My Top 5 Travel Experiences of 2024

2025 has begun in the wettest and windiest fashion in London and I'm already dreaming about my next adventures, ideally to somewhere warm and sunny! In the meantime, I've picked out five of my favourite travel memories from 2025, including two new countries (Sri Lanka and Bulgaria) and delightful returns to NYC and Cannes.

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles: Autumn 2024 Update

Whenever I visit New York City, specialty coffee shop hopping is always on my agenda. I've been visiting the city's coffee shops for over two decades and it's a pleasure to go both to a coffee shop I've frequented for 21 years and to a whole host of much newer specialty coffee spots on the same trip. NYC's coffee scene has continued to evolve with my own tastes and I always discover new cafes and roasters to check out. My most recent trip was no exception!

A Long Weekend in New York City: Autumn 2024

For me, there's always been something special about New York City. Since my first visit in 1995, I've always loved the sights, sounds, scents — and shopping! I even celebrated my milestone birthday there last November with my family. I start to miss the city before I've even made it back to the airport. And I've been looking forward to this one — my 34th trip to NYC — since I booked in the summer. Read on to find out what I got up to!

Celebrating a Milestone Birthday in NYC

As I wrote recently, this month marked a big birthday for me. And where better to celebrate than my favourite of cities, New York City? My parents and brother joined me for an action-packed five-day trip to the Big Apple, my 33rd visit to the city since my first in 1995. We each had a time slot in which to plan a group activity but there were plenty more celebrations, experiences and wonderful new memories throughout. These are my highlights.

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles: Autumn 2023 Update

Last week, I was back in New York for an epic birthday celebration. We had so many activities planned — of which more to follow soon! — that I didn't have as much time for coffee shop exploration, but with five full days in NYC, I didn't do too badly. We were staying next to Grand Central Station in Midtown East, so I visited a few coffee shops there. And I also stopped by some new-to-me specialty coffee spots downtown, including one that has the most unique name ever for a coffee shop. Read on to find out more!

New York: A (28-Year) Love Story

Today, I’m New York bound on a long-awaited family trip to mark a milestone birthday for me. It will be my 33rd visit to the Big Apple since my first in 1995. Feeling nostalgic, I dove into my NYC archives, trawling through my old diaries (until 2006), blog posts (from 2007) and photo albums (digital and predigital — a big thank you to my parents for their help with the earlier years).

Ten Favourite Travel Memories from an Expiring Passport

I was sad to bid farewell to my old passport this week — not just because it was an EU one (*sob*) but also because the stamps inside remind me of the travel experiences I've enjoyed over the past decade. To highlight some of these wonderful memories, I decided to pick one photo from each year, and boy was that hard! (I cheated because the header image features an 11th photo!)

An (Almost) Midsummer Week in New York City

I was last in New York in February 2020, a work trip that also took me to Seattle. It was strange to be there during the early stages of the pandemic. No one knew how to act as we didn't know what was to come. I did what I usually did and went to as many of my favourite NYC places as possible, saving the rest for the family trip I had booked for May 2020. Of course, it turned out that it was my last foreign trip for 18 months, and the two-year gap until my return earlier this month was my longest absence from my favourite city in more than 15 years.

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles: Manhattan Specialty Coffee Update

Earlier this week, I wrote about three of the excellent new-to-me specialty coffee shops I visited in Brooklyn during my recent visit. But I had the opportunity to stop by a fair few coffee spots in Manhattan too. I was staying near Bryant Park, which meant that Midtown coffee shops feature quite prominently on this list. 

There used to be a real dearth of specialty coffee in this part of town, but there are now dozens of places to get a great cup of coffee. I did find, however, that many of the Midtown coffee shops I visited had a real focus on takeaway and served coffee in disposable cups even if you are drinking in (COVID has been a driver, of course). 

This isn't that surprising, given the high proportion of tourists and office workers in that part of town, but it is worth noting.

The NYC Caffeine Chronicles: A Brooklyn Specialty Coffee Tour

After a two-year absence, I finally returned to New York City earlier this month, for a holiday with my parents. We were originally supposed to go in May 2020, but we all know why that didn't happen. With six days in the city, I had plenty of time to visit some new and new-to-me specialty coffee shops. And three of my favourites were all in Brooklyn. 

