Families shift to Midtown Manhattan hotels as travel costs rise

Rising travel costs are pushing families toward lower-stress, budget-friendly stays in Midtown Manhattan, where hotels can reduce transit friction and daily spending. A 2025 family travel survey found that 92% of parents plan to travel with children, while 73% say affordability is the biggest hurdle.

Why it matters: - Family travel remains strong, but higher costs are changing where and how families book city trips. - Hotels that combine walkability, breakfast, and easy access to attractions can help families cut spending and reduce travel stress. - Midtown Manhattan properties are benefiting from demand for central stays that simplify sightseeing without requiring a car or complex transit plan.

What happened: - The 2025 U.S. Family Travel Survey from the Family Travel Association and the NYU SPS Tisch Center of Hospitality found that 92% of parents plan to travel with their children. - The same survey found affordability and rising operating costs are the top obstacle for 73% of families. - The report says families are cutting costs by reducing paid attractions and choosing properties with more inclusive amenities. - Family trip planners are showing stronger interest in family friendly hotels in Midtown Manhattan. - The Holiday Inn Express New York City Times Square is positioned as a family base near the edge of Hell’s Kitchen and within walking distance of the Theater District.

The details: - The hotel sits on 39th Street near Hell’s Kitchen and outside the busiest part of Times Square. - The location gives guests access on foot to the Intrepid Museum, Broadway matinees and the High Line. - The property has 210 non-smoking, soundproofed guest rooms. - The hotel is a 36-story single tower built in 2009 and renovated in 2016. - Room types include Standard King Rooms, Standard Queen Rooms and Double Rooms with two double beds. - Rooms are up to 250 square feet. - Each room includes a laptop-friendly workspace, a large executive desk, a 32-inch HDTV with premium digital cable channels, coffee and tea makers, black-out drapes and climate-controlled air conditioning. - The hotel offers a 24-hour staffed front desk, concierge services, a 24-hour self-service business center and guest laundry facilities. - Amenities include a fitness center and a complimentary daily Express Start hot breakfast bar with the brand’s cinnamon rolls. - The hotel’s breakfast offering is positioned to help families avoid spending on an early meal before leaving for the day. - The release highlights the hotel’s value proposition as a practical base for multi-generational travel.

Between the lines: - The pitch reflects a broader shift in urban leisure travel toward properties that lower friction for families. - Midtown West and Hell’s Kitchen are being framed as alternatives to the more crowded core of Times Square. - The emphasis on walkability, breakfast and room efficiency suggests families are prioritizing convenience as much as location. - The release uses the hotel to illustrate how branded limited-service properties are adapting to family travelers who want predictability and cost control.

What's next: - Family travel demand is likely to keep favoring hotels that bundle location, amenities and budget protection. - Manhattan properties that can help families move easily between attractions may continue to gain search interest and bookings. - Hotels serving this market may keep leaning on complimentary meals and streamlined services as key selling points.

The bottom line: - Families still want to travel, but they are looking harder at price and convenience, and Midtown Manhattan hotels with walkable access and built-in value are well positioned to benefit.