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.
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. Stay at Tempo by Hilton New York Times Square and enjoy a finely tuned sleep environment and a dedicated Get Ready Zone designed for the responsible traveller. 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 New York Hilton Midtown.
If you’re hankering for a luxury hotel with all the trimmings: bells, whistles and bellhops, then Central Park, on the Upper East Side, is your best bet. This area is one of the most expensive in the city. This is the ultimate destination for culture (think opera, ballet, jazz, classical music, Michelin-starred restaurants) – and a taste of old New York. As you walk along Fifth Avenue, bordering Central Park, you’ll encounter ‘Museum Mile’, an area of prestigious institutions like the Met and the Frick. Stay at Park Lane New York and relish timeless views from the intimate rooftop, Darling.
Staying on the Lower East Side puts you near Brooklyn Bridge and the Tenement Museum – a popular museum exploring the area’s working-class roots. The LES has gentrified rapidly in the last couple of decades. Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York gives you a feel for the area as it is now: trendy, young and fun.
Several 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 Wolf & Badger to Celine. Stay at NoMo SoHo for interiors stuffed with vintage finds and curious furnishings. Tribeca sits along the Hudson River, north of the Financial District. Hudson River Park and its promenade provide a breath of fresh air amid the hustle and bustle of Manhattan – quite literally. Stay at Walker Hotel Tribeca which gives a nod to the neighbourhood’s industrial past with practical design, utilitarian furnishings and whitewashed brickwork.