WIKI : This article contains itineraries merged from two trips in November 2019 and March 2022.

***The Statue of Liberty against the backdrop of Manhattan*** *(Marco Ng)*

The Itinerary

November 2019
Trip Dates: 5 November 2019 - 10 November 2019 (5 nights)
Flights: Economy, Norwegian - £198
Hotel: Junior King Suite, The Brooklyn - £755 (£151/night)

March 2022
Trip Dates: 9 March 2022 - 12 March 2022 (3 nights)
Flights: Club World, British Airways - £950 (estimate)
Hotel: King Room, Doubletree by Hilton Times Square West - £198 (£66/night)

How to get there (and back)

My flights to New York formed part of my booking with British Airways’ (www.ba.com) back from Istanbul. This is a common routing for those looking to rack up some British Airways’ Executive Club tier points on the cheap as taxes are generally cheaper than flights booked originating from Heathrow direct. Due to the way the booking was made, I can only give a rough estimate of how much the flights would’ve cost, which was around £950 return in Club World.

Back in 2019, my return flights to New York were with Norwegian (www.norwegian.com). The flights cost £198 return in Economy, although Scott and I did upgrade to Premium Economy on the way out for £125 each. Whilst these flights aren’t directly comparable to any business class offering, it was a very good product for the price that we paid. It’s a shame that Norwegian has since cut back their network and no longer offer flights from London Gatwick to New York.

Entry requirements at the time of travel still required either a lateral flow test taken at least 24 hours or a PCR test taken at least 48 hours before departure. As with all US-bound travel, you are required to apply for an ESTA from the US Department of Homeland Security (www.dhs.gov) if you hold a UK passport. You should do this in advance of your departure date to allow for any unexpected delays in processing time. The cost of an ESTA has recently increased to $21. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (www.gov.uk) travel advice page continues to be the first point of call for official information on entry requirements but be sure to check the consular or embassy website of the country you’re visiting too.

My flight to New York was scheduled to depart Heathrow at 14:00, getting me into New York at 17:50. My flight from New York to London was scheduled to depart at 19:05, getting me into Heathrow for 06:30 the following day, with plenty of time to go home and repack for the next sector of my trip.

Security was seamless, with my streak of queue-less Fast Track experiences continuing. As my flight was leaving from T5C, I headed over to the quieter T5B Galleries Lounge. There was no queue to get in and only a handful of other passengers making use of the facilities. The service in the T5B Galleries Lounge is often quicker (as there are fewer passengers) but aside from it being a quieter lounge, there’s not much else that distinguishes it from the Galleries Club lounges in T5A.

With the flight boarding from T5C, it was called to gate earlier than you would’ve expected to have been on a European departure. This wasn’t a bad thing for me as I’d been selected for secondary screening at the gate and the gate agent had just called forward all passengers who had SSSS printed on their boarding pass to come forward. A ‘perk’ to make up for being subject to additional security checks was that I got to board first, ahead of priority boarding - giving me time to settle in to my seat and take a few photos of the seat I’d been looking forward to flying in for so long!

Onboard, I’d managed to get myself Seat 5A. Unlike Club Europe, in Club World, Silver members are allowed to select the first row of the cabin if it’s available at the time of selection. On the Boeing 777-200, Seat 5A is the window seat in the first row of Club World on the port side of the aircraft. This row is one of three rows in the mini Club World cabin and provide a good level of privacy. If you’re travelling alone, I’d definitely recommend Seats 5A or 5K, or if you’re travelling with a companion, I’d recommend Seats 5E and 5F.

Now onto the seat. The Club Suite product is leaps and bounds better when compared to the inferior Club World product. Whilst it isn’t quite Qatar Airways’ Q Suite, each seat converts into a lie flat bed and has a privacy door that fully encloses you. The door is tall enough so you aren’t overlooked and, when you’re in bed mode, you don’t even notice the crew walking past when you have noise cancelling headphones on. Storage is plentiful with a full overhead locker for each seat as well as built in storage into the side of the seats.

I was offered a welcome drink on board with a choice of water, orange juice or champagne. Prior to departure the crew came through to take my order for my post-departure drink and lunch. Catering was still on a single tray back in March 2022 and I chose the slow roasted short rib, which was delightful. It was served with a Yorkshire pudding, which was a novelty (and my first Yorkshire pud on a flight!) along with roasted cauliflower and red pepper dip with chimichurri, a chocolate mousse crumble with raspberry compote and a cheese board. I ended up getting quite a few gin cocktails too!

