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Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / → All Tags
The Algonquin Has Been Hosting And Toasting Glitterati For 100+ Years
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist materials from the 1930s-1950s, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
Settle into a banquette for a cigarette and call over the maître d' for a story of his boyhood on the Aegean Sea, and you're having a grand evening in New York's Algonquin Hotel. It is the late 1930s, and The Rose Room frequently buzzes with the conversations of the glitterati. Diners in The Oak Room and The Round Table enjoy special evenings out order such fine dishes as "rolled pancakes stuffed with chicken hash" and "Indian pudding."
Be sure to consult the 77-year-old wine steward for the best accompaniment, and for an after-theatre drink, the concierge recommends the neighboring NY Yacht Club, Harvard Club, Princeton Club, or Columbia Club.
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / → All Tags
We Wish Hotels In NYC's Murray Hill Still Cost $3.50
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
The United Nations is the hot new spot to visit, and the Hotel Tudor is only a block away. Singles (with bath!) are only $3.50, and the hotel's location in Tudor City means plenty of lovely scenery for an evening stroll. When you return, comfortable chairs, innerspring mattresses, maple furniture and even venetian blinds will greet you and make sure you sleep soundly in the center of the city.
The Hotel Tudor today...
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / Biltmore Hotels / → All Tags
The Biltmore Hotel Is No More, But Its Sisters Live On
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
Step off your train at Grand Central Station and right into your bed at The Biltmore Hotel, since it's adjoining the station along with its sister hotels The Commodore and The Roosevelt. But before calling it a night (room rates of $6-$8), how about unpacking your swimsuit for a dip in one of the first indoor swimming pools, or your smoking jacket for a highball and cigar at the Men's Bar. Relax before tomorrow's big meeting with a lobster and a pretty girl in the Madison Room; the Biltmore has it all.
The Biltmore today...
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / → All Tags
The Hotel Edison Of 1953 Is The Edison Of Now, With Air-Conditioning Even
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
As one of the city's newest hotels (if you count being built in 1931 when it's now 1953 new), the Hotel Edison boasts luxurious modern comforts like radios, private baths, and dining rooms air-conditioned with circulating ice water. It's also home to the famous Green Room, where the city's glitterati spin in their best evening gowns to the live orchestra. Don't forget that Times Square is around the corner, with all the lights of Broadway.
The Hotel Edison today...
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / Marriott Hotels / → All Tags
NYC's Marriott Marquis Was The Hotel Piccadilly In 1953
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
Look at how fancy the Hotel Piccadilly is; doesn't it just remind you of London? It's home to the famous Piccadilly Circus Lounge, and "New York's smorgasbord sensation," the Scandia restaurants. 600 rooms with private baths and radios for your glitzy New York stay, and televisions are available. Only $4.50 for a single room and $7 a double means more money for stepping out on Broadway.
The Hotel Piccadilly today...
Tags: Vintage NYC Hotels / 1950s Manhattan Hotels / Hotel History / Sheraton Hotels / → All Tags
The Park Sheraton Hotel in 1953: In-Room TVs at No Extra Charge
We devote more than enough ink to Manhattan Hotels, but what about the days when hotels first started tuning their cool? Thanks to an old tourist brochure from 1953, we're exploring back in the day versus today, for NYC hotels.
Back in the day:
Oh my gosh! The dandy Park Sheraton Hotel at 202 West 56th Street now has television in every room, and it won't even cost a slid tip to the bellhop. There's 1,450 rooms in this baby opened in 1927, but still a chance that you might bump into famous faces like residents Jackie Gleason, Mae West, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Be sure to order a Manhattan in the famous Mermaid Room, and enjoy washing up with "running ice water."
The Park Sheraton today...
Tags: Hotel History / San Franciso Hotels / Hotel Books / → All Tags
San Fran's Palace Gets Its Own Book; Deal with Proactiv Not Far Off
It's not just Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Diddy who are pimpin and whoring themselves out in the name of cross-branding. Big name hotels are capitalizing on the infamy and notoriety of their digs. The Palm's Las Vegas and several other hotels did it with reality TV, and now San Francisco's Palace Hotel is exploiting itself literally with a new book celebrating the hotel's history and grandeur.
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Express Check-Out :: We're Sad We Never Visited The Purple Hotel
A hotel just outside Chicago got sold today which normally wouldn't be newsworthy to us but it was called The Purple Hotel, our favorite color!
While it was once classy in the 1960s it became a den of debauchery, the site of a mob hit, and home to both sex and rodent parties. (Although not at the same time...we don't think so at least.) In other words, it was like totally hip.
