New York Guide

Karen Creed rounds up the best dining options, sightseeing and shopping in the Big Apple

Live like a local: Hotels like the Beacon offers visitors the chance to stay where real New Yorkers live. Located on the city’s trendy upper west side, it’s in a friendly neighbourhood with tree lined streets. Since a recent multi-million dollar revamp, all 260 rooms and suites have been decorated with tasteful design and serious comfort in mind. One of the unique features is the fully equipped kitchenette in every room and suite. With a supermarket across the street it’s easy to stock up the fridge for snacks and meals.

The rooms also have safes, flat screen TV’s with cable and air conditioning. In addition the beacon offers a next door restaurant call Viand Café, wireless internet access throughout the hotel and a guest internet centre offering email and internet access.

Beacon guests can enjoy the areas outdoor cafes, popular boutiques and off Broadway theatres. It is within close walking distance to Lincon Center, the Museum of Natural History and Central Park. Visit www.beaconhotel.com

Dining Deals: New Yorkers love to eat well, which means there are excellent restaurants all over the city. With over 25,000 eateries, you can expect great diversity from New York diners to fashionable restaurants. One of the most enticing inexpensive lunches is at the Irish owned Fitzpatrick Manhattan. The hotel’s Express lunch hits the spot in a fabulous setting where you want to sit back in luxury or simply people watch onto Lexington Avenue. A hearty lunch of soup and well filled sandwich will be served promptly and for a price of $9.95 it will mean more money to spend in the nearby shopping malls. www.fitzpatricks.com

Sightsee for free: Believe it or not there are things to do in New York that won’t cost you a dime. One of the finest is in Grand Central Station. You can get a free 90 minute tour of this enchanting landmark with a local guide who will point out fascinating things you would never notice on your own. One of the best ways to get a perfect view of Manhattan is from a cruise on the Hudson River. Take the Staten Island ferry for the most breathtaking views of the famous skyline and also the statue of liberty. The perk is that it’s free. www.siferry.com

Broadway for less: For most visitors to New York a Broadway show is a highlight. The big shows can be expensive but there are ways to enjoy one for a fraction of the usual price tag. The hands-down cheapest way to get into a Broadway show is to get a Standing Room Only, or SRO, Ticket. The average cost for these deeply discounted tickets is $20. The catch is that you don’t get an actual seat to the show. Usually Standing Room Only ticket holders are lined up against a short partition at the back of the orchestra and allowed to view the performance from there. On occasion, a kind usher might allow someone with an SRO ticket to sit down if an empty seat is located. Often the box office will only accept cash payment for SRO tickets, so come prepared.

Boutique Chic: Part of the attraction of shopping in New York is the fabulous brands that you can’t get at home. From casual clothing to decadent lingerie, many of the big brand stores have super sales racks all year round. A lot of people come to New York because they want to visit Bloomingdales or Macy’s. While Irish visitors are rightly lured by Bloomingdales 11% discount card, there are also other shopping areas to put on your must-visit list. The smaller individually-owned boutiques set their own prices and you won’t find the items anywhere else in the world. Trendier, less touristy parts of New York are awash with vintage stores and boutique shops. Try Brooklyn, the West Village, Lower East Side, East Village, Upper East Side, Carnegie Hill and Williamsburg. Sporting equipment is also well worth seeking out. And if you’re a jeans fan, stock up in all the discount designer stores like Century 21.

Unravel Travel TV www.unraveltravel.eu