Where to Stay in New York in 2025 and Actually Enjoy Your Stay

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If you’re wondering where to stay in New York without ending up miles from all the fun, my top pick is LUMA Hotel – Times Square. It’s right in the middle of the chaos—in the best possible way. Sleek rooms, big-city views, and the kind of location where “popping out for a coffee” could accidentally turn into buying Broadway tickets. Sure, it’s not the cheapest bed you’ll ever sleep in, but it’s worth every penny.

That said, I’ve got you covered if Times Square isn’t your scene. This quick guide has five hotels total—near the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, and SoHo—so no matter your style, there’s a perfect spot.

🗓️ Whether you like to book hotels and flights months in advance or at the last minute, Expedia is a great place to explore your options. You can compare prices on hotels, flights, cars, bundles, and cruises all in one spot. Give it a look and start planning your next trip! See what’s available on Expedia >>

These 5 hotels are where you should be in the city that never sleeps.

1. LUMA Hotel – Times Square

Address: 120 West 41st St, New York, NY, 10036

👉 See more photos on Expedia

I once stayed at a hotel where getting to Times Square required a subway ride, two transfers, and what felt like a minor pilgrimage. LUMA Hotel is the opposite of that experience—you’re so close to everything that you could literally stumble out of bed and into Bryant Park wearing pajamas. (Please don’t, but the point stands.)

The location borders on unfair to other hotels. Bryant Park sits two minutes from your door, perfect for morning coffee among the chess players and tai chi enthusiasts. Times Square is three minutes away when you need that full sensory overload experience, and Grand Central is an eight-minute stroll for when you want to feel like you’re in a movie about important people with briefcases. You’re close enough to catch last-minute Broadway tickets but far enough away that the Naked Cowboy won’t wake you up at dawn.

The rooms are what you’d expect from an upscale Manhattan hotel—sleek, modern, and designed by someone who understands that after walking around New York all day, you want to sink into something soft. The Frette Italian sheets aren’t just marketing fluff, and the 50-inch TV is perfect for when you’re too tired to venture back into the urban jungle.

What I really appreciate is how they’ve nailed the details without going overboard. The pillow menu sounds fancy but it’s actually practical when you’re dealing with vacation excitement sleep schedules. The laptop workspace works if you need to answer emails, and you won’t be stuck watching infomercials about miracle kitchen gadgets.

The neighborhood gives you pure Manhattan energy without being completely overwhelming. Joe’s Pizza is two minutes away for authentic New York slices, and Pret A Manger is practically next door for something lighter. Grand Central being an eight-minute walk makes getting around incredibly easy.

The only real downside is paying Manhattan prices in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Manhattan. But if you’re going to splurge somewhere, this makes sense. You’re not just paying for the room; you’re paying for the ability to walk to everything worth seeing without planning your life around subway schedules.

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2. Kixby – Empire State Building Area

Address: 45 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001, United States

👉 See more photos on Expedia

If you’ve ever wanted to wake up and casually stroll to one of the world’s most famous buildings in your pajamas (not recommended, but theoretically possible), Kixby is your answer. Five minutes to the Empire State Building isn’t just convenient—it’s the kind of location that makes you feel like you’re living in a movie about someone who’s definitely more successful than you actually are.

The hotel sits right in the sweet spot between tourist central and actual New York life. You’re eight minutes from Times Square when you want the full Broadway experience, but you’re also next door to Herald Square, which feels more like where real New Yorkers actually go about their business. (Plus, Macy’s is right there if you need to buy something you forgot to pack.)

What really sets Kixby apart is the rooftop situation. Having two bars and a rooftop terrace in Manhattan is like having a parking spot and good cell service—rare and worth celebrating. The on-site restaurant, Lot 15, serves light fare, which is hotel speak for “we won’t judge you for eating here in your travel clothes.”

