Cambria Hotel New York – Times Square

The Cambria sits on a typical Midtown street shared largely with casual restaurants and bars, with plenty of foot traffic moving between bustling 5th and 6th Avenues. An all-glass facade and entrance awning sets a modern tone that continues throughout the hotel, where slick contemporary decor and sophisticated finishes like gray marble, chocolate timbers, and purple velvet wingback chairs exude a quirky urban atmosphere that's perfectly in synch with NYC. Wide revolving doors deliver guests into the lobby which is fairly compact for a 21-story property. There’s always plenty of activity here as guests come, go, or linger. While the restaurant is attached to the hotel and may be accessed through the lobby, it attracts outside clientele as well -- and can fill up with a fun city buzz during extended, early evening happy hours. However, most guests seem to make the most of the location, venturing outside into the heart of Midtown. One thing to note: While elevators transport guests between floors, patience is required as they can take some time. 

Cambria's top selling point is its outstanding location, particularly for sightseeing travelers looking to hit the city's central attractions. It's located in the heart of Midtown, Manhattan, within easy walking distance of some of NYC’s most iconic sights, plus an abundance of restaurants, bars, shops, and transportation links. Walkable highlights include Times Square (five minutes), Radio City Music Hall (six minutes), Rockefeller Center (seven minutes), Bryant Park (seven minutes), St. Patrick’s Cathedral (eight minutes), Grand Central (eight minutes), and MoMA (10 minutes). The department store of Saks Fifth Avenue is five minutes away on foot, and Central Park is a little farther at 17 minutes. Subway trains are close by -- it’s a three-minute walk to Rockefeller Center Station for the B, D, F, and M trains that can carry travelers to attractions in other neighborhoods. For example, the 9/11 Memorial can be reached in 26 minutes via subway, while the shopping of SoHo is 23 minutes away. Depending on the time of day, taxis should be easy to find. JFK Airport can be reached in a little over an hour by public transport or 53 minutes by cab.

Like common areas, guest rooms are contemporary, stylish, and clean, with sleek interiors that blend timber finished in different tones. Wall-mounted work desks with glass tops and comfortable office chairs in deep orange are also provided. Beds are dressed in crisp white with charcoal-colored headboards, and pops of orange color in cushions. Bold NYC photographs of yellow cab streetscapes or the Brooklyn Bridge decorate walls. Beds are comfortable and rooms are generally peaceful, although hallway noise from guests can infiltrate rooms here and there. Bathrooms are stylish, modern, and a good size, with large well-illuminated mirrors, free toiletries, hairdryers, and big frameless glass walk-in showers. Tech features include big flat-screen TVs, iHome radios, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of outlets. Closets contain microwaves, mini-fridges, irons, ironing boards, and safes. Coffeemakers are also provided. 

Rooms are available in several categories that also include one-bedroom suites, and come with double or king beds. While fairly compact, accommodations are bigger than many in NYC, which can come as a pleasant surprise to guests. Having said that, Double Rooms claim to accommodate four, which would be a terribly tight fit. Some higher-level rooms capture decent city views, but lower-level ones lack outlook and natural light.

For a mid-range hotel tucked into Midtown, the Cambria has a solid lineup of on-site features. The Italian restaurant, Chazz Palminteri, neighbors the hotel and is also accessible from the lobby. It serves both a la carte and continental buffet breakfast, in addition to lunch and dinner with regular happy hours. Room service is also available from the restaurant, and a small shop is located in the lobby, where drinks and snacks can be purchased. There’s a decent on-site fitness center equipped with modern cardio- and weight-training equipment as well. A 24-hour business center and a guest laundry are located downstairs. Free newspapers are offered at the front desk, and free Wi-Fi is provided throughout. Despite all these helpful extras, the hotel does not provide luggage storage on the premises -- a downside for those with late flights or arrivals before check-in.