RIU Hotels & Resorts has officially opened the Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square, the company’s second property in New York City.

The 656-room new build spans 47 floors in the heart of Manhattan, surrounded by Broadway’s famous theatres and located just a stone’s throw from Times Square. It comes on the heels of RIU’s first New York City property, Hotel Riu Plaza New York Times Square, which opened in 2016.

“Words can’t express how we all felt when we saw RIU’s name right in the heart of Manhattan when we opened our first hotel in New York, one of my lifelong dreams came true,” said Luis Riu, CEO of RIU Hotels & Resorts. “Today we’ve taken a very exciting step, once again overcoming the great challenge of building a hotel from scratch in one of the world’s most competitive cities.”

The décor of the new Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square reflects the city’s rich theatrical roots. The lobby is a clear example, where huge masks inspired by ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ provides guests with a personalized welcome. Other interior features include the Grab&Go cafeteria, spacious relaxation areas, a gym, car park and a restaurant serving RIU’s well-known buffet breakfast.

Lobby, Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square

Plus, with the facility fee, guests have access to extra services like free Wi-Fi, luggage storage on arrival and departure, a bottle of water in the room on the day of arrival and unlimited access to the gym.

With the opening of the Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square, RIU Hotels & Resorts now has nine Riu Plaza hotels located in some of the world’s most historic cities: Hotel Riu Plaza España in Madrid; Hotel Riu Plaza Panama in Panama City; Hotel Riu Plaza Guadalajara in Mexico; Hotel Riu Plaza Berlin in Germany; Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin in Ireland; Hotel Riu Plaza Mimai Beach in Miami; Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco; Hotel Riu Plaza New York Times Square; and now the hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square.

Guestroom, Hotel Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square

In the coming years, Riu Plaza will continue to grow its footprint in Chicago, Toronto and London. It recently purchased a plot of land in Chicago where it will build a new 4-star hotel with 28 floors and more than 350 rooms. In London, construction has already started on a future 4-star hotel located next to Victoria station, featuring 435 rooms and opening in 2023. And in Canada, the new-build Riu Plaza Toronto hotel will boast 350 rooms, meeting rooms, a gym, bar and restaurant.

Source: Travelweek