Embassy Suites by Hilton New York Manhattan Times Square

Rooms and decor

Picture a hotel in the middle of Manhattan where you don't have to cram the whole family into one tight box of a room — that's the appeal of Embassy Suites by Hilton New York Manhattan Times Square. Hilton's Embassy Suites brand is all-suite throughout, which means every room isn't a bare bedroom but a studio suite that splits the sitting area from the sleeping area. Walk in and you hit a sitting corner with a sofa bed, a work desk, a TV, plus a fridge and microwave built in, and the bedroom zone comes next. The look is clean and modern in warm, easy tones to Hilton standard — nothing flashy, but it fits together and works. What families love most is that once the kids are asleep in the bedroom, parents can still watch TV, work, or sip a glass of wine in the sitting area without bothering anyone. There's a fridge for the kids' milk and snacks and a microwave for late-night reheats. Space like this is hard to find at this price in the middle of Midtown, which is why so many reviews agree it feels like having a little apartment in the middle of New York — and that makes a family trip a lot more comfortable.

Food and amenities

If there's one highlight that brings people back to Embassy Suites again and again, it's the food and the freebies, which go further than at many hotels. It starts with free breakfast made fresh every morning — more than bread and coffee, with eggs to order, pancakes, pastries, fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt and hot coffee to fuel up before a full day out. For families with kids, eating their fill for free every morning in a city where one breakfast costs a fair bit really does save a lot. Come evening there's a happy hour handing out free drinks and snacks — a window for the whole family to come back and rest their feet after a tiring day, sip a drink, and talk over the day's fun before deciding where to head for dinner. Beyond the food, there's a fitness center for anyone who likes to work out, free Wi-Fi throughout the building, and staff that many reviews call friendly and good at recommending restaurants and getting around. All in all it's a hotel that gives more than the price suggests.

Location and getting there

The location is another strength that makes this place work so well for families. The hotel sits in the heart of Midtown, about a 5-minute walk from Times Square — which means you can walk the kids out in the morning to see the giant light boards, the skyscrapers, and the legendary buzz of New York without getting in a car. The area around it is packed with Broadway theaters, restaurants of every style, candy shops, and malls to shop until your feet give out. The key piece for sightseeing is the Times Square-42nd St subway station, a hub for several major lines, about a 5 to 7 minute walk away, which makes it dead easy to hop on the metro to other parts of the city — whether heading down to Lower Manhattan, out to Central Park, or across to another neighborhood. A short stroll also gets you to Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, and the shopping along Fifth Avenue. The short version: if you want a family trip based in the center of the city, with plenty to walk to and easy train connections, this location is hard to beat.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing to make peace with is the vibe of the neighborhood — Times Square is one of the busiest, most crowded spots on the planet, so the area around the hotel has people, light boards and noise almost around the clock. If you're someone who needs quiet, this kind of setting may not be your thing, and street-facing rooms may catch some of the neighborhood's noise. Ask for a high floor on a side away from the main street up front. The second thing that comes up often in reviews is that breakfast and happy hour get fairly crowded at peak times, and you sometimes have to wait in line or hunt for a seat, especially on weekends and in high season — the trick is to head down a little before opening for a much easier time. The last point is space: even though it's a suite that separates the living area from the bedroom, the bathroom and some corners are still compact, in line with a building in the middle of Manhattan where space is limited. Anyone expecting a big, lavish bathroom may need to dial expectations down a notch, though overall you still get more usable space than a standard hotel in the same area.

Our take

After our team sat down and read through plenty of real reviews, Embassy Suites by Hilton New York Manhattan Times Square is a hotel that nails the combination of usable space, value and a central location especially well for families. If the trip in your head is bringing the kids to New York, wanting a room that gives them their own sleeping zone while parents relax, with a fridge and microwave for warming milk or food, free breakfast to fill up every morning, and Times Square a few minutes' walk out the door, this place ticks just about every box. But if you're after 5-star luxury, big bathrooms, or a quiet, private atmosphere, this may not be your answer, because its real strength is comfort and value for families more than grandeur. Overall we give it 8.4/10, best for families and groups of friends who want space, savings on food, and a base in the heart of Midtown you can sightsee from all day.