The Wolcott hotel has been in New York City for the past 100 years and is located on 31st Street, just three blocks from the Empire State building. The hotel has a selection of different sized rooms, with ensuite bath/shower rooms internet access and complimentary muffins and coffee in the lobby each morning. The hotel also has a fitness room a business centre, meeting rooms and a theatre.

The Hotel Chelsea was built in 1883 and has attracted people from the artistic and bohemian communities and until 1899 it was the tallest building in New York. The hotel has a wide selection of air conditioned rooms, some with ensuites and some with shared bathrooms. The hotel welcomes guests but deals primarily in long term residences. There is a concierge available who can book theatre tickets and restaurant tables on request.

The New York Inn is located just two blocks from Times Square and Broadway theatres. All the main attractions of the Big Apple fare within walking distance of the hotel. There is a restaurant on the first floor and the hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast. At the moment the hotel has 35 of its rooms under reservation. Free wireless internet is available in the hotel lobby.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel is located in the Tribeca at Chambers Street, West Broadway, and has 122 budget priced rooms. The hotel also has eleven two level mini lofts all rooms have private bath and colour television.

The Union Square Inn is just a few steps away from Union Square on East 14th Street. The 45 rooms are clean and simply decorated and furnished. The hotel is close to local amenities and restaurants and offers comfortable accommodation at an affordable price.

The Colonial House Inn is located on West 22nd Street and doubles as an art gallery. All 22 rooms and 2 suites have satellite television and the price includes a complimentary continental breakfast. There is a roof deck and internet access is available in the first floor lounge and in all the rooms

The Gershwyn Hotel is located on East 27th Street, just a short distance from all the local amenities. Rooms have WiFi internet access and ensuite bathrooms. There is a restaurant on the premises and all the food comes from local farmers. There is a concierge, 24 hour guest reception a laundry service and airport shuttle.

The Harlem Flophouse is located on West 123rd Street between Seventh Avenue and Frederick Douglass Blvd. The hotel has a number of artistically styled rooms but there is no onsite restaurant, however there are plenty of cafes and restaurants close by. The hotel is just a short subway ride from Harlem itself and all the local attractions.

Most of the budget priced hotels offer clean, if simple rooms and prices start at around $55 a night.

The Milford Plaza is located on West 45th Street in the heart of midtown Manhattan, close to all the local attractions. The hotel has 1300 guestrooms and there is a concierge service. The hotel has fitness and recreation centre and wireless internet access is available in the public areas but there is no restaurant on site.

The Holiday Inn Express is located on Madison Square Gardens in the heart of the city with excellent shopping and dining facilities nearby. The rooms are spread over 15 floors and there is a concierge service. The hotel features complimentary breakfast and fitness and business centres, there is no restaurant on site.

The Hampton Inn in Manhattan Chelsea is a new 20 story hotel bordering the West Village of Midtown Manhattan, near the shops and other attractions. The hotel has a complimentary hot breakfast bar, a fitness centre and 24 hour coffee service.

The Broadway Plaza Hotel is located at the intersection between Broadway and 27th Street. The hotel has 16 large guest rooms and there is a complimentary continental breakfast service. There is a laundry service but no restaurant, WiFi internet access is charged out at $9.95 a day.

The Hotel Pennsylvania is located at 401Seventh Avenue in midtown Manhattan, just a short walk from all the major city attractions. The hotel offers 1700 rooms and a complimentary fitness centre; there is a 24 hour coffee shop and a restaurant of the main lobby. Internet access is available for a fee.

The Fashion 26 Wyndham Hotel is located on West 26th Street, just a short walk from the Fashion Institute and most major attractions. The hotel has fashionable guest rooms with WiFi internet access and 24 hour room service. There is a fitness centre and business centre, a Rare Bar and Grill and a lobby restaurant.

The Roger Smith Hotel is located on Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan close to all the local amenities and attractions. The hotel offers a wide variety of suites and rooms with complimentary WiFi access. Lily’s Bar and restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open from 7am to 10pm.

The Hilton Hasbrouk Heights, Meadowlands is just a few minutes from New York’s Manhattan district. The hotel offers a variety of suites and guest rooms, a rooftop ballroom, banqueting rooms and a fitness centre and high speed internet access. There is a Lobby Lounge and Canterbury’s Restaurant serves traditional American dishes, there is also a heated pool, a concierge service and a laundry service on request. There is a lobby gift shop and continental breakfast is available in the restaurant.

While there are a good number of both luxury and budget hotels in New York City, there seem to be fewer hotels in the mid-price range.

