Pod Times Square

Pod Times Square offers a wallet-friendly way to stay in Midtown, on West 42nd Street a few minutes' walk west of Times Square and the Theater District. The micro-hotel concept is simple: rooms, called pods, are small but cleverly planned, so you get a modern, clean and central base without paying for space you will hardly use while out sightseeing.

There are three main room types. Bunk Pods have twin beds stacked in a bunk arrangement, each with its own television, light and charging ports, which suits friends or budget-minded solo travellers. Full Pods are soundproofed rooms with a full-sized bed, a small workspace and a private bathroom with a rainfall shower. Queen Pods offer a custom queen bed and a little more room. For longer stays, the hotel also runs Pod Pads, furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments with full kitchens and living space.

Bar 42 & Terrace serves breakfast in the lobby and cocktails out on the terrace in the evening, giving guests somewhere to relax without leaving the building. The atmosphere is young and practical. Booking directly with the hotel includes a standard 1pm checkout, a useful perk if you have an evening flight.

Rates are among the lower options in Midtown, though they rise sharply around holidays and major events, so book early. The pods suit travellers who value location and price above space; families or anyone with lots of luggage may find the rooms tight. Read the room descriptions carefully, as bathroom arrangements differ between pod types. Because the rooms are small, travelling light makes a stay much more comfortable, and the location means you can easily drop back to the hotel between a day of sightseeing and an evening show.

The hotel is at 400 West 42nd Street, at Ninth Avenue. The Port Authority Bus Terminal is a block east, and the 42nd Street–Port Authority station on the A, C and E lines connects underground to Times Square–42nd Street for the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W and S lines. Broadway theatres are a short walk away, Hell's Kitchen's restaurants line Ninth Avenue, and Circle Line cruises leave from Pier 83 at the western end of 42nd Street.