Hotel Riu Plaza New York Times Square

We have been in this Riu hotel for 5 nights in August. The hotel was full. We did the checkin online through the rewards App and was very fast (we arrived at midnight). The room (Junior suite for 5) was small but like all other hotels. We liked very much how clean the room was. What we did not like so much was the queing for breakfast, but to be honest the maximum we waited was less than 10 mins. We were in floor 3 therefore taking an elevator down in the morning was not possible, we used the stairs. Despite being on the 3rd floor our rooom was not noisy at all.

The hotel’s main selling point is its prime location right at Times Square and the great views, but other than that, it feels like a total assembly line where individual guests don't really matter. The food and drink options are also pretty disappointing. Regarding the rooms, they are rated above average; as is typical for New York, they are tiny, and there was nowhere for us to open our suitcases. The bathroom is just a frosted glass cubicle inside the room, and the AC is quite loud, though the bed is comfortable. All in all, the room was nothing special—except for the view from our room on the 28th floor, which was incredible. Dining was poor: breakfast is fine, but not up to standard for this category of hotel. There’s only sour drip coffee and no fresh juices, and while the food selection is okay, it’s nothing special. The biggest issues are the noise and the lack of space, as the next table is literally an inch or two away. Service was also poor. On a positive note, the bellhops did a great job taking care of our luggage, but beyond that, the service falls completely short of what you’d expect at this price point. Breakfast feels like a massive, chaotic operation with the atmosphere of a busy train station. One day we arrived a bit later than usual and would have had to wait half an hour in a separate queue—we decided against standing there like cattle for a breakfast we’d paid good money for. At check-out, no one even asked how our stay was, as surface-level American pleasantries don't equal real hospitality in our book. There wasn't a trace of a premium experience here. On the other hand, the location and surroundings are excellent and could hardly be better. It is right at Times Square and conveniently situated in Hell’s Kitchen, where you can always find fantastic restaurants. Countless subway stations are nearby, as well as many attractions within walking distance, and being up on the 28th floor, we hardly noticed any street noise. Overall value for money: poor.