3.5 Star Hotels

The Park Avenue Hotel is located at the corner of 38th Street and Park Avenue, which is a central and sought after location. The hotel has 205 suites and rooms over 17 floors and there is full service concierge between 7am and 11pm. The 84 seat Silver Leaf Tavern is the hotel’s restaurant, offering its own interpretations of classic American dishes.

The Hilton New York is situated between West 53rd Street and 6th Avenue, in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The hotel has a staggering 1980 suites and rooms spread over 45 floors, with a concierge and bell staff on call. The hotel boasts several restaurants/cafes including the Etrusca, serving Italian cuisine, New York Marketplace, the Lobby Lounge, Bridges Bar and Starbucks – rates for both these hotels are not displayed online.

4 Star Hotels

The Waldorf Astoria is a well known New York hotel and the Art Deco building occupies a whole block of Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The Waldorf Astoria has 1245 rooms and suites over 27 floors, with concierge and bell staff between 7am and 11pm. The hotel has a number of restaurants and cafes including the Bull and Bear Steakhouse and bar and the Inagiku serving new style Japanese cuisine.

The Crown Plaza is situated on Times Square right in the centre of midtown Manhattan and a short walk from Fifth Avenue shops and the theatre district. The Crown Plaza has 770 rooms and suites spread over 46 floors with the concierge available from 8am to 8pm during the week and 8am to 6pm at weekends. The hotel has a coffee shop, bar and restaurant that serves a wide menu of food.

4.5 Star Hotels

The New York Palace Hotel is located between 50th and 51st Streets in midtown Manhattan, just across the street from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The hotel has 899 suites and rooms spread over 55 floors, part of the building, the Villiard House, dates back to 1882 and the concierge is available from 6am to 1am. The hotel has a cocktail bar and a brasserie and the GILT restaurant which serves modern American cuisine.

The luxury Surrey hotel is situated on 76th Street at Madison Avenue on the Upper Eastside. The hotel has 150 suites and rooms spread over 17 floors, there is a baby sitting service available and there is a concierge on duty 24 hours a day. The Surrey Hotel has a bar, a roof top terrace and garden and the Boulud Café offers French dishes made with fresh American ingredients.

5 Star Hotel

The Plaza Hotel is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. The hotel has been in existence for more than 100 years and has recently had a $5million makeover. The Plaza Hotel offers 282 suites and rooms spread over 20 floors with a concierge on call. The Plaza has a club, the Rose Club, a couple of bars and a couple of restaurants.

British travellers who previously could enter the US and stay for 90 days under the Visa Waiver programme, now have to get an electronic travel authorisation prior to setting off for the United States. Anyone without an electronic authorisation will be refused entry to the United States so it is advisable to apply for the authorisation at least 72 hours before your flight time. In the United States, as to a lesser extent in Britain, there is a constant threat of terrorism, including those places frequented by foreign visitors. British visitors to the US are advised to be on the alert and to be aware of the dangers of car and street crime in cities such as New York.

The US Department of Homeland Security has given all international flights into the US a high security warning and there may be extensive security checks at airports when travellers arrive from abroad. Security checks on departure from the United States are often less extensive, although visitors returning to the UK could find that they are subject to extensive checks on entering their home country. Visitors are warned to be on their guard for terrorist attacks, particularly when they visit high profile public places such as the Empire State Building.

In America the law varies from one state to another, however, if you are a young person travelling to New York for the first time, you should be aware that in almost all states it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol. If you plan on travelling to Arizona it is advisable to carry your passport with you at all times as you could be stopped and without proper documentation, possibly arrested under the state’s new immigration laws. If you do have problems when you travel to the United States from the UK you need to explain that you are a British National and ask to speak to the consulate.

If you have UK emergency travel documents you should be aware that under the new Visa Waiver law you will no longer be eligible to enter the US with these documents. You should be aware that more than five million UK citizens visit the US every year; however, there are still a number of them that experience problems requiring the help of the British consulate. Between 2009-2010 there were more than 3,000 instances of lost or stolen passports, more than a thousand arrests and 126 cases of hospitalisation. While most visits to the United States take place without any problems you should know that many of them took place in New York and Florida, the two top destinations for UK visitors.

The Addams Family

The whole Addams family scenario is popular with kids, particularly following the film some years ago. The Adams Family is currently showing at the Lunt Fontaine theatre on 205 West 46th Street. The show is directed by Jerry Zaks and features Kevin Chamberlain as Uncle Fester, Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Nieuwirth as Morticia. Although the Times Review is not that positive you may still enjoy it. Check the website for show times and tickets.

American Idiot

The American Idiot is a musical showing at the St. James Theatre, which is located at 246 West 44th Street, starring John Gallagher and Tony Vincent. This raucous musical is adapted from the Pop Punk album Green Day. The musical is directed by Michael Mayer, gives you all the thrills and ugliness of sex and drugs and rock and roll. If you like musicals and you are into the whole rock thing then this one is great. Check website for show times and tickets.

