Last updated August 9, 2026

Times Square lit up at night with giant billboards and Broadway show marquees above the storefronts

Giorgio Galeotti / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

New York City

Where to Stay in Times Square & Theater District, New York City

This is the Midtown Manhattan strip running roughly from 40th to 54th Street between Sixth and Ninth Avenues — Times Square's flashing billboards at its center, with most of Broadway's theaters packed into the blocks just north and west of it. It's the most convenient home base for a first trip: ten subway lines meet at Times Square–42nd Street, so almost anywhere else on this list is a short ride away.

What it's actually like to stay here

Nonstop and bright, day or night — huge digital billboards, costumed characters working the crowds, and sidewalks that rarely thin out. It trades charm for convenience and energy.

Stay here if

Best for first-time visitors who want to be steps from Broadway and within easy reach of the whole city, and for anyone building a trip around seeing shows.

Stay elsewhere if

Consider another neighborhood if you want quiet nights, a residential feel, or lower hotel rates — Times Square itself is loud well past midnight and prices reflect the location.

Walkability
Flat and easy to walk, though sidewalks get genuinely packed around Times Square itself. Walk a couple of avenues west toward Ninth Avenue for a calmer, more local pace.
Noise at night
Loud around Times Square at almost any hour, with traffic, crowds, and street performers. Rooms on higher floors or a block or two off the square are noticeably quieter.

Best Hotels in Times Square & Theater District, New York City

citizenM New York Times Square

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick

Our take Well-run and smartly designed, a block off Times Square at a price that undercuts most of Midtown's full-service hotels nearby.

Highlights

  • A block from Times Square; Columbus Circle and Central Park about eleven minutes on foot
  • Compact, well-designed rooms — large bed, mood lighting, rain shower
  • 24-hour lobby lounge, plus a rooftop bar with skyline views

What to know

  • Rooms are compact by design, with no separate seating area
  • Check-in uses self-service kiosks alongside staff — not for everyone
Check availability on Booking.com

The Knickerbocker Hotel

★★★★★
  • 📍 Best location
  • 🧭 Best for first-time visitors

Our take A restored 1906 landmark on the corner of 42nd and Broadway — you are inside Times Square itself, with the noise and the convenience that implies.

Highlights

  • Directly on Times Square and 42nd Street, steps from Broadway theaters
  • Restored 1906 landmark, high ceilings and period details, modern rooms
  • Rooftop bar with open-air views over Times Square

What to know

  • Rooms facing the square get constant billboard light and sound; interior rooms sleep quieter
  • Rates run at the high end of the Times Square market, matching the location
Check availability on Booking.com

Sanctuary Hotel New York

★★★★

Our take A boutique option a short walk off Times Square itself, on a slightly calmer block, with a rooftop lounge and more personal scale than the area's big hotels.

Highlights

  • Two-minute walk from Times Square and the Theater District
  • Rooftop lounge and restaurant with city views, plus a ground-floor bar
  • Boutique-scale property, more personal than the area's larger hotels

What to know

  • Rooms are on the smaller side, in keeping with the boutique format
  • Some rooms get limited natural light given the Midtown footprint
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

Excellent — the Times Square–42nd Street station connects the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, S, A, C, and E lines, reaching nearly the entire subway system with at most one transfer.

Don't rent a car for a Manhattan-based trip. Traffic is slow, parking garages are expensive, and the subway or a short taxi/rideshare gets you around Manhattan faster and cheaper.

Related areas

The Washington Square Arch on a sunny day, with trees and pedestrians in Washington Square Park around it

Jean-Christophe BENOIST / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Greenwich Village

Best for: Couples, Architecture lovers

Greene Street in SoHo at dusk, lined with 19th-century cast-iron building facades, fire escapes, and lit storefronts

CucombreLibre / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

SoHo

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The Central Park West entrance of the American Museum of Natural History, with its stone columns and carved 'Knowledge' inscription

Alberto-g-rovi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

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