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When the Marriott Marquis Times Square opened in 1985, its soaring atrium and glass elevators were meant to feel futuristic and help reinvent a faded Times Square. Nearly four decades later, stepping inside still carries that sense of spectacle.
Architect John Portman, a pioneer of the atrium hotel style, designed the Marquis to operate as a self-contained city. Watching the elevators glide up through the 49-story atrium still feels both retro and timeless, like something—somehow—out of both “Bladerunner” and Frank Lloyd Wright’s sketchbook at once.
The 8th floor of the New York Marriott Marquis features modern seating areas that overlook the hotel’s soaring atrium.
This year marks the New York Marriott Marquis’s 40th anniversary. Since opening in 1985, the hotel has stood as both a symbol of Times Square’s revival and a practical home base of sorts for travelers who want to be in the center of it all, but with all the predictability of the Marriott brand.
It’s no surprise then that last year, it had the most redemption stays in the Marriott portfolio globally (this includes redemptions with points and Free Night Awards from co-branded credit cards and other perk programs).
In a pricey city like New York, using points or free night awards here makes sense: guests can rest their heads just footsteps from Broadway theaters, Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park. Then wake up, glide serenely down a capsule elevator in the vast hotel’s atrium, and head to the M Club lounge on the 8th floor for waffles and scrambled eggs.
The M Club lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis provides an elevated space for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and guests who book access.
Reserved for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and guests who book access, the lounge feels like a quiet perch above Times Square, serving elaborate breakfast buffets (decent food—but plenty of it!), coffee and light fare. For families, it’s a convenient spot to fuel up before exploring, but for business travelers, it doubles as a serene place to answer emails and read the news.
A recently renovated guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis overlooks Midtown Manhattan. The hotel has nearly 2,000 rooms and suites.
Upstairs, close to 2,000 guest rooms continue the theme of breathing space in the middle of Midtown. Standard rooms have king or double beds and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the city. Suites add separate living areas and generous square footage. For many travelers, the size of the rooms is what makes the Marquis stand apart from the typical cramped Manhattan hotel.
Visitors walk through Times Square outside the New York Marriott Marquis, located at West 46th Street and Broadway.
And then, there’s the proximity to Broadway. Without even hailing a cab, you can descend right into the bustling, historic theater district. The Marquis’ location makes this aspect of your stay feel almost small-town in scale, or like you’re walking onto a movie set; it’s so convenient. On the sidewalks, theatergoers line up shoulder to shoulder for a shows, but you can mosy your way there, no long taxi rides across town or $75 Uber rides from Brooklyn. For many members, that cost-effectiveness makes the Marquis one of the smartest and most popular redemptions in New York City.
One night I walked a block from the Marquis to see The Outsiders at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on West 45th Street. Within minutes I was in my seat without ever calling a cab. That kind of seamless shift from hotel to show feels like pure New York magic.
Dining holds up too. On the 8th floor, Revel & Rye feels tucked in and intimate, with low lighting, leather seating and a menu of American comfort food and whiskey-forward cocktails.
Revel & Rye at the New York Marriott Marquis offers a cozy atmosphere with low lighting, leather seating and a menu centered on American comfort food and whiskey-forward cocktails.
Sharing the floor just off the atrium is the Broadway Lounge brings more energy with New York–style dishes and floor-to-ceiling windows looking directly onto Times Square.
Chefs prepare pizza at the Broadway Lounge inside the New York Marriott Marquis.
Imagine celebrating New Years Eve here—casually behind a barrier yet smack-dab in the action.
The Broadway Lounge at the New York Marriott Marquis offers floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Times Square.
Outside, The Perch terrace offers an open-air spot eight floors above the square, where you can sip a drink while watching the crowds below.
The Perch, an outdoor terrace at the New York Marriott Marquis, overlooks Times Square and nearby Broadway theaters.
Come holiday time, the New York Marriott Marquis pulls out all the stops. Its 25 Days of Festive Fun events run from December 1 to 25 with carolers in the atrium, cookie-decorating workshops, Santa-approved rooms, the Very Merry Santa Brunch—which tends to sell out quickly—and Christmas trees in your rooms upon request.
And of course, step outside and you’re a short walk from the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, the Rockefeller Center tree, and Bryant Park’s Winter Village for skating and shopping.
A Santa-approved guest room at the New York Marriott Marquis features holiday décor, including a Christmas tree, garlands and festive accents, as part of the hotel’s annual holiday programming upon request.
The Marquis has also made its way into pop culture. One of its high-floor hospitality suites—typically used for events and connected to guestrooms on either side—was used as a filming location in HBO’s Succession. The suite doubled as a Manhattan penthouse in the series’ final season, adding to the hotel’s lore as both a stage for travelers and a backdrop for New York stories.
A two-level living area inside one of the New York Marriott Marquis suites, which appeared in HBO’s Succession.
Forty years in, the New York Marriott Marquis is part of Times Square’s identity. It is a spectacle when you want it, convenience when you need it, and still one of the most popular places in the world to cash in your points.
The author’s passion for every trip she writes about is sincere. Some experiences may be hosted, but hosting organizations have no control over articles before they’re published.
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