342 West 40th Street, New York City, New York, United States | (212) 706-6100
Contemporary rooms with flat-screen TVs and iPod docks
On-site bar and restaurant
Free, strong Wi-Fi
Passes to Mid City Gym, two blocks away (for a $15 fee)
Free printing, faxing, and copying
Free morning newspaper delivery
Two to four blocks from 15 subway lines
No on-site fitness center
There is a charge for continental breakfast
Unattractive location
Opened in February 2010, this stylish 155-room boutique offers some of the best rooms for the price near Times Square, with 43-inch flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, Frette linens, and nightly turndown service. Freebies like in-room Wi-Fi, gym passes (for a fee), morning newspaper delivery, and iMac use in the lobby add value, but the location on a gritty block isn't ideal. The stylish, similarly-priced Mela Hotel, located just outside the heart of Times Square, is an excellent alternative.
Scene
Stylish, upper-middle-range hotel on a gritty block near Times Square
When it opened in February 2010, the narrow, 32-story Distrikt Hotel brought a little style and personality to an unattractive block across the street from the Port Authority bus depot. Its contemporary lobby, with a wall of ivy and sculptural glass light fixture, evokes the chic vibe of a comparatively pricey W hotel. Every three floors represents a different district in Manhattan, from the Financial District at the bottom to Harlem at the top -- hence the hotel's name. The hotel pays homage to the city's neighborhoods in the engraved map of the city behind the front desk and the unique, back-lit neighborhood collage in each hallway. The Distrikt also packs in a lot of value -- free, strong Wi-Fi; free gym passes; some of the best guest rooms for the price near Times Square -- but there are tradeoffs. The hotel lacks the on-site, 24-hour fitness center that its neighbors, the Fairfield Inn and Four Points by Sheraton, both offer, and there is a charge for continental breakfast while it's free at the Fairfield. The biggest downside, though, is its location. Although the hotel has 24-hour security and requires key card access in the elevators, you'll still have to walk past adult DVD shops and a New York State parole office en route to Times Square. It's not unsafe, but it's not pretty.
Service
Extras like free morning newspaper delivery and nightly turndowns put the service a notch above what you'll find at most mid-range hotels.
Location
On an unattractive block in Midtown West, within easy walking distance of Port Authority, Times Square and the Theater District
It's a little ironic that a hotel named after Manhattan's neighborhoods inhabits a bit of a no-man's-land: a dull, unattractive block on West 40th Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues. On the block: a parking complex, two other hotels, adult DVD shops, a New York State parole office, and the Port Authority bus terminal. You might encounter a few unsavory characters when heading to and from the hotel, but at least you won't have to walk far to see the sights: Times Square, the Theater District, and a number of major subway lines are only a few blocks away. The hotel takes extra measures to ensure guest security; you can't use the elevator without a key card, and a security guard is on duty 24 hours a day.Though once seedy, Times Square was reborn in the mid-'90s as a commercialized tourist haven, lit by 24-hour flashing billboards and themed restaurants like ESPN Zone and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Today, visitors walking the streets are more likely to be accosted by a comedy-club promoter, a rickshaw bicycle operator, or a caricature artist than a mugger. It's crowded, but there's something unquestionably exhilarating -- and convenient -- about staying near the neon-lit heart of the city. Plus, the mayor decided to close off much of Broadway to traffic, making it more pedestrian-friendly.- Five- to 10-minute walk to Times Square and the Theater District
Rooms
Sleek decor and luxury touches make the rooms some of the best for the price near Times Square.
Rooms are stylish and modern, with luxury touches like Frette linens, towels, and robes, nightly turndown service, and a free morning paper. For the price, you won't find better rooms near Times Square -- they have more pizzazz than the rooms at the neighboring Fairfield Inn and Four Points by Sheraton, and a little more space than those at the better-located Mela and Dream hotels.Every three floors in the 32-story hotel is designed to represent a different neighborhood (or "Distrikt"). The Chelsea motif on the 18th floor, for example, incorporates images of the Flatiron building and the Maritime Hotel.- Four room categories: Standard Queens, Superior Kings, Deluxe Doubles (two double beds) and Deluxe Kings, and Grandview Doubles and Grandview Kings that guarantee views of Manhattan's West Side and Hudson River. Rooms range from 195-225 square feet -- small, but about average for a boutique hotel room in New York City.
Features
Just gym passes and three iMac computers in the lobby
Family
A reasonable choice, but the hotel's location on a seedy-feeling block is less than ideal
Distrikt is located on a block with a couple of adult DVD stores and a liquor store. It might feel slightly seedy, but it's perfectly safe.- Cribs available, but no rollaway beds or cots
All-Inclusive / Food
Decent bar food at Collage Bar & Bistro
Collage Bar & Bistro serves breakfast, bar snacks and light dinner fare such as cheese plates, salads, and paninis with New York-themed names in a dimly-lit, contemporary space. Sandwiches, like the Second Avenue Reuben panini and the Spanish Harlem grilled chicken panini with extra-spicy chipotle mayo are tasty, but nothing special. After a long day exploring, it's a convenient place to grab a bite, but you'll likely find more inventive fare at the restaurants on nearby Ninth Avenue.- Collage Bar & Bistro serves average light dinner fare in a modern, dimly-lit atmosphere.
Airport Transportation
About 30 to 90 minutes from three airports
New York City has three nearby international airports: John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Airport (EWR). By car, getting into town from JFK or LaGuardia is usually more convenient than from Newark, New Jersey, but travel times are heavily dependent on the time of day and traffic conditions. From JFK, a taxi to anywhere in Manhattan costs a flat rate and takes around an hour in average conditions. From LaGuardia, a metered cab ride to midtown Manhattan can take 30 minutes if traffic is light, three times that if it's bad. Rides from Newark can take more than 90 minutes. It's customary to tip your driver 15 to 25 percent.Those looking to save some cash can use the privately run shuttle buses that are available at all three airports, just note that since you’ll be sharing the ride it can take a bit longer to get to your hotel. For more information on the shuttles, go to Super Shuttle or New York Airport Service. Public transit is also available for as little as $7 per person, but travel can take up to two hours and involve a lot of lugging bags up and down stairways.
Deluxe King Room
Standard Queen Room
Superior Doubles Room
Superior King Room
342 West 40th Street, New York City, New York, United States
(212) 706-6100