Hotels in New York
New York, New York – so good they named it twice. Everyone must visit NYC and take a bite from the “Big Apple”. When you go, prepare for a fantastic and busy time. New York is a city which has 11 million immigrants from all over the world and is packed with every type of sight, sound, taste and experience available.
You must book your New York hotels in advance as this is one of the top tourist destinations in the World and New York is a city that welcomes millions of visitors, With Manhattan being the preferred destination to stay, and a relatively small area the best hotels get booked very quickly. New York hotels range from basic hotels to the grandest 5-star luxury hotels, with every level of service and comfort available. New York hotels are not known for being on the cheaper end, however by staying further out in Brooklyn, or The Bronx you can save money – but weigh that up with the cost and inconvenience of getting back in to the city every day. Not only that but there is an atmosphere in Manhattan that is unique, so to enjoy the full NYC hotel experience, stay central !
New York has five districts – each have their own distinct personality. The island district of Manhattan is the place for the top end hotels. You can be close to Central Park, or Times Square (try the Marriot Marquis with its revolving restaurant giving incredible views of the city). Brooklyn is more suburban and offers many hotels and has a city feel of its own. The Bronx has a very individual character, and, like Queens, is not generally as popular with tourists due to a poor reputation from some years ago, whilst Staten Island is a mainly a residential district for commuters.
Manhattan Island, which is tall and thin, is divided into three: downtown (south of 14th Street), midtown (14th to 59th Street) and uptown (north of 59th Street). Broadway runs the length of Manhattan, south to north. Anywhere to the east has an "East" address, anywhere to the west has a "West" address.
Manhattan is the place to see all those famous sites, and it feels as if you are on a giant movie set as around every corner is a memory from a film or TV programme. If you take a taxi from JFK airport you will probably arrive via the Brooklyn Bridge with the incredible and iconic skyline in the distance welcoming you, and drawing you in like no other city can.
Take a boat trip to view the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island immigration museum (have you seen the film “Hitch”?) – Such a great way to start to get to know New York and the people, mainly immigrants, who have shaped the city. Take a Hop on Hop off Tour to take in the city and get your bearings from tour guides who really know this city. Take a trip to get those all important photos at the top of the Empire State Building (the perfect place to propose maybe?), gaze down on Central Park, a huge green space which houses New York Zoo, strawberry Fields – the John Lennon memorial, a boating lake, and thousands of New Yorkers walking, running, cycling and roller-blading.
It is very difficult to visit New York and not get drawn in to the shopping. On 5th Avenue there are big name department stores; on Madison Avenue you will find designer boutiques. Try Chelsea for food stalls and quirky markets. Greenwich for bohemian boutiques. The Meatpacking District, once a run-down area is now a highly fashionable area. Foodies are very well catered for. Start breakfast the only way with pancakes and grits in a New York diner, and after a day’s shopping there is no better place - try some of the best restaurants from ravioli in Little Italy, hot ribs in Harlem, Dim Sum in Chinatown, or shrimps at Bubba Gumps in Times Square.
For nightlife head to basement jazz bars in Greenwich Village, or nightclubs in The Meatpacking District pumping out deep and funky house music. Take in a Broadway show to see the big name productions.
Try a helicopter ride for a totally different view of this incredible city. Whatever you plan to do we guarantee that one trip won’t be enough to do everything, and you’ll be planning your next trip to the Big Apple on the flight home.
Must See Places
The first ever skyscraper - the Flatiron Building
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Guggenheim Museum
Central Park
Madison Avenue
Fifth Avenue
Chinatown
Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle
Bryant Park
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Views of the Hudson River from Battery Park
In summer, head to busy Orchard Beach, known by locals as the "Bronx Riviera"
Broadway theatres
Carnegie Hall
Lincoln Center - home to the Metropolitan Opera House
Bowery Ballroom
lovers of soul music head to Harlem's Apollo Theatre
Little Italy
Meatpacking District in Chelsea
Rockefeller Center
The former site of the World Trade Center currently under reconstruction as a memorial
Public Holidays
New Year's Day (1 Jan)
Martin Luther King's Day (third Mon in Jan)
Presidents' Day (third Mon in Feb)
Memorial Day (last Mon in May)
Independence Day (4 Jul)
Labor Day (first Mon in Sep)
Columbus Day (second Mon in Oct)
Veterans' Day (11 Nov)
Thanksgiving (fourth Thu in Nov)
Christmas Day (25 Dec).
Weather
Weather in New York is cold with snowy winters with January temperatures hover just below freezing at -1°C), but summers are hot with July and August temperatures of around 33°C are common but the average hovers around 28°C. Spring and autumn can be the best time to visit with temperatures not too hot a good chance of clear skies to enjoy the views.
GMT
GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern Time)
New York Tourist Information
Visit New York City Tourism website
MTA New York City Transit website