The Westin New York at Times Square
by the TopOfHotel team
The pick for families who want guaranteed connecting rooms and real parent-kid separation right in the middle of Times Square, where you can walk to everything — wide rooms, soft beds and an unbeatable location, traded against a relentlessly busy block and the usual New York add-on costs.
The pick for families who want guaranteed connecting rooms and real parent-kid separation right in the middle of Times Square, where you can walk to everything — wide rooms, soft beds and an unbeatable location, traded against a relentlessly busy block and the usual New York add-on costs.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a 45-floor tower with an unusual curved shape, split sharply into gold and blue until it becomes a neighborhood landmark, standing on 8th Avenue at the corner of 43rd Street, about a minute from the lights of Times Square — that is The Westin New York at Times Square, open since 2002. What makes families look hard at this place is the rooms themselves, because they run noticeably larger than the Manhattan midtown average, not the cramped boxes you find at a lot of places on the same block. The highlight is the mix of guaranteed connecting rooms at booking and junior suites of around 440 sq ft that link to a second room, so parents and kids get their own space without the hassle of booking different floors. Beds are the Westin Heavenly Bed, known for comfort, and reviews agree they sleep especially well after a full day out. Many higher floors open onto city views and the Times Square lights, full in the window — you wake to Manhattan waking up with you. The look is modern and easy on the eye, not flashy, built around what actually works for people out all day.
Food and amenities
Inside the tower the amenities are all there for anyone saving their energy for sightseeing. The WestinWORKOUT gym is open 24 hours and fully kitted out, good for a workout before the day or to loosen up after a long one. For food there is both a restaurant and a coffee shop in the building, easy to refuel without going far — handy for kids who get hungry suddenly or mornings when you would rather not jostle outside yet. A favorite touch is the self check-in kiosk, which keeps you out of long lines on busy days and lets families with small children move faster. The Heavenly Bed is part of the stay Westin is proud of, along with bathroom products and the standard amenities of an international hotel. Around the hotel you are surrounded by restaurants of every nationality and the Broadway theaters, so food and evening entertainment are barely a worry.
Location and getting there
The location is the real trump card here. The hotel stands on 8th Avenue at the corner of 43rd Street, about a 1-minute walk from the center of Times Square — step out the door and you hit the lights, the giant billboards and the New York buzz right away. The Times Square–42nd St subway station, a major hub pulling together almost every line (1/2/3/7/N/Q/R/W/S), is only about a 3-minute walk, so you can hop on the subway to other parts of the city without leaning on taxis. From here Broadway is a few minutes on foot, and Central Park, the Empire State Building or Hudson Yards are a few subway stops away. For families bringing kids to the city for the first time, a location that walks to everything and gets you on the subway this easily saves a lot of time and energy — use the hotel as a base and fan out around the city.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. The first thing to weigh most is noise and crowds, because the hotel sits in the middle of Times Square, which stays busy all day and all night. Street-facing rooms may catch traffic, horns and the clamor of the area. If you or the kids are light sleepers, ask for a high floor facing the interior, or steer clear of the side along 8th Avenue. Second, this is a large hotel of nearly 900 rooms, so at peak times the lobby and elevators can get crowded and you may wait a while — some reviews feel the service is less personal than a small hotel, which is normal at this scale. And the last point that comes up often in reviews is the add-on costs of a New York hotel: breakfast, in-room water and various fees that run fairly high. Check the package details when you book so nothing catches you out at checkout.
Our take
From reading through plenty of real guest reviews, The Westin New York at Times Square is one of the best fits for families in this area. With guaranteed connecting rooms and junior suites that link up, parents and kids get separate space without rolling the dice, and the rooms run larger than average, the Heavenly Bed sleeps well and the dead-center Times Square location walks to everything and gets you on the subway easily. If the trip in your head is bringing the family to New York and using the hotel as a base to walk all day, then coming back to a wide room to rest, this is a very neat choice. But if you are after quiet privacy or close, boutique-style service, the reality of a big hotel in a neighborhood that never sleeps may not be the answer. Overall we give it 8.2/10, best for families and business travelers who value wide rooms, connecting space and a central location that walks to everything.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Connecting rooms you can guarantee at the time of booking, plus junior suites of around 440 sq ft that link to a second room — families get parents and kids in separate space without rolling the dice at check-in.
- The location walks to the center of Times Square in about 1 minute, and the Times Square–42nd St subway station, which pulls together almost every line, is roughly a 3-minute walk — getting anywhere in the city is easy.
- Rooms run noticeably larger than the Manhattan midtown average, and many higher floors open onto city views with the Times Square lights filling the window.
- The Westin Heavenly Bed has a reputation for comfortable sleep, and plenty of reviews single it out as an especially deep night's rest after a full day of walking.
- Family-friendly amenities are all on hand — the WestinWORKOUT gym is open 24 hours, there is a restaurant and a coffee shop in the building, you can check in yourself at a kiosk, and Broadway theaters and countless restaurants are right outside.
- It sits in the middle of Times Square, which is busy and loud all day and all night — street-facing rooms catch traffic, horns and the general clamor of the area. Light sleepers should ask for a high floor facing the interior.
- This is a large hotel of nearly 900 rooms, so at peak times the lobby and elevators can get crowded and slow, and some reviews feel the service is less personal than a small hotel.
- Expect New York hotel add-on costs — breakfast, in-room water and various fees run fairly high. Check the details when you book so nothing surprises you at checkout.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Traveling as a family, request a connecting room or a junior suite that links up right at booking, then call the hotel to confirm before you arrive so it is locked in.
- Light sleepers should ask for a high floor facing the interior, or avoid the side along 8th Avenue, to cut the noise from a Times Square block that stays busy all night.
- Use the nearby Times Square–42nd St station as your subway base — it pulls together almost every line, saving both time and taxi fare when taking the kids to other parts of the city.