Where to stay in NYC: seven essential neighbourhoods to explore

This one goes out to all you incurable sightseers out there. If it’s that thrilling “I’m in the Big Apple, baby” sensation you seek as you pull open the curtains each morning, Midtown is your jam. The bright lights of Broadway and Times Square are calling your name: step out among the phalanxes of honking yellow cabs and camera-toting tourist hordes and take a moment to drink in that inimitable Noo Yoik atmosphere. 

What else is there to see and do here? Well, for starters you can take your pick from three (count ‘em) of the biggest and best observation decks in town. We’re talking Top of the Rock, with its postcard views of Central Park and the Empire State Building; the ESB herself, for that classic King Kong experience, and the ultra-modern nerve-jangler that is Edge (complete with glass floor and angled walls – yikes), over in Hudson Yards. Want more? How about a schmoozefest with Mariah, Tay-Tay and, um, Pennywise the clown at Madame Tussauds? Or a Hudson River sightseeing cruise that takes in iconic landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center and Statue of Liberty? And, while you’re there, it’s just a short hop over to Pier 86 and the Intrepid Museum’s magnificent machines of sea and air.

There are hotels of every stripe in Midtown, from budget boltholes to skyscraping corporate giants. Proximity to countless subway lines and the city’s most essential attractions make for super-easy logistics, too. In short: Midtown’s a no-brainer for New York newbies.

Nearby attractions

• Times Square
• Empire State Building
• Top of The Rock
• Madame Tussauds

If your ideal New York day includes downtown skyline views, waterfront wanders, and a gentler pace when the sun goes down, the Financial District and its Battery Park City neighbor deliver the goods. Here, cobblestone lanes live cheek-by-jowl with skyscraping leviathans of glass and steel, and you can find some pretty spacious hotel rooms by NYC standards, sometimes even with picturesque views of the river or bay. Weekdays bring a steady stream of suits and coffee carts but, with the week’s business done, weekends lean into a far more relaxed, even residential feel; it's a pleasing neighborhood for leisurely morning jogs along the esplanade and breezy sunset strolls.

You’re also right next to several more of New York’s big hitters. And, frankly, they don’t come much bigger than the One World Trade Center, a 1,776 feet goliath of gleaming glass that – from its sky-high observatory – promises sweeping views of Lady Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and, well, pretty much the whole of the Eastern Seaboard (ok, slight exaggeration, but you get the general idea). This is also where you can pay your respects to the victims of the 9/11 attacks at the deeply moving 9/11 Memorial & Museum. 

Say hey to the famous Charging Bull and Fearless Girl statues by the New York Stock Exchange before heading to the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway, where Trinity Church remands a steadfast spiritual standard-bearer amid all the daily hustle of the financial district, where bankers and brokers worship at capitalism’s high altar. And, when you’re ready to move on, handy Big Bus stops make getting to SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy and uptown attractions a breeze.

Nearby attractions

• One World Observatory
• Wall Street
• 9/11 memorial & Museum
• Battery Park for ferries to Ellis and Liberty Island

Postcard views and warm neighborhood vibes are the order of the day across the East River in Brooklyn. Hit the Heights for Insta-perfect brownstone blocks and broad leafy sidewalks that seem made for strolling with a coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other. Make for the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, where you’ll be forgiven for letting your jaw hit the floor as you take in those quite unbelievable views of the Manhattan skyline.

Down the hill, DUMBO (which has nothing whatsoever to do with the Disney elephant and everything to do with being Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) mixes cobblestone waterside walkways and riverfront parks with hipper-than-thou art galleries, stylish indie boutiques and cool cafés and bakeries. You’ll want to nab that essential photo of the distant Empire State Building, so neatly framed beneath the bridge’s arches, from Washington Street. But be sure to also take, ahem, time out for street food treats at the Time Out Market and – if you happen to be in the neighborhood on the weekend – a rummage through the bric-a-brac treasures of the Brooklyn Flea, a popular weekly market that takes place directly beneath the DUMBO arches. Then of course there’s the majestic Brooklyn Bridge itself. Wander its mile-long span for mesmerizing, ever-changing perspectives on the Manhattan skyline, or save your aching feet and do it by bike instead.

Nearby attractions

• Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO walking tour
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden
• Street art tour of Bushwick
• Brooklyn Museum

Culture vulture? You’ve come to the right place. Hugging Central Park’s east side along the broad sweep of Fifth Avenue, Museum Mile contains a higher concentration of world-class art than just about anywhere else on the planet. Start with the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met aka the daddy, the boss, the big kahuna of art galleries. Here’s where you can ogle Monet’s Water-Lilies and van Gogh’s selfies, as well as ancient Egyptian temples, frescoes from Pompeii and thousands more masterpieces of yore. Heading north, the Neue Galerie focuses on 20th-century German and Austrian art and design, the Frank Lloyd-Wright-designed Guggenheim is as notable for its eye-popping architecture as for its fine collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, modern and contemporary art, and the Smithsonian highlights global design across the centuries inside a stately Georgian townhouse. Art appetite still not satisfied? Keep going for the Jewish Museum, El Museo del Barrio and the Museum for African Art. 

