Booking a base for any trip can be anxiety-inducing, and in Manhattan, with thousands of options and dozens of neighbourhoods to choose from, the stakes are higher than ever. The Ned NoMad’s midtown location, however, is perfect for exploring the whole city. Occupying a prime spot on Broadway that’s not too far from Central Park and the upscale neighbourhoods of the Upper East and West Sides as well as must-see museums and galleries (including the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum and the Frick), eateries, shops and general buzz of lower Manhattan. Plus, it’s just a short walk from Madison Square Garden, the Flatiron building, Aesop, Cha Cha Matcha and Milk Bar.

The Ned NoMad (from $450 per night) is located in the Johnston building, a limestone-fronted 1908 beaux arts landmark where the decadent interiors reflect the grandness of the exterior. There are plenty of art deco pieces, jewel-toned upholstery, marble floors and mahogany woods, as well as impressive art that contributes to the atmosphere and comfort of the on-site bars and restaurants. 

The rooms have plush interiors with damask room dividers, roll-top baths and spectacularly comfortable beds. Some rooms even have views of the nearby Empire State Building. Guests also get full access to the impressive rooftop, where you can eat, drink and enjoy the city views.

There’s no shortage of excellent places to eat in New York.

Manuela, a sustainability-focused restaurant from Artfarm’s Iwan and Manuela Wirth (the husband-and-wife duo behind art gallery Hauser & Wirth), opened on Prince Street in SoHo in October last year. With a focus on locally sourced country cooking from chef Sean Froedtert, the menu celebrates American seasons with freshly prepared dishes cooked in an open kitchen with an abundance of plant-based dishes. Highlights include roasted oyster mushrooms with black vinegar and a spiced monkfish skewer with lovage and guindilla peppers.

The atmospheric Locanda Verde serves soul-satisfying urban Italian cuisine, highlights include pumpkin ravioli and fire-roasted garlic chicken. Other failsafe Italian restaurants that never disappoint include Cecconi’s, a modern-day classic inspired by mid-century Italian trattorias, and Sant Ambroeus, which has locations in SoHo, the West Village and Madison Avenue and is as good a spot for brunch as you’ll get. In the West Village, Canto does great pasta and even better frozen espresso martinis.

The Corner Store is a new addition to SoHo and offers an upscale take on a classic American joint, with jumbo shrimp cocktails, lobster and caviar rolls and a menu dedicated to martinis (including a ‘sour cream and onion’ with cream-washed gin, vermouth, spring onion and dill).

If martinis are what you’re after, The Odeon on W. Broadway does an excellent dirty martini and fries, Dirty Jean’s adds birds eye chillies to its brine and the Ned NoMad’s Little Ned, a 1920s-style bar offers a special ‘everything martini’ with vodka, dry vermouth, roasted allium tincture and mozzarella. 

If skyline views are on your to-do list, Skylift opened at the Rockefeller Center at the end of last year, adding an extra three stories and an LED light display to its iconic observation deck, giving you the best 360-degree views of Manhattan.

For art lovers, there is always plenty to see. Highlights include MoMa in midtown, where the gallery’s evolving collection contains almost 200,000 works of modern and contemporary art. Currently on view are works from Picasso, Matisse and Cezanne as well as van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Until May, you can see Christian Marclay’s The Clock, a moving image exhibit that took three years to edit and encapsulates 100 years of moving-image history in a 24-hour montage composed from thousands of film and television clips depicting clocks and other references to time. 

The Brooklyn Museum celebrates its 200th anniversary this year with Solid Gold (until July), an exhibition that celebrates the majesty of gold. The fashion world is well represented here with designs by Christian Dior, Halston, Yves Saint Laurent and Anna Sui.

New York-based brand and fashion-insider favourite Kith has partnered with the Brooklyn Museum on a collaborative Artist Series Capsule for Black History Month, which spans casualwear, hoodies, logo T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps.

Shopping must-sees include Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, which scratch an itch if you’re looking for pieces that will elevate your everyday wardrobe. It’s also worth seeking out the flagship stores of zeitgeisty American brands, which is where you’re more likely to find rare and sold-out-online items. Telfar’s first permanent store in the city opened on Broadway at the end of last year, and Rag & Bone, Free People and Reformation have outlets downtown with much wider collections than what you’ll find in UK – and at better prices, too.

Artists & Fleas is open every weekend in a Williamsburg warehouse with a rotating selection of 50-plus local craftspeople, designers and artists, selling everything from T-shirts and handmade jewellery to home accessories.

The cult home and gift store Beverly’s, run by stylist Beverly Nguyen, recently opened its first permanent location on Orchard Street, selling clothing and cookware, and it’s guaranteed to be a highlight of your trip (open by appointment Monday and Tuesday, and from noon to 7pm Wednesday–Sunday).

New York locals will tell you that making time for spa appointments in the city is essential. Spencer’s Spa in SoHo impresses not only because of its visually spectacular interiors but also because of its effective treatments. Ryan McCarthy, founder and CEO of Spencer’s, explains: “I wanted to create a home for our guests that was special. It had to feel private, exciting and luxurious in experience but affordable in price. Before Spencer’s, New York City only offered the extremes: ‘cheap and cheerful’ experiences or $400-plus (£325) treatments at upscale guest-only hotel spas. Spencer’s is my ode to quality, service, nostalgia, aesthetics and relaxation.”

After checking in at reception, you are welcomed with a hot towel and a small cup of green tea and shown to a bench where you swap your shoes and socks for spa socks and slippers. Most come for the signature facial (60min, $199 (£160)), which includes a staged cleansing, an exfoliating enzyme mask, extractions with an ultrasonic micro fusion device (a vibrating spatula of sorts that takes no prisoners) followed by LED light therapy, face and shoulder massage and finally a hydrating jelly mask with a medicube electroporation skin absorption booster.

In terms of interiors, the spa has Japanese ryokan and Italian resort influences, resulting in a sanctuary filled with textures, shapes and scents. The perfect place to find respite – you’ll leave inspired, rejuvenated and restored.

Classic rooms at The Ned Nomad start from $450 + taxes per night.

For more information on what’s happening in NYC visit nyctourism.com. 

Images: The Ned NoMad; courtesy of brands