Make the most of your New York holiday
With so much to see and do in New York, it can be tricky to know where to start, but don’t fret – our essential guide to holidays in New York will have you looking like a local in no time.
Where are the best areas to stay in New York?
New York’s sights are spread around the city, though most first-timers will want to stay somewhere on Manhattan Island. We’ve pulled out some of the best areas to stay in the city, below.
Times Square and Midtown
Many first-time visitors opt to stay near Times Square. It’s not known as ‘The Crossroads of the World’ for nothing: it’s one of the world’s busiest pedestrian areas and is well-connected to many of the city’s main sights. Midtown, the area around Times Square, is where you’ll find the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, and the Rockefeller Center. Try booking the Doubletree by Hilton Times Square West.
Upper East Side
If you’re hankering for a luxury hotel with all the trimmings: bells, whistles and bellhops, then the Upper East Side is your best bet. Here you’ll find fabulous hotels like the Surrey, with its fashion-savvy clientele. This area is one of the most expensive in the city. As you walk along Fifth Avenue, bordering Central Park, you’ll encounter ‘Museum Mile’, an area of prestigious cultural institutions like the Met and the Frick.
Lower East Side
Staying on the Lower East Side puts you near Brooklyn Bridge and the Tenement Museum – a popular museum which gives you a taste of the area’s working-class roots. The LES has gentrified rapidly in the last couple of decades. Hotel Indigo New York LES gives you a feel for the area as it is now, trendy, young and fun.
Soho
A number of eye-catching cast iron buildings form the backbone of the Soho district, which sits below Midtown. The name comes from the area’s geography: it’s the region south of Houston Street, in downtown Broadway. Soho is synonymous with shopping – with boutiques for everyone from Opening Ceremony to Celine. Stay at NoMo Soho for interiors stuffed with vintage finds and curious furnishings.
Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards, which sits on the west side of Manhattan island, below Hell’s Kitchen, is New York’s newest district. Money has poured in, and the skyscrapers have reared up in this exciting new city hub. Crowne Plaza HY36 is right in the middle of the district. Watch this space: new restaurants and shops are opening all the time.