Five Travel Stories from 2020

Despite it being a leap year, 2020 hasn't been a year where I've felt like leaping much, what with one thing and another. As such, my annual travel round-up post, where I highlight some of my favourite places for leaping that I've visited that year, has had a bit of a revamp. 

Bex's Coffee and Food Awards: 2020 Edition

We're now inching closer to the end of an exceptionally challenging year. Despite everything, I know I'm very lucky to have remained healthy and in work (busier than ever, in fact, as I work for a science journal) throughout, but it's been such a difficult year for the hospitality industry, as coffee shops and eateries have had to adapt and then adapt some more in the face of constant change. 

How To Spend a Long Weekend in Seattle

30 March 2020: I originally wrote this blog post soon after returning from New York and Seattle one month — and a lifetime — ago. At the time, COVID-19 hadn't yet been declared a pandemic, although the World Health Organization had declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern a month earlier, and several cases had been confirmed in the Seattle area. 

It didn't feel right to publish this post at that time. I'm not advocating that anyone travels anywhere now — quite the opposite, in fact, as we should all be staying at home as much as possible. 

But some day we'll be able to travel again and if, like me, you're dreaming of your travel bucket list or looking for armchair inspiration, I can recommend Seattle as a great destination for future trips. Its coffee shops, restaurants and other small businesses will certainly appreciate your visit. Read on for my city guide.

THINGS TO DO

Seattle 101 walking tour

I often like to take free walking tours when I travel — some are better quality than others — and so, it seems, does Seattle Free Walking Tours founder Jake and his wife Rebecca. They spent their extended honeymoon travelling the world and its walking tours, and incorporated the best elements into their own pay-what-you-think-it's-worth Seattle offering. 

There's a two-hour Seattle 101 tour and a one-hour Pike Place Market tour, among others. I took the former, which Jake ran and which was funny, informative and irreverent, and a great introduction to the city, its history and its culture. If you prefer tours of a subterranean nature, you might also like to check out Beneath the Streets.

Pike Place Market

As you'll see from the food and drink section below, and my Seattle coffee guide, I spent a fair bit of time at Seattle's historic Pike Place Market, which dates back to 1907. The market is a multi-level labyrinth of food stalls, shops and eateries, with views over the Puget Sound. 

I enjoyed visiting by night too, strolling through the deserted, neon-lit hallways that contrast so much with the hustle and bustle of the day (especially weekend lunchtimes). Keep an eye out for the sculpture of Rachel the Market Pig, and the somewhat gross curiosity that is the Gum Wall.

Pioneer Square

This square — and the surrounding neighbourhood of the same name — is claimed by some as Seattle's oldest neighbourhood, dating back to 1852. However, the square also hosts a statue of Chief Si'ahl of the Duwamish tribe who have inhabited the area for thousands of years, and from whom Seattle takes its name. 

There's a totem pole in the square — the original was allegedly stolen from a Tlingit, and later destroyed. The second version was gifted to the city, but if you look closely at some of the carvings, you may be surprised, and some believe this may be a shame pole. 

Close to the shiny glass buildings and skyscrapers just a few blocks further north, Pioneer Square has some historic and characterful architecture. Don't miss Waterfall Garden Park, also known as UPS Park, on the site of the original UPS building, a most zen of retreats.

Museums and galleries

I was in Seattle during Museum Month, where visitors staying in downtown hotels can get half-price admission to many of the city's museums and galleries. If you don't have a Museum Month pass, the $99 Seattle CityPASS, which includes admission to the Space Needle and four other attractions, is very good value.

Although I had heard good things about the Seattle Art Museum, I was more excited to visit the Chihuly Garden, which is dedicated to the work of local glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. I loved every room and the garden, at the foot of the Space Needle, with its impressive, colourful sculptures. I particularly liked the Persian Ceiling and capturing golden hour reflections of the Space Needle in some of the glass spheres in the garden. 

The nearby Museum of Popular Culture was fun too, with current exhibitions including: tattoos, fantasy and sci fi, Nirvana, Hendrix and Pearl Jam.

Two of the evening receptions for my conference were held at the Pacific Science Center, in Seattle Center, and the Burke Museum, which made for some fun after-hours viewing. The former had some cool science-based interactive exhibits (and dinosaurs in the fountains outside), while the latter is a great natural history museum, whose collections include a T. rex skull. 

