New York

Macys

Day 1

Arriving at Heathrow I checked in to find I had been upgraded to Business Class. A great start to a once in a lifetime trip. I then headed to the British Airways airport lounge to enjoy our first glass of champagne.

I thoroughly recommend pre-booking an airport lounge no matter where you are travelling, as the facilities are fantastic and very good value. You have hot and cold food and premium alcoholic drinks along with soft drinks on offer.

Upon arrival into JFK I then headed to Times Square.

I stayed at the 4 star 8th avenue apartments on Broadway, which were fantastically placed, right in the centre of Times Square. These were fully equipped apartments and incredibly spacious. Great for families! However I don’t recommend this hotel for first time visitors, as there is no concierge for those unfamiliar to fall back on.

After a checking in I went for a quick dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe and then turned in for an early night.

Day 2

My first full day was spent visiting local hotels studying up on what kind of holiday accommodation New York had to offer.

Ink 48 – Holiday apartments located on 11th avenue, 15 minutes walk from the apartments I was staying at. This was a quieter location overlooking the Hudson. The hotel is a boutique/contemporary property that boasts a fantastic restaurant serving organic and locally sauced produce. Ink 48 has a roster of ‘X Factors’ including incredibly generous rooms sizes, fantastic views from its top terrace, complimentary wine hour, and an appearance on the hit TV show as a ‘judges house’ for team Gary Barlow.

The Muse is located on Times Square. I would rate this as a 4 star boutique property, with a very unique feel and a fantastic location. This hotel also offers a complimentary wine hour.

The Westin Times Square - Without doubt a fantastic location in Times Square but with a very different feel to the first two properties. This is a much larger hotel with all the usual aspects you would expect from a Westin. The hotel is adjoined to a cinema complex, Starbucks & restaurant for customers to enjoy. Rooms are fairly sizable and finished to a high standard. It also had a state of the art gym.

Le Parker Meridien - This hotel is about 15 minutes away from Times Square, but only close to Central Park. For a reasonable surcharge, you can upgrade to a Park view room, which I thoroughly recommend. The hotel has some interesting on-site facilities, including a Barber, Hair Salon, Spa, Health Bar, and a fantastically modern gym. The best feature of this hotel however is its Arabian-style Bar, which served delicious Cocktails and provided a great pit stop to relax after a busy day in the hustle & bustle of New York City.

Our day concluded with a meal at Carmine's, the famous family run Italian restaurant. Meal comes in huge portions. A single dish will serve around 4 people! The service and atmosphere in this restaurant were second to none and well with the visit!

Day 3

This had to be the best day of our trip! I was so lucky to be in New York on thanksgiving as I could watch the famous Macy's parade. Huge helium filled balloons take to streets in amongst a procession of various performers. A truly unforgettable experience!

After that I walked down to Pier 83 to embark on the Circle Line cruise. This cruise takes in over 100 city sights and the full island cruise lasts around two and a half hours. As you cruise past the Statue of Liberty the sights are incredible, however I think the half island cruise is perfectly adequate, with all the major sights included.

After my cruise we then caught a stretch limousine, which was a real treat, to the unforgettable sights of ground zero. Whilst I waited to enter the memorial sight the atmosphere was a stark contrast to any other part of the city. It was almost silent, people barely talking and no traffic around.

Ground Zero

I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance due to the queues. Tickets are just a $2 charge, which goes towards the September 11 memorial upkeep. I then headed back to Times Square after a recommendation from our limo driver to have dinner at the Ellen's stardust diner. I think this is a must, as the food is simple but absolutely fantastic. The restaurant's staff are all aspiring Broadway actors and actress that sing whilst serving. The atmosphere here is incredible. It was a great way to see the Broadway stars in the making without the Broadway price-tag. Many of their previous employees have moved onto Broadway shows and have stared in American X Factor.

After dinner I walked to the Empire State Building. It was a $27 dollar charge to go to the observation deck on the 87th floor. At 2330 the views were unforgettable. I strongly recommend this be done at night so you can see the city skyline in a different light.

I then had a quick stop off at Macy's to make the most of the thanks giving sales before heading back to the hotel.

Day 4 -

I started off with a 10-minute walk to the Rockefeller Centre. Again, this sight offers incredible views of the skyline but I recommend this be enjoyed during daylight hours so you can see the view of Central Park. After the Rockefeller I jumped in a cab to he Hudson heliport for an unforgettable experience. A helicopter ride!

The sky was clear, the sun was shining and the views were spectacular. A real once in a lifetime experience, and a great way to get a perfect snap of the Statue of Liberty.

I had a few hours spare so we made the most of the Black Friday sales where most stores had 50% off everything.

I transferred back to the airport and was lucky enough to get an upgrade to business class again! I made my way to the business lounge. A special feature of this is the elemis spa where you can receive a complimentary mini treatment.

Great for a pre-flight back massage, which I just had to take advantage of!

New York is an unforgettable city with so much to see, and a destination I cannot recommend enough.