These are the very best heritage hotels in New York City: historic glamour for modern times
Glitz and glam.
New York, New York—the concrete jungle where dreams are made. Some of the finest hospitality brands in the world had their start in the Big Apple, and New York continues to set the standard for top-notch hotels. Among the staggering number of boutique hotels available, it’s perhaps the historic establishments of the twentieth century that visitors remember best. Glitz and glamour galore filled the halls of these venerable institutions, some of which are still in operation today. Soak up the legacies left behind by celebrities, dignitaries, luminaries, and creative icons at the best heritage hotels in New York City.
The best heritage hotels in New York City
1. The Plaza Hotel
One of the most iconic heritage hotels in all of New York City has to be The Plaza Hotel. Designed in the châteauesque style by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in 1905, the Plaza sits on a prime Fifth Avenue address facing Central Park and offered up to 800 rooms and residences when it opened in 1907.
It has served as the setting for many notable events, films, and literary works, including The Great Gatsby and Funny Girl, and played host to royalty, heads of state, and countless stars. It also famously attracted “wealthy widows” as long-term residents, including the notorious Fannie Lowenstein, and regularly welcomed socialites, who came for the lavish afternoon teas and parties.
Now, more than a hundred years later, The Plaza has undergone many renovations, but its old-world charm remains in the elegant Palm Court and Champagne Bar. Gilded accents, classic crown mouldings, mid-century pieces, and crystal chandeliers create a timeless look and feel. Signature suites include the Carnegie, Pulitzer, Fitzgerald, and Vanderbilt, to name but a few. Guests can even choose to stay in the Tower 3 Suite, which sits inside the Plaza’s dramatic exposed brick turret. Unwind at the Guerlain Spa with a signature Swedish massage that uses three aromatherapy blended oils.
Discover more about The Plaza Hotel or Book through Booking.com
2. The Algonquin Hotel
With a long history that dates back to 1902, The Algonquin Hotel is considered the oldest continuously operating hotel in New York City. The Manhattan landmark was the preferred hangout of literary legends, hosted cultural heavyweights such as William Faulkner, John Barrymore, and Maya Angelou, and The Algonquin Round Table club—a group of writers, journalists, critics, and editors—met at the hotel daily for about a decade (two members of the group even went on to establish the prestigious New Yorker magazine).
Its Blue Bar has been keeping guests and Broadway greats watered since Prohibition ended in 1933, and, of course, who can forget the beloved Algonquin lobby cat, a 1920s tradition begun by owner Frank Case, who took in strays. Although the original resident feline who sparked the practice was named Billy, the adorable rescues following in his footsteps have all been dubbed Hamlet or Matilda.
The Algonquin has since become a part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and offers 181 Art Deco-inspired guest rooms and suites following a 2022 facelift.
Learn more about The Algonquin Hotel or Book through Booking.com
3. Waldorf Astoria New York
Among the prominent heritage hotels in New York City, few have a more intriguing past than the Waldorf Astoria. It began with a feud between businessman William Waldorf Astor and his aunt, Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, which prompted him to build his hotel, the Waldorf, right next to her house on Fifth Avenue in 1893.
Naturally, this stunt worsened the relationship, and it took some doing on Astor’s cousin’s behalf to persuade his mother to move away from the address. Said cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, then built his hotel, the Astoria, on the site adjacent to the Waldorf in 1897, and the buildings were connected following a “truce” between the family members. A walkway was constructed between the two neighbours to link them, and the rest is, well, history.
Except, of course, there’s so much more to the Waldorf Astoria than just that. In its heyday, the hotel was the leading place to see and be seen for New York’s upper crust; Oscar Tschirky, its famous maître d’, created the famous Waldorf salad here; and its ballrooms welcomed dignitaries, royalty, socialites, and more for dinners and fundraisers of all kinds.
Unfortunately, facing tough competition from other burgeoning hotels, the Waldorf Astoria was forced to close in 1929. It reopened following a move to Park Avenue, where it has remained ever since, acting as a stalwart custodian of the unmatched opulence of twentieth-century luxury hospitality, welcoming guests such as the Dalai Lama, Charlie Chaplin, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, to name a few.
After years of restoration work, it’s slated to reopen its doors later this year.
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4. The St. Regis New York
Founded by American business tycoon John Jacob Astor IV in 1904, The St. Regis New York is a five-star marvel housed within a Beaux-Arts-style building. It has the distinction of being described as “the finest hotel in America” by the New York Times when it first opened, and played host to many famous names, including Alfred Hitchcock, Salvador Dali, Nikola Tesla, and Marlene Dietrich.
