W Hoboken Review: Worth $759 a Night?

The short version: The W Hoboken is a comfortable, unique-looking hotel on the Hudson, right across from Manhattan and not as far from the city as people think. The gym is good, and it has one thing a lot of New York hotels don’t after October 1: AC you can actually control. But I paid about $759 a night, all in, on an October weekend, close to peak season, for what I think was the smallest room on the floor, facing away from Manhattan. That’s a lot for a four-star hotel, and for the same money, I’d stay in Manhattan. Off-season, on earlier stays, I paid $235 to $321 for a room with the skyline view, and at that price it’s a fair deal.

I stayed at the W Hoboken for two nights, October 16 to 18, 2026, in room 1718, a “King bed” room. I’ve stayed here several times before, including two stays in November 2025 in a “King bed, view” room; this was the most recent. I booked through super.com each time, paid for it myself, and the hotel didn’t know I’d be writing this.

Pros

• AC you can control, so you can sleep cool, which a lot of New York City hotels can’t offer once heating season starts
• A distinctive, modern design: the red entry to the room, the red and blue hallways
• A good gym for a four-star hotel, with boxing equipment
• Right on the river, with an excellent view of the Manhattan skyline for an evening walk
• Fast, smooth check-in

Cons

• About $759 a night all in, which is a lot for a four-star hotel
• My room was very small, and the TV doesn’t face the bed or the chairs
• A loud knocking noise every 30 minutes to an hour
• Service is professional but not warm
• The food is just okay

Arriving

The W is on River Street in Hoboken, New Jersey, across the Hudson from Manhattan. One tip: some Uber drivers take the road along the river instead, which makes the drop-off confusing. Just tell them to drop you off on River Street.

The lobby is small, but the ceilings are very high, and it feels distinctive and modern, almost like you’re in New York City itself. Check-in was fast and smooth.

Off the lobby there’s a modern-looking bar that’s never too crowded, plus Sushi by Bou, Halifax, and the entrance to the residences upstairs.

On the way to your room, the hallways set the tone: reddish walls and red and blue carpet. It feels like a hotel with its own personality.

The room: 6 out of 10

I had room 1718. Looking at the floor map, I think they gave me the smallest room on the floor.

The good part is that it doesn’t look like a typical hotel room, starting with the entry: red walls and dark tile. The bed faces the window and the view, which is nice, and there’s a small desk right in front of the window.

But it’s quite small, and the layout is a bit odd. The TV doesn’t face the bed, so if you’re watching, you have to turn your body. There’s no sofa, and the chairs don’t face the TV either. They could probably just move the TV.

My view faced Hoboken, away from the river, and that’s because of what I booked. This time I booked a “King bed” room. On my earlier stays I booked “King bed, view,” and got the Manhattan skyline. So if you want the view, book the “King bed, view” room type.

There’s a normal coffee maker and a minibar, which is expensive but not too bad: a Voss still water is $8.

The bed is moderately comfortable, and large for the room, which is good. Two layers of curtains cover the window well, so it’s always dark when you sleep. The room is fairly quiet, with very little road noise, except for one thing. Every 30 minutes to an hour, there’s a weird knocking noise. I don’t know if it was just my room. It didn’t wake me up, but it’s loud enough that the first few times, you wonder what it is. It could just be a broken machine.

The shower is easy to use, though the pressure can be a little low. There’s a bathrobe and a safe in the closet.

The AC: the best thing about the room

The best thing about the room is that you can actually control the AC, and it worked perfectly.

This matters more than you’d think. In New York City, heating season runs from October 1 to May 31. Residential buildings have to keep the heat on: at least 68°F during the day when it’s below 55°F outside, and at least 62°F at night, no matter the weather. A lot of older buildings, including some hotels, run heat and AC through the same pipes, so once they switch over to heat for the season, the AC stops working. I’ve stayed at relatively nice Manhattan hotels, like the Conrad New York Downtown and The London, a Luxury Collection hotel in Midtown, that didn’t have working AC. It’s a little odd.

I’m interested in health, so I usually sleep with the room in the mid to high 60s, around 19°C. At a lot of New York City hotels, you can’t do that without opening the windows. At the W, since it’s in New Jersey, you can set the temperature and sleep cool.

Service: 6 out of 10

The service wasn’t memorable. My only real interaction was check-in, which was smooth, but not very friendly or warm: standard, professional and pretty short. That’s normal for New York City hotels, especially four-star hotels like this one.

The setting: 7 out of 10

The elephant in the room is that it’s in Hoboken, New Jersey. Personally, I don’t think that’s that bad.

Getting to most of Manhattan takes about 30 minutes by Uber. That sounds far, but if you’re staying in Lower Manhattan, getting to Midtown can take over 30 minutes anyway, and the same goes for Brooklyn. So it doesn’t add as much time as people think.

There’s public transportation too, though I haven’t used it. The PATH train from Hoboken Terminal, a short walk south of the hotel, takes about 15 minutes to the World Trade Center and about 20 minutes to 33rd Street in Midtown. The NY Waterway ferry crosses the river in about 10 minutes, to Lower Manhattan or West 39th Street.

Airports matter too. The W is about 30 minutes from Newark, but far from JFK and LaGuardia: plan on about an hour to JFK and 45 minutes to an hour to LaGuardia by car, more in traffic.

Within Hoboken, the location punches above its weight. It’s right on the river, with an excellent view of the city, and it’s a very nice walk in the evening, whether you’re a couple, with family, or by yourself. It’s quiet, but there’s stuff nearby, including Wonder, a “fast fine” food hall with menus from chefs like Bobby Flay and José Andrés, practically next door.

