SmarterTravel Spotlight: Aliz Hotel Times Square, New York City

Editor Shannon McMahon is always planning her next trip and often writing in her travel journal. Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon.

Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about.

Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas."

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Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window, of course."

Email Shannon at smcmahon@smartertravel.com.

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In New York City, out-of-town visitors often book a hotel for its central location or rooftop bar view. That’s often a mistake if you want any peace and quiet or thoughtful amenities. Not so for the Aliz Hotel Times Square, which is a respite in Times Square’s sea of overcrowded chain hotels.

Just a stone’s throw from Broadway theaters, Hell’s Kitchen’s restaurants, and shiny-new Hudson Yards, the Aliz Hotel is a sleek and thoughtfully designed hotel that packs surprising value for a weekend getaway in the Big Apple.

Aliz Hotel Times Square: Location

Located on West 40th Street, the Aliz Hotel is tucked away off of bustling 8th Avenue. The 40-floor property is walking distance from both Penn Station and numerous subway stations, as well as the Theater District. It’s an ideal option for anyone in the area for a Broadway show, especially if you’d like to be steps from your accommodations when the post-show crowds let out. Also nearby is the Jacob Javits Convention Center, Bryant Park, and the Instagram-worthy Vessel of Hudson Yards. Landmarks and activities like the Empire State Building, High Line, Rockefeller Center, and the Air & Space Museum are also nearby. The cocktail lounge on the top floor, Dear Irving, is the highest two-story, open-air bar in the city, and popular for guests and visitors alike.

The Rooms

Aliz hotel times square bathroom and king room. — Aliz Hotel Times Square

In typical New York City fashion, the rooms are compact but stylish. There are 287 rooms, ranging from Standard King rooms to deluxe versions with their own balcony. Staying on a higher floor I had no issues with sound from the outside streets and enjoyed the surprisingly large marble bathroom, both of which are rare finds in cramped cities. Beekman 1802 bath products, which are a beloved upstate-New York staple, stock the bathrooms.

Dining

Aliz hotel restaurant farm to burger. — Shannon McMahon

There are two dining options at the Aliz Hotel: ground-floor restaurant Farm to Burger, and the sky-high Dear Irving on Hudson. The 40th- and 41st-floor bar and lounge with sweeping Midtown views serves cocktails and small plates. Farm to Burger offers more casual fare plus salads, milkshakes, floats, and a full bar. Dear Irving is a popular spot for private events on the weekends, which makes the ground-floor restaurant a good back-up. There’s also a small lobby bar opposite reception that’s open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m. daily.

Amenities

As a Midtown Manhattan hotel, the Aliz Hotel’s biggest amenity is its rooftop restaurant: Dear Irving has a terrace and indoor lounge that’s open-air in warmer months. The Aliz is also pet-friendly for an added fee. There’s a cycling studio of five Peloton bikes on-site, and a small business center with a printer.

The Aliz Hotel also has a seasonal on-site amenity program that features add-ons like welcome beverages and locally inspired, purchasable souvenirs. For the holiday season, the property hosted a pop-up lobby shop of purchasable, naturally-scented items like candles, soaps, oils, and room sprays from a New York-based Lomar Farms. The rotating seasonal items are ideal for gifting others or simply treating yourself, and are available for purchase in the lobby shop year-round.

Price and Where to Book

Average room rates start around $229 per night but low-season and mid-week deals can be found for as low as $150 per night on TripAdvisor (before taxes and fees), Book online through the Aliz Hotel website for access to packages and deals found here, including discounts for AAA members, Visa cardholders, and American Express cardholders.

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SmarterTravel’s Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel, and stayed at the Aliz Hotel Times Square as a guest of the property. Follow her adventures on Instagram @shanmcmahon.

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