Best Hotels in New York: On a Grid This Dense, the Subway Stop Is Part of the Room

The best hotels in New York are decided by the block, not the lobby. This is a city of 985 places to stay and 109,004 rooms, with an average guest rating of 8.0 across 178,834 reviews. A hotel on Wall Street and one on West 40th Street can share a star rating and offer two entirely different trips. Downtown is quiet after dark and sits near the Brooklyn Bridge and the Seaport. Midtown is loud and central, with Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park and the theaters at the door. The Lower East Side and SoHo are for eating late and walking home.

Every hotel here rates 9.1 or higher, well above the citywide average. We ordered them by how much confidence the guest data gives us, then by how well the location works for a typical visit. A 9.3 from hundreds of reviews outranks a 9.8 from a dozen. We also spread the list across neighborhoods so that at least one entry fits whatever kind of trip is being planned. Every entry says who it is wrong for.

1. The Wall Street Hotel: best for a quiet, high-scoring base downtown

The Wall Street Hotel carries a 9.6 from 82 reviews and 5 stars, the strongest combination of rating and evidence in the data. The address is 88 Wall Street, in the Financial District, a part of Manhattan that empties out after the trading day and feels calm at night. That is a selling point for anyone who wants to sleep well after a long day of walking.

The location works for the Brooklyn Bridge, the South Street Seaport, the 9/11 Memorial and the Staten Island Ferry, and many subway lines converge in the district. Midtown takes a train ride to reach. For a first visit built around downtown sights, harbor views and a rested start each morning, this is the one we would book first.

Good for: Travelers who want a 5-star stay downtown and a quiet night's sleep.

Keep in mind: Wall Street has few late-night options, and the theaters and Fifth Avenue shopping are a subway ride away.

2. NobleDEN Hotel: best for SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown on foot

NobleDEN scores 9.3 from 582 reviews, the largest review base of any 4-star hotel on this list and the reason it sits near the top. A rating that holds across that many guests is hard to fake. The address is 196 Grand Street, on the edge of Little Italy, Chinatown and SoHo, where three very different neighborhoods meet.

Walk in one direction for the cast-iron buildings and shops of SoHo, in another for the markets and dumpling counters of Chinatown, and in a third for the cafés of Nolita. It is a neighborhood for people who like to wander and eat. The Financial District and the Brooklyn Bridge can also be reached from here without much effort.

Good for: Food-focused travelers who want a lively downtown block and a rating backed by hundreds of guests.

Keep in mind: Grand Street is not a landmark address, so first-time visitors who want to be near Times Square or Central Park will spend more time on trains.

3. Pendry Manhattan West: best for a new-build 5-star near Hudson Yards

Pendry Manhattan West has the highest rating in the data at 9.8, and it is a 5-star hotel. The catch is the sample size: only 13 reviews. We rank it third, not first, for that reason, and we would not call the score settled. It sits at 438 W 33rd St, on the far west side beside the Manhattan West complex.

The area is new by New York standards and a different kind of Manhattan from the older grid. Hudson Yards, the High Line and the Hudson River waterfront are close, and Penn Station and Madison Square Garden are nearby for train travel and events. Expect a polished, contemporary stay in a district built recently, not a neighborhood with a long history.

Good for: Travelers who want a brand-new 5-star hotel near the High Line and Penn Station.

Keep in mind: Only 13 reviews stand behind the 9.8, and the far west side has less street life than the Village or the Lower East Side.

4. Pestana Park Avenue: best for Murray Hill and Grand Central access

Pestana Park Avenue rates 9.2 from 346 reviews as a 4-star hotel at 23 East 39th Street. That puts it in Murray Hill, a residential-feeling pocket just below the main Midtown crush. Grand Central Terminal and the Empire State Building are both within easy reach, and the area is a calmer place to come home to than the blocks around Times Square.

The review base is deep enough to trust. For a first trip that mixes sightseeing in Midtown with day trips by commuter rail from Grand Central, the position is hard to fault. The Public Library and Bryant Park are also close, so a long first day on foot is easy to plan.

Good for: First-time visitors who want a calm Midtown base near Grand Central and the Empire State Building.

Keep in mind: Murray Hill is quiet at night, so those after bars and live music will head elsewhere.

5. Park Terrace Hotel on Bryant Park: best for the Midtown park and the library

Park Terrace Hotel on Bryant Park holds a 9.2 from 218 reviews and 4.5 stars, at 18 West 40th Street. The address is the point: the hotel sits beside Bryant Park and the main branch of the New York Public Library, one of the most pleasant stretches of Midtown. Fifth Avenue is close, and Grand Central and Times Square are both easy to reach.

This is the place to stay for Midtown without the noise of Times Square itself. Bryant Park is a green space with skating and seasonal markets in winter, and a calm spot to sit out of season. Subway lines at Bryant Park and Fifth Avenue connect to nearly everything.

Good for: Visitors who want a central, walkable Midtown location with a park outside.

Keep in mind: Midtown empties out after office hours, and the area is thin on neighborhood character.

6. Hotel Giraffe: best for the Flatiron and NoMad blocks

Hotel Giraffe scores 9.4 from 23 reviews as a 4-star hotel at 365 Park Avenue South at 26th Street. The review count is low, so treat the score as encouraging, not definitive. What the data does support is the location, which puts the hotel between the Flatiron and NoMad, two of the most pleasant parts of Manhattan to walk around.

