Hotel review: Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square

A big thanks to Hilton for hosting my stay so I could write this detailed review of my experience.


In January, I flew to New York for the International Media Marketplace (IMM), which is one of the premier travel conferences of the year for travel writers and public relations folks from all over the world.

This year was their largest event yet with over 1,300 attendees. It’s held on the West Side at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (11^th Avenue and 35^th Street).

While I was there, the good folks at Hilton put me up at Motto by Hilton. I had never heard of this brand or perhaps I had but have forgotten, which wouldn’t be surprising since Hilton now has a total of 24 brands under their umbrella.

Motto is relatively new and focuses on offering stylish, modern and affordable accommodations, particularly in urban locations. The special rate for my two nights was $188 total, which is about 50% off the rates on their website. Still a great deal for New York City.

Motto by Hilton boasts that their hotels are usually in central locations, typically located, they say, in “vibrant city centers, close to popular attractions, dining and business districts.”

This 400-room hotel, opened in September 2023, is in Times Square (150 A West 48th Street). Now, Times Square is not my favorite area of Manhattan to say the least but I do love its proximity to the West Side. TIP: If you’re heading south to somewhere on the West Side like the Javits Center, instead of having a rideshare driver pick you up at the hotel, take a left out of the lobby and walk 100 yards to the Renaissance Hotel to save you both time and money.
I arrived at the Motto at 3:30pm and had to hustle because the Hilton event I was attending started at 4pm, about a mile away. I tried checking in online the day before to get a digital key to save time, but it wouldn’t allow me since my credit card wasn’t tied to the reservation. But in the end, there was no line at the front desk and in fact, the seven times I walked through the small lobby, I never saw one.

Guests will love the elevators since they’re quick. I never waited more than 30 seconds. After you press your room number on the outside and scan your key, it assigns you one of the four elevators.

The rooms are designed to be compact and efficient … and they are. They’re small; the average size is 150 square feet (mine was 130), but they surprisingly work well and really give you an “apartment-style” experience.

Although, the rooms are small they’re still quite comfortable – especially the bed. I loved the pillows and the comforter, which wasn’t too heavy.

The guest rooms are equipped with 55-inch, flat-screen TVs at the end of the bed and they have all the channels you could possibly want including HBO, YouTube, Netflix, Tubi, Pluto and more. GOOD TO KNOW: Your Hilton Honors app is also a remote where you can set favorite channels and apps during your stay and save them for future stays.

What I found most surprising is the modular furniture and smart designs that maximize space. There was no chair for the ‘desk.’ Instead, guests can use the end of the bed, which is a first for me.

Another first for me was to have the housekeeper’s QR code tip card tucked into the corner of the TV. Tipping digitally has been a trend for a while now but I almost always leave cash.

There was no closet. Instead, there’s an open rack with hangers above the sink.

The shower was narrow but again, it worked well as did the shower pressure.

There’s a $30 daily mandatory Destination Charge, which includes: WiFi; daily $10 food and beverage credit for use in all Motto Hotel outlets; 1 Crunch Fitness pass; 1 Citi Bike rental unlimited pass; 2 premium bottled waters, Motto Welcome Wafers and ear plugs.

The hotel targets both business and leisure travelers. Business travelers won’t love that most rooms seem to have connecting doors (see screenshot above; the space between the walls are doors). The good news is the doors seen to be more solid than most or my neighbors weren’t too loud. Leisure travelers with large families or groups will love it because you can connect a whole floor. I was told it’s popular for girl’s getaways, when friends want their own room but to still be connected.

Daily food and beverage credit
As a Hilton Honors Gold member, I had the choice to receive a daily food and beverage credit or 1,000 bonus points as part of my MyWay benefits. If you choose the daily food and beverage credit, you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room will each receive an $18 credit for each night of your stay, on one room. This credit is provided in place of the previous MyWay continental breakfast benefit and can be used towards food and beverage purchases at designated outlets throughout the property. Since it was just me and I was attending a conference that provided food, I chose the points.

I’m not a coffee drinker but one of the hotel’s selling points is that guests can find coffee prepared in the Motto common spaces. Steamers and other amenities may be requested at the front desk.

Overall
If you’re looking to save money, want to stay in Times Square and you don’t need a lot of space, then Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square is really a no brainer. You can’t beat the location, comfortable bed and most of all, the budget-friendly price point.

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