Before I forget – thoughts about our New York trip
How we saved airmiles to fly upper class / where we stayed / general observations
It’s already four weeks since we got back from New York, and my memory has the staying power of Trump’s combover on a windy day, so here’s a rundown of our trip and things I jotted down while we were there!
This is free to read and it took me a whole Sunday to write, so please feel free to ‘like’ the living daylights out of it, should you feel so compelled. Any interaction with my posts helps me reach new readers, so thanks for your service, dear internet friends!
I think some of you might appreciate the nitty gritty, so I’ve also written about what it was like to fly upper class one way and premium economy the other, and how we collected enough airmiles to do that in less than four months. Maybe it will be useful for anyone contemplating a plane seat that doesn’t make their lower body fall asleep and shoulders seize up. If not, feel free to scroll down and skip the flight intel!
This was my eighth time in New York, so I tend to mosey around casually when I’m there and don’t need to see Times Square (once is more than enough) or the Top of the Rock (undeniably a sensational view on a clear day). My last trip was back in 2018, though, so I was curious to see how much had changed.
This isn’t a city guide because we had a super chill holiday and barely did anything, but if you are looking for more of a guide, this post has so many useful tips from New York regulars.
If you found this post by chance, I’d love you to subscribe below before you leave.
Flying upper class
This trip was different – it was ritzy – as we flew upper class from London to New York (we strategically collected airmiles – I’m not Undercover Boss). All I can say is, those six sweet hours have ruined all future flights from this point on.
We flew with Virgin Atlantic, not because of any particular brand loyalty, but because their long-haul miles redemption is way more flexible and generous than British Airways’. Virgin has a separate upper class ‘suite’ at Heathrow Airport where you use a dedicated entrance to the building and someone swoops your luggage away at a small private desk before you go directly into the line for security, but you can only use this jazzy novelty if you arrive by car, which is a bit of a bummer.
We took the train because it’s a direct 45-min journey from our flat, and it seemed madness to spend double the time and quadruple the money on a cab, so we had to drop our bags in the main hall as normal, but we whizzed through upper class security as there was no one else there. Well, we would have whizzed had it not been for the many thorough scans on my left ankle and a few physical pat-downs. Three different machines said I have metal in my leg, and unless I missed being beamed up by a spaceship and microchipped, it’s definitely just plain old leg.
Despite the mystery of my suspicious ankle, we were in the lounge within about 15 mins of entering the building, so I wouldn’t bother going out of your way to pay for a taxi to use the special upper class suite entrance if the train is easier. It’s a nice perk but the difference in experience isn’t significant enough to justify the extra cost.
Flying upper/business/first is a huge privilege that many never experience, but I suspect it also isn’t what it used to be. Years ago, you’d get jazzy extras with Virgin, such as a free chauffeur to the airport or mini spa treatments in the lounge (I heard about this from friends who regularly turned left for work), but now the lounge feels like a modern food court in a smart shopping mall.
Nevertheless, it was still wildly thrilling to take a seat and order whatever we wanted, as much as we wanted, from a menu.
My friend Olivia insisted we get there four hours early to make the most of it (I know she would have valiantly necked Champagne for that entire time), but as is tradition, I packed on the morning of the flight, so we only had two and a half hours. To be honest, I wouldn’t have needed more than that.
We flew on the A350, and as we both wanted to sit by the window (and my boyfriend probably wanted a break from my bullshit), we sat one in front of the other in single seats, rather than in the pairs in the middle.
The seats are quite awkward to get in and out of as they’re on an angle. Plus, there’s no storage to stash your things away aside from a couple of useless open shelves, but there’s plenty of space to stretch out, and the TV screen was enormous by plane standards! The table was quite stiff and slow to fold out properly, but when it was fully extended and angled towards me, there was enough surface space for food and a laptop to be out at the same time.
In my seat in the front row, I couldn’t reach the footrest at all, and I’m not short, so it didn’t feel as comfortable as I expected with my ankles and feet dangling freely. The other rows have a narrower footwell, so I swapped with my boyfriend when I realised he had significantly less knee wiggle room than I did. I didn’t try the fully flat bed as it was daytime, and it would have been self-sabotage to sleep through the fanciest flight I’d ever taken!
