Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked up to the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott New York Midtown Manhattan/Penn Station, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s tucked right there on West 33rd Street, and honestly, that whole area around Penn Station can feel pretty chaotic with all the commuter traffic and tourists dragging suitcases. But you know what? This place actually surprised me in the best way possible.

The location is kind of genius when you think about it. Sure, you’re in the thick of things in New York, but being in Hell’s Kitchen means you’re just far enough from the Times Square madness to actually breathe. I mean, you can walk to Madison Square Garden in literally three minutes – I timed it when I was heading to a Rangers game. And the subway access? Forget about it, you’ve got like four different lines within a couple blocks. The four-star rating makes sense once you’re inside too. The lobby has this clean, modern feel without being sterile, and the staff actually seemed to know what they were talking about when I asked about getting to Brooklyn late at night.

What really got me was how quiet the rooms were considering you’re basically on top of one of the busiest transportation hubs in the country. I was on the eighth floor facing west, and honestly, I slept better than I do at home. The rooms aren’t huge – this is Manhattan, after all – but everything’s laid out smart. Good shower pressure, which you can’t take for granted in older NYC buildings, and the beds are actually comfortable, not just hotel-marketing comfortable. The breakfast situation is solid too, though it gets pretty packed around 8 AM with business travelers. Pro tip: hit it before 7:30 or after 9 if you want to actually find a table. I also appreciated that they had a little market area in the lobby because let’s face it, when you’re staying in Midtown, you’re going to need overpriced snacks and forgotten toiletries at some point. The whole Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood has really grown on me over the years – there are some fantastic little restaurants within a few blocks that tourists never find, and you’re close enough to walk to the High Line or Hudson River Park when you need to escape the concrete jungle for a minute. This Fairfield Inn sort of sits right in that sweet spot where you feel connected to everything that matters in the city, but you’re not paying those insane hotel rates you’d find closer to Central Park or in the Financial District.

To book hotel in New York during the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, visitors should make reservations well in advance as this global metropolis attracts millions of tourists from around the world.