Hotel Review: The Whitby Hotel, New York

Located in Upper Midtown Manhattan, The Whitby has a great address, with such sights as the Rockefeller Center, shops like Tiffany's and restaurants such as Nobu all nearby. The theatre district is a short distance too.

By plane: flights from London, Manchester or Edinburgh to New York take 7 hours. A taxit will take one hour from JFK airport. Parking costs $85 per day. Book flights to New York.

As you enter the wildly funky lobby, with contemporary artworks all around, past the colourful wild sofas with lots of splashes of colour, it's clear that you're in a hotel with bags of playful personality. There's a fabulously bright bar /restaurant with soft jazz playing. It's all been cooked up by British interior designer Kit Kemp and her husband Tim, the founders of the Firmdale Hotel Group.

There's a reading room with 2,500 books, a 130-seat screening room, a gym, restaurant, 24-hour room service, same-day laundry service and valet parking (for a fee). There are daily suggestions about current attractions and exhibitions left in guest rooms each day. The artworks are another impressive feature, and you can ask reception for a brochure detailing them all.

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Terrace
• Fitness centre
• Family-friendly
• Free Wi-Fi

The hotel has 86 rooms including 41 suites; all are individually designed and spacious by New York standards. They use colourful fabrics, have floor-to-ceiling windows and furniture that mixes contemporary with vintage. Bathrooms have twin sinks and walk-in marble showers. Some suites have terraces.

Room types: Superior, Luxury, Deluxe, Junior Suite, Suite, Terrace Suite, Clementine Suite, Whitby Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, desk, TV, mini-bar, free Wi-Fi

The Whitby Bar and Restaurant is a great spot to eat, drink and socialise. It boasts a 30-foot bar and leads to a light-flooded orangery with vaulted ceilings, a skylight and an outdoor terrace. Guests are seated at colourful sofas, banquettes and armchairs, and there are private dining options too. The bar serves a selection of light bites as well as a range of great cocktails.

The Whitby Bar & Restaurant: orangery restaurant and terrace. Dishes include pan roasted halibut and short rib. All-day dining, open daily. Afternoon tea served daily, from $65.