Of course, it’s also perfectly possible to stay in the elegant Upper East Side without ever once setting foot in a single gallery or museum. After all, Fifth Avenue’s luxury shopping and the many jewels of Central Park promise enough entertainment between them to fill any long-weekend itinerary. Rent a bike or scooter to cover more ground in the park – a gentle loop could see you recreate your favorite scenes from When Harry Met Sally (no, not that scene) on Bethesda Terrace and the Bow Bridge, embracing your inner zen in the Japanese Garden and coming over all Roy Rogers astride one of the old-school carousel’s majestic painted steeds.

Nearby attractions

• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• Central Park Reservoir
• Fifth Avenue shops
• Metropolitan Museum of Art

For spectacular skyline views without Midtown’s round-the-clock buzz, head east over the river to Queens and the Long Island City neighborhood. Sleek hotels cluster near the waterfront, where Gantry Plaza State Park stretches along the East River, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover plenty of accommodation that’s way more affordable than Midtown, yet still just a subway stop or two from Times Square.

Days here lean outdoorsy and artsy. Start with sunrise along the esplanade or a coffee (or indeed soda) beneath the lovingly restored Pepsi-Cola sign, then pop into small-scale local studios and neighborhood galleries to pick up one-off art pieces that wouldn’t look out of place in MoMA. Waterfront playgrounds and green spaces make Long Island City a hit with families, while couples will love those rooftop bars that seem purpose-made (and probably are) for framing the Manhattan skyline just so. 

Nearby attractions

• Gantry Plaza State Park
• MoMA PS1
• Roosevelt Island

For travelers who covet design-forward hotels, fab food on every corner, and easy-on-the-feet exploring, it has to be Chelsea. You can spend mornings wandering the High Line’s garden-lined path, then drop into galleries on the western blocks. The High Line is just one of New York City’s many surprise delights. Set along an old railway track, the park has been elevated from forgotten former freight line to a lush urban oasis that seems to float above the city streets, connecting the dots between the Meatpacking District, Chelsea and Hudson Yards, and with the added bonus of sweeping city views, cool public art and gorgeous gardens that change with the seasons – and all of it blissfully traffic-free. You’ll find the Whitney Museum of American Art at its southern entrance; this remarkable piece of architectural artistry (this time by Renzo Piano of Shard and Centre Pompidou renown) that's home to fine pieces by Warhol, Hopper, O’Keeffe et al.

Nearby Chelsea Market is set inside the old Nabisco factory and could well lay claim to the title of world’s best food market. Drop by on a Saturday, when the space is at its bustling, aromatic best, and let your palate join the globetrotting culinary party. The scents of baking bread, sizzling tacos and fresh seafood fill the air, and vendors are on hand with everything from brookie (brownie-cookie) hybrids and artisanal cheeses to vegan sushi and lobster rolls. Don’t skip Los Tacos No. 1 for their signature adobada, or Lobster Place for some of the best sushi and clam chowder in town. Eataly offers fresh pasta, espresso pick-me-ups, and rooftop aperitivo vibes with Empire State Building views. It’s just a delicious day out on every level.

Nearby attractions

• High Line, Chelsea and Meatpacking District tour
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• Madison Square Garden
• Flatiron Building

Creative energy and river views define Williamsburg, a sweet base ifjust north of DUMBO for indie boutiques, micro-breweries and street-food hotspots by day and rooftop skyline moments by night. Bedford Avenue buzzes with coffee bars, vintage shops and tiny art galleries, while side streets lead off to cozy restaurants and cute wine bars. Over by the water, Domino Park offers sunny lawns, playful fountains and a breezy promenade with that fabulous Manhattan skyline laid out across the river.

Weekend mornings bring farmers’ markets, pastry runs and no-rush brunches. Don’t miss Smorgasburg, originally a low-key spin-off of the Brooklyn Flea, this foodie paradise has mushroomed (no pun intended) into its own ma-HOO-sive weekend market, the kind of place where your only difficulty is deciding which delectable gourmand delight to try first. We’re talking lobster rolls, life-altering mac’n’cheese, Bolivian chola sandwiches, gooey St Louis butter cake and more. In a word: YUM.

Williamsburg hotels run the gamut from minimalist boutiques to luxe riverfront stays with rooftop infinity pools made for golden-hour photos. Getting around stays simple, too: the L train zips to Union Square, and ferries carry you down to DUMBO or up to Greenpoint, with skyline scenery baked in.

Nearby attractions

• Williamsburg walking tour
• Domino Park
• Williamsburg Art & Historical Center

And that, dear readers, is a wrap on our pick of the top NYC neighbourhoods to stay in. Sure, we know it’s far from comprehensive and that several parts of town are conspicuous by their absence (hello, Greenwich Village!). But we trust this small hand-picked cross-section of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens enclaves will suffice just enough to whet your appetite for all things big and appley.