Where to Stay in New York City: Best Area for First Visit (+Map & Tips)

Planning a trip to NYC and wondering where to stay for sightseeing and tourist sights? In this guide, we share our experience-based tips and suggestions for the very best area to stay in New York City, including hotel recommendations for all budgets.

Let’s cut to the chase – if it’s your first time in New York City and you’re looking for a central, convenient location that’s close to many of the must-see sights, Midtown Manhattan, more or less between Central Park and Union Square, is the best area to stay in NYC. The most central – and busiest – area is around Times Square.

For a complete resource on where to stay in NYC and our hotel picks in Midtown Manhattan, check out the detailed article below. But first, my personal recommendations for first-time visitors.

My Top Picks – Best Value Hotels in Midtown Manhattan

If you don’t have the time to read the entire article or do extensive research and are looking for insider tips on the very best places to stay in NYC, here are my top-3 handpicked hotel recommendations in the most central area – perfect for your first visit.

Keep in mind that prices vary immensely depending on your travel dates, group size, and how long in advance you book. Simply click on the hotel name to check availability and current rates:

• Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square is one of the most popular, highly rated mid-budget hotels in the most sought-after area, just south of Central Park and north of Times Square.

• With breakfast included, Fairfield By Marriott Times Square offers excellent value in Midtown Manhattan. It’s located just a few blocks southwest of Times Square (still super central).

• On a lower budget in the best area, check out Pod Times Square. Featuring basic, but modern rooms with private facilities, this super popular hotel is one of the best-rated budget options in the most central area of NYC. That said, I find that the price difference isn’t always worth it compared to the more luxurious options we listed above. Once again, you really have to check rates for your exact travel dates to be able to pick the best deal for your stay.

 

How Many Days Do You Need?

If you are just starting to plan your trip and haven’t decided how many days to stay in NYC, we highly recommend staying in the city for at least 4-5 days (5-6 nights). This gives you time to see the main attractions, visit a few museums, explore some local neighborhoods, and enjoy the city without rushing.

See our recommended New York City itinerary for more details on how to plan your time. We also have detailed guides for 1 day in NYC and 2 days in NYC. These itineraries will help you make the most of your visit if you have limited time.

PRO TIP: Book your tickets for the main attractions well in advance!

READ ALSO: NYC Travel Tips

The Best Area to Stay in NYC + Map

Midtown Manhattan is the heart of the Big Apple and the best area to stay in New York City. It’s home to world-famous landmarks, Broadway theaters, top museums, 4 out of 5 best observation decks, shopping, and great food. Plus, it’s very well connected by subway and train. Staying here, you’ll be right in the middle of it all.

Midtown Manhattan is a vast area roughly from Central Park (59th Street) down to Union Square (14th Street). This includes well-known neighborhoods like Times Square, Bryant Park, Koreatown, and stretches of Fifth Avenue.

So, where exactly to stay?

Anywhere in Midtown Manhattan is great, but the most central area is around Times Square – this is where you’ll find many tourist attractions and the most popular hotels. Just to be clear, you don’t have to stay right at Times Square (where it’s always busy and loud), but a few blocks around it in any direction is great, and pretty much as central as it gets.

If you are visiting NYC for Christmas, staying in this area, you’ll be within a short walking distance to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the ice skating rink at Central Park, and countless shopping and dining options.

Good to know: Generally, the closer you get to Central Park, the more expensive it gets. For the best value/location, check accommodations south of Times Square, around Penn Station – Madison Square Garden. This area is located a few blocks south, a 10-15 minute walk from all the action, and has lots of good accommodation options.

Advantages of Staying in Midtown Manhattan

There are many reasons to stay in Midtown Manhattan. Here are just some of the main advantages of staying here:

• You can walk to most major sights. Times Square, Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, MoMA, Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, Grand Central, and Central Park – all are walkable if you’re staying in Midtown.

• Great subway connections. Midtown is one of the best-connected areas in NYC. You’ll be close to multiple subway lines, which makes it easy to get around.

• Perfect for first-time visitors. You won’t waste time figuring out how to get from one place to another. Most tourist spots are just minutes away, either on foot or by subway.

• Plenty of accommodation options. Midtown has everything from 5-star hotels and historic buildings to boutique stays and budget-friendly chains.

• Good food is never far. From upscale restaurants and rooftop bars to food halls and pizza joints, you won’t go hungry here.

• Easy airport access. Whether you fly into JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark, Midtown is relatively easy to reach by train, bus, or taxi.

