Madison Square Garden Hotels: 6 Picks Sorted by Travel Time
Updated Oct 7, 2026
A former hotel concierge sorts 6 Madison Square Garden hotels by actual travel time to the arena, trade-offs included, and no hype added for show.
US$210
US$155
US$162
US$225
US$161
US$110
United States
I spent years behind a concierge desk in an old Chicago grand hotel, and the question guests asked most before a Madison Square Garden show was always the same: how fast can I get there and back without wasting an evening. My pick for that exact problem is the Grayson Hotel, a 4-star walk-everywhere base 700 metres from the Empire State Building and roughly 1.5 km from the arena. Below, I've broken the rest down by exactly how much transit time each one costs you.
2 hotels
Best For Zero-Transit Mornings
When a show starts at eight, every transit minute you don't spend is a minute you keep. These two sit close enough to Madison Square Garden that a taxi or subway becomes optional rather than mandatory. I'd choose between them on amenities, not distance, since both land in the same walkable bracket.
1
8.5 Fabulous · 1356 reviews
US$210
About 1.5 km from Madison Square Garden (estimated from its 700 m distance to the Empire State Building), this 4-star base suits a true walk-everywhere stay, with a fitness centre and bar for guests squeezing in a workout before doors open - see current rates.
2
8.6 Fabulous · 293 reviews
US$155
About 1.5 km from Madison Square Garden, a 6-minute walk from the Empire State Building and 400 m from the subway, this property suits a packed-day wind-down with flat-screen HBO rooms and valet parking on standby ->.
1 hotel
Best For a Fast Subway Connection
Not every efficient stay has to be a straight walk - sometimes the better room is one short subway hop away. Little Charlie Hotel keeps that hop brief while covering the basics guests actually use, not just the ones that photograph well. It's the tier I recommend when the walk-everywhere hotels are booked out.
3
8.1 Very Good · 916 reviews
US$162
Roughly 2.5 km from Madison Square Garden (estimated from its 1.8 km distance to the Empire State Building), this budget pick suits early arrivals with 24-hour multilingual reception and a continental breakfast that opens before most meetings do - browse hotels near Madison Square Garden like this one.
2 hotels
Best For a Calculated Cross-River Hop
Both of these properties cost you a longer commute to Madison Square Garden, and that's a deliberate trade worth naming plainly. In exchange, you generally get quieter rooms and a different neighbourhood feel than Midtown offers. I'd only book this tier if you're building a multi-day itinerary where the arena is one stop among several.
4
8.7 Fabulous · 3522 reviews
US$225
Roughly 8 km from Madison Square Garden on Roosevelt Island, this hotel suits travellers who'll trade a short subway-and-tram connection for quiet, river-facing rooms and a 24-hour front desk - check availability on Google.
5
7.9 Good · 594 reviews
US$161
Roughly 7 km from Madison Square Garden, over the river in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this hotel suits anyone optimizing for atmosphere over proximity, with 10-foot skyline-view rooms and an on-site bar for regrouping before the ride back - read guest reviews.
1 hotel
Best For a Budget Base Outside the Core
Royal Motel sits furthest from the arena on this list, and I won't pretend otherwise. What it buys you is free parking and a lower nightly rate, which matters if you're driving in for one event and driving straight back out. It's the right call only when a car is already part of your plan.
6
US$110
Roughly 13 km from Madison Square Garden, across the Hudson in Secaucus, New Jersey, this 3-star motel suits drivers on a budget, with free on-site parking and a 24-hour front desk for late check-ins after a show - details at the official site.
United States
The Efficiency Verdict
At the concierge desk, I used to tell guests the same thing: proximity saves time, but it isn't free - you usually pay for it in room size or price. My own rule, carried over from those years, is to book the closest hotel the budget allows and treat anything further as a deliberate trade, not an accident. Grayson Hotel remains my pick for that first category.
United States
Quick Questions, Answered
Which hotel is closest to Madison Square Garden? Grayson Hotel and Marriott Vacation Club both land around 1.5 km away. Is it worth staying further out to save money? Only if you've already planned a car or don't mind the extra transit leg. It depends on what you want to do with the rest of your trip - for the days around the show, the itinerary guide is the natural next stop.
