Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square — Hotel in New York

You get what you pay for. I needed a basic/functional place to stay the night, and the rate was very low (as is usual on Sundays in NYC) so I figured to give the Motto a try.||Hilton Gold but first time in a Motto.||Can't speak for the whole brand, but, this one sucks.||I arrived to the hotel lugging a TON of stuff – 5 bags, 1 person – there's a "doorman" of sorts standing by the front door, but he just watched me struggle, did not even hold the door open. They have luggage carts outside the hotel so this is obviously very DIY which is fine but the carts are low quality with ornery wheels and it was impossible to steer, even going just a short distance inside the relatively small property.||The outside doors are also not handicapped accessible, there is no handicapped auto-open button which is also incredibly useful when pushing around a large cart of 5 bags. I don't understand why they don't have this because the building is new construction. It looks like they cheaped out so bad on ADA they placed a doorbell on the far left side door and that's that. Awful. Like how expensive is it to have a motorized door FFS.||So I get checked in...I was not assigned any room at all, despite being Gold, because they tried to run my credit card in the daytime before I arrived and it was an old number on the rez. So, I got a basic room on a lower floor. Fine, but, the room's AC was vibrating and making a huge ruckus. I called, engineer came, he got it to stop rattling when he held his hand on some part....and it rattled again the instant he let go.||They moved me down to the same room on a lower floor, which I thought was better because the AC wasn't making any terrible noises, but now I realize - the AC also doesn't work. At all. It is boiling hot in this room at 11:17pm. I've had the thing set on 66 for hours and I don't know how we're going to get to sleep, and with all our stuff spread out everywhere and already in pajamas, this is all seeming like a lost cause.||FYI - the room pictures are not exactly accurate. Look very carefully through the deck of "Queen" room photos on the Hilton site. The first pics show a bed that is running perpendicular to the window, meaning you can see out the windows from bed, and there is a little desk surface against the wall under the TV, opposite the bed.||But my room is not configured that way - instead, the bed is facing the front door, your back is to the window if you are in bed, there is no desk area, instead there's a tiny nightstand platform on the side of the bed, and that's the only option for setting your laptop someplace. They do show this kind of layout LATER in the Queen room slideshow. like the 4th pic. Very misleading. This difference in queen layouts is a significant difference in comfort and usability.||I complained a few times to the front desk person about these details and she was pretty neutral about it all. Her vibe/body language was not "sorry about that" it was more like "what do you expect, this place is what it is." She's not wrong exactly?||(Particularly irritating was when I had the front desk woman on the phone and I'm trying to convey a message to her from the engineer - I'm asking the engineer, "are you going to be able to fix this or not?" - and the front desk person lost patience and announced that she was going to hang up. After I got an answer from him like 5 seconds later, of course I called again, and she left me on hold dealing with other things first. Sigh.)||There's a $30 resort fee which is ludicrous but whatever. Water and cream wafers and $10 off the restaurant. You can also get a gym pass for Crunch which they do not just hand out freely - you have to sit there while they pull out a notebook and manually log your confirmation number and make you sign for it. WTAF. Are we in prison?||But knowing what this is - I will not stay again. If you find a dirt cheap rate - like under 150 - and it's one night in town - ok fine. More than that, go elsewhere. Not comfortable. The whole thing is kind of an indignity if you are grown adult who...

The location was great if you want to be near theatres. And the hotel was clean and cute; rooms super small but fun. However, my first night there, I had the worst night's sleep maybe I've ever had. The air conditioner was super loud and kicked on every few minutes (I tried changing the fan settings and it didn't make a difference). I can usually sleep through anything, but it woke me up almost every time it came on because of the noise and the drastic change in temperature. It was very cold the few minutes it was blowing and very hot the few minutes it wasn't. I heard other guests complain about the same thing, and the hotel provides ear plugs so I'm guessing it's a common problem. The next two nights, I slept with the window open. It was noisy outside, but the consistent noise and temperature were much better.

