I love Times Square as much as I hate it. I’ve been to New York more times than I can count, and every trip I swear I’ll avoid it, and every time I give in to the pull of the distant neon glow. It’s loud, it’s chaotic and it’s impossible to walk anywhere quickly, but there’s still nowhere quite like it: a cacophony of dazzling electronic billboards, flickering lights and a historic parade of Broadway theatres that draws millions of visitors every year.
When the New York Times moved here in 1904, the hotels, theatres and restaurants followed, and its reputation as a larger-than-life epicentre of entertainment was set in lights. More than a century later, it still feels like the beating heart of the city, especially after dark.
So when friends ask me whether it’s worth staying near Times Square, my answer is yes, if it’s your first trip or you’re seeing a show. You’ll be steps from Broadway, a short walk from the Empire State Building, Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue, and well connected by subway to everywhere else.
The trick is choosing the right hotel, one that puts you close to the magic but gives you somewhere calm to escape to when the crowds get too much. These are my favourites, from no-frills to five-star, cool to classic, right in the neon hubbub to the leafier, calmer edges. I’ve split them by budget so you can jump straight to what suits you.
Best hotels near Times Square at a glance
- Best for budget: Pod 51
- Best for first-timers: Hotel Edison
- Best for location: The Knickerbocker
- Best for luxury: The Langham
Budget hotels near Times Square
Pod 51, Midtown East
Best for: Budget travellers, a fairy-lit rooftop for sundowners, rock-bottom prices
If you’d rather spend your money on Broadway tickets than a hotel room, this is where I’d look. Pod 51 is a big, budget-friendly hotel about a 20-minute walk from Times Square, and handy for MoMA and the Rockefeller Center too. The vibe is fun and youthful, with simple décor, pops of colour and jazzy artwork in place of luxuries.
Its 348 rooms are designed to be simple, functional and efficient (not all have private bathrooms, so check when you book). My favourite bit is the small rooftop terrace, strung with lights and dotted with colourful Adirondack chairs. It’s a lovely spot for a sundowner.
Address: 230 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
You can check availability for Pod 51 here
Moxy Times Square, Garment District
Best for: Friends travelling together, a buzzy rooftop bar, bunk rooms for four
Marriott’s funky Moxy sits just south of the action in the Garment District and is designed with younger travellers in mind. There’s an energetic atmosphere, slouchy sofas in the public spaces, a restaurant and two bars, one of them on the rooftop.
I like the two-storey lobby with its dramatic skylight, where you check in at individual desks with young, spirited staff. The 612 rooms range from kings and queens to bunk rooms that sleep four. They’re on the small side, but the beds are comfy and the linens luxurious, and that’s what counts after a long day on your feet.
Address: 485 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10018
You can check availability for Moxy Times Square here
citizenM Times Square, Theatre District
Best for: Solo travellers, floor-to-ceiling city views, clever compact rooms
This is my pick for a comfortable no-frills stay with a few perks, like king-size beds squeezed cleverly into tiny spaces and great showers. Times Square is a few blocks south, and Central Park is a little further north for when you need a nature fix.
Rooms are bright, cosy and clean, with floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of those Big Apple views. You check in at a colourful reception desk with funky lighting, and there’s a communal living room with plenty of space to lounge.
Address: 218 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019
You can check availability for citizenM Times Square here
Mid-range hotels near Times Square
Arlo Midtown, Midtown West
Best for: Couples, a lively rooftop bar with skyscraper views, smart compact rooms
Arlo Midtown is a stylish no-frills hotel on 38th Street, four blocks from first-timer hotspots like Times Square, the Empire State Building and Broadway. I love how the chic, compact rooms make the most of limited space: hooks and hangers replace wardrobes, and suitcases slide neatly under comfy king beds.
The bigger rooms have outdoor terraces. When the city buzz gets too much, there’s a casual day-to-night café bar and a small but lively rooftop bar with glittering skyscraper views.
Address: 351 West 38th Street, New York, NY 10018
You can check availability for Arlo Midtown here
Hotel Edison, Theatre District
Best for: First-timers and families, a 1930s piano bar, spacious rooms
There’s nearly 100 years of history at this art deco hotel, named after the inventor Thomas Edison, who switched the lights on when it opened in 1931. It’s moments from Times Square and Broadway, and it’s the hotel I’d suggest to first-timers, families and anyone watching their budget.
Rooms and suites are spacious, and some have small outdoor terraces and sleep up to six. Before a show, I’d grab a drink at the Rum House on the ground floor, a piano bar that still feels like 1930s New York.
