Times Square is a lot. Honestly, most New Yorkers avoid it like the plague because of the sensory overload, the Elmos, and the persistent smell of roasted nuts and exhaust. But right in the middle of that chaos sits The Times Square EDITION, and it’s kinda weird how well it functions as an escape from the very neighborhood it calls home.
It’s expensive. It’s sleek. It’s basically Ian Schrager’s love letter to a version of New York that feels more like a high-end film set than a tourist trap. When you walk into the lobby, the first thing you notice isn't the noise of 7th Avenue. It’s the smell. Le Labo’s signature scent for the brand hits you immediately, and suddenly the bright LED billboards outside feel a million miles away.
What Most People Get Wrong About Staying Here
People usually think staying in Times Square means sacrificing quality for convenience. You expect a cramped room, a noisy AC unit, and a generic breakfast buffet. The Times Square EDITION flips that.
It’s positioned as a "luxury lifestyle" hotel, which is really just marketing speak for "it looks cool and the bar is famous." But the nuance matters. Unlike the nearby Marriotts or Hiltons that cater to massive conventions, this place is tiny in spirit but massive in design. The building itself is part of the 20 Times Square development. It towers over the intersection of 47th Street and 7th Avenue, yet the entrance is surprisingly discreet.
Most travelers assume the noise will be unbearable. It isn't. The soundproofing in the rooms is legitimately impressive. You can watch the flickering lights of the Coca-Cola sign from your window while sitting in total, eerie silence. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition. You’re hovering over the busiest intersection in the Western Hemisphere, but you’re wrapped in white oak and Italian linens.
The Design Philosophy (And Why It Isn't For Everyone)
Schrager, the man behind Studio 54 and the original boutique hotel movement, doesn't do "cozy" in the traditional sense. Everything is minimalist. Some people hate it. They think it feels cold or "too cool for school."
If you want a floral bedspread and a rocking chair, go to a B&B in Vermont. Here, you get white walls, silk area rugs, and a very specific type of modern lighting that makes everyone look like they’ve had eight hours of sleep and a facial. The rooms are surprisingly functional, though. They don't waste space. It’s New York—space is the ultimate luxury, and they use every square inch of those floor-to-ceiling windows to remind you where you are.
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Dining and Nightlife: More Than Just a Hotel Bar
One of the genuine surprises of The Times Square EDITION is the food. Usually, hotel restaurants in this zip code are an afterthought designed to capture people too tired to walk three blocks.
701West is the "fine dining" anchor here. It’s got an old-world glamour that feels very different from the rest of the hotel—think electric blue velvet and an incredible wine list curated by industry pros. Then there’s The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens. This is where most people end up. It was inspired by the L'Orangerie at the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, which sounds pretentious until you actually see the hundreds of plants and the way the light hits the space.
The Terrace Experience
- The Food: It’s American brasserie style. You’ll find things like homemade pastas and a really solid steak frites.
- The Vibe: It feels like a greenhouse in the sky.
- The Reality: It is notoriously hard to get a prime table during peak hours without a reservation, even if you’re staying in the hotel.
Then there’s Paradise Club. This is the entertainment heart of the building. It’s a modern cabaret, inspired by Studio 54 but updated for the 2020s. They do immersive performances, dinner theater, and late-night DJ sets. It’s loud. It’s flashy. It’s exactly what you want if you’re looking for "The New York Experience" without actually having to leave your hotel.
Logistics You Actually Care About
Let’s talk money and movement. The Times Square EDITION isn't cheap. You’re paying for the brand and the location. On a random Tuesday in November, you might find a room for $500. During New Year’s Eve or a busy graduation weekend? Expect that price to double or triple.
Accessibility and Transit
You are steps away from the N, R, W, 1, 2, 3, 7, and S trains. Basically, you can get anywhere in the city from here. If you’re taking an Uber or Lyft, God help you. The traffic on 7th Avenue is a permanent gridlock. Pro tip: have your driver drop you off a block away and walk. You'll save fifteen minutes of sitting in a car staring at a "Lion King" poster.
The Room Tiers
If you’re going to stay here, the "Times Square View" rooms are the only ones worth the premium. If you get a room facing the interior or the back of another building, you’re basically just staying in a very nice, very expensive white box. The whole point of this hotel is the view. Seeing the "Crossroads of the World" from a bathtub is a core memory kind of moment.
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Is It Actually Worth the Hype?
It depends on what you value. New York has better hotels for the same price if you go to the West Village or the Upper East Side. Places like The Carlyle or the Lowell offer a more traditional, storied luxury.
But those places aren't in Times Square.
The Times Square EDITION exists for the person who wants to be in the center of the action but doesn't want to feel like a "tourist." It’s for the traveler who has a Broadway show at 8:00 PM and wants to be back in their room by 10:15 PM without fighting through a sea of people for forty minutes.
The service is generally sharp, though it can feel a bit "sceney." The staff looks like they walked off a runway, which is standard for EDITION properties worldwide. Sometimes that can translate to a bit of a chilly atmosphere, but if you’re polite and know what you want, they’re incredibly efficient.
A Note on the "Greenery"
The hotel is famous for its plants. Like, a lot of plants. Thousands of them. It’s a nightmare for the horticulturists who have to maintain them, but for the guests, it provides a much-needed organic contrast to the steel and glass of midtown. It’s a literal urban jungle.
Navigating the Surrounding Chaos
If you stay at The Times Square EDITION, don't eat at the nearby chains. You have some of the best food in the world within a 15-minute walk.
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- Skip the Olive Garden. Walk over to 9th Avenue (Hell’s Kitchen). You’ll find incredible Thai, Italian, and Ethiopian spots that cost a third of the price.
- Joe’s Pizza. It’s on 1435 Broadway. It’s a classic for a reason. Grab a slice, stand on the sidewalk, and feel like a local for five minutes.
- The Drama Book Shop. Even if you aren't an actor, this place is iconic and has a great coffee shop inside. Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the owners.
Final Practical Insights for Your Stay
If you’ve decided to book a room at The Times Square EDITION, there are a few ways to make the experience better.
First, join the Marriott Bonvoy program. Even if you hate loyalty programs, the EDITION is part of the Marriott portfolio. This gets you better Wi-Fi and potentially a late checkout. Late checkout is huge in this city because New York flights are notoriously delayed.
Second, request a high floor. The lower floors still get some vibration from the subway and the general hum of the street performers. The higher you go, the more "floating" the experience feels.
Third, check the event calendar for the Paradise Club. If there’s a private event, some of the public spaces might be closed off. It’s worth a quick call to the concierge a few days before you arrive.
Ultimately, this hotel is a contradiction. It’s a quiet sanctuary built in the loudest place on earth. It’s a minimalist box surrounded by maximalist advertisements. If you can lean into that irony, you’ll love it. If you’re looking for a quiet neighborhood vibe, you’re in the wrong part of Manhattan. But for a weekend of Broadway, bright lights, and high-end cocktails, it’s hard to beat.
Your Next Steps for a Times Square Trip:
- Check your Marriott Bonvoy points balance; EDITION properties are often a great "high-value" redemption if you have a stack of points.
- Book your Broadway tickets at least three weeks out if you want anything other than the "nosebleed" sections.
- Make a reservation for The Terrace at least 48 hours in advance, especially for weekend brunch.
- Download a transit app like Citymapper; Google Maps is fine, but Citymapper tells you exactly which subway exit to use, which is a lifesaver at the 42nd St-Times Square station.