New York was known as "New Amsterdam" until the mid-1600s.
While the annual Times Square ball drop draws hordes of tourists each year, locals will be the first to tell you that the event can be a little overwhelming. Massive queues, frigid temperatures and a lack of easily-accessible bathrooms are just a few factors that could take the night from magical to maddening—but fortunately, visitors are able immerse themselves in the splendor of Manhattan on New Year’s Eve without having to stand shivering in a crowd all night with a stay at one of the neighborhood’s most charming hotels.
Officially opened in September 2023, the Motto by Hilton New York City Times Square exemplifies the timeless beauty of New York with a blend of old and new, offering a wealth of contemporary amenities across a 1920s-inspired space. During a stay, guests can admire elaborate installations crafted by contemporary artists across the property, while each of the hotel’s 400 rooms are imbued with warm tones and specialized sound-absorbing features. While the hotel is perfect for a quiet night in, visitors can also liven things up a little through the use of Confirmed Connecting Rooms by Hilton™, a state-of-the-art system that allows guests to connect up to nine adjoining rooms during a stay—and to sweeten the deal, the hotel is pet-friendly, providing the perfect opportunity to get the entire family involved in the celebration.
New York briefly served as the capital of the United States at the end of the 1700s.
Guests are welcome to spend the entirety of their night lounging in their room, but for those who want to immerse themselves in the New Year’s Eve spirit before heading back to their quarters for the ball drop, the surrounding neighborhood is loaded with top-tier bars and restaurants to explore. For a deep dive into the rich diversity of flavors found across Singapore, visitors can head just a few blocks away to discover Urban Hawker, a unique dining concept that’s based off of one of the nation’s most beloved culinary concepts. Arranged in the style of a cafeteria, the venue provides guests with an opportunity to sample dishes from 17 separate kiosks, with cuisines ranging from Indian to Malay to Peranakan, a unique blended culture that developed in Singapore centuries ago.
For those in search of a classic cocktail to kick off the festivities, Times Square’s Rum House serves as one of New York’s most captivating destinations for fans of sugarcane distillate, with a massive array of craft cocktails and neat pours both up for grabs. While the venue excels at the art of the classic daiquiri and the Old Fashioned, seasoned rum aficionados should be sure to sample some of the bar’s more obscure spirits, with multiple varieties of rhum agricole and clairin—a type of spontaneously-fermented spirit that hails from Haiti—both up for grabs.
Rum has been produced across the Caribbean since the 1600s.
Meanwhile, those who would prefer to avoid the crowds entirely can grab drinks far beyond the reaches of Times Square. At the tip of Manhattan, The Dead Rabbit has earned abundant acclaim for its excellent Irish coffee, hearty pub fare and dazzlingly-designed menu, while those who prefer to stick around Midtown can find incredible cocktails at Katana Kitten. Located in Greenwich Village, this acclaimed venue specializes in high-end craft concoctions inspired by classic Japanese flavors, with drink options ranging from Toki highballs to the Panda Fizz, a fragrant cocktail that’s teeming with notes of pear and pandan.
And of course, the city also offers a wealth of exciting events to kick off the beginning of 2024 the next day. After a raucous night, brunch options abound all throughout the city, with Jacob’s Pickles serving as a particularly enticing option. While this Upper West Side restaurant comes equipped with a roster of decadent breakfast dishes ranging from jalapeño-infused midnight mac and cheese to chocolate chip banana pancakes, visitors are also welcome to snag a local craft ale to keep the party going—but for those wishing to start the year off with a truly electric event, nothing beats the Polar Bear Club’s New Year’s Day Plunge. A Coney Island tradition for well over a century, this annual celebration brings bathers to the frigid Brooklyn shore in droves, with each person throwing themselves into the water to kick off the new year.
