‘You really ought to read more books – you know, those things that look like blocks but come apart on one side.’ Perhaps F. Scott Fitzgerald was aiming for a motivational tone – literature was his livelihood, after all. He was also a seminal figure in the writers’ movement that began in 1920s New York and, over the following decades, took root in hotels across the city. Hot on the heels of Spectator Life‘s guide to London’s literary hotels, here are five New York hotels with their own tales to tell.
The Algonquin Hotel
The Algonquin’s association with the infamous Round Table of the 1920s has provided it with more connections to literature and the arts than perhaps any other hotel in New York. Outside the hotel, a plaque reads: ‘Here, such acid-tongued wits as Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley and Alexander Woollcott traded barbs and bon mots daily over lunch.’ Other literary luminaries such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner and George Kaufmann also found their way to the Algonquin Round Table in the Rose Room – today the Round Table restaurant.
It is impossible to overstate the significance of the daily Round Table lunches. The participants, often referred to as the ‘Vicious Circle’, were America’s most celebrated literary group, their influence akin to that exerted by the Bloomsbury group in London in the early 20th century. The hotel, at 59 West 44th Street, is now the unofficial hangout for fans of Parker and the New Yorker, founded here during those daily liquid lunches. A copy of the magazine is still left in every guest room.
Despite a recent refurbishment, the art deco Alonquin has retained a sense of its original moody atmosphere and quirky style. While the bedrooms are small, all come with writing desks and comfortable queen-sized beds. If you need more space, try the John Barrymore suite with its sunken living room and luxurious oversized bathroom. However, with Times Square, Fifth Avenue and Broadway on your doorstep, you may not intend to spend too much time indoors. Before you leave, though, visit the Round Table restaurant and give the world-class martinis a go. This low-lit, atmospheric eatery will serve you a modern take on classic American food, all under the caustic gaze of Parker, Woollcott and friends as they stare down from the many portraits dotted around.
As one of New York’s oldest hotels (1902), it may not be for those seeking ultimate luxury. It is, however, a hotel for book-lovers and history buffs, recognised for its cultural legacy and designated a USA Literary Landmark in 1996. Room-only queen doubles from £296.
Hotel Chelsea
It is difficult to know where to begin with the story of Hotel Chelsea. At its entrance, a brass memorial reads like a who’s who of New York’s literary past, listing those who have been in residence at some point: Jack Kerouac, Mark Twain, Simone de Beauvoir, Allen Ginsberg, Jean-Paul Sartre. Arthur C. Clarke wrote his epic science-fiction novel 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Chelsea and, in 1888, Michael Dewey, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal Classification System for libraries, lived here.
Sadly, some of the elegance of the original hotel has vanished. But in contrast to the common areas, the hotel accommodation remains sumptuous, with some rooms retaining the marble and brass that give a nod to the hotel’s luxurious 19th century origins. There are a variety of rooms and suites on offer, with apartments for longer-term residents. There’s a lively cocktail bar, a luxury spa is in development, and a Spanish restaurant, El Quijote, serves food in the evenings.
The hotel, on West 23rd Street, still has a distinct charm, and in the lobby you’ll find photos and paintings of some of its more infamous residents. Two writers of the hard-drinking variety loom large in the history of the Chelsea: Dylan Thomas and Brendan Behan – the former for passing away after prolonged sessions in a nearby tavern and the latter for taking up residence after being accused of chasing the chambermaids at the Algonquin. B&B king doubles from £436.
The Library Hotel
Located on a small street section known as Library Way for its proximity to several of New York’s finest libraries, this hotel is, appropriately, library themed – and in a digital world gone mad, I took a great degree of enjoyment from the use of the Dewey Decimal Classification to categorise each of the ten floors. The hotel, at 299 Madison Avenue, holds more than 6,000 books (all organised by the Dewey system) for guests to browse through.
It’s an appealing mix of contemporary elegance and old-school charm, and each guest room across the ten floors is designed around a genre that fits within that floor’s category. I stayed on the eighth floor, in the literature category, where you’ll find genres including fairy tales, classic fiction, poetry and (my room) mystery. I spent a very lively evening rummaging through the 150 books in my room, trying to decide on my bedtime read.
Beyond the well-appointed accommodation there are some lovely extra facilities, including the Reading Room on the second floor, where you can choose from even more books while dipping into bottomless refreshments. For the ultimate bibliophile’s thrill, head to the rooftop bar for uninterrupted views of the New York Public Library standing majestically beside Bryant Park, and sip on signature cocktails such as the Great Gatsby or the Harper Lee. Room-only queen doubles from £361.
Hotel Elysée
The fate of one particularly famous resident sealed the Hotel Elysée’s place in literary legend. In 1983, Tennessee Williams died in the hotel’s Sunset Suite, where he had lived for the previous 15 years. His final play, A House Not Meant to Stand, was written here, although not published until 2008. The hotel also became the home of choice for many celebrities and literary stars from the golden ages of Broadway, movies and sports, including Harold Robbins, Marlon Brando and Joe DiMaggio.
The rooms themselves are still evocative of a bygone age and the Hotel Elysée, on East 54th Street, has maintained a flavour of European style and grandeur (some might say a little too much so for a New York hotel). On the second floor, the Club Room offers antique armchairs with a view of 54th Street and complimentary coffee, pastries and fresh fruit available all day. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the fare on offer changes to prosecco and cheese.
By evening, however, I was more inclined to try the hotel’s legendary Monkey Bar, which opened in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It retains a romantic old-world quality, with booths of plush fabric and fine linens. The wraparound Monkey Bar mural by Ed Sorel includes writers who have an association with the hotel and projects a whimsical jazz age style, providing the perfect backdrop for a memorable dining experience at the restaurant. My simple vegetarian palate was overjoyed with the intensity of the truffle tagliatelle, while my carnivore partner wept for his gorgonzola-aged prime rib (though that may just have been when he saw the price – $100).
Owned by the Library Hotel Collection, the Hotel Elysée is conveniently located in between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue, close to Central Park, Broadway and some of the best shopping in NYC. Room-only queen doubles from £290.
The Plaza
The Plaza has appeared as a setting in some of the most iconic novels of the 20th century. Most famous, perhaps, is its association with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby – the quarrel when Tom confronts Gatsby about Daisy takes place in a suite at the hotel.
Another multi-million copy best-seller, Eloise by Kay Thompson, was also set at the Plaza. Meanwhile, in 1966 Truman Capote hosted what the New York Times dubbed ‘the best party ever’ in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. More than 500 of his most famous, glamorous literary friends were in attendance at this black and white ball, photos of which still adorn parts of the Plaza.
Located on Fifth Avenue at Central Park, this chateau-style hotel opened in 1907 and remains as delightfully decadent as ever. Must-do activities include Afternoon Tea in the Palm Court, grazing in the Plaza Food Hall and indulging in a Red Vine Barrel Bath in the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa. I have just an inkling that if Capote returned to the Plaza today, he would be rather pleased that it has maintained its standards. Room-only king doubles from £675.
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