The rooms themselves hit that sweet spot of comfortable without trying too hard. Premium bedding, rainfall showers, and laptop-compatible safes that actually work (a small miracle in the hotel world). The flat-screen TVs come with streaming services, which means you can catch up on shows you’ve been meaning to watch while pretending the city noise outside is just atmospheric background music.

Location-wise, you’re basically in the center of everything that matters. Madison Square Garden is eight minutes away if you’re into sports or concerts, and Grand Central is eleven minutes on foot. The Herald Square subway station is practically at your doorstep, so getting anywhere else in the city is painless.

The dining options nearby are solid without being overwhelming. Keens Steakhouse is three minutes away if you want to feel fancy, and there’s a Taco Bell two minutes away for when you want to feel human. (No judgment—sometimes you need familiar food after a day of cultural enlightenment.)

The main downside is that you’re still paying Manhattan prices, but for the location and amenities, it’s reasonable by New York standards. Plus, when you’re this close to everything, you’ll save money on taxi rides and subway cards.

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3. 33 Hotel – Brooklyn Bridge Area

Address: 33 Peck Slip, New York, NY 10038, United States

👉 See more photos on Expedia

The Seaport District is one of those New York neighborhoods that feels like a secret, even though it’s right there on every tourist map. Staying at 33 Hotel puts you in this weird sweet spot where you’re eight minutes from both Wall Street and the Brooklyn Bridge, which means you can alternate between feeling very important and very romantic depending on which direction you walk.

What’s brilliant about this location is how it flips the typical Manhattan hotel experience. Instead of fighting crowds to get anywhere interesting, you’re starting from somewhere actually interesting. The cobblestone streets and old maritime buildings make it feel like you’ve stumbled into a different century—one where people had better taste in architecture.

The hotel itself is refreshingly small with just 66 rooms, so you won’t feel like you’re staying in a corporate convention center. The Egyptian cotton sheets and pillowtop mattresses aren’t just marketing speak; they’re the kind of bedding that makes you briefly consider never leaving the room. (Though that would be a waste given the neighborhood.)

The on-site restaurant, Urban Cove Society & Kitchen, serves American cuisine with brunch and dinner options. It’s the kind of place that takes itself seriously without being pretentious about it, which is exactly what you want when you’re too tired to venture out but still want something better than room service sandwiches.

Location-wise, you’re close to everything that matters without being in the thick of tourist chaos. One World Trade Center is a 14-minute walk, perfect for that emotional monument visit. The Fulton Street Station is seven minutes away, so getting to Midtown or anywhere else is straightforward. And if you want to take one of those cheesy-but-actually-fun boat tours, you’re right where they all depart from.

The dining scene around here is solid. Fish Market is two minutes away for obvious reasons, and The Paris Cafe has been around since 1873, which means they’ve had plenty of time to figure out what they’re doing. House of the Red Pearl is three minutes away if you want something with a bit more atmosphere.

The main trade-off is that you’re not in the center of the typical tourist action. Times Square is a 10-minute drive away, which isn’t terrible but means you’ll need to plan your Broadway nights a bit more carefully. But honestly, that might be a feature rather than a bug—sometimes it’s nice to come home to somewhere that feels less like a theme park.

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4. The Carlyle – Central Park Area

Address: 35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021, United States

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The Upper East Side has this reputation for being where rich people go to feel superior about their art collections, and staying at The Carlyle doesn’t exactly dispel that notion. But here’s the thing—sometimes it’s nice to pretend you’re the kind of person who casually strolls through Central Park on a Tuesday morning before popping into the Met for a quick Monet fix.

Three minutes to Central Park means you can actually use it like locals do, not just as a photo opportunity. Early morning runs, afternoon people-watching, evening strolls that make you feel like you’re in a Woody Allen movie (minus the neuroses, hopefully). The Metropolitan Museum of Art being six minutes away is almost unfair to other neighborhoods—you could theoretically pop in for lunch at their cafe and call it culture.