After I had finished all of my meetings on the Sunday, I stopped by the Seattle Aquarium, where I was won over by the darling sea otters, especially Mishka ('little bear') and a giant red octopus called Hugo. Alas, Hugo was "not super-interested in his shrimp" during the octopus demo session. My Museum Month pass got me half-price admission, but they got their money back from me in the gift shop!

Sunset at Kerry Park

I decided not to pay the $37 to go up the Space Needle, instead seeking a viewpoint that would include the iconic 184-metre structure in the skyline view. Kerry Park, a short but steep walk up from Seattle Center in Queen Anne, offers great views of the downtown, the bay and even Mount Rainier on a clear day. 

I was lucky to have two beautiful sunny days in the city and was treated to glorious sunset views from Kerry Park, as the sky turned pink and then black, and the city lights came on. If you don't fancy the walk, the park is a short bus ride from downtown. For another observatory that is higher and cheaper than the Space Needle, the Sky View Observatory near Pioneer Square is a good option.

Boat trips

With an unexpectedly sunny morning on my first full day off in the city, I decided to take Argosy Cruises' one-hour harbour cruise, with views of and commentary on Seattle, its port and the Puget Sound. It was interesting, if chilly (despite the sun), and I took dozens of photos of Seattle's beautiful skyline.

Later that day, however, some friends from the conference told me about their trip out to Bainbridge Island. You can take a public ferry that takes about 35 minutes and costs about $8 one-way (the return journey is free). Although you don't get the commentary, the views are just as good. 

I spent about an hour on the small island the following day, walking along the waterfront, visiting Eagle Harbor Book Co and stopping by the small but fascinating Bainbridge Museum. If you have more time, there are diverse eateries and wineries too.

FOOD & DRINK

Although I had only two full days of sightseeing, I had plenty of opportunities while I was working to enjoy some of Seattle's splendid eateries. I covered some of my specialty coffee experiences in this post.

A crucial fact about Seattle that I only learned after getting there is that there are a lot of happy hour deals. This is because most Seattleites don't live downtown and thus bars and eateries want to keep commuters in town as long as possible before they head back to the 'burbs. Happy hours often run from 3–6 pm, although they can start as early as 10 am, and some establishments have a second late-night happy hour. 

I wasn't too excited by this until I found out that many happy hour deals also extend to food, from snacks to entrées, if you sit at the bar. If you're on a budget but keen to sample several restaurants in one evening, you can hop between them, enjoying a bite at each. Do bring your passport in case you're in the lucky position of being IDed — I only had my UK driving licence and wasn't allowed to sit at the bar in one establishment, even if I switched my order to a mocktail.

Pike Place Market is a good starting point for a culinary introduction to Seattle. I ate at several of its eateries, including East Coast-beating chowder in a sourdough bowl at Pike Place Chowder. It was worth the 15-minute wait in line! For a quick mid-conference lunch, I headed to Pasta Casalinga for some delicious homemade pasta with pistachio, kale, pesto and crème fraîche. 

On my last night in Seattle, I treated myself to dinner at Matt's in the Market, a restaurant run by a former market fish thrower, which sources most of its ingredients from the market. Having failed to save room for dessert throughout my trip to New York and Seattle, I didn't make the same mistake here. 

After some bread and a superb roasted salmon with cannellini beans, I loved the decadent deconstructed millionaire's shortbread that was the candy bar square. The cocktails and service were excellent too.

I also ate well on the stretch of First Avenue south of the market, towards Pioneer Square. At Heartwood Provisions (CLOSED), I got one of the city's best deals in the form of the $10 happy hour burger, with gruyère and aioli fries. 

Perched at the counter, I got to watch and chat with the chefs, who offered me a few small samples, including of the jamón iberico being carved up. I wish I had had time to return to try some of the other dishes on the menu. 

Another great burger can be had at the wonderfully named gastropub Damn the Weather. It was a beautiful day when I stopped by, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment! Meanwhile at Japonessa, a sushi spot with Latin American influences, I had two sushi platters — one with six very fresh nigiri and one with 10 pieces of the Seattle roll (salmon, avocado, cucumber, tobiko) — for a total of $20 during happy hour.

