Canada, whose dollar is always the poor relation of the US version, is even cheaper and boasts the Whistler ski resort on the west coast and Niagara Falls nearer to home. The trick is to buy early in the day at a new show.”But if you feel more adventurous you can fly to the west coast for under £300 return. The shops are just as cheap, so long as you go carefully through Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, and you have the added fun of Hollywood, Disneyland, Hearst Castle, the ludicrous hotels of Las Vegas and the tram rides through San Francisco.Such delights are too tacky for many tourist stomachs, but there are also more spiritual pleasures out west.”It’s a great time to go to an incredibly expensive spa like Canyon Ranch in Arizona,” says Mr Lassman, “and rub shoulders with a few celebrities while you’re there. The best galleries are between 21st and 24th Streets and between 10th and 11th Avenues, especially the Sonnabend Gallery and Barbara Gladstone. Mr Lassman says: “I would head up to the art galleries of West Chelsea There couldn’t be a better time to buy contemporary art. The rooms aren’t huge, but at $179 they are affordable.Shopping is what makes the US financially viable: you really can save enough money to pay for your trip. The likes of Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Tiffany on Fifth Avenue are strictly for browsing only.

But Macy’s on 34th Street is for serious shopping, with Levi’s jeans selling for around $30 and digital cameras for $60.And if you want some financial return you could do worse than invest in art. Up to four people can share a suite at the Doubletree right on Times Square for $259 a night. And for a touch of elegance, round the corner on 44th Street is the legendary Algonquin, home of the Dorothy Parker round table. It is becoming rubbed smooth as time passes, but it’s still worth making the pilgrimage.You can find quite decent hotel rooms within easy reach of the action for as little as $50, which comes down to just £27, even at tourist exchange rates.Then there’s Mr Lassman’s take on the cheap dollar. He says: “If you want to go to New York, you have two options.

For the uptown experience – near the luxury Fifth Avenue shopping area, the skyscrapers and Central Park – then the ultimate is the Four Seasons I’ve stayed there many times. The interior is stunning: beautiful flowers, beautiful lighting. And your room has got to be high up with a great view: the Park View Tower is the best For the Tower, you are talking about $750 per night. The other option is to go downtown and stay at the Mercer Hotel I love it.