Pod Times Square

Pod Times Square is a budget-friendly hotel aimed at tourists and business travelers alike who don't mind compromising on room space to save money. It's spread across 28 floors, with multiple elevators, and there's a basic, but cozy lobby with a few mid-century nouveau black-and-red sofa benches and a huge, multicolored abstract mural that adds a lot of cheer. There's also an on-site tiki bar that pairs lots of wicker and wood with deep shades of blue and turquoise and features a lovely outdoor seating area with plush chairs, bushy green plants, and heat lamps for cooler days and nights.

The Pod Times Square is located right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, two blocks from the Times Square - 42 St. subway station. The hotel is just under a 10-minute walk from Times Square itself. Don't expect much quiet on the streets around here as there's lots of activity day and night, but you will find plenty of restaurants, pharmacies, cafes, and other hotels all around the Pod Times Square. Both Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall take about 20 minutes to reach on foot, as does Grand Central Station, while the MoMA is a 25-minute walk away. You'll also find a number of Broadway theaters even closer at hand. The Metropolitan Museum of Art along Central Park usually takes anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes reach by taxi, traffic permitting. It usually takes at least an hour to drive to JFK, depending on traffic, while LaGuardia takes about 45 minutes by car without traffic. Newark Airport is about an hour away, but again, this depends on traffic. Parking near Pod Times Square is expensive but plentiful, with the majority of area garages run by Central Parking System and Icon Parking. 

Pod Times Square offers three types of room: 115-square-foot Bunk Pods, with a pair of bunkbeds, 120-square-foot Full Pods, and 125-square-foot Queen Pods. Rooms are designed for functionality, not aesthetics, and though they lack wall art or really anything that would contribute much flair, they are far from unattractive. White walls are paired with light-wood finish desks and accents, while orange or royal blue bedspreads add pops of color. Small desk areas and racks with hangers are provided and huge floor-to-ceiling soundproofed windows with blinds look out on the Manhattan skyline. All are air-conditioned and come with basic amenities, including free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, safes that are big enough to accommodate laptops, and flat-screen TVs (pods with bunk beds have two TVs so each guest can watch from bed). All pods also have en-suite bathrooms with rainfall showerheads and hairdryers. Wall-mounted toiletry dispensers are provided; however, frosted-glass screens between living areas and showers don't offer much in the way of privacy. Note that furnished apartments, advertised as Pod Pads, are also available for extended-stay guests and include kitchens with full-sized refrigerators. 

Amenities at Pod Times Square aren't bad for a budget property, with free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, coin-operated laundry facilities, and a small fitness center on the 28th floor with cardio machines and free weights. There's also a board room that leads out to a lovely rooftop area with sofa seating on the same floor, though past guests have complained that it's sometimes kept locked. Pod Times Square restaurant/bar options are limited to The Polynesian, a tiki lounge offering a variety of tropically inspired cocktails, from the creative Vaya Kon Tiki, based on coconut rooibos-infused rums, to the a daiquiri spruced up with ube (purple yam) extract. The food menu is primarily focused on snacks and bar food, with burgers, ribs, spring rolls, and chicken wings cooked with island flavors. Breakfast isn't available at Pod Times Square, neither is room service, but there are numerous restaurants and bodegas nearby. Airport shuttle service isn't offered through Pod Times Square, but there's certainly no shortage of private operators and taxis that serve the area for those who don't want to rely on public transportation.