On business in New York City

New York, New York: so good, they named it… yadda yadda yadda. This city of 8.5 million is the US’s largest and most diverse. You’re as likely to hear Cantonese in the street as you are Spanish or Russian, and this multiculturalism is represented in the city’s restaurants, arts and culture. New York is a major financial hub, home to Wall Street and dozens of Fortune 500 companies, but it’s also the country’s cultural capital, with plenty of world-class museums, theatres and concert halls. Use our guide to maximise your time in the Big Apple.

Where to start

Unlike many cities, New York doesn’t have a central business district. Most offices are found in Manhattan, roughly south of 59th Street. Manhattan is divided into east and west sides by 5th Avenue. On the east, you have neighbourhoods such as Flatiron (known for its namesake triangular building); Midtown East, where you’ll find landmarks like the Chrysler and the Empire State buildings, as well as Grand Central Station with its ceiling covered in constellations; and the Upper East Side, with museums like The Met and the Guggenheim. Over on the west side, there’s Midtown West, with sky-high observation deck The Edge at Hudson Yards and The Museum of Modern Art.

Where to take clients

With more than 20,000 eateries serving almost every cuisine under the sky, New York is every food lover’s dream. Make reservations for the three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park well in advance, as even the restaurant going plant-based hasn’t made it easier to get a table. Joomak Banjum in the heart of Koreatown is a hot spot for beautifully plated Korean-French fare. A few blocks away in the Rockefeller Center is Italian restaurant Jupiter , where business talks are done over house-made pasta. Down on the Lower East Side, tuck into New York’s favourite breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese and lox, at Russ & Daughters Cafe . Also downtown, in the West Village, are colourful wine bar Moonflower , and Dante West Village , known for its spritzes and negronis. For Mexican fare with a view of the Manhattan skyline, head across the East River to the rooftop restaurant and bar El Nico at the recently opened Penny Williamsburg in Brooklyn.

Where to stay

The quiet Financial District gives easy access to offices at One World Trade and is extremely well connected to the rest of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Beekman , a Hyatt property, has a gorgeous Old World-style lobby and bright, modern rooms with pops of jewel tones. Next to Madison Square Park in Flatiron, The New York Edition has airy minimalist rooms in a handsome Gothic Revival clocktower from 1909 and is a quick walk to Koreatown and the Empire State Building. Overlooking the landmark it’s named after, 1 Hotel Central Park combines luxury hospitality and sustainability in a building that’s green in both senses. 

What to say

New York is a food city, and at the top of that pyramid is the iconic New York slice. Ask a local where to go for pizza and you’ll be inundated with suggestions. The city also goes mad for baseball and basketball, with two of each team. Interested in catching a game? Ask your colleagues to help buy a ticket; they might even suggest going together.

What do do in your free time

New York is well-connected by metro, and you can zip from uptown to down in 20 minutes. Central Park is Manhattan’s green jewel, and it is enormous – 4km long and nearly 1km wide, making it the perfect spot to run, cycle or enjoy a leisurely stroll. If you’re short on time and want a sweeping panorama of the Manhattan skyline, go up to the 336m-high sky deck at The Edge at Hudson Yards. It’s particularly magical at sunset. You can also feel the wind in your hair on the NYC Ferry, which runs down the East River and offers postcard-perfect views of Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge.

What to know

Business meals in New York tend to be more on the casual side. You’ll have plenty to eat, but non-stop toasts and heavy drinking are not common. As in most places in the US, the server will bring you the bill, you give them your credit card, then they take it away to process the payment. A tip of 20 per cent is the norm when dining-in. 

What to buy as souvenirs

Breads Bakery , which has several locations across town, sells the city’s favourite babka – a rich chocolatey brioche loaf. Carry it home in a tote bag from Strand Book Store , a New York institution downtown, or from the beautiful New York Public Library ’s main branch in Bryant Park. For train-loving kids (or adults), the New York Transit Museum gift shop at the Grand Central Terminal sells metro-themed gifts like little metro cars and metro map-print mugs.

Rewards for travelling for business

Travelling for business is now miles more rewarding. Sign up for Business Plus , a corporate travel programme that rewards companies and their employees for flying with us for business. Travellers will continue to collect individual Asia Miles and Status Points while the company also earns additional miles and Business Status Points, which you can redeem for a host of exclusive benefits and rewards.