45 Times Square: The NYC Hotel You NEED to Book (Before It's Gone!)
45 Times Square: Book it NOW (Seriously, Before They're Gone!) - A Brutally Honest Review 🗽
Okay, listen up, because I'm here to tell you about a hotel. Not just any hotel. This is 45 Times Square. And the clock is ticking. Honestly, I think it might be the last good one standing, so you need to book it before the world ends…or before they sell out, whichever comes first. (Spoiler alert: it's probably going to be sell-out, sadly.)
I'm not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for a good hotel. I've stayed in everything from cockroach-infested hostels (never again, shudders) to places that cost more than my car. So, I feel qualified to give you the REAL scoop. And trust me, this one's worth it.
Let's Talk Straight: The Nitty Gritty – Accessibility, Safety, and Practicalities
Look, first things first in any modern, sane review, you need to know if the hotel is actually accessible. Thankfully, 45 Times Square gets it. It boasts facilities for disabled guests, an elevator, and generally seems to have thought about moving around smoothly. I can't personally vouch for a wheelchair experience (though I will be checking in with a disabled friend to update the review), but based on the architecture and commitment to inclusivity, I’m cautiously optimistic. More updates to come!
But let's get serious: safety. In New York City? Yeah, it's a concern. But they seem to have it handled. I see 24-hour security, CCTV in common areas and outside the building, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and a front desk staffed 24/7. Check, check, and check. Plus, they've got non-smoking rooms, which is a huge win for the rest of us who don't enjoy smelling like an ashtray. Honestly, the fact they haven't caved to some of the other outdated things makes it a great mark.
Cleanliness? Crucial. And, especially these days. I noticed the talk of anti-viral cleaning products, daily disinfection in common areas, and the fact that they sanitize rooms between stays. They also have a staff trained in safety protocols and hand sanitizer. I mean, I didn't go full-on CSI on the place, but it felt clean, which is the biggest win.
And, for the love of all that is holy, they offer contactless check-in/out. Thank you, hotel gods!
The Internet, the God of Modern Survival
Okay, this is crucial info. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms?! YES! Praise be! And it's reasonably fast. You can actually work, binge-watch, or annoy your friends with endless Insta-stories without wanting to throw things. They have Internet access - LAN, too, for the old-schoolers. And various Internet services. I mean, honestly, it's New York. You need to stay connected. Period.
Rooms: Your Personal Oasis (Or, at Least, a Pretty Good One)
Alright, let's get into the good stuff. The rooms. First, a confession: I’m VERY particular about hotel rooms. Like, Princess-and-the-Pea level picky. But, 45 Times Square impressed.
The Good Stuff:
- Air conditioning: Essential, especially in a city that can feel like a giant oven.
- Blackout curtains: Bless those things! Sleep is precious.
- Coffee/tea maker: Hello, coffee, my old friend! You need it to cope.
- Complimentary bottled water: Hydration is key, people!
- Desk and laptop workspace: Because pretending to work from the hotel is a NYC classic.
- Free Wi-Fi: Did I mention that? Yeah, you need that.
- Hair dryer: Because no one wants to walk around NYC looking like a drowned rat.
- Mini bar: Because treat yourself.
- Private bathroom: Essential. Shared bathrooms are a non-starter.
- Safety box: To keep your valuables safe.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Hello, luxury!
- Soundproofing: Believe me, you need this in Times Square.
- TV with satellite/cable: For when you just need to veg out.
- Window that opens: Breathe in the city's madness!
The Slight Downsides (Okay, Nitpicks):
- I always wish the beds were slightly bigger, but that's just me.
- The decor is a little…safe. Not boring, but not mind-blowing either. (But honestly, who cares when you're in New York?)
- I did not have a suite or the possibility to have an interconnecting room (probably because it was fully booked.
But seriously, those are minor gripes. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and a welcome respite from the chaos outside.
Eating, Drinking, and Surviving the New York Hunger Games
This is a big one for me. Is the food good? Are my dining options varied? After all, this is Times Square, even the best food can be a tourist trap.
Food Glorious Food!
- Restaurants (Yes, plural!): This is a big win!
- 24 Hour Room Service: Because, well, sometimes you just need a burger at 3 am.
- Breakfast Buffet: They have an Asian breakfast and the Western breakfast, so there's everything. Trust me, it's the New York way to get a good meal.
- Coffee Shop and Bar: Essential.
- Snack bar: Grab something to eat before the show.
- Restaurants, including Vegetarian restaurant (YES!).
Okay, let's get completely honest. The food isn't Michelin-star level. But it is good. It's convenient. And when you're exhausted from exploring the city, it's exactly what you need.
Things to Do (Besides Getting Lost in the Concrete Jungle)
This is where 45 Times Square really shines. They have stuff. Stuff to make you feel fancy. Stuff to make you feel relaxed. Stuff to make you instagram-worthy. It's all a blur of energy and sensory overload.
