New York

The dream machine

New York, with its square blocks of identical dimensions, glass and steel towers, a huge monumental park and blinding neon signs is a fascinating city for many reasons, including its gargantuan almost frightening size. The 381 meter high Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, home to the media and culture in general, are symbols of the vibrant and non stop energy of midtown Manhattan. But New York is also a cosmopolitan city with an inexhaustible wealth of diversity. Divided into five boroughs, each with its own special identity, New York, in spite of its disproportionate size, its skyscrapers and large and busy avenues, is a very human and hospitable city. From Harlem to lower Manhattan, there’s a neighborhood for every taste and a luxurious and comfortable hotel in which to feel at home in no time at all.

Focus on Time Square: Trip the lights fantastic !

Second only to the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor, whose beacon of light has been welcoming immigrants to America for more than a century, Times Square is a perfect symbol of this mythical city. Famous for its patchwork of gigantic neon signs, the corner of Broadway and 42^nd Street receives such a mass of visitors that it is known as the “crossroads of the world.” The human energy one feels here matches the energy of the neon lights, the shops, chic restaurants, and the constant flow of legendary yellow taxis. The indoor spotlights of the huge line of historic theatres on Broadway are symbolic as well, and are the reason for its nickname of the “Great White Way.” True to the quarter’s bright lights motif, the sensual light of the luxurious Sanctuary Hotel New York on 47^th Street is the perfect Theatre District venue. The view of all of midtown Manhattan from its Haven Rooftop cocktail and bar is a true highlight for guests. For a night of mingling with trendy local New Yorkers, the Room Mate Grace swimming pool bar is the place to go. For a true haven of serenity in the heart of hyperactive Times Square, the slightly surrealist Night Hotel with its black walls and Gothic décor is the perfect choice for a guaranteed and welcome atmosphere of peace and quiet.

Central Park : Strawberry Fields forever

Surrounded by the Upper East and Upper West Side quarters, Central Park is a 341 hectare oasis of greenery, relaxation and leisure in the heart of Manhattan. This often used cinema décor is ideal for romantic walks, sports, picnics as well as an art lover’s paradise. Bordering the east side of the park, on Fifth Avenue, there is such a multitude of prestigious museums including the Museo del Barrio, the Metropolitan, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) , that the area has been renamed, “The Museum Mile.” To stay in the midst of centuries old trees and gray squirrels and still be in midtown Manhattan, try the classic and sophisticated Pierre hotel or the more modern urban chic Mandarin Oriental New York. Another option, just two blocks from the park, is the 208 meter high Four Seasons Hotel, with a breathtaking view of the city.

A stroll along the High Line

Often compared to the “Coulée Verte” in the south of Paris, the High Line is a section of the former elevated railroad tracks, transformed into a public park that runs along the western side of the Meatpacking District and part of the Chelsea quarter. With its panoramic view of the Hudson River, its benches and its abundant greenery, the High Line promenade where many art exhibits take place, is a bucolic, trendy and unanimously popular meeting place. The neighborhood which it crosses, the Meatpacking District, was the former slaughterhouse quarter which is now filled with numerous lofts, art galleries and designer boutiques. Adjacent to this new hype area, the Chelsea quarter is also an up and coming spot for clubbing high society inhabitants of the Big Apple. These new trends are exemplified by the creation of very trendy luxurious design hotels like the Gansevoort and the Hotel Americano.

Lower East Side: a cosmopolitan and trendy patchwork

The southeastern part of Manhattan Island also has its own atypical charm. The Lower East Side and by extension the small communities of Noho, Nolita, Little Italy and Chinatown were once poor and often ill frequented neighborhoods. Near the port of entry during the various waves of immigrations, different communities were organized by streets. Renovated today by artists fleeing the high prices of midtown, the Lower East Side has become a gentrified Bohemian quarter while still preserving its cosmopolitan and “melting pot” soul. As the center of an intense night life, the area of Rivington and Essex Streets contains an enormous concentration of highly popular bars and restaurants as well as the Hotel On Rivington, a very crystal design refuge. A few blocks from there, the Nolitan, somewhere between avant garde and authenticity, is all the rage. Nestled in the middle of Nolita’s narrow streets, it’s the perfect spot for afternoon shopping and an exotic visit to Chinatown and Little Italy.