The hotel was initially the Lincolnwood Hyatt House, then turned into a Radisson then a Ramada before it became so awful that no franchise wanted to be a part of it. The Sun-Times writes of the final hotel name, The Purple Hotel:
By that name, it was relying on such events as the Midwest Fetish Fair & Marketplace for business, and the police regularly were called to the hotel to quiet disturbances.
The hotel used to segregate the sex parties from other guests, but a former general manager once told the Sun-Times that complaints arose from people who "got on the wrong elevator."
Now, the hotel will be demolished and replaced with some retail/residential mixed-use building. Boring! We sorta think Ian Schrager needs to drop this Edition Hotel business and launch a chain of Purple Hotels. Bring back hedonistic hotels Ian!
· Attorneys now threatening TripAdvisor reviewers who write bad things. Oy. [LA Times]
· NBA baller Richard Jefferson formally charged with choking man at boutique hotel Graves 601. [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]
· RIP: Gridskipper is moving to Curbed. [Gridskipper]
· The Sheraton Gateway LAX hotel is starting JetSet Sundays poolside with airline-inspired drinks. [Jaunted]
Tags: Interviews / Hotel Books / Hotel History / Andrew K. Sandoval-Strausz / → All Tags
HotelChatter Gets a History Lesson with 'Hotel: An American History'
A HotelChatter Exclusive
Among HotelChatter's functions is to peer forward into the new, and track the latest news in hospitality.
But do you ever think to yourself, why ARE there hotels? How did hotels come to be, and why are they the way they are? Why are hotels homes-away-from-homes? Why are celebrities attracted to hotels? Why do hotels strive to be so darn glamorous and sexy?
HotelChatter was privileged to conduct a virtual interview with Andrew K. Sandoval-Strausz, author of the recently released and critically acclaimed book Hotel: An American History, which charts the unique rise of the hotel specific to the United States, and how its distinct growth runs parallel to our country's economic development.
Besides making a perfect gift for Hotel Chatter-ees, the book is a fascinating, fantastic romp through the past few centuries, from the rough accommodations at public houses ("George Washington Slept Here!") to the hotel's firm influence on architecture, society, politics, and travel.
Along the way, there are juicy anecdotes involving prostitution, adultery, corruption, segregation, elite society, bankruptcy, bad service, and wild parties - in short, the whole hotel hog.
Tags: Movie Set Hotels / Hotel History / → All Tags
"Bobby" and The Ambassador Hotel
With the premiere of Emilio Estevez's new film, "Bobby," The Ambassador Hotel - its history and destruction - is back in the public eye.
Opened in 1921, the historic hotel became the it-place for the Hollywood elite. Celebs and political figures from The Rat Pack to Bing, Barbra, Nixon, Reagan, Howard Hughes, and Satchmo stayed there and played there. Not to mention it's also where The Graduate's Benjamin Braddock conducted his infamous affair with Mrs. Robinson. The Cocoanut Grove, the swinging club which was featured in "The Aviator" hosted about a million shows and dance contests, was Tinseltown's power bar, and was where the famous Oscar statuette was first unveiled. (The first ever Oscar ceremony was held at Hollywood Roosevelt, of course.)
Now, the tragic history of the hotel. Robert Kennedy was shot and killed in the hotel pantry by Sirhan Sirhan on June 5, 1968, following RFK's victory speech there for the California Primary. Sirhan Sirhan, who is still alive, later went on to petition the razing of the hotel - direct from his cell block. The Kennedy family also sought to have the hotel torn down, which recently has been done to make way for a much-neeeded Los Angeles school.
But back to "Bobby." In an interview with Movies Online, Estevez said that he managed to secure five days to shoot exterior shots for the film, set in the Ambassador.
"The circumstances were extreme, they were tearing it down, and they were tearing it down around us, and there were some shots if you were to widen out, the school bus scene in particular, you would actually see the bulldozers working, and the agreement was that they would not stop demolition while we were there."
Today, the hotel skeleton's last stand is lovingly documented by The Ambassador's Last Stand blog. Like many grand and stylish buildings, the Ambassador can't be rescued from the wrecking ball. But you know how Los Angeles feels about old things. This is the top town for plastic surgery and "reconstructions" after all.
Coincidentally, "Bobby" stars Demi Moore and Lindsay Lohan who are certainly no strangers to enhancements themselves. The movie is now playing in New York and LA and opens nationwide on Wednesday.
Related Stories:
·
Emilio Estevez Interview, Bobby [Movies Online Canada]
· Ambassador Hotel to be Razed for a school [HotelChatter]
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