The Carlyle itself is the kind of place that takes luxury seriously without being flashy about it. We’re talking wet bars in every room, 24-hour room service, and an on-site spa for when walking around Manhattan in dress shoes finally catches up with you. The two restaurants mean you never have to venture out if you don’t want to, though that would be a shame given the neighborhood.

What really sets this apart is the neighborhood vibe. The Upper East Side feels like actual New York rather than tourist New York. You’ve got proper bagel shops like Pick A Bagel five minutes away, and Handcraft Coffee for when you want something that doesn’t come from a chain. The Kerbs Boathouse is six minutes away if you want to eat surrounded by people who definitely own boats.

The location works beautifully for the classic New York experience. You’re close enough to Midtown that Broadway shows and Rockefeller Center are just a quick ride away, but far enough that you’re not dealing with the Times Square chaos on your doorstep. The 77th Street subway station is four minutes away, so getting anywhere is straightforward.

The rooms come with all the touches you’d expect from a place that charges Upper East Side prices—premium bedding, HDTVs with premium channels, and DVD players for those nights when you want to stay in but still feel sophisticated. The wet bars are a nice touch for pre-dinner drinks or nightcaps after cultural experiences.

The main downside is that you’re paying for the privilege of staying in one of Manhattan’s most expensive neighborhoods. But if you’re going to splurge on location, this is where it makes sense. You’re not just buying a room; you’re buying temporary membership to a lifestyle most people only see in movies.

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5. ModernHaus SoHo – SoHo Area

Address: 27 Grand St, New York, NY 10013, United States

👉 See more photos on Expedia

SoHo is where New York gets interesting without trying too hard. You’re surrounded by cast-iron architecture, cobblestone streets, and the kind of people who somehow make carrying a vintage leather bag look effortless. ModernHaus SoHo fits right into this aesthetic—it’s boutique luxury without the stuffiness, which is exactly what you want when you’re staying in a neighborhood that invented “effortlessly cool.”

The location is perfectly SoHo. Canal Street Station is two minutes away, so you can disappear into the city whenever you want, but you’re also in walking distance of some of Manhattan’s best wandering territory. One World Trade Center is a 17-minute walk if you want to do the meaningful tourist thing, but honestly, you’ll probably spend most of your time just exploring the neighborhood’s galleries, boutiques, and coffee shops that somehow all look like they were designed by the same impossibly stylish person.

What makes ModernHaus special is how it balances luxury with personality. The seasonal outdoor pool and rooftop terrace are rare finds in Manhattan, and having them in SoHo feels almost unfair to other neighborhoods. The on-site restaurant, Twenty Three Grand, serves American cuisine in what I’m guessing is a space that looks better than most people’s apartments.

The rooms hit all the right notes—Frette Italian sheets, heated bathroom floors, and 42-inch HDTVs in case you need to recover from all that walking on cobblestones. The laptop-compatible safes and workspaces actually work, which matters if you’re mixing business with pleasure. The separate sitting areas are a nice touch when you want to spread out without feeling cramped.

The neighborhood dining scene is exactly what you’d expect from SoHo—eclectic and good. Lupe’s East LA Kitchen is one minute away for when you want something with flavor, and Now or Never Coffee is right there for your morning ritual. The Club Room and Broome Street Bar are both two minutes away, offering very different vibes depending on whether you want craft cocktails or a more relaxed atmosphere.

Getting to Midtown attractions is easy—Times Square and Broadway are eight minutes by car, and the Empire State Building is seven minutes away. But the real appeal is staying put and exploring what SoHo has to offer. The shopping alone could fill a weekend, and the gallery scene is the kind of thing that makes you feel culturally sophisticated.

The main consideration is that you’re paying for the SoHo experience, which isn’t cheap. But if you want to feel like you’re living in the New York that people write books about, this is where you do it.

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No matter where you stay, I hope you have a great time exploring New York. Grab a coffee, wander the streets, maybe get lost on purpose—it’s all part of the fun. Enjoy every minute!