Over in Capitol Hill, I had an unexpected take on a classic British dish at popular brunch spot, Olmste(a)d (CLOSED). It was toad in the hole, Jim, but not as we know it: French toast with a hole cut in the middle that was filled with braised chard, melted white cheddar and egg, with home fries on the side. I loved it! 

Strolling down Broadway, I happened upon the Capitol Hill Farmers' Market, where I might just have acquired a fried-to-order Bakewell tart doughnut from 9th and Hennepin. I spotted Stateside (CLOSED) on the way to brunch at Olmste(a)d and decided to return to the Asian-influenced restaurant one evening. I had the duck rolls, followed by pork collar on rice vermicelli (from which I could make some DIY rolls), along with a piña colada with an Asian twist.

SHOPPING

As most of my budget went on food and coffee, I was mainly window shopping in Seattle. I picked up a few gifts from museum gift shops — those at Seattle Art Museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Seattle Aquarium were particularly good. 

I also did some gift shopping at local chocolatier, Frans Chocolates, and at Pike Place stationery store Pike St Press. Watson Kennedy is great for gifts and homewares, while Capitol Hill has a superb independent book store in Elliott Bay Book Company.

NEED TO KNOW

Accommodation

I spent two nights at the wonderful Hotel Theodore, a boutique hotel close to the convention centre. My room was small but comfortable, stylish and thoughtfully designed, with decorations inspired by the Museum of History and Industry: a patent for the Seattle Space Needle, a patent for the original Eddie Bauer down jacket and a photo of the Starbucks founders adorned the walls. 

There is a free cocktail hour every day in the lobby (!), and even though I showed up at 9:00 am, long before check-in, I was able to check into my room. I booked direct during a Black Friday sale to get a good rate.

For work, I stayed at the Seattle Sheraton, which was right next to the convention centre and which had a very good conference rate. My room was large and quiet, with views over the downtown. There was a small gym and pool on the 35th floor, which I used a few times.


Arriving and getting around

From Sea-Tac Airport, the Link Light Rail costs about $3, departs frequently and takes just over 30 minutes to get to the downtown Westlake station. During my trip, there was construction work that meant changing at Pioneer Square, and taking the journey time to about 50 minutes. To save time on the return, I took an Uber, which cost about $32 and took just over 30 minutes. 

Within the city, many of the key attractions are within walking distance. The Light Rail is currently limited, but is in the process of being extended. There are plenty of bus routes — I took one to get back from Kerry Park ($2.75, cash only, no change given) — and although the Seattle Center and its museums are only a mile or so from downtown, I took the monorail, because it's fun to do so!

Money

Credit cards, contactless and Apply Pay are widely accepted — I only used cash for hotel staff and walking tour tips and on the bus. Some Seattle restaurants include a 20% service charge, which is what I tend to tip in the US anyway. Alas, the current exchange rate with the British pound, plus tax, means eating out can be quite expensive, even at fairly low-key venues.

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13 Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in Seattle

A work conference last month meant I paid a long-awaited visit to Seattle and its long-established coffee scene. I was working for most of the week, but I was based very centrally with lots of good coffee options nearby. I was able to visit a baker's dozen of specialty coffee shops during my stay. I've left plenty more for my next visit, but read on for my thoughts on the places I sampled (my very favourites marked in purple in the map below).

A Wintry Week in New York City

Ahead of a week in Seattle for work, I spent a few days in New York. I was staying in the Financial District, near my company's office, where I was working. But I did have a free day-and-a-half in the city at the weekend. I was lucky with the weather: although it was cold, it was beautifully sunny on Saturday and Sunday, the rain coming out in time for my return to the office. As well as visiting a few specialty coffee shops, old and new, here's what else I got up to.

New York Specialty Coffee Update — Winter 2020

I spent five days in New York at the beginning of my recent US trip. I was there for work and only had Saturday afternoon and Sunday free in the city, but managed to squeeze in visits to four new-to-me specialty coffee shops. One of these — Yafa Cafe — is all the way down in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, but the wonderfully welcoming Yemeni coffee shop and eatery was well worth the visit even on a short trip.

Citizens of SoHo (SoHo)

I stumbled upon Aussie coffee shop and brunch spot Citizens of SoHo while I was wandering up Lafayette Street. They have several other 'Citizens of' locations, and the SoHo branch had only been open a few days when I visited. I had already eaten brunch but I was very much in the market for coffee.

