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Tempo by Hilton Times Square: Serenity Amid the Chaos

Kim Orlando

Updated

October 17, 2025

Tempo by Hilton Times Square entrance in NYC. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

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Times Square requires a little mental prep. Staying there meant preparing myself for noise, energy and a whole lot of people. So when I checked into the Tempo by Hilton Times Square with a colleague for a conference, I was expecting long days and sleepless nights.

But I actually slept. Soundly. In Midtown. The restaurant and bar doubles as a lobby, so there’s a natural hum of activity, but the energy of Times Square stays outside. We each had our own room but they were large enough to fit two people comfortably. The decor is contemporary and minimal but not cold, with a modern bathroom. The closet is more of a rack with no doors but it did come equipped with a steamer.

Editor’s Note: The writer was hosted.

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Standout Features of Tempo by Hilton Times Square

Standard King room at the Tempo Hilton Times Square with white bedding, a gray bench and tv on the opposite wall, a gray line drawing above the bed and white chair in front of the floor-to-ceiling-windows. — Standard King Room at Tempo Hilton NYC. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

Prime location : You’re right in Times Square, close to Broadway, shopping, and conference venues.
Surprisingly quiet : Strong insulation keeps most of the chaos outside.
Spectacular views : Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the best of the city.
Security presence : Guarded entrance for peace of mind.
Friendly, helpful staff : Every interaction was easy and warm.
Restaurant in the lobby : Food and drinks without leaving the building.
Modern rooms : Plenty of outlets, comfortable beds, and spacious enough for two.

Who This Hotel Works Best For

Tempo by Hilton Times Square is a smart choice for:

Business travelers who want convenience without sacrificing sleep.
Friends or colleagues attending conferences or shows together.
First-time visitors who want to be immersed in the energy of Times Square but still need a calm space to recharge.

First Impressions and Security

I liked being greeted by security at the entrance off of 48th Street. It was reassuring to know only guests and staff were coming in and out and they were always available to point us in the right direction. Check-in was smooth, and the staff is friendly and professional. The bellman is a pro, managing multiple guests with bags quickly and ready with transportation recommendations.

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Location You Can’t Beat

Image of the corner of 48th and Broadway in Times Square at night with crowds of people and csars on the street and a Ralph Lauren ad on the building. — The corner of 48th & Broadway in Times Square NYC at night. Photo credit: Kim Orlando

Tempo is in Times Square, not “a short walk to” – you’re in it. Our conference was steps away, which made it easy to pop back to the room between sessions. For theater lovers, Broadway shows are around the corner. For shoppers, Fifth Avenue is nearby. Business travelers are well-positioned to get anywhere else in Midtown quickly.

We walked to Tempo from Grand Central Terminal but we could have taken the subway – the train is steps from the hotel’s front door.

Spectacular Views

Night view from the window of Tempo Hilton NYC. In the room are a white bed and upholstered chair and a wall lamp turned on. — Night view from the window of Tempo Hilton NYC. Photo credit: Kim Orlando

I couldn’t get enough of the views. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide a bird’s-eye view of the neon glow of Times Square and the Manhattan skyline. We were on the 11th floor and I looked forward to hanging out in the chair in the window cubby watching the chaos below.

And the rooms are great too: clean, modern and smartly laid out. Outlets and USB ports are plentiful. The bathroom is normal sized with great lighting and although the closet didn’t have doors, it did have a steamer, which I used a lot.

Electronic blinds offer blackout and opaque curtain options but I couldn’t get them to cooperate. It was either full daylight or complete blackout for me. Not a dealbreaker, but it was funny trying to finesse them into a “just a sliver of light” mode.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Request a high-floor room facing Times Square. You might still hear the city below, but the views more than make up for it. It’s the best way to experience the buzz of Times Square without feeling like you’re drowning in it.

Neutral tone bathroom with subway tiles and soft lighting. The mirror is round and lit along the edge. The walk-in shower has a glass door. — Neutral tone bathroom with subway tiles and soft lighting. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

Kim Orlando

Kim Orlando, founder of SheBuysTravel, is a lifelong traveler, an entrepreneur and a sought-after social media and marketing consultant. She has made hundreds of appearances on TV and in digital and print media, sharing advice and tips built on decades of travel experiences. Hailing from the hills of Kentucky and taking her story to New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, Kim built an online platform, the original TravelingMom, that has reached millions of moms and empowered them to explore the world with their families. Today, TravelingMom has evolved into SheBuysTravel. Kim has been featured on “News Nation,” “Today,” “Good Morning America” and on numerous satellite media tours. She has contributed travel guidance to outlets including The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and more. (Read more about Kim’s media appearances here) Her travel mantra is simple: All travel counts. “You don’t have to go far. Leaving your home is travel,” Kim says. “Wherever you go, even just to the next town over, you can learn something new, see someone and something you haven’t seen before. “It’s good for the brain and good for the soul.” An epiphany in early parenthood started Kim on the journey that led to SheBuysTravel. She’d been a fan of a newsletter for women travelers, and she saw an opportunity. “I thought something like that for moms could be extraordinarily helpful,” she said. “I was traveling for work, traveling for fun, and I was looking for support.” That seed grew into the award-winning website TravelingMom, created as a resource for traveling families of all stripes. Today, TravelingMom has evolved into SheBuysTravel, with an expanded mission to serve women travelers at any stage of life. Millions of readers have visited the site for trip planning help, travel secrets, destination information and gear recommendations. What sets SheBuysTravel’s content apart, Kim says, is its foundation in real-world experience. “Our writers and editors have actually gone out there and done this stuff,” she says. “They’ve booked the flights, tried the tour, tested travel clothing, visited that new hot spot to see if it’s worth the hype. It’s all real.” Memorable Adventures A 2022 tour Kim guided to Bhutan was a particularly standout experience. “Bhutan sounds so exotic, of course,” she said. “But the part where my heart just glows and warms is thinking of the people we met – amazing women doing amazing things in Bhutan.” Their ranks included a former police officer whose ventures into food science helped mitigate food insecurity for residents of Bhutan’s highlands. Top Tips Planning for travel can be daunting, Kim acknowledges. “I always say: Go anyway. No trip is going to be perfect. There’s always going to be something you didn’t expect, something that doesn’t go the way you pictured or planned it. And that something is what’s going to make it a great trip.” And on a practical note: “Go early! Getting to the airport or hitting the road just an hour earlier relieves so much stress.” Kim’s Background Kim, a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, holds degrees in finance and entrepreneurship and has deep experience in developing and running businesses. Her previous work includes developing and running communications workshops and overseeing document management for corporations. SheBuysTravel hits a sweet spot where Kim’s two loves of travel and entrepreneurship meet. “The longer I work in this field, I only want to do more,” she says. “I find the travel world so exciting – not just the trips, but the whole online world of travel. There are still so many opportunities.” The World Awaits “The ‘best trip ever’ probably won’t be the same for an empty-nester or mom of three versus a single woman celebrating a bachelorette party with her friends,” Kim says. “We want to keep it real for traveling women, no matter what their age, life stage, where they came from or where they’re going. “We want to inspire women to travel in any shape or form.” In her free time, Kim enjoys visiting her adult kids, creating trips and traveling with her BFFs to explore the world. Her most recent adventures can be found on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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