THE JOURNAL
The Island. Photograph courtesy of The Island, Sydney
Where to be to watch the fireworks as we say goodbye to 2016.
What are you doing for New Year? It’s a question often accompanied by a terrible sinking feeling, at least for those of us that don’t like to book everything 365 days in advance, and are left making last-minute plans this week. Some panicked considerations: will it be a truly awesome party with all your friends where you meet the love of your life? Will it be a total let-down, and far too expensive? Will it simply be another night of mysterious oblivion, of which you will later remember about half an hour? Perhaps, maybe, probably. But maybe it’s actually a lot less fraught than all that – in our opinion, all you need for a great New Year’s Eve is one or more amiable companions, a couple of strong drinks, and somewhere wonderful to look at whatever fireworks, or parades, or stumbling drunk people your city may have to offer. Location-wise, of course, we have some strong recommendations, courtesy of our Style Council. Scroll down for some hints about where to head to see in 2017 next week.
The Peninsula, Hong Kong
Felix restaurant at The Peninsula Hong Kong. Photograph courtesy of The Peninsula Hong Kong
Though the view from the Peninsula’s Felix restaurant may not be the highest in Hong Kong, it is one of the best, thanks to its vast windows looking out across Victoria bay and Mr Philippe-Starck-designed interiors. Sweetening the deal further is Mr Yoshiharu Kaji’s fresh modern European menu, of course, but if you don’t fancy the hotel’s New Year’s Eve Gala dinner this year, you could always just stop by for the after-dinner party from 8pm (with dancing from 10pm) for a fraction of the cost. Email ahead to avoid disappointment, and enjoy the experience of what journalist and publisher Mr Sean Fitzpatrick describes as the hotel’s “exceptional standards in every department”.
The Island, Sydney
The Island. Photograph courtesy of The Island, Sydney
Of course, we all know that Sydney Harbour lights up with fireworks for New Year. And that it’s got a rather beautiful Opera House. But did you know about The Island? “It’s a floating bar on Sydney Harbour – one of my favourite places in the world,” says architect, property investor and Style Council member Mr Nick Tobias. Being a waterborne kind of party, The Island moves about every couple of days according to the prevailing winds and weather, but wherever it ends up, it will be guaranteed to have a prime position to see one of the most truly spectacular New Year views in the world. The only catch is it’s a members’-only affair – you’ll need to find someone with a login to purchase tickets for its fun-sounding New Year’s eve bash, which involves free-flowing drink and a water taxi to and from the bar.
The NoMad Hotel NYC
The NoMad rooftop. Photograph by Mr Daniel Krieger. Courtesy of The NoMad, NYC
The Flatiron District’s NoMad Hotel “has great sized rooms one can really feel at home in,” says style’s favourite choreographer Mr Stephen Galloway. “It’s stylish, rustic, comfortable and sexy.” That alone sounds like a good enough New Year’s recipe to us. But the hotel also has not one, but four party options planned for NYE 2016, ranging from a four-course tasting menu in the NoMad Restaurant to more of a drink-and-snack type open-bar affair on the hotel’s rooftop. You can even see a magic show, if you so wish. Really.
Hotel de Rome, Berlin
Hotel de Rome rooftop. Photograph courtesy of Hotel de Rome, Berlin
The main New Year’s Eve celebration in Berlin – one of the biggest street parties in Europe – takes place along Straße des 17. Juni, between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. Hotel de Rome is not only located on Bebelplatz, just a stone’s throw from this free-for-all, but boasts a rooftop bar with an exceptional view of the Berlin skyline (and inevitable fireworks that will be let off to celebrate the occasion). This much is corroborated by Style Council member and Sleek magazine publisher Mr Christian Bracht, who says the hotel is “full of excellent interior design with great service, and the roof terrace with a view over Berlin is spectacular.”
Various Pubs, London
The Three Kings, Clerkenwell. Photograph by Mr Ash Waring. Courtesy of The Three Kings
Yes, there are lots of shi-shi hotels and bars in London at which to see in 2017. But for the particularly last-minute among us, there is also the rather more cosy and comforting option of a good local pub – they’re cheaper, messier, and will play silly songs you can sing along to. In this respect, several members of the Style Council have named great pubs for your consideration, from The Three Kings in Clerkenwell, proposed by designer Mr David McKendrick, to The Lansdowne in Primrose Hill – “a perfect local” according to author Mr Will Frears – to Mr Evgeny Lebedev’s favourite, The Grapes in Limehouse, which also does, he says, a mean shepherd’s pie. All these and more are collected in our Style Council pages, so why not click through and decide which one takes your fancy.