YOTEL - Times Square

The hyper-stylized Yotel first touched down on Midtown’s far west side in 2011, ushering in a new frontier in New York’s hotel scene. With small, streamlined rooms and sundry perks, the three-star boutique hotel offers “affordable luxury” just a short walk from Times Square. While the Yotel is not always Cheapo, one thing is certain: It’s an experience.

The Yotel’s 669 guestrooms are called “cabins,” a term that not only fits the establishment’s airport theme but helps prepare guests for diminutive quarters, which measure only 170 square feet.

Inside the rooms, clever touches and hidden buttons abound, from raised beds (with space for luggage storage) to the bedside cubby that holds a tray/laptop desk. A snazzy “Technowall” houses a flat-screen TV and allows for audio streaming, and the bed features a nifty button to open it out for sleeping and fold it up to a sofa when you need extra space.

Each room is equipped with a small work space, air conditioning, soundproof windows, a laptop safe, telephone and tons of outlets (this is the future, after all).

Premium cabins feature queen-sized beds, and some offer one or two bunk beds, making them a good deal for groups or families. More expensive “First-Class Cabins” offer more space, including a king-sized bed and a lounge area. Some first-class cabins also come with a small terrace and hot tub.

A continental breakfast is an extra charge. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and complimentary Internet stations are available.

Bathrooms

Only a glass wall (with a white curtain that can be pulled across for privacy) separates cabins from their sleek bathrooms, which feature luxurious “monsoon” showerheads, heated towel racks and more cool compartments. In addition to a hairdryer and toiletries, bathrooms also sport fabulous views.

About the Yotel

When the founder of British restaurant chain YO! Sushi received a flight upgrade, he decided that first-class luxury should be available at an affordable price point, and the concept of Yotel was born. Adapting the Japanese capsule hotel to offer teensy spaces with all the fixings, Yotel started with airport hotels located in the terminal with cabins bookable by the hour for travelers between flights.

The Yotel New York is the chain’s first “city hotel,” and it holds fast to the futuristic airport theme in everything from the self-check-in kiosks and a “Yobot” luggage storage system at “Ground Control” to the floor “Galleys” equipped with a fridge, microwave and complimentary hot drinks. “Mission Control” offers a wide array of services, including a fitness center and the Club Lounge, an expansive bar area with eight Club cabins guests can use for meetings, watching TV or partying (bottle service is available).

The hotel restaurant, Green Fig, serves up "New American" cuisine, with a minimalist design scheme and piano bar shows open to the public. Outside, New York’s largest hotel terrace, featuring futuristic lounge furniture and a stretch of artificial lawn, offers both a trendy nightlife scene and a popular weekend brunch.

Location

The Yotel is located on 10th Avenue, almost as far west as you can go in Manhattan. With big office buildings all around and the Lincoln Tunnel just to the south, the immediate surroundings may feel a bit bleak, but guests coming in for conferences or events will love being within a 10-minute walk from the Javits Center.

The Yotel is about a 15-minute walk from Times Square and the Theater District.