Take a tour of my surprisingly modern $459-per-night room in Margaritaville Times Square

Gabbi ShawJan 20, 2024, 01:37 IST

The bed.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I stayed at the Margaritaville Resort in Times Square in December 2023.
I was surprised by how thoughtfully the room was designed and by some of the modern features.

The late Jimmy Buffett turned his carefree, beach-loving, beer-drinking lifestyle into a billion-dollar empire long before his death in September 2023.

The crown jewel of that empire is the Margaritaville brand, named after his song, which includes restaurants, casinos, and resorts. According to Forbes, Buffett had a 28% stake in Margaritaville at the time of his death.

In 2010, it also expanded to include hotels. Today, there are seven different resort brands (Margaritaville, St. Somewhere, RV resorts, Compass Hotels, and more) in places like Key West, Nashville, Punta Cana, Cancún, and more.

The Margaritaville Resort Time Square opened in 2021 and has since become something of a meme online, with New Yorkers posting on TikTok that New York's hottest club is … Margaritaville?

In December last year, I decided to take a mini-staycation at one to find out.

I wasn't expecting to fall in love with the Margaritaville lifestyle. I'm not a Jimmy Buffet fan — also known as a Parrothead — by any means and I've never been to a Margaritaville before, but I loved my stay thanks to thoughtful, and modern touches in my room.

Here's what it looked like inside my deluxe room at Margaritaville Resort Times Square.

I stayed overnight at the Margaritaville Resort Times Square.

Magaritaville on the map.Google Maps

The hotel has two bars, two restaurants, a rooftop pool, and more.

Lady Liberty and I all decked out for the holidays.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I stayed in a 225-square-foot Deluxe King Room, which can cost up to $459 a night.

Inside my room.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The first thing that stuck out to me was something I saw before I even walked in the door: an electronic panel that signaled whether it was OK to come in or not.

The room panels.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Every detail in Margaritaville is supposed to make you feel like you're on an island in the Caribbean, down to the room doors and the hallway carpet.

The door.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

This was my initial view of the room. It was larger than I imagined.

My room.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I immediately took note of the hardwood floor.

The floor.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Across from the bed, I had a small desk with a set of drawers, a lamp, and a view of 7th Avenue.

The desk.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

On the right side of the bed was an open wardrobe with more storage, a space for hanging jackets or clothing, and a Keurig.

More storage.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

On the left side of the bed were floor-to-ceiling windows with views of midtown Manhattan, with a chaise to take it all in.

Some rainy views of Midtown Manhattan.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a sign on the window that noted the pool deck was directly below my room.

A sign on the window.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

For privacy, I could completely cover the windows with blackout curtains.

Closed curtains.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

On-theme art adorned the room, including an old-fashioned treasure map of NYC and an island scene.

Some art inside the room.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The king bed had crisp white linens and a pillow that read "Changes in attitude," a reference to a Buffett song and album.

The bed.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The nightstands had plenty of outlets, a nifty reading lamp, and a digital alarm clock.

Bedside amenities.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Another technological detail I noticed was the panel on the inside of the door that activated the sign outside.

The interior.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

During downtime, I decided to watch TV. I was pleasantly surprised to see the TVs were equipped with a Chromecast.

The TV.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Now for the bathroom. A large bathroom mirror was ideal for selfies and makeup and had good lighting.

The mirror.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The mirror didn’t open, but there were built-in shelves next to the sink.

The bathroom shelves.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The toilet was across from the sink.

Not even the toilet was safe from Margaritaville-inspired art.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

My favorite thing about the bathroom was the shelf above the toilet paper for my phone.

The phone shelf.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

The oversized shower next to the sink came with a rainfall shower head.

The shower.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

Back in the main room by the front door, the room had a full-length mirror with overhead lighting.

The mirror was ideally placed and lit.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

My first day was rainy, but when I woke up the next day, it was perfectly sunny, ideal for looking out at the city.

A sunny view.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I was expecting something much cheesier from Margaritaville, but I was pleasantly surprised by my stay.

I'm moving in.Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

My family went on a $6,000 Disney World vacation and a $5,900 Disney Cruise, and the latter was a much better deal

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