TAKE A BITE
‘It was full luxury – delicious food and my glass refilled over and over,’ inside plush new flight to New York
'JetBlue’s offering is truly Mint-ed and a great way to travel across the pond in affordable luxury.'
AS I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge from JFK International Airport, the world’s most iconic skyline emerges in front of me — a city I’d longed to visit.
Each step I took in the city that never sleeps, every street I turned onto, held another sightseeing spectacle or quote-worthy movie reference as I gulped down super-sized drinks and mouth-watering street foods.
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New York has been on my travel bucket list since I first set eyes on it through the small and big screen as a child.
Now, the Big Apple has become a lot easier for Scots to bite, with direct flights leaving every day thanks to a new service from JetBlue airline.
I jumped at the chance to hop aboard the new transatlantic route from Edinburgh after a relaxing stay at the fabulous YOTEL Edinburgh on Queen Street (coincidentally located in Erskine House), making full use of the YOTEL and JetBlue partnership, which offers exclusive discounted room rates and loyalty points.
Travelling the short distance to the airport feeling well rested, I couldn’t wait to get onboard my JetBlue flight and try out their ‘Mint’ business class.
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Cocooned in my own pod and treated to a flight in full luxury, the near seven-hour flight flew past as I was served a three-course meal and had my glass refilled more times than I could count, all while enjoying a movie and making use of the seat-cum-flatbed to catch some mile-high shut-eye.
It’s fair to say after being treated like royalty, economy class flying has been well and truly ruined for me — JetBlue’s offering is truly Mint-ed and a great way to travel across the pond in affordable luxury.
Having landed well-fed and well-rested, the warm American air greeted me as I left JFK without a hint of jet lag and I headed to the welcome embrace of New York City with Sinatra crooning away in my head.
The YOTEL Times Square was the base camp for my trip, with their trademark compact rooms providing everything you need for a city stay.
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The location could not be better — the Empire State Building was part of the breathtaking backdrop in the view from my window. It was hard to drag myself away from the comfort of my room but I’d heard YOTEL’s rooftop bar was a stunner and just had to try it out.
If you long for a Long Island Iced Tea or want to go mad with a Manhattan in Manhattan, then here is where you can indulge in your drink of choice on one of the city’s largest hotel rooftop spaces.
I watched the stunning sunset disappear behind the skyscrapers as I indulged in a few perfect serves, before I wandered the short distance to Times Square and was pulled into the bright, beating heart of Manhattan where the neon magic of NYC whisked me away into the night.
The central location of the YOTEL’s fabulous Times Square accommodation allowed me to tick off tourist attractions at ease.
Early next morning, after a double helping of pancakes at the YOTEL breakfast table — covered in syrup for the full American experience — I walked down to Hudson Yards, a trendy new development that lies on the site of an old rail yard that has created a hive of activity. The jewel in the crown of the Yards is Edge, the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.
Suspended in mid-air, it offers the sensation of floating in the sky with 360-degree views of the city, yet feels surprisingly comfortable as you walk across the glass floor of the viewing platform — a full 1,300ft in the air.
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After testing my mettle and snapping some photos of the jaw dropping views, I rewarded myself by sampling some of the locally brewed, luscious lager at the bar — claiming a new record for myself for the highest altitude I’ve drank a beer at! Nerves settled and feet back on terra firma, I headed to the famous Chelsea Markets via The High Line — no, this wasn’t more death-defying high-rise antics — but a beautiful walk along a repurposed railway line that’s the perfect blend of old meeting new — a perfect mirror to New York itself.
Scoffing down a proper New York Reuben from the markets had me in pastrami paradise before I took a ride on the Metro to visit the 9/11 memorial site at the World Trade Center — a poignant pause that felt necessary among the buzz of the bustling city.
Hopping back on the metro I headed back to YOTEL’s Green Room 42 for some enthralling entertainment and cocktails in the cabaret club which brought Broadway to me, rather than the other way round.
Next day Central Park was calling for a quiet reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the avenues and was the perfect place to wander with a bagel and coffee in the morning, before heading back for another bite of the Big Apple.
The Hudson River is the best place to go to be able to appreciate it in full. I boarded the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises boat thanks to my New York CityPASS and took a breathtaking journey to the Statue of Liberty around the island and under the Brooklyn Bridge, all while being informed and entertained by their charismatic guides.
GO: NEW YORK
GETTING THERE: Limited round-trip fares from Edinburgh to JFK start from £399 in Core (economy) and £1,999 in Mint class. (business)
See jetblue.com
STAYING THERE: YOTEL New York Times Square is just steps away from Manhattan’s best sights and sounds. Rooms from £109 a night. See yotel.com.
MORE INFO: Get your New York CityPASS at citypass.com and for more on visiting the Big Apple see nyctourism.com.
Hopping off the boat with an even greater sense of the scale of the city, I opted to have a victory lap of several slices of Joe’s Pizza and copious amounts of candy before heading for the airport.
I sailed through JFK and was welcomed back into the embrace of my JetBlue seat, this time in perfectly comfortable economy with the same great JetBlue service, for a flawless flight back to Edinburgh.
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As I landed in Scotland with a tan and some tales of Manhattan’s madness I was reminded of the famous quote “In New York, you can be a new man”.
I might not be a ‘new man’ but I’m a ‘man with a new plan’, to get back there as soon as I can — and I know who I’ll be flying with.