The Jersey Boys

The Jersey Boys is a musical based around the biography of the spectacularly successful Four Seasons, lead singer Frankie Valli is played by John Lloyd Young and the musical is directed by Des McAnuff this is a show aimed at the Baby Boomer theatre goers. The New York Times Review is very keen on John Lloyd Young and on this interpretation of the Four Seasons’ biography. The musical is showing at the August Wilson theatre located at 246 West 52nd Street and show times and tickets can be found on the website.

Chicago

Chicago was a great musical on film and is still showing at the Ambassador Theatre at 219 West 49th Street. Roxie Hart is played by Melanie Griffith and has a great review for her performance in the revival of the Kander and Ebb musical. The show has had considerable success on Broadway in the past and it is anticipated that this success will continue.

Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy starring Vanessa Redgrave and directed by David Esbjornson is now showing at the Golden Theatre 252 West 45th Street and after several years the show still draws the audiences in. You are hardly going to be disappointed by stars such as James Earl Jones and Ms Redgrave. Check the website for show times and tickets.

When you book a cruise to New York, make sure that you are not spending time at other destinations that you really want to spend in New York. People go on cruises for a variety of reasons, not least the novelty of discovering just what life can be like onboard ship. Some cruises offer a flavour of the nineteen thirties with afternoon tea served at 4pm. Most ordinary people cannot afford to book a cruise where they have a suite as this can be exorbitantly expensive compared to having a cabin on the inside of the ship or liner as they are most often called.

It takes a while for a liner to travel from Southampton to New York and passengers can be reasonably sure that they will be onboard for seven nights before they reach their destination. You need to be very fond of travelling by sea to deal with those seven nights as there is no escape from the sound of the engines and the general 24 hour running of an ocean liner. When there are no ports of call along the way you need to be able to use the ship’s amenities to the utmost, or find a way of amusing yourself a good deal of the time.

There is plenty of onboard entertainment when you travel on a Cunard liner. If you prefer something more than just passive entertainment then you can take painting classes or get involved in amateur dramatics. Occasionally there is a guest speaker to break the monotony. If you enjoy dancing then you can dance till you drop most nights on a cruise to New York. There are plenty of physical games and board games on a ship and if you are fitness conscious you can spend time in the spa or the gym in an attempt to look your best when you land.

Breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner tend to break up the day, no sooner have you eaten one meal than it’s almost time for the next. There are onboard restaurants and plenty of opportunity for shopping while you travel. Summer cruises are more expensive than winter ones and if you don’t mind travelling at short notice, it is possible to get some really cheap deals on a cruise from Southampton to New York. You need to be careful when you book your cruise, particularly if you want to spend more than one or two nights in New York. North American cruises for example give you a night in New York, one in Boston, one in Canada and a second one in New York on the return trip, the rest of the time is spent on board.

If you want to work in New York you will need to get yourself a work permit and this is much easier if you already know someone in the city who will vouch for you. People from the UK who plan to stay in the United States for any length of time must be able to show that they have somewhere to stay, at least until they find somewhere of their own, and that they are financially solvent. If you don’t have enough funds to see you through until you get a job and receive your first paycheck then it could be difficult getting a work permit.

If you don’t know much about New York City other than what you may have seen on television then it is a good idea to take a look at websites that are designed to give you an idea of what it is like for people living and working in New York. As the largest city in the United States there is always plenty going on in New York If you already have qualifications and a successful career it should be an easy process getting yourself established in New York.

Moving to another country to live and work is a huge step and it often helps to visit a place first and see what it is like. If you can go on an extended 90 day visit to New York from the UK then you should have time to make friends and find someone who will vouch for you when it comes to the time you want to make a move.

Make sure that you save money before you go to New York to live and work. You will need to find yourself somewhere to live and you will need to sign up for health insurance straight away as there is no NHS in America. There are some free hospitals and clinics but if you need to see a GP you will need to pay for every visit unless you have insurance.

New York is probably the most cosmopolitan city in the world, closely followed by London and Hong Kong and you will here all varieties of language spoken there. If you have a UK degree in fashion design and some work experience, it shouldn’t be too hard to find work in New York as British first degrees are of more value than American ones. When it comes to postgraduate study you will find that the playing field is evened out and doctoral awards are based on international criteria anyway. If you do decide you want to live and work in New York then the best time to do this is when you are young. New York is a vibrant city and providing you follow basic safety advice you should have a great time.

