New York Habitat Blog

London has long had a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the world—but tourists never stopped visiting anyway, and who could blame them? Now, with the pound down and bargains to be had all over the city, it’s time to come to London and see what all the excitement is about.

London Apartment 2 Bedroom Mayfair (LN 476)

For years, New York Habitat has been providing visitors with high-quality, low-cost places to stay in England’s capital—and now we’re bringing you a bargain hunter’s guide to one of the most beloved cities in Europe. Renting a New York Habitat vacation accommodation? Cost-effective. Not putting off your travel plans to London any longer? Priceless.

One of the areas in London most associated with luxury is Mayfair. Home to the designer fashion houses on Bond Street, Bonham’s private auction house, an outpost of Sotheby’s, and other British institutions such as The Ritz and Savile Row, parts of Mayfair may seem prohibitively expensive for the average tourist. Yet it would be a shame to miss the amazing architecture and long-standing traditions on offer there.

So instead of having afternoon tea at The Ritz, which will set you back almost fifty dollars per person and requires a jacket for men, head to the neighboring Fortnum & Mason department store, where you can enjoy tortes, mini strudels, sandwiches and an assortment of sorbets and ice creams in exotic flavors at the pretty Parlour Restaurant on the first floor. Kids will love it a lot more—and it will end up costing less than ten dollars per person. Of course, to make it more authentic, you can always order tea, though we prefer lemon curd sorbet, especially on summer days!

If a bespoke suit on Savile Row is too rich for your blood, consider hitting up the London stores featuring hip street styles along Oxford and Carnaby Streets (perennial favorites Top Shop and Ben Sherman among them). If you’re in London at the end of June, lucky for you—that’s when the huge summer sales begin, though prices (as well as stock) continue to decrease well into August.

Skip pricey lunches and dinners in Mayfair and opt for a budget-conscious buffet at Govinda’s vegetarian restaurant on Soho Street. The food is spicy, tasty and run by the International Society for Krishna—not something you’ll find in every city, but a long-time London institution. Or head to Soho’s Berwick Market to buy fresh veggies, fruit, cheese, olives and fish from the nicest

London Vacation Rental 2 Bedroom in Mayfair (LN 334)

vendors in town, complete with Cockney accents, and cook up a quick lunch in your nearby New York Habitat vacation flat, such as:    

• A contemporary and colorful 2-bedroom vacation rental in Westminster-Soho (LN-334) on the third floor of a modern serviced apartment block with elevator. This apartment is on Soho Square, one of London’s oldest garden squares and also the heart of the Soho area. The apartment comes equipped with laundry/dryer, and the building’s communal roof terrace overlooks the square—perfect for people watching!  
•  An elegant and “very English” 2-bedroom vacation accommodation in Westminster-Mayfair (LN-476) on the third floor of a refurbished building. This flat, just a few minutes from Green Park station, has wooden floors throughout, a spacious kitchen with maple wood, granite and two ovens, and marble finished baths in both bedrooms. A previous client enthused: “The apartment was great. It was in the perfect location and I thought was a reasonable rate.”  

 New York Habitat knows how to make even the “ritz”-iest areas in London affordable and accessible. 
Leave a comment below to let us know your favorite bargain hunting tips in London, and make sure to catch our next money-saving secrets.

Paris can get pretty steamy during the summer months, especially in August when many of the locals go on holiday. But for city dwellers and tourists left in the city, there’s a delightful alternative to the seashore. For four luxurious weeks, starting at the end of July, the banks of the Seine are transformed into a manmade beach — the Paris Plage.

Paris Plage

Since 2002, city officials have allowed the Right Bank to become an urban oasis for those seeking relief from the summer sun. Two thousand tons of sand are carted in and the busy expressways along the river are shut down for pedestrian use. Deck chairs, blue umbrellas and palm trees pop up everywhere, bringing the French Rivera to the heart of Paris. And while swimming is prohibited in the murky Seine, there are swimming pools to cool off in.