Flying premium economy
We flew premium on the way back, which I’ve done several times before, but this time the seats felt narrow and restrictive, and the non-moveable armrests mean you can’t open up the space with the seat next to you. Premium seats have considerably more leg room than economy, a fraction more recline, and you can take a whole extra suitcase, but they don’t feel noticeably different to standard seats anymore. I checked the dimensions online – they’re one inch wider than economy. The mini drinks table on the shared armrests is noticeably narrower than before, so there’s less arm space if you don’t know your neighbour.
The food was pretty dreadful this time, and I don’t remember it ever being bad. Maybe we just caught them on an off day, but I couldn’t eat anything I was given besides a small dish of fruit and a yoghurt before we landed. I was convinced that the premium seats used to be roomier a decade ago, so I did some digging, and sure enough, they are smaller now.
The shrinkage vs the old seats is quite significant – Virgin’s premium seats used to be 21 inches wide, now they’re 18.5. Also, it’s a small thing as everyone tends to pack their own, but the headphones are cheap flat foam ones, same as economy.
The classic story isn’t it, every premium product seems to get less premium over time…
I was sure that premium used to give you fast-track security access – I’m likely misremembering – but FYI, it doesn’t. If I could use miles again, I’d still much rather fly premium than not, but it’s hard to justify the difference if you’re paying cash and it’s double the cost of economy, which it often is.
How we saved airmiles without spending more than usual or paying a card fee
So, my boyfriend took out an Amex Gold credit card, which is free for the first year, and we both used it for all our everyday purchases like food shopping and travel. Our old TV broke and we bought a new one, so that helped too. Between us, we knew we’d have a decent chance of hitting the spend target of £3k in three months or less. When we did, it triggered 40k reward points, then my boyfriend referred me for the same card, which gave him another 10k points, and I got 10k bonus points too.
For the next couple of months, we switched to using my card for every purchase until we hit the target (needing to replace my smashed laptop during this time also helped), and I got another 20k points. We ended up with 80k points and Amex allows you to transfer them to a few different airlines’ airmiles schemes (including BA, which is useful for short flights within Europe).
Then, we created a ‘household account’ on Virgin’s website to pool our miles. Our collective reward points were enough for two one-way upper class flights (29k miles each) and two one-way premium economy flights (10.5k miles each), plus £450 taxes per person.
We’ve set alarms on our phones to cancel our cards before the one-year mark, so we don’t have to pay the annual fee that kicks in at 12 months, and we both set up direct debits to pay the balance off in full each month, so we never pay interest.
If you want to do the same, you can use my referral link to get 35,000 points rather than the standard 22,000 (it’s easier to spend £3k in three months if you’ve got an expense coming up that you’d planned for, like flights or furniture).
I’d only recommend taking the card if you know you’ll clear the balance each month, then you should cancel it just before you’ve had it for a year to avoid a fee. But use your judgement, and do your own research if you’re considering it!
Some New York notes…
Weed has been legalised since I was last there – I’m fully in support of that btw – but wow, the smell! It’s in the air everywhere, at all hours. We stopped at a bench in Central Park to listen to a jazz quartet, and an eccentric old guy a few seats away was puffing away on a giant spliff while he bobbed his head to the music. Then, a girl walking by with her family stopped for a while to sing with the band, meanwhile, stoner OAP became enthused about a passing great dane. It was one of those New York moments that felt like a film.
I always forget that toilet cubicle doors barely exist in the US. What is with the doors cropped to knee height and the two-inch gap down each side?! Take me out for dinner before you watch me pee.
Hotels in New York are SO expensive now! It’s the same in London too, so I was prepared somewhat, but I’d prepared for $400ish a night, and it was actually more like $700-800. And this was for hotels I’ve stayed in before at £200-250. I’m assured that July and Aug are much more affordable because it’s stiflingly hot, and Jan-March are very affordable because it’s freezing cold.
I had a few concerned messages asking whether we had a hard time at immigration when we landed in New York. No, we (two white British people) didn’t, just the usual brief questions about how long we’re staying and why we’re there. The queue in the hall was looong – we waited around two hours from the plane landing to walking into the baggage hall, and friends who’ve been recently said they had the same or longer.
