RIU Plaza NY Times Square – 5 minutes to Times Square

If you’re looking for a hotel in New York, you really are spoiled for choice. We opted for the 4-star RIU Plaza NY Times Square based on reviews, location and the breakfast on offer. A good choice, as it turned out.

The hotel is located in the famous “Restaurant Row” (West 46th Street), just a few steps away from the vibrant Times Square. This prime location makes it an ideal starting point for exploring New York’s countless sights on foot or by public transport. We easily reached the hotel from the airport by metro. The “49th Street” station is not far away and we were able to walk there without any problems.

I was immediately impressed by the spacious lobby of the hotel and the first breath of fresh air and the feeling of having arrived put us in a vacation mood. From the porter to reception, all the staff had a friendly smile and tried to fulfill our every wish during our stay.

Check-in went very quickly. We had booked through a large tour operator and everything was perfectly organized. We were allocated a room on the 3rd floor. The hotel has more than 600 rooms in total. Then something happened that really surprised me. We were offered a room of the same category on the upper floors with a better view for an extra charge. The surcharge was quite high and we decided against it. What would have happened if the rooms on the lowest 3 floors, which were free of extra charge, had all been occupied? Would we then also have had to pay extra to get a room?

Room selection

We were definitely very happy with our choice. The room faced the inner courtyard, so we didn’t hear any street noise and the view wasn’t too bad either.

The RIU Plaza NY Times Square offers various room categories:

• Deluxe Room (King/Queen): Furnished with a king-size or queen-size bed, ideal for solo travelers or couples.
• Deluxe Room (Two Double Beds): Accommodate up to four people.
• Family rooms: Also have a sofa bed, making them ideal for families.
• Suites: Offer more space and a separate living area for added comfort.

We had opted for a room with two queen-size beds. A large and spacious room, more than enough room for 2 people, with 4 people it certainly gets quite cramped.

The beds were great, I slept very well. There were sockets right by the bed – don’t forget your travel adapter! I really liked the fact that there was plenty of storage space in the wardrobe and our suitcases easily found a place under the beds.

There was also a laptop-sized safe in the room, a TV, a small fridge and a well-functioning air conditioning system (which could also be used as heating if required). The free WiFi worked well in our room and also in the public areas of the hotel.

The bathroom was a good size. Some vacationers may need to get used to the fact that the bathroom is separated from the room by frosted glass panes and also has a frosted glass sliding door. It didn’t bother me, but I’m sure not all hotel guests feel that way.

Note from me: There are 5 elevators in the hotel. These are very busy during peak times and it can happen that you have to wait a little. The only thing that helps is to keep calm and enjoy your vacation – even if you complain, they won’t go any faster!

Breakfast at the RIU Plaza NY Time Square

Breakfast was already included in the price when we booked. So we didn’t have to worry about the price or searching for coffee in the morning and were able to start the day “comfortably”.

Breakfast time was from 7-10am, but we were told at check-in that we could get something to eat from 6:30am. A good tip, as it turned out.

After our first night, which ended for us at 4 am due to the time difference, we were in the breakfast room at 6.30 am. It was already full and a little later there was already a queue for free tables. Even though the room is quite large and a second area was opened later, for over 600 rooms (and therefore at least 600-1200 guests) the space was already very small. It’s a good thing that not all guests are there at the same time, but you should still allow for waiting times.

Personally, I liked the second breakfast room (which is otherwise a restaurant) much better. It was smaller, quieter and much more comfortable to sit in. There was also access to a small inner courtyard, which is also opened from time to time.

The breakfast was great! The selection in all areas was excellent and the quality of the food was very good. To my delight, even the coffee was good, which unfortunately is often not the case in many hotels. We had a rich and long breakfast and thus “saved” ourselves lunch.

What else does the RIU Plaza NY Time Square offer?

• Fitness center: A well-equipped fitness center is available around the clock free of charge.
• Business Center: Business travelers can use the business center facilities.
• Luggage storage: Luggage can be securely stored both before check-in and after check-out.
• 24-hour reception: The friendly and multilingual staff is always available to assist guests.
• No resort fee: Unlike many other New York hotels, the RIU Plaza NY Times Square does not charge an additional resort fee.
• “Fashion Bar”: A stylish bar offering cocktails and light snacks in the evening.
• Check-in: usually from 16:00 onwards
• Check-out: usually until 12:00 noon

Address

305 West 46th Street,
New York, NY 10036

Sights nearby

• Times Square: approx. 250 meters
• Broadway Theater: in the immediate vicinity
• Rockefeller Center: approx. 900 meters
• Central Park: approx. 1 kilometer