I stayed at Tempo by Hilton Times Square earlier this year, when they had the foresight to collaborate with Maybe Happy Ending, so I could score discount tickets to what turned out to be this year’s Tony award winner for Best Musical.
Although that promotion has long since expired, the perfectly-located hotel continues to keep its finger on the pulse of pop culture and is now offering a Reading and Relaxation package dedicated to book lovers (*raises hand*). Embracing the #BookTok trend and encouraging guests to read seems like a natural move for Tempo, Hilton’s wellness brand, so it makes sense that the hotel has partnered with Book Club Bar, the popular East Village bookstore/bar, to provide a thoughtfully curated collection of books as well as a trio of literary-inspired craft cocktails to go with them.
Reading and Relaxation at Tempo by Hilton Times Square
Book selections will rotate every few months but right now, the three options include Wicked by Gregory Maguire, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and In Tongues by Thomas Gratton. Your book of choice is accompanied by a bottle of red or white wine along with charcuterie and cheese, all delivered directly to your room.
Although I loved The Housemaid, which is such a page-turner, you may not want to leave your room, I think it would be such a unique experience to (re)read Wicked with the billboard for the show literally outside your floor to ceiling windows.
Rooms at Tempo by Hilton Times Square
Thanks to those floor to ceiling windows, rooms at Tempo by Hilton Times Square seem much larger than they are. Blackout curtains ensure the lights of Broadway don’t keep you awake but, when they’re open, the views are magical.
You can even opt for a wellness room, which comes with a yoga mat and resistance bands and lets you take a Peloton for a spin while overlooking the wonder that is Broadway.
Because of this birds-eye view, the hotel would be an amazing place to spend New Year’s Eve. In fact, it boasts 31 Ball Drop rooms that get you up close and personal with the iconic Times Square Ball as it makes its way down. This is such a rare opportunity, you may want to start making plans now for ushering in 2026.
Highball at Tempo by Hilton Times Square
On the 11th floor, flanked by floor to ceiling windows and giving off an inviting retro vibe, Highball, Tempo by Hilton Times Square’s signature restaurant and lounge, is serving these new cocktail creations in conjunction with the hotel’s current book offerings:
- The “Twisted Estate,” crafted for The Housemaid, layers the brightness of elderflower and lemon with the intrigue of black raspberry and bitters—mimicking the novel’s suspenseful twists.
- Wicked’s “Necromancer” conjures complexity through absinthe, elderflower liqueur, and Lillet Blanc, offering a bewitching balance of botanical elegance and boldness.
- For In Tongues, the “Unspoken Truth” combines rye whiskey, Campari, and demerara syrup for a rich, contemplative cocktail, and just a little bit mysterious—perfect for slow sipping above the heart of Times Square.
If, like me, you’re not a drinker, Highball does a great job of recreating any of their cocktails as tasty mocktails.
My husband and I had dinner at Highball during our stay and enjoyed one of the best burgers we’ve ever eaten. Trust me, we were as shocked as you probably are just reading this. Accompanied by Tater Tots and finished off with a shareable slice of Chef Kit’s Chocolate Crunch Cake, it was just a perfect — and perfectly unexpected — meal.
We’re already planning a fall trip back to New York and can’t wait to see which new titles Tempo by Hilton Times Square will be adding to the Reading and Relaxation package. We’re ready to book it.