The Best Boutique Hotels in Times Square, New York

With the world’s most exciting city on your doorstep, there’s no need to pay for hotel extras you just won’t use. This vibrant, brightly colored hotel offers all the essentials instead. Compact rooms are all exactly the same and have a large king size bed with fluffy pillows, blackout blinds, free movies and a power shower. Elsewhere, there’s a self-check-in desk, a breakfast buffet, a 24/7 canteen for no-fuss food and a bustling reception for guests to work and mingle.

This sleek collaboration between hotelier Ian Schrager and the Marriott brand offers sophisticated glamour among Times Square’s skyscrapers. From the discreet showbiz-style entrance to the dimly lit public spaces decorated in jewel-colored velvet, this hotel feels like a real VIP retreat. No need to visit the local hot dog stand either, as guests are treated to six dining spots overseen by Michelin-star chef John Fraser. The leafy Terrace is our favorite for fresh oysters on ice, crab pasta and an unmissable chocolate soufflé.

It doesn’t just have a top-notch location on West 49th Street. This stylish property also knows how to spoil its guests and throws in a host of extras rarely seen in New York hotels. These include complimentary breakfast and 24-hour coffee and snacks, a hosted wine hour each evening, unlimited scanning and faxing, free phone calls within the US and even essentials such as toothpaste, ear plugs and razors. When hunger hits, Friedman’s restaurant is a must-visit, serving mac and cheese, chicken pot pie and classic pastrami on rye.

There’s something undeniably thrilling about plunging into a swimming pool just 1,000ft (300m) from Times Square. Guests at this hotel, between 6th and 7th Avenues, can take a dip whenever they fancy or relax in the gym or sauna, a rare treat at a central hotel. There are just 139 compact rooms decorated by designer Lorenzo Castillo and all have a minibar, coffee and tea service and touch lighting. The best bit? Breakfast is served until noon, so there’s no need for an early night in the city that never sleeps.

Sanctuary Hotel is big on curb appeal, with white-washed pillars at the entrance, glittering chandeliers and a gleaming polished floor drawing guests inside. Rooms don’t disappoint either, decorated in rich chocolate brown with pops of orange with an iHome stereo system, on-demand movies, spa-style bathrooms with eco-friendly amenities and a cloud-like pillow-top mattress. Reasonable nightly prices include a free breakfast and passes to use a local gym and heated swimming pool.

Bring the whole family to the Big Apple without worrying about the even bigger bill at the end of your stay by choosing this fantastically priced property on West 46th Street. Spacious family suites come with two inter-connected rooms and a shared bathroom, so there’s plenty of space for everyone to relax after days out in the city. Don’t need quite so much space? There are doubles and twins available, too, plus a choice of well-appointed accessible rooms for those with extra needs.

If you can’t quite find the New York hotel you’re looking for, the Gallivant is almost certainly the one for you. There’s a room to suit everyone here including family rooms with bunk beds and even fitness rooms for devoted gym-goers with their own treadmill, weights and workout clothes. The presidential penthouse is the most impressive, with room for five people, a balcony with skyline views, an iHome stereo and coffeemaker with Wolfgang Puck coffee.

Stylish rooms at the trendy Aliz Hotel may not cost as much as some others in the area, but it’s not short on wow factor. Rooms have Keurig coffeemakers, clothes steamers and a 4K-technology, 50” flatscreen TV, while downstairs there’s a Peloton cycling studio, Farm To Burger restaurant and a grab-and-go serving typical New York snacks. All this and the highest open-air hotel bar and lounge in Manhattan.

It’s hard to stand out from the crowd in New York, but LUMA manages to be a hotel with a difference. Watch out for Alina, the city’s first hotel robot butler, a Glow Concierge to help with wellness matters, recommended books on room service and complimentary sangria served daily in the lobby. Rooms are equally impressive with platform beds to make the most of the view, Frette linens, smart TVs and a Nespresso machine.