If you’re looking for nightlife, you’ve come to the right place. From Monday night socials to Sunday sessions, New York is one city that never takes a night off and whether you’re looking for laidback lounging, pumping live music or high-class cocktails, the self-styled city that never sleeps is sure to have you pulling up a stool and settling in for the night.
Most bars are open until well past midnight, some until 4am, and consequently New York breaks are often characterised more by what goes on when the sun goes down than they are by what happens by day. If you want to keep up with what’s hip, hot and happening in the city you’ll need the get that finger firmly on the pulse – and that reservation into the best hotel in town.
New York hotels are as varied as they are numerous and choosing the best place to stay should come down to location above all else. If you’re planning to be out ‘til the small hours you’ll need a crash pad that’s centrally located – and it doesn’t get more central than Times Square.
The Westin New York boasts not only an enviable address in the heart of Times Square but also one of the city’s coolest cocktail bars. Bar 10 is a chic lounge bar with a hip but welcoming atmosphere and an extensive cocktail menu. Start your night here with delicious apple martinis before heading skywards for aperitifs with a view at the Madison Square Sky Lounge where the open-air terrace offers the perfect vantage point from which to plan the rest of your night.
You could stick with Midtown and dance to funky DJs under a black chandelier at Amalia or sup martinis of every shade as you check out the weekly drag show at Bar-Tini Ultra Lounge. You could even take a glance into the future at Clo Wine + Shop where wine is dispensed from mechanised metal spigots at the push of a button and tasting notes are displayed on a touchscreen.
For something a little more down to earth, head over to the East Village where a moodier vibe prevails and dive bar-hopping is the name of the game. Try Death & Company for inventive cocktails served in faux-speakeasy style (by Goths no less), or HiFi to shoot some pool with the cool kids and spin a few rock classics on the modern jukebox. Smokers should make a beeline for Karma where smoking is permitted (even encouraged) in both the candlelit main floor and the hiphoppin’ downstairs lounge.
Wherever you end up, you’re sure to be returning to your hotel late at night so seek out one that has 24-hour room service, such as the Roosevelt Hotel New York in case the post-booze munchies strike. Stay here and you won’t be disappointed by breakfast either – a vast buffet just made for soaking up the excesses of the night before is served until 11am (12 on weekends) in the Roosevelt Grill. Perfect.