This holiday season, tourists will flock to the Big Apple to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Since only 22% of leisure travelers chose to rent a vacation rental during a trip in 2012, it’s likely that most visitors will choose to book hotel rooms — or illegal Airbnbs — when they visit the City That Never Sleeps. But in a city like New York, you don’t have to stick to conventional chains. And even if you do want to go with a trusted name when you reserve your stay, you might be surprised by just how creative hoteliers are getting.

Marriott, for instance, has developed a budget hotel with Millennial-minded customers in mind. The 612-room Moxy Times Square features small spaces, modular furniture, and unique floor plans. Some even include bunk beds. While not everyone will be drawn to these types of lodgings, the rooftop bar (complete with mini golf course) and lobby carousel might convince you. You can even book “crash pads” right from your cocktail menu for $99. Since more than half of Millennials — the hotel’s target demographic — say that cost is a barrier to leisure travel, Marriott’s decision to finally offer lower-cost options might pay off.

Of course, not everyone comes to New York to party. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay in a run-of-the-mill hotel. The Library Hotel, a luxury boutique establishment, has rooms that are numbered and categorized according to the Dewey Decimal System and is home to 6,000 books. Those who want to snuggle up to their sweetie during their stay can head to the philosophy floor, where there’s a room devoted to love. The hotel is also a block away from the New York Public Library, which means you can wholly satisfy your thirst for literature during your vacation.

And if you’re looking for something more historic, you don’t have to go far to find it. Although The Beekman opened just last year, it’s located in a 1881 Lower Manhattan building steeped in tradition. It’s nine-story atrium is complete with wrought-iron balconies, making for a stunning stay. The building used to house the Mercantile Library Association, which many 19th-century writers (including Edgar Allan Poe) frequented.

You may also be able to cinch a great deal on a unique room if you visit the city right after the holidays. Hotel Week NYC takes place from January 5 through January 15, which is an usually slow period for most major Manhattan hotels. Many of them offer deeply discounted rates during this timeframe, many for around $100 per night. Even some boutique hotels will have lower rates during that same time, even if they aren’t officially featured on the Hotel Week NYC website.

So whether you’re looking to see the tree at Rockefeller Center this season or simply want to get away for a weekend in January, you don’t have to go with the conventional or outrageously expensive.