After finishing up my food and drink, I took the opportunity to have a nap and converted my seat into a bed. The bedding is provided by the White Company and whilst the pillow was good, I felt the “mattress pad” was pretty useless and that the blanket could have been a bit more substantial, especially for any overnight, red-eye flights.

Prior to landing, I was served a rather sorry looking sausage roll with a packet of crisps and some carrot cake.

We landed into a snowy New York a few minutes late. On arrival, we were the only flight in Terminal 7 and I walked into a very empty immigration hall and was seen by a Border Officer within a few minutes. My hotel was near Times Square and with the cost of getting any form of car transport extortionately expensive, I opted to get the JFK AirTrain (www.jfkairport.com) before connecting onto the New York Subway (www.mta.info) at Jamaica station. Whilst it may look like it’s free to travel on to start with, you actually pay for travel on arrival at Jamaica station at one of the machines before the turnstiles. Journeys cost $8 each way, plus $1 for a reusable MetroCard.

With snow quickly falling, I made my way to JFK slightly earlier to allow for any unexpected delays. I checked in at the dedicated Club Desks in Terminal 7 before heading through a very quiet Security area. After clearing Security, I headed over to the flagship British Airways lounge. At the time I arrived, the lounge was being used for an ANA flight and was closed to all British Airways and other oneworld alliance passengers. As the Alaska Airlines’ lounge (www.alaskaair.com) was right next door, I decided to head in there to wait until the British Airways lounge opened. And, boy, was I impressed! The decoration was modern and the food offering was impressive! There was a salad bar and pancake maker. The bar offered cocktails to order and also had a special cocktail, Pot of Gold, in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. From here, the views of the airfield were also breathtaking.

Having enjoyed the Alaska Airlines’ lounge for about an hour, I headed to into the British Airways lounge to see what their flagship offering was like. The lounge is huge with a variety of seating in different sections. The biggest difference in the Club section of the JFK lounge compared to Heathrow Galleries Club lounges is that the service here was almost akin to that of the Galleries First lounge - offering made-to-order food such as the signature Club Burger, which was very good, and also a cocktail menu, of which I had a number of ‘The Barton’. There were also separate stations for champagne, nibbles and sweets.

The flight was departing from a gate a few minutes from the lounge and boarding was late due to the aircraft arriving late and the crew being delayed on the way to the airport. When it did eventually start, boarding took place by group, as per British Airways’ policy. Onboard, I was back in Seat 5A and the usual welcome drinks were offered as well as a bottle of water. The flight departed the gate 30 minutes late due to congestion on the airfield and taxied for 1 hour and 25 minutes to complete de-icing and join the queue of aircraft waiting to take off. This brought us into Heathrow a total of 53 minutes late.

The meal service was lot slower than I’d expected given that most people would’ve wanted to sleep on the red-eye return. However, I guess that most people who wanted to maximise sleep would’ve made the most of the lounge. The meal choice I went for was a fillet of Berkshire pork, ricotta potato au gratin and grilled broccolini served with a herb barley salad, a banana chocolate mousse and a cheese board.

How to get around

On both of my recent visits to New York, I’ve gotten around using the New York Subway (www.mta.info). Each journey costs $2.75 and can either be paid for with a topped-up MetroCard or with a contactless card at specific touchless ticket barriers. Being a bit of a walker, I was able and willing to walk to a few places to get my steps up.

In my 2019 trip, we hired a car from Avis (www.avis.co.uk) so that we could visit a custom bike shop that Scott wanted to see as well as do a bit of outlet shopping. This seemed like a good idea at the time as rental was relatively cheap (£65 for a day) but the traffic on returning to Brooklyn in the evening almost made us late for a Broadway show!

Where to stay

Hotels in the Manhattan can be expensive but with a pretty good public transport network, staying off Manhattan can make economical sense, without compromising on accessibility. Cheap hotels in Manhattan also tend to be a compromise on quality, as you’ll find out below.

In 2019, we stayed at the Brooklyn Hotel (www.thebrooklynny.com) in, you guessed it, Brooklyn. Located a few hundred metres away from both Nostrand Avenue stations on the Long Island Rail Road and New York Subway A and C lines, the luxurious, boutique hotel was ideal for connectivity to and from Manhattan and New York JFK Airport.

