Where to stay in New York City?! Situated on West 42nd Steet, the Hilton Times Square has become an integral part of Times Square. Walking out, literally on to Times Square, is the most marvellous feeling you could ask for.
We stayed here for a week during our summer tour around America and here are the Pros and Cons:
Pros
Rooms: The rooms are spacious and luxurious with great views of the city. The bed and arm chair were incredibly comfy and we enjoyed a powerful shower. There are plenty of room amenities and hotel facilities to enjoy, with flat screen televisions and some great bath products.
The average size of a room here is 330-square feet; a staggering size for Midtown Manhattan. Also, because rooms start on the 23rd floor, you aren’t disturbed by the street noise.
Staff: The staff were friendly and bubbly and they were extremely helpful during our stay. Our previous hotel during our travels had charged us twice for our stay, so the Hilton staff helped us by contacting that hotel directly and talking them through how to sort the issue out for us – we couldn’t have asked for more.
Location: This hotel is my top choice because of its fabulous location. Just a few steps away from the subway station, this is ideal for those wanting to explore the city and nightlife. What makes this hotel superb is its spot on Times Square. The hustle and bustle will whirl you away in excitement and you will never get bored with things to do, any time of the day.
We were surrounded by restaurants, cafes, bars, theatres, sightseeing buses and fast food stops. We loved walked through Times Square all the time and the hotel has two entrances so you can exit onto a quieter street away from Times Square if you wish.
Price: So everywhere in NYC is expensive, especially if you want to be smack bang in the middle of Manhattan. I’m not going to pretend that this hotel was cheap in the slightest – approx $180 a night – but it was a great price for a spacious, private, double room with ensuite in a perfect location.
It was cheaper than the compact Econo Lodge around the corner that we had stayed in on our previous trip!
Extras:
- Gorgeous views from the room.
- iPod docks, coffeemaker and mini bar.
- A light, spacious fitness centre.
- Business centre with meeting facilities.
- Free wifi in the lobby.
Con
Location: The location is fantastic for seeing Manhattan but can get super crowded and busy at the immediate entrance/exit of the hotel. A few times, we found ourselves struggling through the crowds just to get into the hotel lobby. However, there are two doors in and out of the hotel so you can always opt for the rear door which leads you to a quieter street.
Extras:
- Unsurprisingly, parking is expensive here.
- No pool is available here.
- Wifi is available but for a fee.
Pinnacle Bar Hilton Times Square
The Pinnacle Bar is found in the lobby of the Hilton NYC hotel and overlooks Times Square. This is ideal for drinks and light meals, although dinner is available here too.
Open: 11am – 12am
Above Restaurant Hilton Times Square
Located 21 storeys above Times Square, the Above Restaurant offers American cuisine and is particularly popular for its breakfast.
Open 7am – 10pm
Nearby Restaurants and bars
Restaurants:
- Dallas BBQ – BBQ restaurant with amazing baby back ribs.
- Wolfgang Steakhouse – Arguably the best steak in Times Square
- Hard Rock Cafe – Home to NYC’s branch of this popular chain.
- Ruby Tuesdays – casual chain restaurant serving your typical American food.
- Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery – The best desserts in town are found here.
- Hakkasan – A high-end Cantonese restaurant in the heart of New York.
- Blossom on Ninth – A vegan-friendly option with delicious inventive dishes.
Bars:
- O’Donoghues – This is my fave bar and not just because it’s my maiden name. This is a relaxed bar with drinks not too expensive considering its location.
- Gleason’s Tavern – A casual bar with good pub food.
- Bar 54 – The highest rooftop bar in NYC.
- STITCH Bar and Lounge – A great atmosphere with super happy hour deals!
Getting around
Because of the location of the Hilton Times Square, you can walk to many major sights in the area:
- On Times Square
- 6-minute walk to Broadway
- 15 minutes to Rockefeller Centre
- 20 minutes to Central Park
- 15 minutes to Empire State Building
The A, C and E train lines are easily accessible at nearby 42nd Street/8th Avenue whilst train 1,2 and 3 is at 42nd Street/7th Avenue.
Helpful Resources
More posts about NYC:
- WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK CITY? Econo Lodge Times Square
- 20 THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK CITY
- CATCHING A GAME AT YANKEE STADIUM, NEW YORK CITY
- MIDTOWN MANHATTAN WALKING TOUR, NEW YORK CITY
- 10 TOP TIPS FOR BUYING BROADWAY TICKETS IN NEW YORK CITY
- What To Do & Where To Eat in Magical Times Square – New York City
- NYC MINI GUIDE
Overall, this hotel is one of our favourites in New York City and is highly recommend; especially for first time visitors to the city!
Any questions, experiences and comments – leave them below! 🙂
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I like this post. I want to do such review soon on my recent visit to havelis of jodhpur. Your writing is inspiring. I stayed in Hilton in London once and I totally recommend it too. Thank you for informing details.
I’ve still haven’t been to New York! It’s a city on my list because I’ve been reading so much helpful information including yours! This hotel seems like it would be perfect for me, since I enjoy nightlife and city lights. Completely agree that location can be a pro and con, yet thankfully the view sometimes makes up for that
I love Hilton and this one is really nice. I hate how expensive it is to stay in the city so I never do but that’s also because I’m only 30 min away lol
Wow, what an amazing location to be staying at in New York!! I wish I’d been this lucky when I went. I was staying in Williamsburg:) It was really nice, but I’m sure it can’t measure up to having Times Square right on your doorstep:D Thanks for the great review!
Great review! I get what you mean about being a bit tooo busy but at the same time nice to be central! I am so looking forward to visiting New York for my 30th Birthday!
I think the con is not that super negative, well it’s obvious that when you are reserving a hotel in the city center is expected to have tons of people around and busy area, noisy too with the sound of cars. However the hotel is cozy, it looks neat and facilities are complete. I would love to spend 3 nights here watching that wonderful scene from the higher ground.
Hilton would be the best choice you have made. They have the best hotels. The con doesn’t sound all that bad. The best places are always crowded 🙂 That was a good review. Enjoyed reading it
The location does it for me. In hotels like these, a prime location would be just perfect, It’s so easy to hop onto public transport, your favourite cafe or to explore nearby places on foot. THe property looks really cool too. Cheers!!
I have stayed in a couple of Hiltons’ although never stateside. It is funny that the location ends up being both a plus and minus.
Looks like a lovely place to stay – these days I tend to look at Amor BNB’s first before hotels. I found NYC to be pretty expensive for accommodation too. I do like the Hilton group of hotels.