Moxy NYC Times Square — Marriott Lifestyle in the Heart of Midtown at a Price That Makes Sense
If you want to stay within walking distance of Times Square without paying Times Square hotel prices — Moxy NYC Times Square is the name that keeps coming up. A Marriott sub-brand built for active travellers who spend more time out exploring than sitting in their room. Score 8.2/10 from over 5,905 verified reviews on Booking.com. A 5-minute walk to Times Square–42nd St. Penn Station is two blocks away — the fastest possible connection to NJ Transit for MetLife Stadium on World Cup match days. Bar Moxy runs 24 hours on the second floor. Marriott brand standards throughout.
Moxy is not simply a small-room budget hotel with a marketing veneer. It is Marriott's purpose-built brand for travellers who prioritise location, communal energy, and value over square footage. The Moxy NYC Times Square property delivers on that premise clearly: no traditional check-in desk (app or kiosk), a 24-hour bar on the second floor with actual atmosphere, smart rooms that fit two people without feeling like a cupboard, and a location that places you at the centre of Manhattan's transport grid. The 5,905 reviews on Booking.com and an 8.2/10 score reflect a hotel that consistently meets the expectations it sets — which is exactly what matters when you book knowing what you're getting.
"Small room, yes — but spotless, cleverly designed, and unbeatable location. Penn Station in five minutes, Times Square right there, Bar Moxy open when we got back at 2am. For the price we paid in New York, this was honestly the best value we've had in the city."
The rooms carry the Moxy design language well: compact but genuinely functional. Moxy Rooms (standard) run $120–190/night and feature a full-sized bed, open wardrobe rail that saves floor space, a fold-down desk, and USB ports placed where you actually need them. The Queen Room runs $140–220/night and gives slightly more floor space — worth it for two travellers with full luggage. Bathrooms are tight but clean and well-designed. The air-con works. Beds get consistent praise across reviews. One practical note: request a high floor. Times Square does not get quiet, and lower floors feel every taxi horn and crowd noise after midnight. High floors dampen it considerably.
Bar Moxy on the second floor is a genuine differentiator and the reason many guests say the hotel felt larger than the rooms suggested. Open around the clock, it has bar seating, sofas, and work-friendly tables — a place to decompress when you walk back in at midnight without having to go straight upstairs. Drinks are priced at bar rates, not mini-bar rates. Several reviewers mention it as the reason they would rebook. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel and consistently described as fast. Beyond that, Moxy is honest about what it does not have: no full-service restaurant, no gym on the scale of a larger hotel, no room service in the traditional sense — and it does not pretend otherwise.
The location argument is strong and worth laying out clearly. The hotel sits at 485 7th Ave, Midtown Manhattan, between 36th and 37th Streets. Times Square–42nd St subway station (N/Q/R/W/S/1/2/3/7 lines) is a 5-minute walk. Penn Station is approximately 2 blocks away — roughly 5 minutes on foot — which means NJ Transit trains to MetLife Stadium, the primary World Cup 2026 venue for this market, are accessible without Uber, cab, or any transit transfer. For World Cup visitors, this is the single clearest connectivity advantage in the budget hotel category for this part of the city. The Empire State Building is a 10-minute walk. Bryant Park and 5th Avenue are within easy walking distance. Central Park is 10 minutes by subway.
A few honest points to set expectations correctly: the rooms are genuinely small. If you travel with oversize luggage and need floor space to unpack properly, this will frustrate you. That is not a flaw in the design — it is the design — but it is worth knowing. Times Square noise is real and constant, particularly on lower floors; the wall insulation at street level is not perfect. And because this is a Lifestyle brand built around communal spaces rather than in-room service, the hotel lacks things full-service properties provide: no buffet breakfast, no room service menu, no full concierge desk in the traditional sense. If you need those elements, look further up the price range.
To be direct about it: Moxy NYC Times Square delivers what it promises, and 5,905 reviewers confirm that the promise holds. The best case for booking here is the combination of Marriott reliability, Times Square walking distance, Penn Station adjacency for MetLife Stadium, and a starting rate around $120/night — a combination that is hard to beat at this price in Midtown. If you want a bigger room, in-room services, or a quieter neighborhood, the list has other options. If you want the most efficient base for exploring Manhattan and getting to World Cup matches, this is it.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Marriott brand — reliable service and cleanliness standards
- ✓ Penn Station 5-min walk — easiest connection to MetLife Stadium via NJ Transit
- ✓ Bar Moxy 24 hrs — communal space available any time of night
- ✓ Booking.com 8.2 from 5,905 reviews — high-confidence data
- ! Small rooms — designed for travellers who spend little time in their room
- ! Times Square noise, especially on lower floors
- ✓ Best Midtown location at this price — Times Square and Penn Station on foot
- ✓ Smart room design — compact but functional with everything where you need it
- ✓ Bar Moxy atmosphere genuinely good, open 24 hours
- ! Very small rooms — may feel cramped with full luggage
- ! No in-hotel breakfast / fewer amenities than a full-service hotel
- 💡If you need a spacious room or travel with heavy luggage · These rooms are small by design — built for light travellers. For more space at a similar price point, look at hotels in Midtown East or Murray Hill.
- 💡If noise affects your sleep · Times Square does not go quiet. Lower floors carry street noise clearly. Fix: request a high floor — it helps significantly. The location is otherwise worth it.
- 💡If you expect full-service hotel amenities · Moxy focuses on communal spaces and self-service. No breakfast buffet, no room service, no full concierge. If you need those, look at other options in our New York list.
Heading to New York for the World Cup?
New York is a 2026 host city — see our full World Cup guide (matches, where to stay, tickets, visa) plus how to reach MetLife Stadium on match day.