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New York City is legendary during the Christmas season. It is one of the most iconic cities in not just America but the world for spending the Christmas season. We’ve talked about all the things you can do in New York City during Christmas here.
So there is a great chance you are planning a family vacation this year to New York City for Christmas. And therefore you may be looking for a great hotel to stay in. So the question is, what are the best New York City hotels for families at Christmas?
So we came up with our list of some of the best. But don’t delay in booking one of these hotels. Since they are so great for both families and for a hotel during the holiday season, they have a good chance of selling out. So book now while there is still availability!
The Plaza Hotel
Since its debut on October 1, 1907, The Plaza Hotel has been an iconic part of New York City. Its French Renaissance-inspired château style building and its location in Central Park South has made this hotel feel like a castle in Central Park. The location is perfect. Its been a popular film location, with scenes from famous movies like North By Northwest, Barefoot in the Park, The Way We Were, Funny Girl, and Home Alone 2 having been taped there.
But one of the reasons why the Plaza Hotel is so perfect for families at Christmastime is a book: Eloise at Christmastime. Remember that book? You can check it our for yourself here. Anyway, that book does a good job showing how exciting this hotel is during the Christmas season for its most famous kid resident. And the children’s Eloise Tea at the Plaza can be particularly special during the holiday season.
You can book a stay at the Plaza here.
The Peninsula New York
The Peninsula hotels have been giving guests an elegant holiday season for over a century. Each of the ten Peninsula hotels across the world have its signature famous gorgeous Christmas tree in the lobby. You can also enjoy other great decorations and characters around the lobby.
The hotel also has other great holiday traditions, such as “Stories from the Tree”. This is a series of tales created by The Peninsula Hotels for guests and their children. Each year’s theme is different and 2022 is sure to be a great one. The Peninsula New York is famous for its great tree lighting ceremonies that have featured performances by The National Children’s Chorus.
This is definitely a hotel that takes its Christmas season seriously. And it would be a wonderful choice if you want to create amazing memories for your kids.
The Peninsula New York hotel itself is also a great choice any time of the year. It is a luxury, 5-star rated hotel with a wonderful location on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. So you’ll be close to lots of other great family Christmas activities, too. And your kids are going to love some of the hotel’s features, like the indoor pool.
Click here to book this hotel at the lowest available rate.
Lotte New York Palace
Lotte New York Palace is a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan at the corner of 50th Street and Madison Avenue. It is a great choice for any family wanting to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. And that’s a great show for families to see – I have loved it both as a child and as an adult. You can book your tickets to the show here, by the way.
The hotel is just two blocks from Radio City Music Hall. It is also close to the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. And that means you are very close if your family wants to ice skate on The Rink under the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. So it is close to a lot of iconic great Christmas family activities in New York City.
The hotel also has a lot of great amenities for families. They offer free shuttle service around Midtown, which is great if you want to limit walking around New York City with young kids. They have fun features like “Palace Hour,” where you can get free fresh-baked sweets every afternoon in the lobby. Lotte New York Palace has huge suites that be as large as 2,500 to 5,000 square feet, which is great if you and your family want to spread out.
But perhaps your favorite reason for why this would be a great choice for a family stay is that kids under the age of 12 years old stay free!
Click here to start booking your stay here.
New York Marriott Marquis
New York Marriott Marquis is a great choice for families because they offer a great Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner menu. And where else can enjoy a great Christmas meal while also enjoying great views of the iconic Times Square? You can do that at the hotel’s restaurant Broadway Lounge, which has floor-to-ceiling windows with great views.
New York Marriott Marquis is, after all, a hotel with a great location. You are close to Times Square and a lot of great Broadway shows, including kid-friendly ones like The Lion King and Aladdin. The hotel also offers suites which are great for families.
You can book this hotel here.
Mandarin Oriental, New York
Mandarin Oriental prides itself on being one of the best hotels in New York for families. They have a number of things in place that can entertain kids during a vacation, like game consoles and a children’s beside reading program. They have children’s menus in their hotels. Upon request you can get a crib or rollaway bed, childproof fixtures, children’s robes & slippers, and baby accessories like a Diaper Genie, bottle warmer, high chair, etc. And you can rent a stroller or arrange babysitting during your stay.
Mandarin Oriental is also a great hotel to stay in during the holiday season. They have great Christmas meals at the hotel and beautiful decorations. But perhaps even more special is how close it is to David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center. That is where you can see the famous New York City Ballet production of The Nutcracker, which has long been popular with families.
You can get tickets for the Nutcracker here. And you can book a stay at the Mandarin Oriental here.
Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street
Kids love visiting Santa Claus around Christmastime. But Macy’s in New York City takes it up a notch at Macy’s Santaland. There you can not only meet Santa but see amazing Christmas decorations. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped in a magical holiday wonderland, which is a pretty awesome experience.
Why am I mentioning this? Because Macy’s is under five minutes from the front door of Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street. This Midtown Manhattan hotel is also five minutes from Madison Square Garden and under a mile from Herald Square, the Empire State Building, and Times Square.
Hilton Garden Inn New York/West 35th Street is also a great choice for families as it has a lot of great amenities for families. For example, it is pet-friendly so it is great for your entire family, not just the human parts of it. And while these rooms are hard to get, they do have hotel rooms with a parade view if you are visiting during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
You can book this hotel here.
Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central
One place you’ll want to visit during the holiday season in NYC is Bryant Park in Manhattan. Bryant Park’s Winter Village will be opening this year on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 12:00 PM. And once again it should be a great destination for families in New York City during the holiday season. The ice skating rink is one of the highlights. But their European-style open-air market is great for holiday shopping.
And you’ll be just one minute from Bryant Park if you stay at Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central. This hotel is also great if you want to catch some shows as it is just three blocks from the Theater District. And if you stay through New Year’s Eve, this hotel is great as some rooms have views of the ball drop!
Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central also has great features for families, like connecting rooms. Pets are allowed, too. You can book a stay at this hotel here.
Hilton Club The Central at 5th New York
This is another hotel with a wonderful location. It is just a 2-minute walk from Saks Fifth Avenue. This is great around Christmas when you can enjoy their holiday window & light show at night. Each year has a different theme, and 2022 surely won’t disappoint!
In addition to being close to Saks Fifth Avenue, it is also just a 5-minute walk from Rockefeller Center (where you can see the Rockettes) and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Times Square, Bryant Park, MoMA, and the New York Public Library are also just a 10-minute walk.
They also have one-bedroom suites, which are great for families. You can book your stay here for the lowest price.
The Mark Hotel
The Mark Hotel is about five minutes from New York’s famous Metropolitan Museum of the Arts. Every year the Met has a famous 20-foot Christmas tree and nativity scene on display. This is something your family will enjoy seeing. And here is another added bonus of staying at the Mark Hotel. The Mark offers tours of The Metropolitan Museum of Art that are designed for guests between the ages of 10 years old to 13 years old. Just contact the concierge to take advantage of this.
And click here to book this hotel.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel New York Times Square West
This is a hotel with a great location. You’ll be close to the Theater District, Rockefeller Center, and other places you will want to visit during the holiday season. They are also right next to the Port Authority terminal, which is great if you are taking a bus into New York City. And it is close to multiple subway lines.
And it is also a very family-friendly hotel your kids should love. The free signature chocolate chip cookie is a big reason why! They also are pet-friendly.
Click here to book the hotel.
PUBLIC, an Ian Schrager hotel
You can’t beat PUBLIC, an Ian Schrager hotel for a hotel with a creative Christmas tree. After all, it decorates its hotel with a Christmas tree made of disco balls!
This 4-star hotel near NYU is also great for families, too. For example, guests can access free cribs/infant beds. And children even stay free!
Click here to book this hotel.
The Lucerne Hotel
The Lucerne Hotel is a great luxury hotel in the Upper West Side. You’ll love all that has to offer, though your kids may like different features of the hotel like the nearby ice cream available.
It is a great hotel around the Christmas season. I am sure you will love their wine hour on Christmas Eve, for instance. Kids stay free here, too, and they offer complimentary cribs or infant beds.
Click here to book this hotel.
Casablanca Hotel by Library Hotel Collection
Casablanca Hotel by Library Hotel Collection is decorated beautifully for the holiday season and that is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit. It is also conveniently located in the center of New York City just a few steps from Times Square and the Broadway District.
It has been rated by customers as being family-friendly. Kids stay free, too! And babysitting is available for a surcharge.
Click here to book this hotel.
Hotel Edison
The Hotel Edison was recommended to my family years ago because it is one of the most affordable nice hotels in the Theater District. You’ll be close to a lot of the things you’ll want to do during the holiday season, but you won’t pay as much as some of the luxury hotels. They also have suites which are great for families.
You can book this hotel here.
Rodeway Inn Bronx Zoo
This hotel isn’t super convenient if you want to visit the Times Square and Rockefeller Center, though it is definitely doable as you are in the area. But Rodeway Inn Bronx Zoo is a great choice because it is close to a couple of other great attractions during the holiday season.
As the name of the hotel implies, it is close to the Bronx Zoo. The Bronx Zoo is a great place to visit at night during Bronx Zoo’s Winter Wonderland. You and your family will enjoy the immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns, animated light shows, festive entertainment, seasonal treats, and classic holiday music.
This hotel is also close to New York Botanical Gardens; in fact, it is closer to the Botanical Gardens than it is to the Bronx Zoo. And at the New York Botanical Gardens, you can see their Holiday Train Show! Both of these holiday activities are, as you would expect, very family-friendly.
Rodeway Inn Bronx Zoo is also more affordable than hotels near Times Square or Central Park. You can see for yourself by clicking here.
Hyatt Grand Central New York
If you are looking for a really convenient location, then look no further than Hyatt Grand Central New York. It is connected to Grand Central Station, which makes it a great choice if you are taking a train into New York. The subway is under the hotel, too, so you’ll be able to easily get to top attractions around New York without renting a car. And the hotel lobby is beautifully decorated for the Christmas season.
Hyatt Grand Central New York also offers guests free access to cribs or infant beds. And children stay free here, too!
Click here to book this hotel.
Other Considerations:
- Cambria Hotel New York – Chelsea
- Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza
- LUMA Hotel Times Square
- The Kimberly Hotel
- Warwick New York
- The Pearl Hotel
- Moxy NYC Chelsea
- Radio City Apartments
- Four Points by Sheraton New York Downtown
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