I’d been warned many times about how expensive it is to eat and drink there now, but I’d say groceries were very similar to London, as were takeaway coffees and pastries. It was in restaurants where I felt the big difference. Side dishes at $15, starters at $30, and non-alcoholic drinks at $20. We were there for 10 days, so we skipped most of the restaurants we’d been recommended and we ate a lot of pizza slices, sandwiches and burgers to keep costs down. I felt about as bloated as a hot air balloon, and it was a shame to miss the places we wanted to try, but it made our longer trip more manageable.
We were buying frozen yoghurt on the Upper East Side after a long walk through the park, and the young school kids in front of us were all paying on their Amex Platinum cards. A reminder that having access to money is a whole other ballgame there, and they start ‘em young…
I’ve never noticed a hip funeral in London, and I’ve lived here for 16 years, but Nine Orchard was hosting a celebration of life, and we saw the same again in a stylish restaurant Upstate. A wake being a chic event reminded me of the Sex and the City episode with Javier’s funeral…
For a city that never sleeps, the shops sure do close early. I’m used to shops in London being open seven days a week and in busy areas, open until 8 or 9pm. In New York, they closed at 6 or latest 7pm and many were shut on Sundays and Mondays. A far nicer (and healthier) existence for retail workers, but it was a surprise, as I think of New York as the open-all-hours destination.
The taxi cost from JFK to Manhattan is not an expense we’d seriously thought about, but it costs $120 each way, so it’s not insignificant, and that would sting if you were travelling alone.
When we flew home from JFK, it took over an hour for us to get through security with a snaking queue that felt like it would never end. Several people within earshot were freaking out that they’d miss their flight and had to be escorted to the front by staff. Leave plenty of time!
If you head Upstate like we did, hire a car in the city and drive up rather than getting the train. We looked into both options but it’s easier to drive the whole way as there are no car hire places next to the train stations when you get off, so you’ll need to hire a car to get around, but to get to the hire place, you’ll need to pre-book a taxi from the station. If you’re going up to Hudson for an antiquing day trip, take the train in that case, as it’s doable on foot.
We did three nights Upstate and seven in the city. In hindsight, I wish we’d done five and five in each – or four and six – because we weren’t quite ready to leave the idyllic little towns with their charming ice cream parlours and Gilmore Girls vibes.
I was an idiot and wrongly assumed that the things I wanted to see would be A) open every day and B) not too far away by taxi or train. Bad planning meant I missed several shops and one of the restaurants I’d most wanted to go to.
I was so excited to go to Quarters, but it was closed for a week to set up a new exhibition. I happened to walk past Nickey Kehoe not once but twice when it was closed. I finally got to KRB and it was closed, same with Danny Kaplan Studio. Shoulda checked!
I’d planned to go to The Six Bells, Outline and Porta (all in Brooklyn) when we were staying in Williamsburg (also Brooklyn), but it turns out they were an hour and a half away on foot, or 45 mins each way and $70 round-trip in an Uber, and I couldn’t justify that for three shops. I’d completely underestimated the distance and travelling time between places!
I planned to go to the Noguchi Museum shop for another Akari lamp (so sue me) and also Somerset House showroom, but they were too much of a detour from anywhere else we were going, and I couldn’t justify losing so much time. The place I’d most wanted to eat at while we were Upstate was Stissing House, and sure enough, it was closed on the days we were there. If only I’d checked rather than assuming everything would be open and nearby!
Breakfast and brunch are a thousand times better in the US than in the UK. Sorry, but they are. We ate like kings every morning, and I was always excited to wake up and eat because breakfast was superlatively delicious. London needs to up its pre-midday game!
We were there just before the Met Gala, so we assumed there would be dozens of film stars milling around, but the only actor we saw was Joe Keery (Steve from Stranger Things), who got out of a car and stood next to us while he waited for something. He was wearing a very cool outfit. Also, I’d unfairly had him down as a short king – I can report that he was not.