Rooms are modern in design, featuring exposed brick walls and hardwood floors. Each room is well lit and features a bed, comfortable seating and a well appointed bathroom. Our Junior Suite featured a desk, ample storage, a larger seating area and a large 55” TV.

Our stay at the Brooklyn Hotel was enjoyable and the only downfall was the disappointing continental breakfast.

In 2022, I stayed at the Doubletree by Hilton Times Square West (www.hilton.com). The hotel is fairly well located and is walking distance from Times Square and the Port Authority Bus Terminal which has connections to the New York Subway and local and nationwide buses. Taking public transport, New York JFK Airport is about an hour away on the Subway and AirTrain.

Travelling to New York alone is an expensive feat and for that reason, I needed to be smart about accommodation costs. Being a Hilton Honors Gold member, I figured I’d be safe choosing a Hilton property as I’d be able to make use of some of my benefits to elevate my stay. However, I made the mistake of booking my hotel through Agoda, which meant that whilst I got a much better deal, I forfeited my membership benefits. This wasn’t a problem as I’d be spending very little time in my room. However, the hotel was unable to find the rate I was sold by Agoda whilst checking in and I ended up having to renegotiate my room rate as the hotel was unwilling to honour it. I was eventually able to find someone at the front desk who was able to find and honour the rate I’d booked but that wasn’t without the hotel having charged me three times for my stay.

The hotel fell short of my expectations as a Doubletree by Hilton branded property in other ways too. For starters, apart from the lobby, the floors and rooms were of a much lower standard than those in Doubletree by Hilton properties in the the UK. The rooms were of a poor quality and exceptionally small - similar to a Travelodge. The lifts were also exceptionally slow with only six lifts available to serve all 34 floors.

I would rate this as one of my worst stays ever whilst travelling (I’ve had some really good luck with picking hotels to be honest!) and would not stay here, or recommend that anyone stays here, again.

Places to eat and drink

ONE Dine
American, Bar | Address: 285 Fulton St One World Trade Center, New York City, NY 10007-2915 | Pricing: £££

At the top of the One World Trade Centre is the One World Observatory, which features a restaurant and bar, ONE Dine (www.oneworldobservatory.com). Here, you can enjoy cocktails whilst enjoying the sprawling views of New York City. My personal favourite is enjoying a cocktail whilst watching the sun set over New Jersey.

Berlin Currywurst
German, European | Address: 75 9th Ave, New York City, NY 10011-7006 | Pricing: £

Located inside Chelsea Market, Berlin Currywurst is one of the many food outlets located inside the market. Serving quick sausage-based bites and beers, it was a great stop for a quick and light lunch after a walk down the High Line.

Bubba Gump Shrimp
American, Seafood | Address: 1501 Broadway Time Square, New York City, NY 10036 | Pricing: £££

As a lover of shrimp, I was excited to try Bubba Gump Shrimp (www.bubbagump.com). Whilst it was nice and fun to finally be trying it, I would say that once the novelty wore off, the food was ok but the service was lacking at times.

Ellen’s Stardust Diner
American, Diner | Address: 1650 Broadway, New York City, NY 10019-6833 | Pricing: £££

If you’re in New York for the Broadway-vibes, then this is the place for you. Ellen’s Stardust Diner (www.ellensstardustdiner.com) serves up diner themed meals whilst the waitstaff take turns to serenade you with the greatest hits or songs from Broadway. This is a favourite of mine and one that I’ve been to every time I’ve been in New York.

Hard Rock Cafe
American, Burgers | Address: 1501 Broadway, New York City, NY 10036 | Pricing: ££££

Situated right on Times Square, the Hard Rock Cafe (www.hardrockcafe.com) is a must-visit for some hardcore fans. Personally, I found the food to be unimpressive and the service to be slow and unimpressionable. Worth a visit if you fancy saying you’ve been but definitely not one to go out of your way for.

Jongro BBQ
Barbecue, Korean | Address: 22 W 32nd St 2nd Fl, New York City, NY 10001-3807 | Pricing: £££

Serving up authentic and delicious Korean BBQ, Jongro BBQ (www.jongrobbqny.com) was great after a show at Madison Square Garden. It can get busy at times, especially in the late evening rush after shows but we managed to get a table within 15-20 minutes of arriving without a reservation.