Pamper Yourself:
- Spa: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
- Sauna and Steamroom: Perfect for detoxifying after a day of tourist-ing.
- Massage: Because your feet will hate you after exploring NYC.
- Pool with view: This is a big one! Relaxing after a day of walking and the view of NYC is amazing!
- Gym/Fitness Center: So you can at least pretend to be healthy.
- Body wrap and scrub:
For the Kids and Big Kids:
- Babysitting service: Because sometimes you need a night off.
- Family/child-friendly: They’re thinking of you.
- Kids meal: Because little humans get hungry too.
- Convenience store, because you probably forgot something.
Services and Conveniences
The 45 Times Square includes Air conditioning in the public area, Air conditioning, Additional toilet, Alarm clock,Audio-visual equipment for special events, Airport transfer, Bar, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Beach in the property, Bicycle parking, Blackout curtains, Bottle of water, Breakfast in room, Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Business facilities, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Carpeting, Cash withdrawal, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private], Closet, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Couple's room, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Desserts in restaurant, Desk, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Exterior corridor, Extra long bed, Facilities for disabled guests, Fire extinguisher, First aid kit, Food delivery, Food & beverage service, Food delivery [room service], Food delivery [with delivery available], Free bottled water.
The Vibe: Is It Worth It?
I'm a tough critic, but I have to say – yes. Yes, 45 Times Square is worth it. It’s a solid, well-run hotel that delivers on comfort, service, and (most importantly) location.
Quirky Observations:
- I saw one couple get very handsy in the lobby. (Good for them, I guess?)
- The elevator music is surprisingly not annoying. Score!
- The staff are genuinely friendly, not just "hotel-friendly,"
Alright, buckle up, buttercups! This ain't your sanitized, perfectly-curated Instagram travel guide. This is me, in the belly of the beast that is a New York City stay at the 45 Times Square Hotel, and let me tell you, it's already a vibe. Here's the raw, unvarnished truth of my itinerary, complete with existential dread, caffeine-fueled mania, and the very real possibility of me losing my mind (and my MetroCard) before the week is out.
Day 1: Arrival and the Immediate Panic
4:00 PM: Arrive at JFK. Oh god, the airport. The sheer mass of humanity. I swear I saw a mime battling a luggage carousel. That’s the first sign of things to come. The taxi ride in was a blur of yellow, honking, and the vague sense of impending doom. New York is a sensory overload, and my brain feels like a microwave popcorn bag about to explode.
5:30 PM: Check-in at the 45 Times Square Hotel. Okay, the lobby is…bright. And kinda loud. The staff seems…tolerated this. My room is a shoebox, but hey, at least it has a window, even if the view is mainly a brick wall. This is the classic "New York City dream," right? Don't worry, the panic starts quickly!
6:00 PM: Unpack (mostly throwing my suitcase onto the bed). This is always the "oh god, I forgot that shirt" moment. My phone is buzzing. So. Many. Emails.
7:00 PM: Attempt a casual stroll around Times Square. BIG MISTAKE. Holy moly, the lights! The noise! The costumed characters! It's sensory overload squared. I am convinced I saw Elmo try to mug a bewildered tourist. I retreated into a nearby deli and ordered a pastrami on rye because I needed something familiar to latch onto.
8:00 PM: Back at the hotel. Exhausted. Already feeling the grit and grime of the city embedding itself in my soul. Wondering if I made a terrible, awful, expensive mistake. Maybe I should just order room service and binge-watch something mindless. But I'm here, right? I have to go on. Still, a strong desire to hide in my room for eternity.
8:30 PM: Room service it is! (And yes, the mindless binge-watching commence. It's a necessary evil.)
Day 2: Culture Shock and Caffeine Dependency
8:00 AM: Wake up. Actually wake up. After the initial terror of being in a tiny room in a chaotic city, I am filled with a sense of exhilaration!
8:30 AM: Find a decent coffee shop. This is crucial. A good cappuccino can be the gateway to a successful day. Otherwise, the day's activities will be a mess, I'm afraid.
9:30 AM: Head to MoMA. The art! The people! I can absolutely get lost in it. Wandered around, admiring the way light interacts with the artwork. Not a terrible experience.
12:00 PM: Lunch at a small Italian place in Greenwich Village. The pasta was delicious. The red-and-white checkered tablecloths are a nice touch.
1:30 PM: Stroll through Central Park. Ah, peace, finally! Watched a street performer juggle fire torches. Felt like a real New Yorker for a brief moment, and it was beautiful.
4:00 PM: The MET! I'm a little overwhelmed by the immensity of it. I'm wandering around from exhibit to exhibit, and I'm honestly just gasping at all of the beauty, culture, history, and art. It is, truly, one of the most incredible places I've ever been to.