Three different Paris Plage beaches offer a range of activities:

• The Louvre/Pont de Sully beach is right in the middle of historic Paris and has a swimming pool and concert stage - plus, plenty of outdoor attractions like wall climbing and tai chi.
• The Port de la Gare beach, just outside the Francois Mitterrand National Library, offers art classes, Wi-fi hotpots and a café. Plus you’ll want to check out the Josephine Baker floating swimming pool.
• The Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement is for water-sports enthusiasts, offering free access to sailboats, kayaks and canoes.

All of the Paris Plage beaches are open non-stop from 8:00 am to midnight.

The Paris Plage is a perfect way to unwind after some sightseeing. Spend an afternoon cooling down at the beach and then retire to your very own New York Habitat vacation rental. Check out:

Paris Accommodation Studio near the Tuileries PA-3684 photo

This modern Alcove Studio Vacation Rental in Tuileries - Opera - Le Louvre (PA-3584), located on the first floor of an 18th-century walk-up building. Enjoy the parquet floors and beautiful courtyard views.

This 1-Bedroom Vacation Rental in Montorgueil - Opera - Le Louvre (PA-2760), located on the first floor of a 19th-century building with an elevator. The apartment faces a pedestrian street located perpendicular to famous Montorgeuil Street.

The Paris Plage brings the resort to the city. Pack some beach reading and cool off amidst the magnificent backdrop of Paris.

Have you ever been to the Paris Plage? Want to check out the urban beach? Please share your comments with us!

Well I’m back with another installment of our video mini-series dedicated to showing you how to have fun in New York… for free.  That’s right, one of the most expensive cities in the world offers a seemingly endless supply of fun and free activities.

If it’s the arts and music you are after, there are plenty of opportunities for the frugal traveler to get into major New York museums and concerts for free.

Museum of Modern Art:  (MoMA)
Many of New York’s museums have certain days where they have free entry.  The MoMA is a great example.  It is normally $20 for adult admission, on Friday afternoons from 4 to 8pm, the MoMA is free for everyone.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: (The MET)
With its 5 million visitors per year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of New York City’s most popular attractions.  Entrance is based on a donation, so you get to decide your price of entry.

Read the entire story here… »

New York Accommodation: 2-bedroom vacation rental in Noho (NY-12499) photo

Spring has sprung and New York Habitat is ready to unveil its number one pick for Best Springtime Activity in New York City. There are thousands of things to see and do in the city but perhaps the best activity involves doing nothing at all. Coming in at #1: Whiling away the hours at one of New York’s many outdoor restaurants and cafes. Whether you stop for brunch, lunch or happy hour cocktails, you’ll fall in love with New York’s sidewalk scene.

Your New York itinerary will no doubt be jam-packed so slowing down the pace for some leisurely cafe time will feel like a luxurious treat. While there are fantastic outdoor options in every neighborhood of Manhattan, the two Villages – the West Village and East Village – are probably your best bet for a day under the spring rays. The two downtown neighborhoods are dotted with outdoor tables, most of which will be occupied by the young and trendy, and, if you’re lucky, famous.

If you’re in the West Village, check out the concentration of restaurants and cafes along 6th and 7th Avenue near Bleecker Street. Neighboring Italian hot spots Bar Pitti and Da Silvano compete for the see-and-be-seen crowd, and up the street Sushi Samba, a Latin-Japanese eatery, offers both sidewalk and roof seating.

On the opposite side of the island, in the East Village, you’ll find dozens of outdoor options that will satisfy any food craving – Italian, Mexican, Indian…you name it. Local favorites include seafood haven The Mermaid Inn and romantic trattoria Cacio e Pepe – both on 2nd Avenue.

Ready to watch the vibrant street scene from your own outdoor table? New York Habitat has tons of vacation rentals in both the West and East Village, just steps from the best outdoor spots. Check out:

This spacious 2-Bedroom Loft Vacation Rental in Noho - New York City (NY-12499), with high ceilings and a large sky light. Enjoy the stainless steel appliances and tasteful furnishings.