A Year in Leaps: 2019

As 2019 comes to a close, and a new year begins, it’s time for my annual round-up of my favourite five photos of the year that feature me jumping for joy in various locations. Regular readers will know that I use this post as a way of looking back on my travels throughout the year. And this year, I visited nine countries, including three that were new to me — Estonia (new), USA, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia (new), Malaysia (new), Singapore, Spain and France. 

An Autumnal Week in New York City

If you've been following my Instagram, you'll know that I spent a week in New York last month. I was there to work in my company's Financial District office but did get three weekend days and a public holiday free to explore in the city, and was blessed with crisp but sunny weather for most of the week. 

I'm lucky enough to visited New York about once or twice a year for the past quarter-century, which takes off the pressure and means coffee shops, restaurants and things to do can sometimes remain on my to-do list for a couple of years. I've already written about my most recent specialty coffee experiences here, but here's how I spent the rest of my trip.

THINGS TO DO

 I took an early flight from Heathrow on the Sunday, and made it to my Financial District hotel just after 2 pm local time. I headed straight out into the sunshine, and walked up Broadway to SoHo for a spot of shopping, before cutting over to Washington Square Park. As usual, there was a lively atmosphere, music, art and poetry. I try to visit the High Line at least once each trip and although it was very busy late on Sunday afternoon, I enjoyed the art and the views as always.

Speaking of views, the following day, I took the opportunity to visit the shiny, honeycomb-like structure known as The Vessel, which is located in the Hudson Yards development, way over on the west side of Manhattan, around 30th Street. It's free to climb to the top of the structure, but you need to book a ticket online — possible only from one of the screens at its base. 

As it was a sunny holiday Monday afternoon when I arrived, my entry slot wasn't for another 90 minutes, although the opening of the 7 subway line meant I was able to zip up to Central Park to kill some of the time. When I returned, I spent about an hour climbing up and down the many steps of the 16-storey structure, photographing it from all angles.

As I was staying in the Financial District, I spent some time visiting some of its sights from the old — the graves of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton in Trinity Church — to the new — the ultra-modern Oculus centre — and even caught a lovely sunset over the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park. My office view remains as stunning as always!

Over the week, I spent a fair amount of time crossing the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges. My standard running route goes over the Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn and then back over the Brooklyn Bridge. I managed this twice, plus another shorter run to the middle of Brooklyn Bridge and back. 

Early mornings are the best time to do this, as the bridge is much quieter; later in the week, when I walked across on a sunny Saturday afternoon the bridge was completely packed. I also stopped by Washington Street in DUMBO, which offers a great view of the Manhattan Bridge between the buildings, and enjoyed an autumnal stroll through Brooklyn Heights, where I always enjoy playing a game of dream house hunting.

On Saturday, I walked over the Williamsburg Bridge from my new Nolita hotel to Williamsburg, where I brunched, shopped, visited Smorgasburg and then took the NYC Ferry down to DUMBO and the Time Out Market New York, whose rooftop offers great views of Lower Manhattan and the bridges . The following day, I took the subway to Prospect Heights to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which was in full harvest festival mode.

FOOD & DRINK

 As usual, I ate out a lot while in New York and this trip, I made particular efforts to visit some of the eateries and bars that had been on my list for some time.

Breakfast and brunch: I had weekend brunch at two reputed Brooklyn brunch spots while I was there: Sunday in Brooklyn (Williamsburg) and MeMe's Diner (Prospect Heights — CLOSED). I managed to score a seat the bar at the former by arriving soon after opening, and had the cheddar scramble with bacon and home fries, which was filling and tasty. 

At MeMe's, I put my name down and was able to return an hour later to take my seat at the bar, where I enjoyed a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, with a spicy twist. The food and service were great at both places. For a lighter breakfast, I always like bagels from Black Seed (Nolita), the B.E.C. (bacon, egg, cheese) being my particular favourite.

Dessert: While in Berlin in May, I ate at an excellent dessert bar, Coda. When I heard that a high-end dessert bar had just opened in New York's West Village, I was keen to visit. And as I had to head to JFK at around 5:30 pm on my last day, a dessert tasting menu was the perfect way to say goodbye to the city.