Katz’s Deli
Deli, Kosher | Address: 205 E Houston Street, New York City, NY 10002-1098 | Pricing: £££

Selling possibly the best (but priciest!) pastrami sandwiches in the world, Katz’s Deli (www.katzsdelicatessen.com) is a must-visit. Expect longs queues around meal times and queues outside of them - but they’re worth the wait. Once you’re in, expect to have to gradually push your way to the counter.

The Smith
American, Bar | Address: 1900 Broadway At 63rd Street, New York City, NY 10023-7004 | Pricing: ££££

Lost on ideas of where to eat on our last night in New York, Scott and I stumbled upon The Smith (www.thesmithrestaurant.com), just west of Central Park. Although pricey, the food was decent and the atmosphere was eclectic.

2 Bros Pizza
Quick Bites, Italian | Address: 542 9th Ave between 39th St & 40th St, New York City, NY 10018-1302 | Pricing: £

All I wanted to do after checking in to my hotel was to grab a quick bite to eat and sleep. 2 Bros Pizza is one of the best pizza places around Times Square. Although there’s always a queue, its worth the wait for a tasty slice!

Burgermania
American, Burgers | Address: 274 W 40th St, New York City, NY 10018 | Pricing: £

Located not far from my hotel, Burgermania cooks up juicy burgers at super affordable prices. Eating out every day in New York is enough to bankrupt you so being able to grab a decent burger at a non-chain or high-end restaurant was a relief!

Don’s Bogam BBQ and Wine Bar
Korean, Bar | Address: 17 E 32nd St, New York City, NY 10016-5401 | Pricing: £££

Don’s Bogam' BBQ and Wine Bar (www.donsbogam.com) is just one of many Korean BBQ places in so called K-Town. The food on the menu is authentic and tasty, whilst service is good and un-intrusive. The cocktails are worth a try but are slightly pricey.

Very Fresh Noodles
Quick Bites, Taiwanese | Address: 425 W 15th St, New York City, NY 10011-7098 | Pricing: £

Located in Chelsea Market, this outlet cooks up what it’s named after - some Very Fresh Noodles (www.veryfreshnoodles.com) - amongst other Taiwanese hot eats! The deep fried chicken wings are to die for but be warned - everything here is packed with a kick!

Connolley’s Irish Pub
Irish, Bar | Address: 121 W 45th St, New York City, NY 10036 | Pricing: ££-£££

When in New York, you have to visit an Irish Pub. Connolley’s (www.connollyspubandrestaurant.com) had a great atmosphere and some good cocktails and is a good option for some spontaneous drinks just off Times Square.

Virgil’s Real BBQ
American, Barbecue | Address: 152 W 44th St, New York City, NY 10036 | Pricing: ££-£££

Craving some BBQ? Virgil’s Real BBQ (www.virgilsbbq.com) is a real good option for satisfying that craving. I’ve never had an ‘authentic’ southern barbecue until now but my first experience was great. Sittings are available for earlier in the evening in Times Square, which is great if you have tickets to a Broadway show.

Los Tacos No. 1
Quick Bites, Mexican | Address: 229 W 43rd St, New York City, 10036-3982 | Pricing: £

If you love tacos, you’ll have to try Los Tacos No. 1 (www.lostacos1.com)! I’m a big fan of tacos and thanks to a recommendation from Rae and Leo, these are, by far, the best I’ve had. Service is quick and there’s not much room for loitering around, especially when it’s get busy. It’s off-Times Square location means that turning up early and outside of peak times will give a more relaxed experience. There’s also an outlet in Chelsea Market.

Places to go and things to do

New York can be a daunting place to get your head around and to plan a visit in. I’ve found it easier to fit more things into my time in the city by doing things that are closer together so that you’re using your time efficiently and not criss-crossing the city on public transport. I’ve broken down a 5-day itinerary made up of things I did on my trips in 2019 and 2022 below but you don’t have to do them in any particular order.

Day 1

Start early at the Brooklyn Bridge before heading to the Battery Park Ferry Terminal and catch an early ferry to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Most ferries include a stop on Ellis Island on the return leg, where you can hop off to explore the historical island where immigrants were first taken to be processed when they landed in New York. This could take a few hours if you choose to stop here so bump the rest of the day’s itinerary into an additional day. Visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in the afternoon to learn about the history of the horrific attacks before heading up the One World Observatory to admire the views across New York from the observation deck. If you have time, duck into the Oculus, an architectural delight that is part of the Westfield Shopping Centre at the World Trade Centre.