Rail

Most people travelling in, out and around New York City tend to use the railway. The transport system in the city is one of the oldest and largest in the United States. Transport is the responsibility of various government agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The authority runs two of New York’s three commuter rail services as well as all of the buses and subways in the city. Around 2.2 billion people annually, use public transport in New York.

Subways

The subway in New York City is the largest such transport system in the world, bigger than London’s underground with some 656 miles of track. New York City’s subway, is the second oldest system in the United States, second only to the Boston subway and averaging 1.4 billion passenger trips in 2005. The city has a total of 24 subway systems running through all New York boroughs except Staten Island, where commuters use the Staten Island railway system.

When people ride on the subway in New York they pay for their journey with the MetroCard, which is valid on all the transport systems and buses in the city and includes the Roosevelt Island tramway. The MetroCard was introduced as a replacement for tokens, which were previously used to pay fares. When travellers pay for their fare it is loaded electronically onto the MetroCard. Besides the commuter rail and subway systems there is also the Port Authority Trans-Hudson subway that links Manhattan to various points in New Jersey.

Buses

New York City has an extensive bus network with 2.1million passengers travelling on its nearly six thousand buses every day of the week from the city’s thirty routes and two express routes. New York has the largest number of clean air buses, either gas fuelled or hybrid, in the United States. Buses are identified with a number and a letter prefix, for example B for Brooklyn, Q for Queens and S for Staten Island to name but a few. MTA New York City Bus operates the express buses and uses the letter x to distinguish it from the other buses.

Near Times Square there is the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the busiest bus terminal in the whole of the US and the main throughway for interstate buses coming to New York. The terminal serves both commuter and national bus routes. There are also two discount coach services that began operation in March 2008.

In addition to the above there are two private bus companies that are run for profit. These companies operate all year round, seven days a week from areas on the east side of Manhattan to Long Island’s villages and hamlets.

There are flights out of all the London Airports to New York, including City Airport, London Stanstead, London Heathrow and Gatwick. If you live in the north or the midlands areas of the UK then you will probably travel from Manchester, Birmingham or Leicester, depending on which is the most convenient for you. American Airlines offer cheap, non-stop flights from Heathrow to New York.

For people living in the North East of England there are flights from Humberside, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Newcastle Airport, Durham Tees Valley and Leeds Bradford Airports. For those people who live in the southeast or southwest of England there are flights from Southampton, Norwich, Bristol and Exeter to New York If you are travelling from Wales to New York then you will need to go from Cardiff Airport. There are flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness Airports for people travelling to New York from Scotland.

Channel Island flights to New York run from Jersey and Guernsey and there are also flights from the Isle of Man Airport to New York. If you live in Ireland and are travelling to New York there are flights from Belfast, Belfast City and Belfast International Airports as well as from Dublin Airport. Most of these flights are with BA, apart from the Irish flights which are more likely to be Aerlingus. Virgin Atlantic also runs flights from the same destinations as British Airways to New York. It is always a good idea to search for flight prices and times on the internet at one of the comparison sites because the prices of flights to New York can vary widely. Flights to New York usually land at JFK Airport and there are flights from major airports most days of the year.

Downtown Bus Tour

If you go on the downtown bus tour you will see Times Square, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Macy’s, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, Site of the World Trade Centre, Wall Street financial district, Battery Park, South Street, Seaport, the Lower East Side, Carnegie Hall, the Rockerfeller Centre and the Broadway Theatre District and a lot more. The open top, double decker bus gives passengers a panoramic view of New York City and you will travel with guides who know the city well and should be able to answer all of your questions.

All Around Town Hop On Hop Off Tour

When you take this tour you can hop on a bus and hop off wherever you choose on the downtown, uptown and Harlem tours. There is the Brooklyn tour, the night tour and the Circle Line 75minute cruise and either the New York Historical Society or the Museum of the City of New York. It is up to the individual whether they choose to go on the downtown or utown tour, the Brooklyn tour, the night tour or the cruise. Finally you can choose between the New York Historical Society tour or the Museums tour. Each tour looks at different aspects of New York and you may decide to do all of them if you are staying in the city for an extended period.

All Around and Helicopter Tour

The all around and helicopter tour includes a total of 48 hours of sightseeing from a double decker visiting all the major sites in the downtown, Uptown, Harlem, Brooklyn, Night tour and Museum tour. The tour also includes an aerial view of the Big Apple from a Liberty helicopter, flying over the city’s most famous landmark, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Central Park to name but a few.

The Full Manhattan Cruise

The Full Manhattan Cruise is a three hour cruise around Manhattan Island with some of the best available views of the statue of Liberty. You will see three rivers and seven bridges on the tour and more than 25 world famous landmarks The cruise runs all the year round and food and drinks are extra.