Cheap citizenM New York Times Square Hotel: Is It Worth It in 2025?
Cheap citizenM New York Times Square Hotel: What Nobody Tells You Before You Book
I’ll be real with you — when my friend suggested I stay at a hotel in Times Square, I almost laughed her out of the group chat. Times Square. The most chaotic, tourist-packed, neon-soaked corner of Manhattan. The kind of place where a sad slice of pizza costs $7 and a “budget” hotel room somehow runs $350 a night. I’ve slept in airport terminals, shared hostel dorms with eight strangers, and once spent a night in a Romanian village during a bus strike that I still have nightmares about. Times Square was not exactly on my radar.
But then she said three words: citizenM Times Square. And I said, okay, tell me more.
That was about a year ago, and honestly? I’ve stayed there twice since. So let me break down everything you need to know about scoring a cheap citizenM New York Times Square hotel stay — because yes, it absolutely can be done — and whether this place actually lives up to the hype for budget-conscious travelers like us.
What Even Is citizenM and Why Budget Travelers Are Obsessed
If you haven’t come across citizenM yet, it’s this Dutch hotel brand that pretty much flipped the script on what a “budget” hotel looks like. The concept is simple: strip out the stuff guests don’t actually use (giant lobbies, overpriced restaurants, bellhops) and pour all that money into the things that matter — insanely comfortable beds, fast Wi-Fi, rain showers, and genuinely cool social spaces.
The rooms are small. Like, genuinely compact. We’re talking around 160 square feet, which sounds terrifying until you realize the bed takes up most of it and it’s one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve ever slept in. The whole room is controlled from a tablet — lights, temperature, curtains, TV. It’s weirdly fun to mess with at first and then just becomes incredibly convenient. And the floor-to-ceiling windows? In Manhattan, that view hits different.
The vibe is also just… not stuffy. There are no uniforms, no formal front desk, no one acting like you need to earn your place there. You check yourself in at a kiosk, grab a coffee from the 24-hour bar area, and find a couch. It genuinely feels like the hotel was designed for people who actually travel rather than for people who want to feel important while traveling.
The Real Deal on Pricing — Here’s How to Find a Cheap citizenM New York Times Square Hotel Rate
Okay, this is the part everyone really wants to know. Can you actually get a cheap citizenM New York Times Square hotel rate, or is that just clickbait? The answer is: yes, but you have to be strategic about it.
Standard rates at citizenM Times Square can run anywhere from $150 to $350+ per night depending on when you’re going. For Manhattan, even $150 is competitive, but I know that’s still a stretch for a lot of travelers. Here’s what’s worked for me. First, flexibility is everything. Weekday rates — particularly Tuesday and Wednesday nights — are consistently lower than weekends. If you can shift your trip by even one day, you can sometimes save $50 to $80 per night. That adds up fast over a five-night stay.
Book directly through the citizenM website rather than third-party platforms. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but citizenM regularly runs “early bird” deals and flash sales that aren’t always passed along to OTAs. Signing up for their mailing list has gotten me some genuinely good discount codes — I got 20% off my second stay that way. Also worth checking: if you have a corporate email address from a company, employer, or even a university, citizenM has discounts for business travelers and creatives that are honestly pretty easy to qualify for.
Avoid peak tourist season like the plague. July, August, New Year’s Eve — prices skyrocket and the hotel fills up fast. I went in early November and again in late January, and both times I paid under $180 a night. For Times Square. Manhattan. I still feel a little smug about it.
The Location Is Either Its Best or Worst Feature (Depends on You)
Let me be upfront: Times Square is a lot. It’s loud, it’s bright, it never fully quiets down, and if you wander out at midnight you will encounter people dressed as Elmo demanding tips for a photo. That’s just the deal.
But here’s the thing — the citizenM Times Square location is genuinely strategic if you’re trying to see a lot of the city efficiently. You’re a short walk from the subway lines that will get you pretty much anywhere in Manhattan. Broadway theaters are steps away. Central Park is a 20-minute walk north. You can hit the High Line, Chelsea Market, and the Vessel in Hudson Yards without spending much on transport at all. For a short trip where you’re trying to cram in maximum sightseeing, the location actually makes sense.
On my first stay, I was nervous about the noise, but the soundproofing in the rooms is surprisingly solid. I slept fine both nights, and I’m someone who once couldn’t sleep in a hostel because of a guy eating chips across the room at 2am. So take that for what it’s worth.
What the citizenM Times Square Experience Is Actually Like Day-to-Day
The communal rooftop bar is the social heart of this hotel and it genuinely impressed me. Drinks aren’t cheap — this is New York, so manage expectations — but the views of Midtown are spectacular and it’s a great spot to wind down in the evening without having to go far. The cloud bar downstairs operates 24 hours and has decent coffee, beer, wine, and snacks available at self-serve prices that are reasonable by Manhattan standards.
Breakfast isn’t included, which some people find annoying. My take: don’t buy the hotel breakfast anyway. Walk two blocks and you’ll find a bodega or diner that’ll feed you for $5 to $8. That’s the budget travel mindset at work. Don’t let hotels guilt you into paying $22 for scrambled eggs.
The rooms do have some quirks. Storage is limited — if you’re traveling with a large suitcase, you’ll be living around it a bit. The shower is genuinely excellent though. Powerful, hot, proper rainfall situation. After a full day of walking around New York City, you’ll appreciate it more than you expect.
Things I Wish I’d Known Before My First Stay
The check-in kiosks are fast and easy, but if you arrive during a busy window (think 3-5pm on a Friday), there can be a short wait. Not a dealbreaker, just good to know. Also, parking is not a thing here — this is Manhattan, so if you’re driving in, you’re on your own finding a garage, and it will cost you. Public transit is genuinely the move.
One more thing: the small room size can feel claustrophobic if you’re spending a lot of time in it. citizenM’s design philosophy is built around the idea that you’ll use the public spaces — the lobby, the rooftop, the bar area — as your living room. If you’re the type who likes to spread out and work from your hotel room for hours, it might feel tight. But if you’re out exploring the city most of the day and just need a clean, comfortable place to sleep? It’s genuinely perfect for that.
Is a Cheap citizenM New York Times Square Hotel Stay Right for You?
Here’s my honest take. citizenM Times Square isn’t the cheapest accommodation option in New York City — you can find hostels for $50 a night if you look hard enough. But it is, in my opinion, one of the best value-for-money hotels in Manhattan when you catch a decent rate. You get a private room, a legitimately great bed, a stunning shower, fast Wi-Fi, and a prime location for somewhere between $150 and $200 on a good night. For a city where mid-range hotels often cost $300+ and deliver significantly less, that’s actually impressive.
If you’re a solo traveler, a couple on a short city break, or anyone who wants the comfort of a private hotel room without paying luxury prices, this place genuinely delivers. Book direct, stay mid-week, avoid summer and major holidays, and sign up for their deals newsletter. Do that and you’ve got yourself a legitimately smart New York City stay.
New York doesn’t have to break the bank — even when you’re sleeping right in the middle of Times Square.