This charming Studio Accommodation in Greenwich Village - Soho (NY-12563), quietly situated on the third floor of a prewar walk-up building. The apartment is brightly furnished and overlooks a small courtyard.

It’s time to get outside and enjoy the spring weather. Bring a book, the New York Times or your best pals and drop into one of New York’s many outdoor cafes and restaurants.

Check out our previous top springtime activities:

• The Best Springtime Activities in NYC: #2 Brooklyn Bridge Walk
• The Best Springtime Activities in NYC: #3 Cherry Blossom Season

Do you have a favorite outdoor spot in New York City? Please share your comments with us!

Green Park is in the center of London, surrounded by some of the city’s most recognizable buildings and swankiest streets: Buckingham Palace, Lancaster House, the Ritz, Fortnum and Mason, Bond Street and Piccadilly. It’s the perfect place to take a break in the middle of all the action and make like a Londoner. Pack a lunch in your nearby New York Habitat vacation rental and head to the park!

London Accommodation: 2-bedroom apartment in Mayfair -Westminster (LN-299) photo

Green Park is the smallest of the royal parks, neighboring both St. James’s and Hyde Parks so that past kings could walk or take a carriage ride through the center of the city without having to leave royal grounds. In fact, Constitution Hill got its name from King Charles II taking his daily walks there to improve his physical “constitution.”

Today, Green Park is a peaceful, grassy oasis for sunbathing, picnicking, jogging and leisurely strolling—yet it has a history of rebellions, duels and disasters (the Temple of Peace that once stood in the park was destroyed during a fireworks display). Even the park’s lack of manicured flowerbeds has its roots in an alleged royal scandal; when the queen saw her husband picking flowers for another woman, she supposedly had all the flora removed. Still, on spring days, the daffodils growing wildly in Green Park turn its grounds golden yellow.

To further enjoy Green Park, take a free guided tour to learn about its rich history, hear about surrounding buildings and architecture, and be entertained by royal anecdotes. Visitors can also celebrate the queen’s birthday there in early June and witness a spectacular 41-gun royal salute fired by the King’s Troops.

Although Green Park itself has some pretty great features, perhaps the best is its unbeatable location in the heart of London. It shares that trait with many choice New York Habitat accommodations, including:

•    A charming, classically decorated 2-bedroom vacation rental in Westminster-Mayfair (LN-299) on the third floor of a period walk-up. Conveniently located on Curzon Street, this spacious flat has a queen-sized bed in the master bedroom and two singles in the second bedroom. Smoking is permitted.

London Accommodation: 3-bedroom vacation rental in Mayfair - Westminster (LN-553) picture

•    A comfortable and homey 3-bedroom furnished rental in Westminster-Mayfair (LN-553) on the third floor of a period building with elevator and daytime doorman. The master bedroom has a double bed and en suite bathroom, the second bedroom has two singles and a bath, and the third bedroom has bunk beds, making it the ideal accommodation for a family vacation.

•    A chic 1-bedroom vacation rental in Westminster (LN-429) in a period mansion block with elevator, located just off the Strand. This apartment near the Thames River comes complete with a laundry/dryer, decorative fireplace and nice street views. Smoking is permitted.

To really get a feel for London, one must visit its parks. There’s nowhere better to start than in Green Park—and nowhere better to stay than in a New York Habitat vacation rental in the city’s center.

Let us know what you love about Green Park in a comment below.

Welcome to the 1st of our 4-part series of videos New York Habitat will be posting in the coming weeks dedicated to showing you tons of things you can do in New York City for FREE.

Click above to watch this video on Free Views of New York (2:40)

Of course, if you’re goal is to spend a lot of money, New York City is certainly a place to do just that.  But what if you want to come to New York without breaking the bank?  We’ve got good news for you; there are lots of things you can do in this city that are absolutely free.

New York Accommodation: 2-bedroom vacation rental in Tribeca (NY-12877) photo

You can start saving money even before you arrive by renting a New York fully furnished apartment through our company.  With hundreds of apartments that are cheaper than hotels in the city, a vacation rental in New York makes  sense for the budget-minded traveler.  In a future video we’ll talk more about this.  Just keep in mind that, dollar-for-dollar, you’ll get more and pay less.