Potential Downsides of Staying in Midtown

I find that the advantages of staying in the heart of Manhattan more than outweigh any of the drawbacks. But in case you wonder, there are some disadvantages too. Here are the main ones:

• It’s busy – all the time. Expect foot traffic, ads, and noise day and night. It’s vibrant but not exactly peaceful.

TIP: Check hotel reviews, and you’ll quickly get a good idea if noise is an issue. For a quieter experience, ask for a room on a higher floor or on the courtyard side (no view, but usually very quiet). But remember that it’s difficult to avoid the usual NYC street noise altogether.

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station and Virgin Hotels NYC, and in both cases, could hear some street noise, but nothing that would keep you awake at night. It didn’t bother us at all – it’s just part of NYC experience.

• Hotel rooms can be smaller and more expensive. Even mid-range hotels in NYC might feel tight compared to what you’d get elsewhere, and prices can really spike, especially during busy times.

PRO TIP: Book early, compare prices, and check reviews for details like noise levels, room size, and whether there’s a hidden resort fee (that’s why we use and recommend Booking.com, where the price you see is the price you pay – with all taxes and fees included).

If you need more space, consider apartments. For example, Radio City Apartments are very central and offer spacious studios and 1-2 bedroom apartments.

Recommended Hotels in Midtown Manhattan

Based on the research we did for several of our recent trips to NYC, here are some of the best-value hotels for all budgets.

Good to know: Price ranges below are just an indication – everything depends on when exactly you travel, when you book, which room types are available, how many people share the room, etc. Sometimes, you can find a fantastic deal at a 4-5* hotel with great reviews, and a week later, you can pay twice as much for a mediocre accommodation.

Here are our handpicked recommendations – hotels that offer good price/quality ratio close to Times Square (click on the hotel name for more info and rates):

• $$$$$$$$$$ The Plaza – the most iconic luxury hotel in NYC (remember Home Alone? ;)).
• $$$$$$$$ The Langham, Fifth Avenue – contemporary 5* hotel with fantastic reviews.
• $$$$$ Iroquois Times Square – more affordable 5* hotel in a quieter street.
• $$$$ Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square – a super popular mid-budget hotel between Times Square and Rockefeller Center.
• $$$ M Social Hotel Times Square – a very popular hotel in the heart of all the action.
• $$ CIVILIAN Hotel – highly-rated mid-budget 4* hotel close to everything.
• $ Pod Times Square – best-rated lower-budget option in the super central location.

PRO TIP: If you are looking for better value for your money, check if the rates include breakfast. Eating out in NYC is really expensive, and a breakfast at a mid-budget hotel can quickly cost you $30-50 per person. The Marriott group has several well-priced hotels in Midtown Manhattan that include American breakfast:

• Fairfield By Marriott Times Square – just two blocks south of Times Square.
• SpringHill Suites Times Square South and Fairfield Inn & Suites Times Square South – these two hotels are literally in the same building and share the facilities.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station – just near Penn Station – super easy to reach from all airports. We stayed here recently, booked a room with a view, and it was perfect.

SUMMER TIP: If you are visiting NYC in the summer, you may want to consider booking a hotel with a pool. New York summers can be hot and extremely humid, and having a pool to relax in for a few hours might make your trip so much better!

We recently stayed at Virgin Hotels NYC – it has a beautiful outdoor pool overlooking the Empire State Building. Margaritaville Resort Times Square is one of the more affordable hotels with a pool, and even more central.

As you can imagine, there are hundreds of hotels in Manhattan, so this is just a small selection of some of the most popular and highly-rated options. The best way to find a good deal for your stay is by checking the availability for your specific situation.

TIP: You can do this by using the map below – simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see all the best options in one place. Check it out!

So, these are our recommendations for the very best area to stay for sightseeing in New York. Staying in Midtown Manhattan, you’ll be close to everything, save time and money on transportation, and have plenty of restaurants, shops, and landmarks right at your doorstep.

Yes, it’s busy. Yes, it can be pricey. But the convenience and energy of Midtown Manhattan are hard to beat, especially when you want to make the most of your time in New York City and experience it to the fullest.

Now that you know where to sleep in New York, let me wish you a wonderful time in the City That Never Sleeps! 😉 Have a great trip!

More Travel Inspiration for New York:

• Best Observation Decks in NYC
• Tips for the Statue of Liberty
• Central Park’s Most Iconic Locations
• Travel Tips for Your First Visit to NYC
• Itineraries:
  • 1 Day in New York City
  • 2-Days New York City Itinerary
  • Up to 7 Days in New York City

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