Travel time
13 hours
How to get there
Etihad Airways flies daily to JFK Airport with fares currently starting at Dhs6,075 (Jul), Dhs5,465 (Aug), Dhs4,875 (Sep)
Sleep
Budget
Ace Hotel: Okay, ‘budget’ isn’t perhaps the best way to describe this hip hotel, and while the sprawling loft spaces are by no means cheap, the respectable ‘medium’ rooms are outfitted with vintage furniture and original art; even cheaper are the snug bunk-bed setups.
www.acehotel.com. Jul-Aug rates start from US$209 (Dhs768) per night; Sep rates start from US$260 (approx Dhs950)
Blow it
Greenwich Hotel: ‘Deluxe guest house’ might be a more apt description of Robert De Niro’s latest property, which has the vibe of a large villa somewhere between Marrakech and Milan. Many rooms overlook the charming courtyard, while suites boast perks such as fireplaces.
www.thegreenwichhotel.com. Jul-Sep rates start from US$475 (approx Dhs1,745)
Eat
Budget
Shake Shack: Shake Shack gets the local critics’ vote for New York’s best burger. Patties are served Chicago-style on poppy-seed buns with a ‘salad’ of toppings. Plus their frozen custard shakes hit the spot.
www.shakeshacknyc.com. Burgers cost US$4.75 (approx Dhs17.50)
Blow it
Corton: A meal here is an extraordinary experience. The presentation, in the style of the most esteemed modern kitchens of Europe, is Photoshop flawless: sweet bay scallops, for example, anchor a visual masterpiece featuring wisps of radish, marcona almonds and sea urchin. Oh, and it tastes as good as it looks.
www.cortonnyc.com. Meal for two costs US$170 (approx Dhs625) for a set three-course menu
Do
Budget
Take the high road: Views from this elevated ‘park in the sky’ are spectacular. You can relax among local flora, sunbathe on rolling chaises longues, snap pics of Meatpacking District mayhem, and – at points – see clearly down to the Statue of Liberty.
www.thehighline.org. Admission is free
Blow it
New York by helicopter: There’ll be no daredevil swooping and diving around the city (Liberty’s helicopters provide a fairly smooth flight), but the views are thrilling in themselves. Even an eight-minute ride is long enough to get an adrenaline-pumping look at the Empire State Building.
www.libertyhelicopters.com. US$135 (approx Dhs495) for eight minutes