The Staten Island Ferry:
Once you’ve settled into your apartment, it’s time to do some free stuff.  One of the most well known free activities in New York City is the Staten Island Ferry.  Known as “One of the world’s greatest (and shortest) water voyages”, the Staten Island Ferry provides service to around 60,000 passengers a day not including weekends).  The Ferry runs between St. George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan… and it’s completely free!

With its majestic views of Lower Manhattan, New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty, this boat ride is completely free.

Free Ikea water taxi:
Another fun (and free) boat ride is the Ikea water taxi.  It runs shoppers back and forth between Ikea in Brooklyn and Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan.  You’ll have some great views along the way.

Battery Park:
Another great place to check out is the southern most tip of Manhattan.  There you’ll find Battery Park – a 25 acre green space with great views of the Statue of Liberty.  This is also where you can catch the ferry to go see lady liberty up close.  But for that, my friends, you’ll have to pay…

If you’d like to make lower Manhattan your base of operations during your trip to New York, consider this 1-bedroom Vacation Rental in Soho (NY-14419).  It’s located in Soho, so you’ll be near plenty of galleries, boutiques, restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

If you need more room, this 2-bedroom Accommodation in Tribeca (NY-12877) sleeps 6 and will keep you in the heart of the action.

New York Apartment: studio accommodation in Soho (NY-12760) photo

The Tram at Roosevelt Island: (59th St and 2nd Ave)
Of course, if you’re starting to get sea sick from the free boat rides, why not take to the sky? The Roosevelt Island Tram is ALMOST free.  You’ll pay the same price as a subway ride.  It spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan.

Brooklyn Promenade:
Everyone knows that the Empire State building offers one of the best views of New York, but where can you get some more great, and free, views of the city?

Hop on the subway and head to Brooklyn neighborhood.

Just south of the Brooklyn Bridge you’ll find the Brooklyn Promenade, which is a 1/3-mile long walkway that provides a fantastic place to stroll along with some of the most stunning views of the Manhattan skyline.

So as you can see, for a few dollars in subway and tram fares, you’ve got a few days worth of cool things to do – all for free.  Be sure to check out other videos where we’ll show you even more things to do for free in this great city.  If you know of other free and fun things to do in New York, please share them in the comments sections below.

In concert with our full length blog, New York Habitat has decided to publish a microblog on Twitter to provide the fastest and most up-to-date information for clients and apartment owners. Not only will you find the latest news and tips on our Twitter feed, but you will find special limited time discounts on apartments in New York, Paris and London plus villas in the South of France.

Follow us at www.twitter.com/newyorkhabitat or Twitter user newyorkhabitat.

• What’s new on the New York Habitat Travel and Real Estate blog (Find out the latest news on neighborhoods, events, apartment renting tips and more).

• Apartment discounts (Look for limited time discounts on selected apartments and vacation rentals on a regular basis, make sure to follow our Twitter feed because discounts can last from just a few hours up to 1 week and will only be show on Twitter).

• Market news (We will comment on the latest market news as it comes up. Feel free to share your thoughts by sending us a direct message with your thoughts or tweet your response via your account).

New York Habitat hopes to utilize Twitter to provide quick updates and the latest information for people who are interested in news about us and our apartment and vacation rentals in New York, Paris, London and the South of France.

You can also follow our Twitter feeds in other languages with the following user names:

• French: nyhabitatfr or  www.twitter.com/nyhabitatfr
• Italian: nyhabitatita or www.twitter.com/nyhabitatita
• German: nyhabitatde or www.twitter.com/nyhabitatde
• Spanish: nyhabitates or www.twitter.com/nyhabitates

Let us know what you think of our Twitter feed and give us suggestions of what you might like to see in future Twitter posts in the comments section below or by sending us a direct message on Twitter.

Did you know that one of France’s top five tourist attractions is located in the South of France? It’s called the Pont du Gard, and it’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Both the Pont du Gard and the surrounding countryside are absolutely stunning - and New York Habitat highly recommends putting the area on your “must see” list for your next vacation in the South of France.