Address: 228 West 47th Street, New York, NY 10036
You can check availability for Hotel Edison here
The Pearl, Theatre District
Best for: Work trips, an old-school steakhouse, balcony rooms
Traditional styling, larger-than-average rooms, good-quality amenities and a steakhouse on site: the Pearl taps into what a classic New York hotel is all about. Rooms are cosy, with pleasing (if predictable) décor, queen or king beds and desks if you need to catch up on work.
Suites have separate lounges, and the marble bathrooms come stocked with robes and Philosophy products. My tip: if you want to soak up the buzz of New York the moment you wake up, book a room with a balcony.
Address: 233 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019
You can check availability for the Pearl here
Luxury hotels near Times Square
The Algonquin, Midtown
Best for: Book lovers, cat lovers, martinis in the legendary Blue Bar, literary history
If you love a hotel with a story, this is the one for you. The Algonquin opened in 1902 and became New York’s great literary hangout in the 1920s, when Dorothy Parker and her quick-witted friends met for lunch every day at what became known as the Algonquin Round Table.
It’s now a city landmark, and for me it still has that old New York charm, a short stroll from both Times Square and Bryant Park. A 2022 makeover refreshed the Round Table restaurant and moved the Blue Bar into the lobby, and I can’t think of a better spot for a pre-theatre martini. Look out for Hamlet, the resident ginger cat. The hotel has kept a cat since the 1920s.
Address: 59 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036
You can check availability for the Algonquin here
The Knickerbocker, Times Square
Best for: Theatre-goers, a rooftop bar overlooking the neon, surprisingly calm rooms
Location-wise, the legendary Knickerbocker can’t be beaten. It’s in a landmark 1906 building slap-bang on Times Square, where Broadway meets 42nd Street. What surprises me most is how quiet it is inside.
Away from the bustling lobby, its 330 rooms (including 31 suites) have a real air of calm, helped by minimalist design in taupe, silver, black and white with sleek modern furnishings. Don’t miss the rooftop bar and its panoramic city views, and there’s a lobby coffee shop for your morning caffeine and pastry fix before you hit the streets.
Address: 6 Times Square, New York, NY 10036
You can check availability for The Knickerbocker here
Times Square Edition, Theatre District
Best for: Design lovers, Japanese soaking tubs, a glamorous Studio 54 backstory
Walking into the monochrome lobby of this fashionable five-star hotel, part of the Edition brand created by Ian Schrager of Studio 54 fame, instantly sets a soothing tone.
The rooms are just as peaceful, decorated in creams and blacks, and range from queens and kings to elegant balcony suites with skyscraper views and Japanese soaking tubs. I love that each room has a print that nods to Schrager’s glamorous 1970s social life.
Address: 701 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10036
You can check availability for the Times Square Edition here
Bryant Park Hotel, Midtown
Best for: Romantic breaks, park views, a buzzy after-work cocktail scene
If you want to be close to the action but also near some green space, the Bryant Park Hotel is a sophisticated Midtown escape. Think sleek lines, low lighting and classic furnishings. Rooms are bright, spacious and minimally decorated in white, with luxurious linens, fresh flowers and Molton Brown products in the bathrooms.
Book a deluxe park queen or king and you’ll wake up to views over the park. Times Square and the New York Public Library are steps away. Don’t miss Koi, the hotel’s Asian-fusion restaurant, or Célon Lounge, both popular with the after-work crowd.
Address: 40 West 40th Street, New York, NY 10018
You can check availability for the Bryant Park Hotel here
The Langham, Midtown
Best for: Special occasions, elegant Italian dining, marble bathrooms
Lavish, sophisticated and design-conscious, the Langham is one of the swishest hotels around Times Square. It sits in the Fifth Avenue shopping district between the Empire State Building and Bryant Park, and it’s a peaceful oasis that’s every bit as chic as its London sister.
Rooms have marble bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows. Don’t miss a power lunch or an elegant dinner at Ai Fiori, the hotel’s refined Italian restaurant and a favourite with the local work crowd.
Address: 400 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018
You can check availability for The Langham here
Is it worth staying near Times Square?
For first-timers and theatre lovers, absolutely, yes! You’ll be able to walk to Broadway, Bryant Park, the Empire State Building and Fifth Avenue, and it’s one of the best-connected areas on the subway.
The downside is the crowds and noise, so if that worries you, choose somewhere on the edges, like the Bryant Park Hotel or The Langham, or a hotel known for being calm inside, like The Knickerbocker.
My pick: the best hotel near Times Square
If I had to choose just one, it would be The Knickerbocker for its location and calm. On a budget, Hotel Edison is great value for first-timers, and for a real treat, The Langham is hard to beat.
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