We changed hotels a bonkers five times, and in two of them, I changed rooms on the second night, so we slept in seven beds in 10 nights. It felt like we spent half the trip folding clothes into packing cubes and moving from one hotel to the next with four suitcases that needed an Uber XL. I’d argue that changing hotels makes a holiday feel like it lasts longer, but I’d never do it that many times again!
I had a stress-inducing experience in Still Here’s packed Soho jeans shop because I didn’t realise how tiny or busy it would be, so be warned if you have your eye on their denim. There’s no mirror in the fitting room, and my boyfriend was waiting outside the shop. With each pair, I had to parade out into the middle of the shop and examine the fit of the jeans in their one giant mirror, right in front of the eight women waiting to try things on, who were all looking at me. After three pairs, I was visibly sweating with anxiety – it was like being on stage – so I got dressed and left empty-handed.
I’d forgotten this as it’s seven years since I’d been, but Subway stations really, really smell like piss (had to hold my breath in Union Square) and it made the grotty London Underground feel glossy in comparison.
Ultimately, it was the same vibe as I remembered, and it felt like no time had passed. Except in Williamsburg, which I liked less this time. I felt about 10 years too old to be there, and I’d base myself in a different part of Brooklyn on my next trip. I’m too tired and grumpy to be around people having loud parties on Sundays. No fun for me, please.
Our five hotels - the highs and lows:
We loved the location, the thoughtful interior design and the attention to detail, from a pre-breakfast breakfast to curated playlists in the bedrooms (I reviewed it in more detail on my Instagram, here). Speaking of breakfast, it’s totally free for guests (even drinks), and it was seriously good. Not a buffet either – all a la carte. I couldn’t believe such a feast was included!
The view from our 11th-floor bedroom was giving wow-factor, with an unobstructed cityscape that made me feel like I was in a Batman film. The only downside was a loud birthday party above our bedroom on the second evening when we were exhausted and wanted an early night, but it ended at midnight, and I don’t think the music would have been as noticeable on a lower floor.
The location was great, and it felt like every detail had been thought about, right down to freshly baked cookies on the nightstand, flawless paintwork in the bedrooms, and abundant colourful tulips in pots outside. We’d love to stay again.
I would never usually stay in Midtown, so I wouldn’t have gravitated towards Fifth Avenue Hotel, but it’s actually not much further than Madison Square Park. It’s very close to the Ace Hotel and The Ned, plus the new Twenty Two hotel on Union Square is only 10/15 mins walk, as are Chelsea and the High Line, so it’s not out on a limb like I’d first thought. I’ll admit I misjudged the location.
We were invited to stay (so very lucky, I know) and tbh, had that not happened, I couldn’t have afforded to choose this hotel. The main draw for me was the design – the interiors are the work of Martin Brudnizki (same designer as The Broadwick in London and Le Grand Mazarin in Paris), and I love his unrestrained approach to texture, colour and pattern, so I knew I’d feel at home.
We had a beautiful high-ceilinged room with a semi-dividing wall separating the sitting area. It was in the older ‘mansion’ side of the hotel (it was once a family home), and the windows deserve a shout-out because we could have heard a pin drop! It was such a treat, and the bed was so comfortable.
The vibe is quiet, and there seemed to be a mix of well-to-do guests and a few business travellers, but the decor is anything but quiet. I appreciated the pink pleated fabric walls in the area by the lift, complete with tassled trim – it was just as over-the-top as I’d hoped. The restaurant design is more restrained than the rest of the hotel, and although we didn’t try dinner, breakfast was exceptional. Perusing a trolley of fine pastries is how I always hoped I’d spend my days!
I’d wanted to stay at Inness – our hotel Upstate – for years, so expectations were high. It’s a beautiful place with verdant views, and the food is very good (if slightly pricey and breakfast isn’t included), there’s also a great on-site lifestyle shop, and the interiors are very pleasing.
Inness is part hotel and part member’s club, and while we couldn’t use the swimming pools as they were still closed for the cold months, and we have no interest in golfing or tennis, we liked the perk of having an on-site spa.
Having said that, it wasn’t a totally flawless experience, and there were some aspects I wanted to love more.