There’s a spa too, which I didn’t try. The gym, though, impressed me. I think because the building has residences, they made it better than most: a very good selection of machines, and even boxing equipment. For a four-star hotel, it’s a good gym.

There are also large, modern conference spaces, so it works for business travelers. I didn’t see many small meeting rooms or individual workspaces, though.

The food: 6.5 out of 10

Sushi by Bou is the standout: a higher-end, “cool” omakase brand, and having it right in the hotel is a nice touch. I haven’t tried it, and it’s expensive, so I’m not sure how many travelers will go.

Beyond that, there’s Halifax, the brunch-style restaurant, plus the lobby bar and Lulu’s, another bar and restaurant.

I’ve eaten at Halifax before (no food photos, sorry). It’s okay. Nothing was memorable, including the service.

What it cost

I paid $1,517.58 for two nights: $1,323.89 for the room ($661.95 a night), plus $193.69 in taxes and fees. That’s about $759 a night, all in. There was no separate destination fee, and the $9.95-a-day Wi-Fi fee was waived.

Prices swing a lot. On my two earlier stays, both Sunday nights in late November 2025, I paid about $235 a night all in for two nights ($470.78 total). The other was about $321 for one night ($320.99). Both were in a “King bed, view” room. That’s less than half what I paid this time, for a better room.

The W is a Marriott hotel. Booking through a site like super.com usually doesn’t earn Marriott Bonvoy points or elite perks, so if you collect points, book direct.

Other fees: valet parking is $50 a day, and early check-in and late checkout cost extra. Street parking nearby is easy, so if you want to save, skip the valet. Just check the signs, since some Hoboken streets are resident-only.

Value: 4 out of 10

First, some context: I stayed close to peak season. Mid-October weekends are one of the busiest times in New York, and I booked a Friday-to-Sunday stay. At what I paid, it’s a 4.

Honestly, at that price it’s not a good value. About $759 a night is a lot for a four-star hotel, especially for a very small room without a Manhattan view.

For that price, I’d stay in Manhattan, and skip most of the getting around. The Conrad New York Downtown, for example, is a five-star hotel with better service, a better room and a better setting, and it’s actually in Manhattan. It costs about the same (booking sites put its average weekend rate around $750 a night). So for the same money, you get a five-star in Manhattan instead of a four-star in Hoboken. The one thing the W has over it is the AC.

Off-season, it’s a different story. On my two earlier stays, Sunday nights in late November, I paid $235 to $321 a night, all in, for a “King bed, view” room with the skyline. Booking sites show weeknights generally around $330 to $450. At those prices, with the tips below, I’d call it about a 6 for value: a fair deal for a comfortable room with a Manhattan view, 30 minutes from the city.

Who it’s for

The W makes sense if you need to be in Hoboken, if you’re visiting family or friends in New Jersey, or if you’re here for an event or conference at the hotel. Or if sleeping cool in the fall and winter matters a lot to you. Skip it if you’re a first-time tourist who wants to explore New York City; you’ll want to be in Manhattan. And if you’re choosing between this and Manhattan at a similar price, I’d pick Manhattan.

Tips if you go

• Tell your Uber driver to drop you off on River Street, not the road along the river.
• Stay Sunday to Thursday, and avoid fall weekends if you can. I paid $759 a night on an October weekend, and $235 to $321 on Sunday nights in November.
• Fly into Newark if you can. It’s about 30 minutes away; JFK and LaGuardia are closer to an hour.
• Book the “King bed, view” room type for the Manhattan skyline. A plain “King bed” room may face Hoboken, like mine did.
• If you like to sleep cool, this is one of the few hotels near Manhattan where you can, even after October 1.
• Skip the $50 valet if you want to save; street parking is easy (check the signs).
• Walk along the river in the evening for the view of the city.

Verdict: 6 out of 10

The W Hoboken is a comfortable, unique hotel, closer to Manhattan than people think. The working AC is a big plus, and the gym is good. But at peak prices it’s expensive for a four-star, my room was very small, and for the same money you can stay at a five-star in Manhattan. Off-season, on a weeknight, in a “King bed, view” room, it’s a fair deal. I’d stay here again if I needed to be in Hoboken or found an off-season price, but at peak prices, I’d stay in Manhattan.

FAQ

How far is the W Hoboken from Manhattan?

About 30 minutes to most of Manhattan by Uber. The PATH from Hoboken Terminal takes about 15 minutes to the World Trade Center and 20 to Midtown, and the ferry crosses in about 10 minutes.

Which airport is closest to the W Hoboken?

Newark, about 30 minutes by car. JFK is about an hour, and LaGuardia 45 minutes to an hour, more in traffic.

How much does the W Hoboken cost?

It depends a lot on when you go. I paid about $759 a night, all in, on an October 2026 weekend, close to peak season. On Sunday nights in late November 2025, I paid $235 to $321 a night for a view room. Booking sites show weeknights generally around $330 to $450. Valet parking is $50 a day.

Does the W Hoboken have a Manhattan view?

Yes, if you book the “King bed, view” room type. I did on earlier stays and got the skyline. This time I booked a plain “King bed” room, and it faced Hoboken.

Does the W Hoboken have air conditioning in the winter?

Mine did, and I could control it, which a lot of New York City hotels can’t offer after heating season starts on October 1.

Is the W Hoboken worth it?

Not at peak prices. At about $759 a night on an October weekend, I’d stay in Manhattan. Off-season, on a weeknight, with a “King bed, view” room for $235 to $321, it’s a fair deal: comfortable and unique, with a good gym and working AC.