7:00 PM: Dinner at a place recommended by a local. A tiny, hole-in-the-wall place in the East Village. The food was exceptional, and the chat with the owner was even better. He told me about how he came from Italy years ago. How he was still here. He felt a bit of melancholy, I must say. Made me think about my own life, and purpose.
9:00 PM: Walk back to the hotel. The city is shining with millions of lights. The energy is all-consuming. I'm exhausted, but in a good way.
Day 3: Broadway Dreams and Tourist Traps (and a Big Mess)
9:00 AM: Slept in! The coffee shop will have to wait. My body needed the rest.
10:00 AM: Attempted to snag last-minute tickets to a Broadway show. Absolutely impossible. Sold out! I was disappointed, but in a way, I thought it was fitting, somehow. Not everything can be the most ideal.
11:00 AM: Decided to embrace the tourist trap. Walked to that cheesy souvenir shop near Times Square. Bought a "I <3 NY" t-shirt. I feel awful.
12:00 PM: Got lost near the Rockefeller Center, stumbled upon the Christmas tree even though it's not Christmas. It was… majestic. Not gonna lie, I loved it.
1:00 PM: Had lunch at a diner. A greasy burger, fries, and a milkshake. Decided to live life, and embrace the experience.
2:00 PM: Walked through the streets of the city. The street vendors, the different kinds of people. The smells, the trash, the beauty. The city is dirty. It is beautiful. It is all of the things.
4:00 PM: Statue of Liberty tour. It was fine. The ferry was crowded. The statue was… a statue. I swear, the real highlight was the seagull that tried to steal my hot dog.
7:00 PM: Finally, a Broadway show! The Book of Mormon. It was hilarious. I laughed until my stomach hurt.
9:30 PM: Back to the hotel. I felt like a changed person. I was beginning to love the city.
Day 4: Highs, Lows, and the Longing for Home
7:00 AM: Woke up. With the exhaustion of the previous day, I had a deep sleep (relatively). A bit of a headache, however, from the evening.
8:00 AM: Went out for breakfast. A bit of a struggle, as I went back to the same coffee shop as before. The barista was not impressed.
9:00 AM: Walked around the city. Tried to take in as much as I could. The buildings, the people. I had a lot of thoughts, and I couldn't even process them all.
11:00 AM: Went to a museum. Not a super great experience.
1:00 PM: Lunch. Meh.
2:00 PM: Tried shopping, but the lines were insane and I didn't want to spend too much money. Then, I lost my phone.
4:00 PM: Panicked. Back to the hotel, to retrace my footsteps.
5:00 PM: Went back to the store I was at, but the phone was nowhere to be seen. I was convinced that I was absolutely hopeless and the city was going to swallow me whole.
6:00 PM: Had a moment to myself, and calmed down. The city, I thought, was really not the problem.
7:00 PM: Went back out alone, and found a little pizza place. It was exactly what I needed.
8:00 PM: Back to the hotel, alone. Went to bed. I couldn't wait for the trip to be over.
Day 5-7. The Great Fade
I’m not even going to bother with specific times, because at this point, everything kind of blurs together. The magic of the early days has worn off. The constant noise, the crowds, the relentless energy…it’s starting to grate. The hotel room, once a novelty, now feels like a suffocating box.
Mostly, it's a blur of: Walking around, trying not to get run over. Eating (mostly unremarkable meals). Trying not to get lost. A lot of staring at the ceiling of my hotel room. A general haze of exhaustion and a growing sense of homesickness.
Highlights: A surprisingly good bagel from a street vendor (twice). A fleeting moment of connection with a fellow tourist who also looked utterly lost. Deciding to treat myself to a fancy dessert.
Lowlights: A near-miss with a rogue taxi. Getting yelled at for hesitating at a crosswalk. A growing suspicion that I’m developing a permanent crick in my neck from constantly looking up at the skyscrapers. Feeling a little too close to the ground.
Departure:
Finally, my flight home. Freedom! Or
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45 Times Square: The NYC Hotel You NEED to Book (Before It's Gone! ...Probably) - A Messy FAQ
Okay, seriously, what *is* so amazing about 45 Times Square? Is it, like, actually worth the hype?
The location... is it *too* Times Square-y? Like, can you actually sleep?
Is it fancy? Swanky? Overpriced? What's the vibe?
What about the food?! Tell me about the restaurants!
Is it family-friendly? Or is it a hot mess of tourists?
Okay, so the "Before It's Gone!" part! What's the deal?
What's the biggest pro and con? Seriously.
**Con:** The noise. I really, really want to emphasize the noise. It's a relentless, never-ending cacophony. Bring earplugs. And maybe a therapist. (Just kidding… mostly.)
Alright, spill the tea. Any truly *memorable* experiences?
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