Hampton Inn Manhattan/Times Square South

We tried another hotel a block away that cost about 100$ more, and this one is clearly better value, especially with breakfast included. The rooms are small, but that’s New York. There’s a corner store nearby, and they’ll look after your bags if you arrive early from the airport. One warning, the elevators can take ages around breakfast. I waited about 15 minutes while people filled them up. If you’re on one of the first five floors and able to use the stairs, do it. You might be waiting either way. If you’re older, I sympathize, but you’ll probably have to wait.

The front desk team was pleasant at check-in and checkout, but the rest of the experience was bad enough that we left Sunday morning, despite booking two rooms from Saturday through Wednesday. We arrived around 2:00 a.m. and quickly regretted trying this hotel after usually staying a few blocks away. On Sunday, while we were trying to plan our day in the lobby, housekeeping made us feel pushed out so they could sweep. Our room was dirty, with a dark handprint plainly visible on the main room curtain. The shower doors were extremely hard to move, and I nearly got stuck before forcing my way out. The rollers had loose screws and looked like they’d been put back into newly drilled holes, suggesting the problem hadn’t been resolved. My wife hung her toiletry bag on the towel rack, which snapped in half and fell. The conditioner was empty, there was barely any shampoo or body wash, and the towels were very rough and worn. Worst of all was the mattress. I could feel every spring as soon as I lay down. By about 2:30 a.m. we’d decided to check out in the morning and move to the Homewood Suites down the road, for nearly the same price and much better quality. The online photos don’t match the hotel’s current condition. I’ve stayed in budget motels that were cleaner, more comfortable, and better maintained. It’s shocking that this property carries the Hampton Inn and Hilton names. Save yourself the disappointment and stay elsewhere.

The staff made us feel welcome from the minute we arrived, and Jessica was especially sweet and easy to talk to. When a blizzard forced me to stay an extra night, they found me the best rate they could. The hotel is a small place tucked on the edge of Time Square, easy to walk past if you blink. It’s about 10-15 minutes on foot from the main part of Time Square and around 10 minutes from Penn Station. The location could be better, but the people more than made up for it. I’m returning in April and looking forward to it.

The free hot breakfast was a nice extra, with eggs, waffles, and other options usually kept well stocked. The rooms were clean, beds comfortable, and AC worked well, though everything was basic and small by NYC standards. The walls are thin, so you can hear people nearby. It’s on 39th St in Hell's Kitchen, about a ten-minute walk to Times Square and near Penn Station, Port Authority, and the subway. Broadway, theaters, and food are easy to reach, while the quieter location is a little outside the center. Service was mixed, with some friendly folks at breakfast and the front desk but slow elevators and uneven help. A decent budget stay if the price is right, and I’d consider it again. Four stars.