Day 2

Start your morning at the Washington Square Arch before walking up Fifth Avenue to the Flatiron Building and Empire State Building. Ride to the top of the 102-story skyscraper for views of the so-called Empire State - New York. After, head east towards Park Avenue and then head north for Grand Central Station. Head inside to admire the grandeur of the building that houses 44 platforms and dates back to 1913. Head east towards the Chrysler Building, another New York giant that held the title of the world’s tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building. Head east again towards the United Nations Headquarters for a glimpse of where world diplomacy takes place.

In the evening, see a show on Broadway - but be sure to book early to avoid disappointment. That said, certain shows run lotteries for unsold tickets at extremely low prices. For example, I secured extremely good seats to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for a fraction of the price through their lottery. You can read more about shows at events later on in the ‘What’s On’ section.

Day 3

After a late night, start your day at Chelsea Market at lunch time. Grab a quick bite to eat before embarking on the High Line, a converted part of the New York Central Railroad that is now an elevated walking trail. Walk the entire length of the line and reach the Vessel in Hudson Yards - an incredible landmark made up of inter-connecting stairs. Due to a number of suicides on the landmark, it no longer possible to reach the top, however, access to the ground level is still possible. Head north-west to check out the USS Intrepid, which is an aircraft carrier built during World War II. It is now a museum ship housing various aircraft including the Space Shuttle, Enterprise. Finish the day in Times Square to take in the atmosphere.

Day 4

Start at the Rockefeller Center to take in another one of New York’s giants before heading up to Central Park. Walk through the park before picking one of New York’s museums to spend the day in. I’d recommend spending a day in either the American Museum of Natural History or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both of these will need at least a full day to enjoy and take in the exhibits.

Day 5

Hire a car and explore further afield or head out to do some outlet shopping - be warned: traffic can be exceptionally bad in rush hour!

What’s On

New York is famous for it’s Broadway scene with musicals and plays showing all year round at countless theatres of all sizes. On top of that, there are a host of events that take place across the year that can be an added bonus to your trip if you’re travelling at the right time.

The Book of Mormon

If you’re not sure musicals are for you, then the Book of Mormon (www.bookofmormonbroadway.com) is a funny and easy way to test the waters. I’ve never found myself laughing the entire way through a show but the brilliantly scripted show and creative, yet unapologetically offensive song-writing is well performed by the talented cast and ensemble. This was Scott’s first musical and I think he was sold after watching this.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

As a big Harry Potter fan, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (www.harrypottertheplay.com) has been on my watch list for a long time. Whilst the London play is shown in two parts and can turn into an all day affair, the New York play is shown in one part with a short interval in between, making it much more attractive option. Bringing together theatrical excellence, use of the stage, lighting and magic (yes, real magic!), the show was as good as it could get and I found myself thrust back into the magical world as soon as the show started. Tickets can be hard to come by but the show does run a lottery for tickets that not sold for a significantly discounted price.

New York Comedy Festival

***Trevor Noah performed at Madison Square Garden for New York Comedy Week in November 2019*** *(Marco Ng)*

Taking place every year in November, the New York Comedy Festival (www.nycomedyfestival.com) brings together the best of home-grown and international comedy to the city. In 2019, Scott and I were lucky enough to secure tickets to see Trevor Noah on his Loud and Clear Tour at Madison Square Garden. Apart from big names and big venues, the week of comedy gigs also has up and coming talent at smaller venues.

Bottom Line

New York is a city like no other and it truly is the city that never sleeps. With ample things to see, do, eat and drink, you won’t be short of activities no matter how long you’re visiting. One thing is for sure though - plan ahead to make sure you’re using your time efficiently and to save yourself some money. In a city that is already expensive, you’ll be surprised how a bit of hard work before heading off will help look after your wallet. At peak times, reservations are almost essential to the best of the restaurants and bars.

If you’re not new to New York, don’t see the sights again - it’s not worth it and they don’t ever change. Instead, spend more time in the museums and on Broadway, in the theatres.

If you’ve never been - why haven’t you? It really is time to start planning that trip to the Big Apple.

New York