South of France Vacation Rental Villa in Gard, Avignon Region (PR-688) photo

If you’ve never heard of it before, the Pont du Gard is the masterpiece of the ancient Roman aqueducts that wound its way through the region. A recent redevelopment project has made the Pont du Gard site easily accessible from the highway while appearing to be a hidden oasis now that it has been closed to vehicle traffic. Spend the day touring the museum and the Pont itself, either on your own or with a guide; pack a picnic and dine on the banks or the Gard river; or, bring your swim trunks and cool off with an afternoon dip!

You might see many names and other markings etched into the massive stones of the structure. That’s not vandalism; instead, it’s a tradition that has been a part of the Compagnons du Tour de France, a yearly tour given by and for masons from around the world who come to marvel at the construction, which was performed without the use of any mortar. If you look closely, you can even see etchings from the original builders, who labeled each stone so they were put in their correct positions! This unique structure has survived two millennia and countless natural disasters, including a major flood in 1998.

Uzes, France photo

There is a 4-bedroom vacation rental villa in Rochefort du Gard (PR-688) with a swimming pool and garden that’s perfect for large groups - up to 10 people can fit comfortably. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Rochefort du Gard, 10 minutes from both Avignon and the famous Pont du Gard. Avignon is home to the Palais du Papes, or Palace of Popes, and is definitely worth seeing while you’re in the area.

This 2-bedroom vacation rental in Uzès (PR-859) is ideally located in the heart of the historic village of Uzès, just minutes from the Pont du Gard. Everything is within an easy 5-minute walk including quaint bars, delicious restaurants and shops selling everything from antiques to lavender honey! For horseshow buffs, the National Stud Farm is located in Uzès and features many national championship horseshows. And Uzès also has a golf course.

Stunning Roman architecture abounds in the South of France, a fact not well known by many tourists. Have you ever come upon a surprising bit of history while on vacation? Tell us your story in the comments.

New York Habitat is proud to launch the newest version of our travel and real estate blog in Italian. Like the English and French versions of the New York Habitat Blog, the new Italian language New York Habitat blog will offer the latest news and tips about travel and real estate.

The blog will detail news and events occurring it New York, London, Paris and the South of France. The focus of the articles will include:

New York Habitat Blog in Italian: Photo of Big Ben, London

•    Neighborhood information and news
•    Updated Real Estate Market News
•    Local Events in Paris, New York, London and the South of France
•    Vacation Rental and Apartment Rental Tips
•    And more

When looking for vacation rentals, furnished apartments, apartment share and bed and breakfast accommodations, you will be able to find pertinent information on our Italian, French and English language blogs.

In addition New York Habitat will be able to offer the latest updates to owners, renters and other market participants in Italian, French and English. We encourage you to check out the New York Habitat Italian blog and comment below or on the new Italian blog with any ideas that you would like to see on the Italian side of our blog.

Enjoy!

When many people think of New York City, they think of a giant playground for grown-ups. But did you know that there are also fun and exciting things to do in New York for kids?

If you’re coming to New York with children, you will want to watch this video created by New York Habitat. Central Park Zoo, FAO Schwartz, Broadway shows for kids and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan are just some of the attractions in New York City that are fun for kids.

And remember, for the ultimate family experience during your stay in New York City, do not split up the family in separate hotel rooms. Instead, consider renting a vacation rental apartment. You will all be sleeping under one roof and you can sit down for a nice family dinner after a long day of sight seeing. Some apartments for families include:

This two-bedroom vacation rental apartment in the Upper West Side (NY-1313) is close to the Children’s Manhattan Museum, Central Park and Columbus Circle.

Have a large family? This three–bedroom, two bathroom duplex - Accommodation in midtown West with a terrace (NY- 12189) that sleeps 8 and is just a stone’s through from all the great Broadway Shows for kids in New York.

There is a seemingly endless list of things to do in New York with your kids. Here are some ideas to get your started:

Read the entire story here… »