Homewood Suites by Hilton East Rutherford - Meadowlands

Rooms and decor

Turn off Route 17 into this Homewood Suites, step into the lobby, and the first thing you feel is comfortable and easygoing rather than fancy — and that's exactly the appeal. The look is warm and simple in the usual Homewood way, leaning more home than buttoned-up hotel. Get up to the room and you understand why people stay here for stretches, why it sits at #1 in East Rutherford on Tripadvisor: the room isn't just a bed, it's a small apartment. Every suite has a kitchen with a fridge, microwave, and dishwasher, a separate sitting area, and a work desk — laid out so you can actually live rather than just crash for one night. Families feel right away that the place was designed for a multi-day stay. Mornings, you head down to free hot breakfast in the lobby and skip the scramble to find somewhere to eat.

Food and amenities

What sets Homewood Suites apart is that it's genuinely built for the long stay. The in-room kitchens aren't for show — a family of several can buy groceries and cook, which trims the food bill, makes feeding the kids easier, and the big fridge holds plenty. Free hot breakfast waits every morning, and after a day at the stadium or out shopping there's an indoor pool you can use in any season, so a chilly New Jersey night doesn't matter. There's a gym for anyone who likes to keep moving, and because it's a Hilton you can book and earn through Honors. The clearest sign of quality is how high and steady the real reviews run — #1 in East Rutherford on Tripadvisor and a 9.0 on Booking, a number you don't see often for a hotel in this tier. That's why so many guests say they'd come back.

Location and getting there

The location is the part we most want to tell you about, because it lands exactly where a soccer trip wants it. The hotel sits on the south side of Route 17, in the heart of the Meadowlands, which means you're only about 1.5 miles from MetLife Stadium — roughly a 5-minute drive to the gates. With MetLife home to the Giants and Jets and a top concert venue, being this close means you're back and resting quickly after the final whistle instead of fighting a long jam into the city. Around the hotel you've also got the Meadowlands Sports Complex and the giant American Dream mall, with its indoor water park, Nickelodeon Universe, indoor ski slope, and hundreds of shops — so on a no-match day you can shop or take the kids out without going far. Manhattan is a short drive across, too. It works as a base for both the football and the sightseeing.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk from the real reviews to help you decide. First: there's no train station nearby, so almost all of your getting-around leans on a rental car or a rideshare. If you're not renting, factor the running transport cost — especially if you plan to head into Manhattan a lot. Second: the overall feel is built around function and convenience more than luxury. If you're after a stylish, photo-ready hotel for social media, this one runs a little plain, because the selling point is the space and what works. And third: on days with a big event at MetLife Stadium, especially on concert and big-game nights, rates climb well above normal and rooms fill fast. If you're planning for that window, book well ahead to lock in both the price and the room.

Our take

Homewood Suites by Hilton East Rutherford - Meadowlands fits families and groups coming to a match at MetLife Stadium for several nights who want a kitchen to cook in, want to keep food costs down, and need more space than a plain bedroom. If you're driving or renting a car, you get the full benefit of this spot — a 5-minute drive to the stadium, next to both American Dream and the Meadowlands Sports Complex. With reviews that put it at #1 in East Rutherford on Tripadvisor and a 9.0 on Booking, you can trust that real guests are very happy here. But if you're traveling solo without a car, or you want a luxe downtown hotel with nightlife at the door, this may not be your first pick. Overall we give it 8.7/10 for a value-minded, easy-to-reach family base for a long event-week stay.