Luggage storage in Manhattan?

October 6, 2006 7:06 AM

Where can I leave my luggage for a day in Manhattan?

So, the lovely Ms. Counterpoint and I are visiting New York for a long weekend in a week's time, and we're staying in a hostel. It's the West End Studios (850 West End Avenue), and since we have a private room we'll be leaving our stuff there when we go out.

But! We're checking out Monday by 11, and we've got the rest of that day to explore the city before we get to La Guardia in the evening. What can we do with our bags during that period?

I saw this thread on the same subject, but our situation is different: 1) we don't have a room (having checked out of it by this time), and 2) we don't have any friends in New Jersey. With those conditions in mind, none of the advice in the previous question seems to help us.

Oh, there's this: We want to spend some time in Brooklyn -- if that's more conducive to dropping off luggage, we could schedule that trip for Monday.

posted by electric_counterpoint to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

Most hotels will hold your bags for you the day after you check out. Are you sure your hotel doesn't?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:12 AM on October 6, 2006 [1 favorite]

Find another hostel (there should be plenty in Brooklyn, and the YMCA I used in Greenpoint did this) and just check your bags there. I'd be surprised if your hostel doesn't check bags, considering most ho(s)tels don't let you into the rooms until 4ish and most people arrive at their vacation destinations early in the day to maximize their time.
posted by zoomorphic at 7:33 AM on October 6, 2006

The bell stand at any hotel probably won't know (or really care) if you stayed there. Walk up confidently, tell them you just checked out but aren't leaving town for the day, and need to check your bags. I suspect they'll take them without a problem. If not, a $10 bill to the bell clerk up front will probably do it.
posted by COD at 7:34 AM on October 6, 2006

Leaving them at your own hostel should be possible, but what I used to do when backpacking, was to drop all my luggage off in a church. They usually have more than enough space and who steals from a church?
posted by Grensgeval at 7:52 AM on October 6, 2006

You're going to be right nearby the Hostelling International hostel on Amsterdam Avenue - I know that they have lockers inside their rooms, but you could call them and find out if they also have lockers for leaving your bags during the day.
posted by cadge at 8:33 AM on October 6, 2006

COD is right -- if you act confident, they won't bat an eye. Especially if you tip.
posted by o2b at 8:44 AM on October 6, 2006

I live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. You are more than welcome to leave them at our house. We are honest, stable, hardworking folk.

Greenpoint and Williamsburg are great destination neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and worth checking out.
posted by hermitosis at 9:16 AM on October 6, 2006

i live in park slope. a nice neighborhood in brooklyn, near prospect park. lots of shops and restaurants around. if you want to drop your bags off at my house, just email me. I'll be home all day.
my username at hotmail.com
posted by alkupe at 9:35 AM on October 6, 2006

Thanks for the tips, everybody! I might just wind up checking first with Hostelling Int'l (based on the reviews, I should have booked with them in the first place..), and after that try a hotel bellhop.

Hermitosis and Alkupe - very kind! However, I realized a bit after I posted my question that the pretext for this fun NYC weekend is my visiting law schools, and Monday's the only weekday I have while classes are in session, so we might hit Brooklyn over the weekend. But thanks very much just the same!
posted by electric_counterpoint at 10:08 AM on October 6, 2006