Madison Square Park, the Flatiron Building and Union Square are all nearby, and the subway runs directly below Park Avenue South. The grid here is calmer than Midtown but just as well connected. Anyone who likes a neighborhood with real restaurants, coffee shops and offices, not a tourist center, will feel at home.

Good for: Travelers who want a neighborhood feel and strong subway links without the Times Square crowds.

Keep in mind: With only 23 reviews, the 9.4 rating is based on a small group of guests.

7. The Ludlow Hotel: best for the Lower East Side after dark

The Ludlow Hotel earns 9.1 from 94 reviews and 4.5 stars at 180 Ludlow Street, in the middle of the Lower East Side. This is the part of Manhattan that most rewards a late dinner and an unplanned walk. Orchard Street, Essex Market and the surrounding blocks are filled with small shops, music venues and cafés.

Expect a downtown mood, closer to Brooklyn in spirit than to Midtown. The subway is nearby, and the Brooklyn Bridge, SoHo and the East Village are all easy to reach. It suits younger travelers and repeat visitors who already know the big sights and want a neighborhood to spend time in.

Good for: Repeat visitors and nightlife-minded travelers who want a downtown base.

Keep in mind: Ludlow Street is lively late into the night, so light sleepers should ask for a room away from the street.

8. Hotel Beacon: best for the Upper West Side and Central Park

Hotel Beacon rates 9.1 from 209 reviews as a 4-star hotel at 2130 Broadway, on the Upper West Side. That is the classic residential Manhattan: brownstones, small groceries and bakeries, and Central Park and Riverside Park within reach. The American Museum of Natural History and Lincoln Center are the nearby cultural anchors.

It is the best entry here for a longer stay or a trip with family, since the neighborhood runs at a slower pace than Midtown. The trade is distance from Times Square and downtown. The express subway lines on Broadway make up for much of it, but the trip to the Financial District is a real commute.

Good for: Families and longer stays that favor parks, museums and a residential street.

Keep in mind: The Upper West Side is far from downtown sights and quiet in the evenings.

9. The Times Square EDITION: best for theater nights with 5-star polish

The Times Square EDITION is a 5-star hotel at 20 Times Square that rates 9.2 from 93 reviews. It is the answer for travelers who want the Broadway theaters, the lights and the subway interchange all at their door, with a hotel that feels like an escape from them. Few other properties in this area combine that location with a score above 9.

Times Square is not for everyone. It is crowded, bright and loud from morning until well after midnight. Ask for a higher floor and a room that faces away from the main square. A pre-theater dinner in nearby Hell's Kitchen and a late return by foot make this a very easy neighborhood to use.

Good for: Theater-goers and short-stay visitors who want a polished hotel at the center of Midtown.

Keep in mind: The square itself is hectic around the clock, and locals tend to avoid the area.

10. Elysée New York: best for a small hotel near Fifth Avenue and MoMA

Elysée New York scores 9.3 from 41 reviews as a 4-star hotel at 60 East 54th Street. The block is in Midtown East, between Madison and Park Avenues, and it is surrounded by landmarks: St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art and Fifth Avenue are all close. The feel is more refined and less frantic than the Times Square side of Midtown.

The sample is modest, so we place it last on the list, but the rating and position justify the spot. It suits travelers who want an older-style Manhattan hotel in an area of offices, galleries and quiet side streets. After the workday the area is calm, which helps for anyone who plans to see the sights early and turn in.

Good for: Travelers who want a quiet, central Midtown East address near museums and Fifth Avenue.

Keep in mind: Only 41 reviews support the 9.3, and the evenings are subdued compared with downtown.

Where they are

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Tips for booking in New York

• Pick the neighborhood before the hotel. Downtown (Wall Street, SoHo, the Lower East Side) is quieter or more local, Midtown is the most convenient for first visits, and the Upper West Side suits slower trips with parks and museums.
• Check the review count next to the rating. Pendry Manhattan West (9.8) and Hotel Giraffe (9.4) look excellent on paper but rest on 13 and 23 reviews. NobleDEN (9.3 from 582) is far steadier.
• In Times Square, ask for a high floor and a room away from the main street. The hotels there rate well, but the noise is part of the location.
• Consider Long Island City in Queens if Manhattan prices or availability are a problem. A few well-rated hotels there and in Brooklyn score above 9.0, and the subway ride into Midtown is straightforward.
• Look at the subway line nearest the hotel and match it to your plans. A hotel close to the right express stop saves more time than a nicer room a few avenues away.
• Book early for December and for any week with a major event, since the best-rated hotels fill first. Keep a flexible-cancellation rate until your plans are set.

Sources and further reading

• NYC Tourism + Conventions: The city's official tourism site covers attractions, events, neighborhoods and places to stay.
• New York Travel Guide & Trip Planner: The state tourism office's guides for planning trips in New York State.
• New York City – Wikivoyage: Travel guide with borough pages, getting there and getting around, and practical tips.
• Tourism in New York City – Wikipedia: Background on the city's main attractions, visitor numbers and tourism infrastructure.