The complete guide to LIC hotels, from budget to boutique

From hip boutiques to budget chains, Long Island City has become a hotel hotspot in the past few years. These hotels provide reasonably priced accommodations compared to the often out-of-reach rates tourists and business travelers encounter across the East River. Add in the views of and proximity to Manhattan, plus the art galleries, museums, and other companies and organizations in LIC, and it can be quite a good deal.

There are currently 20 hotels open for business in the neighborhood, and there may be more coming in soon. Most of the existing hotels were built within the last seven years, and some opened as recently as the summer of 2012.

Hotels in Hunters Point

This thriving section of Long Island City, south of Queens Boulevard and near the waterfront, is home to two stylish boutique hotels. The Ravel Hotel, right next to the Queensboro Bridge, boasts a huge rooftop restaurant and lounge with views of the Manhattan skyline.

Image Source: Ravel Hotel

Image Source: Ravel Hotel

A few blocks east, the Z NYC Hotel offers conveniences like free shuttle transportation to and from Manhattan.

Image Source: Z Hotel

Besides these boutique hotels that have made a splash, there are two other hotels in this area. The Wyndham Garden is further south, just a few blocks from newly designed Gantry Plaza State Park.

 Image source: Wyndham Garden

And a Comfort Inn sits by Queens Plaza, conveniently one block from the 7, N, and Q trains and close to offices of major companies such as JetBlue.

 Image source: Comfort Inn

Hotels in Northern LIC

This part of Long Island City is north of Queens Boulevard, close to Astoria and attractions like the Museum of the Moving Image, and has the greatest concentration of hotels in the neighborhood. Eleven hotels populate this area, including the brand-new Nesva Hotel, a boutique spot that opened in 2012 near the N/Q train.

Image source: Nesva Hotel

Within a few blocks of the Nesva Hotel, also by the 39th Avenue subway stop, there is a collection of several more hotels: the independent Hotel Vetiver, which offers efficiencies for extended stays; the Verve Hotel, an Ascend Collection hotel; a Holiday Inn; a Quality Inn; a Four Points by Sheraton; and a Fairfield Inn & Suites that opened in 2012.

Image Source: Hotel Vetiver

Image source: Verve Hotel

Image source: Holiday Inn

Image source: Quality Inn

Image source: Four Points by Sheraton

Image source: Fairfield Inn & Suites

A little bit further west in the neighborhood, there are a few more budget options: the Country Inn & Suites, Ramada, Best Western Plaza Hotel, and Sleep Inn (formerly Howard Johnson). Those who don’t mind walking a few extra blocks can find significant savings by booking one of these no-frills accommodations.

Image source: Country Inn & Suites

Image source: Ramada

Image source: Best Western

Image Source: Sleep Inn

Hotels in Southeastern LIC

Additionally, the section of LIC that’s near LaGuardia Community College, the Long Island Expressway, and Sunnyside has five budget-friendly hotels. Located right by the 7 train and LaGuardia, you can find La Quinta Inn and Days Inn, both of which offer limited parking.

Image source: La Quinta Inn

Image source: Days Inn

And closer to the LIE highway – convenient for those planning to take the Queens-Midtown Tunnel or drive out to Long Island – are the Fairfield Inn (another one), Best Western City View Inn, and Red Roof Inn.

Image source: Fairfield Inn

 Image Source: Best Western

Image source: Red Roof Inn