Originally seen on nypost.com

Why shell out cash for a cramped hotel room when you’re visiting Manhattan, or splurge on a large rental apartment that you don’t really need? In the world of New York real estate, studios increasingly rule.

Traditionally viewed as starter solo-living apartments, or a budget-conscious compromise for those eager to plunk down city roots, the demand for studios among a diverse range of buyers is growing like never before.

Take Mariana D’Andrea, a lawyer who hails from Argentina, who recently invested $417,000 in a Lenox Hill alcove studio. Her broker, David Harris of Coldwell Banker Warburg, helped her find the place so that she could avoid hotel stays and Airbnb rentals when she’s in this part of the world.

“I became fully remote during the pandemic and started traveling and spending time in other places like California and Texas,” said D’Andrea. “I didn’t want to keep relying on hotels, the hospitality of friends or temporary rentals when I came to New York, and a studio seemed like the ideal solution.”

According to data from the real-estate consulting and appraisal firm Miller Samuel, studios saw the biggest increase in sales among all apartment sizes in Manhattan during the second quarter of this year. They accounted for 19.4% of total transactions, compared with 15.5% in 2019.

“They became more popular at the start of the pandemic and are continuing to pick up traction,” said Jonathan Miller, the company’s founder and president.

The average sale price of a Manhattan studio is around $818 a square foot, according to his recent research, while their average size is around 550 square feet — the roomiest since Miller Samuel started tracking the data in 2001.

“The studios of today tend to be luxury offerings, not the stereotypical cookie-cutter apartment that’s a temporary home until you can afford more,” said Miller.

Many of the newfound fans, he says, are buyers like D’Andrea — people who don’t live in New York but those who visit frequently and want their own home instead of staying at a hotel.

“The city’s hotel rooms are small and expensive, neither of which is appealing if you’re a regular in town,” Miller said.

Numbers from the Hotel Association of New York, which represents 300 hotels, support his statement. Its president Vijay Dandapani says that most hotel rooms in town are around 325 square feet inclusive of the bathroom. This number sits between 400 and 600 square feet for the most high-end hotels, but nightly rates for these properties have inched up since the pandemic.