Predictably, New York is a tourist hotspot all year round. Situated on the Atlantic coastline, the city endures extreme heat in the summer (when temperatures reach up to 30C) and heavy snowfall in the winter – so be sure to pack sufficient clothing!
Located in Times Square, this hotel is two blocks from the Rockefeller Center and five blocks from the Broadway theaters. Amenities include contemporary decor, 36-inch plasma TV, internet access, and discounted parking.
This budget hotel offers easy access to the East Village. Individually decorated guestrooms include a TV, phone and sink. Bathrooms are shared. Madonna was once a guest here, and the hotel was also used for filming in a Woody Allen movie!
Striking contemporary, this hotel is four blocks from the New York Stock Exchange. With views of the Hudson River, it features a dramatic 14-story atrium, access to a health club, evening cocktails, a restaurant and a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast.
Just two blocks from Carnegie Hall, The London NYC is an all-suite luxury high-rise hotel that even has a Gordon Ramsey restaurant in it. Suites at the hotel are also a minimum of 500 square feet.
This luxury hotel is situated at the edge of Central Park. Rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows command expansive views across the city, and modern artworks and a glass ceiling sculpture adorn the lobby.
Once the underground art and music centre of New York, East Village has seen massive gentrification in the last decade. While some argue that the village has lost its edge, it is still indisputably Manhattan’s epicentre in terms of exciting food, style and chic. Young and hip, it’s not to be missed.
Opened in 1923 under the patronage of Al Capone, The Cotton Club is famous for its gangster roots and jazz residencies (the Duke Ellington Orchestra was the house band for a few years). Nowadays, you can enjoy tight bands playing Motown classics to a packed house.
It’s been immortalised in numerous classic films, but there really is nowhere quite like Times Square when the night rolls in. A hive of neon activity, the lights, billboards and rush of people are exhilarating to witness first-hand.
Go to Roosevelt Island by taking the tramway from midtown Manhattan. Holding 125 people, the tram is North America’s only commuter cable car, offering a truly unique view of the city. Once you arrive on the Island, bask in the peaceful tranquillity, look across at Manhattan and go “Wow!”
No visit to New York would be complete without a trip to Central Park. Situated smack-bang in the middle of Manhattan, the park has always been something of a refuge from the madness of the city. Complete with a zoo, ice-rinks and the famous Imagine mosaic, the park is the ideal place to lounge around aimlessly for a few hours and collect your thoughts.