Also, I would NOT recommend using the car service arranged by the hotel. The front desk staff pushed really hard for me to book a car to the airport through them instead of using rideshare/taxi. The quoted price was $75 for a sedan paying with credit card (or $70 cash) which was the same as Lyft, but the staff member said it included tax and tip, so it would be cheaper. I agreed and ordered a car for 12:45pm the next day. I was told the car would be waiting for me 10 minutes early. The next day, I went down to check out around 12:40 and told the front desk staff (a different person) that I had arranged a car the night before, and asked how I would find it. She asked the bellhop/doorman about it and he said the car wasn't there yet but should be about 5 minutes. I said great. 5 minutes went by and he went to look for the phone number to call them. He told me it would be another 5 minutes, which I said was no problem. After close to 10 minutes, he said he just got a text that they were only a couple minutes away. I asked if he was sure that it would only be a couple minutes because I don't mind ordering a Lyft instead but needed to do it soon. He confirmed it would only be a minute, so I waited. Then he left the room and never came back. After another 10 minutes, I ordered a Lyft but before it arrived an SUV pulled up and said they were my ride. I confirmed that I only planned to pay $75 for a sedan and the driver said he would charge me the same. I finally headed to the airport around 1:15. Again, it wouldn't have been a big deal to change my plans to rideshare/taxi at the beginning but the continued misinformation was super frustrating. When we arrived to the airport, the driver said because I was paying with a credit card, it would actually be $85. I said no, we agreed to $75 as marketed, and he changed the price back, but then still asked for a tip (which the hotel told me was included). I tipped him because I don't know if that was a scam by driver or a lie from the hotel, and didn't want to stiff the driver if it was the hotel's fault. So, in the end, it cost exactly the same as the rideshare would have + 30 minutes of wasted time and...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Motto by Hilton Times Square with my husband as parent night out. The hotel's location is unparalleled, situated conveniently close to Broadway shows, Times Square, and just across the street from the Hard Rock Cafe, with the Glutenberg Show next door, it offers the perfect blend of entertainment options and not being center of Time Square madness. The hotel's proximity to Radio City further enhances its appeal. Despite the rooms being on the smaller side, they are cleverly designed to maximize space efficiently. What's particularly convenient is that the rooms can be connecting on either side, making it perfect for groups of friends traveling together. Once the doors are opened between connecting rooms, it creates a much more spacious feel. Impeccable cleanliness is evident throughout the hotel, and the cozy yet functional toilet space, although a bit snug, provides privacy. The amenities, including a steamer, hair dryer, small safe, and fridge, contribute to a comfortable stay. The shower is a highlight, with fantastic water pressure and delightful scents of the provided shampoo and body wash. The hotel's app, which includes digital key entry and check-out, made my stay incredibly convenient. Additionally, the texting option for any questions or requests was a fantastic touch, adding to the seamless experience. The provision of 2 bottles of water, cookie wafers, and ear plugs were thoughtful touches that added to our comfort. While the vents were a bit loud, it wasn't a deal breaker for us. Overall, my stay at Motto by Hilton Times Square was fantastic, and I wouldn't hesitate to book again in the future. In fact, I'm already planning to return with a group of friends with our kids and block some rooms together. It's the perfect choice for those seeking a comfortable and convenient stay in the heart of New York City.

Update Feb 23,2024 - I took my family of four had a fantastic Friday in the city, ending with a stay at Motto Times Square. This hotel is in a great spot, right near the Hershey and M&M stores, plus lots of other fun shops and Broadway shows. It's also super close to the TKTS booth. We booked two rooms that connect, one with a queen bed and the other with a bunk bed and another queen. For dinner, we went to the Sugar Factory, just a quick walk away. The bathroom was a bit small and the venting was loud, but the hotel gave us earplugs and water bottles, which was nice. The setup was perfect for us parents and our kids—it gave us privacy but we were still close by. The kids loved it and want to go back already. Plus, we had fun shopping at the Disney Store and checking out the Pele Soccer Store. Overall, Motto Times Square was a great spot for our weekend getaway...