The Storied History Behind Five Iconic New York Hotels

New York City is home to some of the most legendary hotels in the world. Highly touted for their service, luxury and elegance, many of them also have a rich history that adds to the experience of staying there.

Here are a handful of top Manhattan hotels that boast as much substance as style.

1# The Algonquin

Prices have definitely increased since The Algonquin opened in 1902 with a nightly rate of two dollars but, surprisingly, so has the hotel’s mystique.

For a decade, starting in the summer of 1919, influential writers including Dorothy Parker, Harpo Marx and George S. Kaufman met over lunch at the hotel every day to discuss their work.

They called their group the Vicious Circle, and, over a century later, they are still the envy of writers. Even President John F. Kennedy admitted, When I was growing up, I had three wishes. I wanted to be a Lindbergh-type hero, learn Chinese and become a member of the Algonquin Round Table.

Thanks to the money he won in a Vicious Circle poker game, Harold Ross financed and created The New Yorker in 1925. Today, guests of The Algonquin receive free copies of the classic literary magazine, and some of the floors are wallpapered with its famous cartoons.

The Algonquin has been the site of many other timeless creations, as well. In 1950, William Faulkner wrote his Nobel Peace Prize speech in his suite. Maya Angelou wrote the screenplay for her memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings on Algonquin stationery, and in 1956 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe composed the music for My Fair Lady in Suite 908.

The hotel is also known for its resident feline. In the 1930s, original owner Frank Case took in a stray cat that wandered into the hotel. He named him Rusty until actor John Barrymore, a regular guest, decided he needed a more theatrical name and changed it to Hamlet after one of his own stage roles. The hotel has since been home to three female cats (each named Matilda) and eight males (each named Hamlet). The current Hamlet has his own following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2# JW Marriott Essex House

Although it didn’t have the most auspicious beginning – construction began on the Art Deco-inspired hotel on October 30, 1929, just one day after the stock market crashed – the Essex House opened in 1931, becoming home to many famous people including Russian composer, Igor Stravinsky.

During the 1980s, Saturday Night Live fans will remember that announcer Don Pardo’s intro always included the fact that Guests of Saturday Night Live stay at Marriott’s Essex House. The hotel became the JW Marriott Essex House New York in 2012, joining the luxury brand.

The hotel has some interesting ties to politics, hosting former U.S. Attorney General John N. Mitchell under President Richard Nixon during Bernstein and Woodward’s investigation. In the movie All the President’s Men, Bernstein (played by Dustin Hoffman) asks Mitchell for a comment while he’s staying at the hotel.

3# The Jane Hotel

A West Village landmark that once housed Titanic survivors, The Jane Hotel’s sleeper train-inspired quarters are authentically retro and offered at a price point that seems frozen in time. In fact, it’s billed as a hotel meant for guests with more dash than cash.

Designed by the architect behind Ellis Island, the hotel was originally built for sailors in 1908 with rooms resembling cabins. It was lovingly restored on its centennial in 2008 but continues to stay true to its bohemian roots. The birthplace of the award-winning Off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Jane Hotel is also known for its Ballroom Rooftop, an intimate hideaway overlooking the Hudson River, which just happens to be RuPaul’s former penthouse.

4# The Marlton

This stylish yet affordable boutique hotel was inspired by the postwar Paris of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night as well as its own counterculture Greenwich Village past.

Built in 1900, the historic building once played host to Jack Kerouac – who actually worked on his manuscript for On the Road there – and Lenny Bruce, and The Marlton still features a Beat Lit-filled library behind its original brick facade.

5# Maritime Hotel

The first luxury hotel in Chelsea’s up-and-coming gallery district, the Maritime was once the headquarters for the National Maritime Union. It was used as a dorm for seamen, and it’s retained many of its original architectural features and tributes to nautical history, like porthole windows.

With water views and generous outdoor space, staying at the Maritime is kind of like being on a retro luxury cruise ship.

I believe the world would be a better place if we all traveled more, and I write about everything from luxury spas, cruises and hotels to quirky museums and street food in order to encourage people to get out and explore. When I’m not traveling around the globe