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Manhattan Travel: Times Square Hotels & Shopping

Locations in this article:  London, England New York City, NY Paris, France

Times Square Lights - Times Square Hotels & Times Square ShoppingDear Peter,

I know you are a part-time New Yorker, or a real New Yorker in your soul, but I’ve been hanging out for the last few days in the Times Square area and checking out a few of the new sights in Manhattan.

PLACING TIMES SQUARE

Now that Times Square has been rehabilitated, it seems that everyone wants in on the action … or the address.

Hotels located as far away as Penn Station (10 blocks away) are claiming to be in the Times Square area, as are businesses on West 40th Street and all over the place.

Intercontinental Times SquareWe booked into the newly built and recently opened InterContinental Times Square on 44th Street at 8th Avenue and found that even though we are one block from the real Times Square, this is where the action is for tourists who want to be in the Theatre District or the Times Square area.

The hotel is located right over a branch of Shake Shack, which is a gold-mine business with long lines, although Sarah Lahey, who is travelling with me, says she was sorely disappointed in the food and the 20 minute wait.

When you book into this part of Manhattan, you really need to ask yourself if you are the Times Square “type”— young and/or touristy. We feel a tad old and jaded for our location—although we are down the street from Sardi’s, the most famous theatrical hangout in the history of Broadway and across the street from McDonald’s.

TIMES SQUARE HOTELS GALORE

Times Square Manhattan Hotels GaloreThere are plenty of mass-market hotels in the nearby blocks to meet the demand: Most sell for less than $200 per night if you go to a hotel discount site online. The Westin is across the avenue from us; there’s a Hilton Times Square, and a new branch of the W hotel.

There were also few hotels I have never heard of, like The Chatwal and Hotel Mela. The Chatwal was listed at $459 per night online, so maybe it’s not the same bargain as the others.

There’s also a Doubletree, a Marriott MarquisMarriott Courtyard, the Sofitel (a leading French brand), and the Andaz Hyatt.

Times Square is seemingly safe, it’s very well lit at night and if you prefer a $100 per night hotel—you can try the ever-chic Paramount or the Holiday Inn Express (as listed on hotels.com).

West 44th Street is probably the best street in town for variety of theaters, hotels and restaurants. We are only two blocks from Port Authority for bus travel to major airports and have an entrance to the subway right beneath the hotel. Nearby shopping includes a state-of-the-art Toys R Us with a carousel inside it, a branch of the makeup department storeSephora and the 24-hour pharmacy Duane Reade which offers three floors of shopping and some brands you may have never heard of, but are dying to try. Their makeup and beauty department is sensational; I found a makeup base that I usually buy in France (Lierac) that has been discontinued there, so I loaded up.

Back on West 44th Street, aside from all the other treats, we are a few doors from Bowlmor Lanes, a hot destination in Manhattan with light fixtures made of bowling pins in the entry lobby. They have a famous chef and several bars and cafes as well as themed spaces for their lanes; they are open until 4 a.m. on weekends. This is a design and celebration atmosphere that transports you to the Big Apple.

Across the street is a branch of the diner Junior’s, famous for its cheesecake. There are also scads of family style and uptown restaurants up and down this cross street.

Don’t miss these articles if you’re NYC-bound:

Chock Full O Nuts coffeeMORE EATING AT EATALY

We’ve only left this neighborhood to eat lunch at Eataly, a huge market style cavern of Italian foods and products and bars and eateries on Fifth Avenue between 23rd and 24th, which is as much fun as a trip to Italy.

We bought pasta—fresh and dried—as well as hazelnut chocolate cream and truffled pesto, even though we are enroute to Paris and will do more grocery shopping there.

Around the corner, on West 23rd Street (#25), we fell into the warm arms of the new Chock Full o’ Nuts café—the brand has table service as well as takeout and reminds me of when I was a young woman in New York, back in the day before there was a Starbucks and everyone knew the Chock Full o’ Nuts name and logo.

Chock full o’kisses,

SuzyKG

By Suzy Gershman for PeterGreenberg.com. Suzy Gershman’s Born to Shop California Wine Country by Suzy Gershman & Sarah Lahey is now available on Amazon.com and in book stores near you!

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