At Marble Dessert Bar (CLOSED), you can pick a 'main' dessert from the short, creative menu, and you also get an amuse-bouche, a palate cleanser and petits fours. My main, which included pineapple, basil, lemon, mint and olive oil, was superb but the whole experience, sitting at the marble counter with exquisite service was greatly enjoyable. 

For rather less formal sweet treats, I stopped by Dough (Flatiron) for doughnuts and Dōmi at Smorgasburg (Williamsburg) for a profiterole with Asian flavours.

Lunch and dinner: Last time I was in New York, I finally went to Emily (West Village) for a burger, which immediately joined the ranks of my all-time favourite burgers. Although Emily is most famous for its pizza, I had the burger again, and a portion of garlic-cheese bites (incredibly garlicky, incredibly moreish strips of pizza dough). Yes, I was very full for a long time. Yes, the vampires did stay away. 

I had another evening of carb overload in the West Village at Via Carota, where I beat the line by arriving early and alone. The 'nduja arancini, cacio e pepe and negronis were all spot on. 

During my trip, I also enjoyed some excellent Mexican food (tacos, enchiladas and a spicy margarita) at Rosie's (East Village), barbecue at Randall's Barbecue (CLOSED) and fried chicken at Pat LaFrieda at Time Out Market (DUMBO). 

As a small atonement to these excesses, I ate at The Butcher's Daughter, a vegetarian restaurant in the Lower East Side, one night, and had a quinoa, broccoli and peanut salad, which a gorgeous dressing.

Cocktails: During my trip to Malaysia and Singapore, I reacquainted myself with the World's 50 Best Bars list. This encouraged me to fill a few gaps in my New York cocktail bar map. 

I started with Attaboy (#7), a Lower East Side speakeasy where there's no menu and the talented bartenders ask a few questions before surprising you with a drink. My Two Step — tequila, Cocchi, lime and muddled strawberries — was not something I'd have ordered myself but was superbly mixed. 

Meeting a good friend for drinks at the sleek NoMad Bar (CLOSED) (#4) in the Flatiron district, was a rather different experience, although the cocktails were just as impeccable. The Nod to Nothing was fruity and tart but with enough creative pairings to create some very unique flavours.

The Dead Rabbit (FiDi; #22) is only two minutes' walk from my office, so of course my colleague and I headed there one evening when the wind and rain were out in full force. We sat in the Irish-pub-style downstairs bar, rather than the smarter upstairs lounge, which meant I got to enjoy a burger with my cocktail. 

The other bar I visited, Last Light (CLOSED), is located on the rooftop of Sister City, the Nolita hotel to which I moved for the end of my trip. With panoramic views up to the Empire State Building and down to Brooklyn Bridge, this is a great place to watch the sun go down with a drink in hand. I did exactly that and loved watching the lights come on. My cocktail was very good too.

SHOPPING

 Despite the continued slump of the pound against the dollar, I did quite a bit of shopping on this trip, taking advantage of some of the holidays sales to shop at some of my favourite US chains like J. Crew and LOFT. I also bought some black boots from Thursday Boots, which fit perfectly and have required no breaking-in period, which is really unusual for me. There is a store in SoHo and a showroom in the Flatiron (where I had to go because they were out of my size in SoHo). 

I've bought a few skincare and makeup products from Glossier, but as I prefer to try before buying, I decided to visit their SoHo bricks-and-mortar store (hint: go late in the evening to avoid a queue to get in). There's a curious new department store in NoHo called Showfields (CLOSED), which offers a home to various online-only brands, like S'well. They also have an 'experience' (culminating in a special slide of some kind) that you can book on to. The lift was quite fun too.

HOTELS

 I've visited New York in mid-October two years in a row and have found hotel rates to be especially expensive, even for this city. For most of my trip, my company paid for my room at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Financial District, which is only a few minutes' walk from the office. The rooms are small but quiet and comfortable, and if you can get a high floor, as I did, there are good skyline views of Lower Manhattan.

For the last three nights, I moved to Sister City (CLOSED), a new 'little sister' in the Ace Hotel family, located on the Bowery, near Prince Street, on the borders of Nolita and the Lower East Side. The location was ideal for me, and although my room was small, it was well thought out, with minimalist décor, and a very comfortable bed. There's also a utility cupboard on each floor that contained a kettle, which made me happy. The Last Light bar, as I mentioned above, is worth a visit even if you're not staying in the hotel.