We were initially in an accessible cabin, so for practical reasons, it had a slightly different design, and the space felt particularly empty. The cabins have a minimalist sentimentality, but our first room was SO minimal that it felt – dare I say – a little unfinished. Even with their pared-back intention, I felt that a stack of well-chosen design books, a speaker to play music, or a vase of foliage would have made the space feel more considered and welcoming.
We moved on the second day, and I much preferred our second cabin – it had a smart marble-topped vanity unit in the bedroom, and the patio doors opened out to the woods, so it felt more leafy and private. I actually loved this room. The manager kindly put a small vase of flowers on the dining table after I volunteered my feedback, and it did make a big difference to how cared-for the cabin felt.
We sat in bed with coffee and listened to the birds singing in the trees, which was heavenly. I also wrote a bit about our Inness stay on Instagram, so you’ll find more details there.
We only stayed at Warren Street for one night and we didn’t eat there (I noticed the restaurant seemed quiet), so I don’t have a great deal to report back on, but I can’t fairly compare this stay to the others as I felt like I was on honeymoon!
My lovely friend Jenny at Firmdale arranged the night for us as a treat, and I didn’t know this before we checked in, but she’d put us in a beautiful suite with a huge living room and floor-to-ceiling windows with a view over Tribeca and One World Trade Center. My jaw was on the floor at the size of it, and the windows!
We were in the hotel for such a short time that I didn’t even get to use the marble bath with a TV at the end, but if you’re a maximalist with the budget for a treat and you prefer to stay downtown, you’ll love it. It won’t feel like anywhere else in New York (aside from Crosby Street and The Whitby, which are the same group).
It doesn’t feel hip and vibey like some other hotels downtown – it’s way more chilled and grown-up, and I liked that about it. I’m not looking for a scene.
If you have suitcases bigger than a weekend bag, I’d recommend The Hoxton’s bigger room type as it’s quite a lot roomier, and you really feel the difference with luggage. We were in a ‘cosy’ at first, and it’s so compact that we couldn’t lay down our four suitcases to open them up without blocking the room door and physically preventing the bathroom door from opening.
Cosy is definitely doable, especially if you find a bargain rate and need to make it work, but I’d say only if you’re travelling with hand luggage or one smaller case.
Breakfast was so good that it’s worth flagging here – particularly the warm pistachio sticky buns from the lobby counter, and K’Far restaurant did an excellent kubaneh toast. I’d go back for breakfast even if I wasn’t staying there.
We had a dazzling Manhattan skyline view from our room, but I struggled with noise and asked to move to the less scenic back of the building for our second night. It was unfortunate for the lovely team at The Hoxton to have to deal with my grumbles because the source of the problem wasn’t even their fault. I’m SO sensitive to sound – especially bass from music – and the Arlo hotel opposite has loud rooftop parties from May through September.
I Googled it out of curiosity because I surely wasn’t the only one bothered by it, and on Reddit, there’s a whole thread. One person commented (I’ve shortened their full complaint), ‘Can people please help and file a noise complaint about the Arlo Hotel Rooftop? This is ridiculous. I'm trying to enjoy my Sunday, and my apartment is shaking!’
Arlo, you are a bad neighbour.
We were there on a sunny weekend when the first rooftop events had just kicked off for the summer, so it’s likely a different experience midweek and/or in colder months. I stayed in December once before, and I didn’t have any noise issues whatsoever. Then again, if you’re in Williamsburg and more fun than I am (not hard to beat), you might well be at the parties, rather than avoiding them.
Thanks for reading! As always, I’d love you to like/subscribe/recommend A Considered Space to your friends and readers. It really makes a difference!
In a bit of a waiting-for-a-bus moment, you waited weeks for this, and now two posts are coming along at once. I have my All Things Considered round-up for May half-written, so that will drop in a couple of days.
Until then, have a good week!
E x
Loved reading this Eleanor. I need to visit New York at some point (although not until T***p’s gone, I think)
I realize I’m an incredibly angry Canadian, due to Trump threatening to annex us and trying to destroy our economy - I’m a little biased! But I don’t want to contribute a dime to the US economy and honestly can’t imagine travelling there ever again. I’m not worried about my safety in the slightest and realize things wouldn’t be noticeably different if I did go.