14 miles (23.3 km) from this stretch of the Upper West Side, and the ride in depends on traffic. Penn Station is around 2.5 miles (4 km) away, with Grand Central Terminal a little further east. From either, the subway is the simplest way uptown: trains run beneath Broadway and Central Park West, and the system runs around the clock. Tap a contactless card or phone at the turnstiles. Check the transit agency for weekend service changes, which are common. Walking is the default once you are here; the blocks are short and the avenues are one-way.

Nearby sights and food

The American Museum of Natural History spans several blocks along Central Park West at 79th Street, and a family can lose a whole day inside it; check the museum's site for timed entry and opening days. Central Park begins across the street, with the Great Lawn, Belvedere Castle and the Ramble within walking distance. Riverside Park and the Hudson shoreline sit to the west. Further afield, the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue and the Theater District around Times Square are a short subway ride away.

Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues carry most of the eating, with a mix that suits families: pizza by the slice, bagel shops, delis, diners, and Thai, Japanese, Italian and Levantine kitchens. Many places are casual, with counters, paper menus and room for a stroller. Broadway adds bakeries, a few sit-down restaurants and grocery stores for picnics in the park. Reservations matter most on weekend evenings, and weeknights are easier. For a quick lunch between museum halls, the blocks south of 79th Street on Columbus and Amsterdam hold the densest cluster of counter service options.

A day from Central Park West Hostel

A day from Central Park West Hostel often starts early: a walk east into Central Park before the paths fill, or the American Museum of Natural History at opening, before the halls fill. Break for lunch on Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue, then give the afternoon to the museum's upper floors or walk south along Central Park West toward the Theater District. Younger children often do better with a split day: museum in the morning, playground and park in the afternoon. Check opening hours before you set out. Sunset from Riverside Park makes a quiet end.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• 24 Hour Front Desk
• Air conditioning
• Bath
• Bathroom
• Free Wi-Fi
• Internet access
• Kitchen
• Laundry Service
• Elevators
• Lounge
• Luggage storage
• Non smoking rooms
• Shower
• Shuttle service
• WC
• Wi-Fi