We are planning a visit to NYC this summer and are considering the following hotels:
The Hotel @Times Square
La Quinta Manhattan
Holiday Inn Express, Times Square
Broadway At Times Square Hotel
Any comments, both pro and con, would be appreciated, especially regarding safety (we are two seniors), cleanliness (i.e. bed bugs) and services in general.
Thank you.
jet29
Summer visit to the Big Apple
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First: Just wondering why you've chosen hotels that seem to be centered around Times Square?
Any tourist area of NYC is safe - but Times Square is not really very pleasant (frantic, mobbed sidewalks, loud and busy at all hours). If I were you I would consider a neighborhood that is more pleasant - unless you are going primarily for theater.
If you give your budget and what you plan to do here people can make alternate recos. (I know tourists always seem to want to stay in Times Square - but locals avoid it whenever possible.)
I recently did a short trip report for NYC; if you click on my name you'll find it.
We stayed at The Kimberly Hotel and were very pleased. This is just a bit west and north of TS and there are many hotels just a short distance from there.
I'm not sure what your budget is, though.
In any case, for two seniors, I would not stay in Times Square. Much too mad.
We stayed on Times Square recently (it was only for one night and we got a great rate on Hotwire, and knew exactly what we were in for) and what nyt says is absolutely true. Although the hotel was very very nice (doubletree Suites), and there was no noise to speak of (but urban noises don't bother me, plus we were on a fairly high floor), the minute we stepped out the door, it was "in your face" . Having grown up in NY and having been back to visit many many times, we knew exactly where to turn to get away from the madness, but it is really really crazy.
Thank you all for your responses. Our choice to stay in the Times Square area is to be close to theatre district in order to facilitate going to the shows.
As mentioned in our query, has anybody stayed in any of the above mentioned hotels?
Thank you all for your responses. Our choice to stay in the Times Square area is to be close to theatre district in order to facilitate going to the shows.
______
They fallacy of that is you will traveling all over Manhattan during the day. And there are much better dining options in terms of value and diversity in other neighborhoods.
No one can assure the safety of another but NYC is the safest large city in America but where you will be visiting is safe.
I've never stayed in Times Square, no. But I have stayed at the Iroquois, The Algonquin, The Sofitel when I've been in the city for Broadway shows.
OK I feel for the OP so I will chime in. I'm form NY and go back a few times a year to see shows, and I have to say the older I get the more of a PITA it is to get to and from the theatres. Subway is easy but crowded and if it were my first trip a a senior citizen I'd be a little worried. PLUS they are crowded etc.
If you try to cab it anytime around 7-7:30 you may as well walk.
So while I don't stay in Times Square i understand wanting to be near the theatres as a first timer.
That said, the La Quinta is on 32nd St and not near Times Square. Of the other 3, I don't like Holiday In Expresses anywhere - they always seem to cheap out on any niceties at all. The other two have good reviews on tripadvisor, and the applecore chain is a decent chain of inexpensive hotels. but I've never stayed in hem.
I don't know why people try to talk others out of staying in Times Square! Yes, it's crazy, busy and sometimes rude
but if you're a tourist, you want to be "in it" - at least I do! Anyways, I have not stayed in any of the hotels you mentioned but I have heard good things about Doubletree and I have stayed at the Millenium Hotel, right in the theater district and it was very nice.
Enjoy your stay
Staying in midtown for the convenience of going to the theatre makes perfect sense; staying in the middle of Times Square does not.
I understand the desire to see Times Square but the carnival atmosphere really has nothing to do with the essence of New York City. It's a bunch of lights and tacky shops. That isn't NYC, that's simply Times Square. You want to stay in the middle of a bunch of lights and tacky shops?? If you do, you're missing the best of New York City.
Ok, I will chime in. Just returned a week ago from a trip that included a 5 night stay at the LaQuinta Manhattan.
The hotel is located in Koreatown and just half a block from an entrance to the subway. The street around the hotel has an interesting mix of restaurants, small retail shops, a coffee bar and other casual eateries.
The hotel is an older building, but our room was comfortable and clean. It had a safe, but no mini-fridge. The biggest downside for me was that the room had very little natural light (I like a bright room), as our window faced the side of another building next door. However, my parents' room down the hall had adequate light as they were not facing another building.
The elevators are slow, but really only noticeable in the mornings. Free continental breakfast is offered each morning and there is an ok selection of bread, doughnuts, pastries, fruit, cereal, yogurt, etc. The sitting area for the breakfast room is not big enough to handle the number of people trying to eat each morning and after the first couple of days I didn't bother going down.
The hotel has a rooftop bar that was a very pleasant place to sit on a couple of evenings before we left for dinner. The service at the hotel was friendly and efficient.
If I were to visit NYC again I wouldn't hesitate to consider the LaQuinta - the price we got was excellent in comparison to other hotels in areas I was considering and with the subway station so close by it was very convenient.