Astor’s forward-thinking vision for his US$5.5 million project included the instalment of “modern conveniences” like separate telephones and central heat and air conditioning in each room, as well as mail chutes on each floor. The interiors were clad in resplendent French marble, bronze, English oak, and antique tapestries to heighten the appeal.
The St. Regis New York underwent its most recent renovation in 2013 and offers three special luxury suites designed in collaboration with Dior, Tiffany, and Bentley, respectively, in addition to 171 rooms, 67 suites, and 24 private condominiums.
According to the hotel, it is the birthplace of the modern Bloody Mary cocktail—later renamed “the Red Snapper”—so a visit to the classy King Cole Bar is a must.
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5. The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel
As the New York City hotel visited by every US president since Harry S Truman and a slew of international royals, The Carlyle needs little introduction. What you may not know is that it opened in 1930 as an “apartment hotel,” at a time when townhouse ownership had fallen out of favour.
In the post-war boom and under new ownership, the hotel was transformed into a fashionable and theatrical destination known for its dinners and performances, and was nicknamed “The New York White House” because of John F. Kennedy, who is said to have kept a residence there for a decade until his death. Art Deco influences led the first iteration of the hotel, though a 2019 renovation has given it a sleeker design update and more modern colours.
It passed into the hands of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in 2001, but its historic attractions remain intact. Bemelmans Bar—named after illustrator and author Ludwig Bemelmans behind the beloved Madeline series—is a firm favourite, with musicians such as Liza Minelli, Mariah Carey, and Billy Joel making impromptu appearances at the piano. Café Carlyle is a vibrant institution that carries on the supper club tradition and Dowling’s at The Carlyle is the latest dining addition.
Discover more about The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel
6. JW Marriott Essex House New York
Understated but nonetheless rich with history, Essex House—now under the JW Marriott umbrella—is a Central Park South icon, having faithfully towered over the greens since 1931. Its most distinctive feature, from the outside, is the red neon sign atop the building proclaiming its name, a 90-year-old relic that has been referenced in pop culture. However, on the inside, Essex House is an Art Deco beauty through and through.
Essex House did not have the most favourable start. Construction for the hotel began just one day after the fateful Wall Street Crash of 1929. Its opening was delayed for years due to the Great Depression, and just one year after it opened, its owners promptly went bankrupt.
After that, the hotel went through a game of hot potato, changing ownership multiple times, until it settled under Marriott Hotels & Resorts management. In its almost 100 years of history, however, Essex House can lay claim to being one of the final places that musician David Bowie and composer Igor Stravinsky lived.
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7. The Pierre Hotel, a Taj Hotel
Another Central Park landmark, The Pierre Hotel has enjoyed a storied past since it first opened its doors on Fifth Avenue in 1930. Schultze & Weaver—a now-defunct architecture firm that also designed the second iteration of the Waldorf Astoria and the historic Hotel Sevilla in Havana, Cuba—was inspired by the beauty of Versailles and modelled the Pierre after the French château style.
Grand and stately, this heritage hotel sports an elegant neo-Georgian personality, with marble floors and gilded mouldings that have been retained throughout multiple renovations. Its 189 rooms, in comparison, give off a more contemporary feel, with a subdued design approach.
Guests such as Coco Chanel, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Karl Lagerfeld, and Yves Saint Laurent have graced the Pierre, and the hotel is no stranger to hosting society galas and fashion shows. Not to be missed is the Rotunda, an exercise in maximalism with elaborate Edward Melcarth-painted murals and a grand staircase.
Read more about The Pierre Hotel, a Taj Hotel or Book through Booking.com
8. Hotel Elysée
As one of the more eclectic heritage destinations on the list, the Hotel Elysée doesn’t match the splendour of its peers, but it comes with a distinct personality of its own. It began its life in 1926 as a European-style hotel to cater to the carriage trade, but after it changed hands in 1937, the owner’s children uniquely redesigned the Elysée’s rooms and named them to reflect their personalities.
Among the recognisable names that have been logged in the Elysée’s guestbook, writer Tennessee Williams was one of the most enduring. He died in the “Sunset” suite after having stayed at the hotel for 15 years.
In the modern day, the unusual history of the hotel remains in its three presidential suites, named after Williams, former Czech Republic president Vaclav Havel, and Russian-American classical pianist Vladimir Horowitz. For a Jazz Age throwback, head to the Monkey Bar, where classic surf and turf dishes are best enjoyed beside plenty of bubbly.
Learn more about Hotel Elysée or Book through Booking.com
9. The New York Edition
One of the younger openings on our list, The New York Edition does not boast the same storied legacy that comes with a century’s worth of operation, but what it does have is a historical setting.
The understated hotel sits inside a 1909 clock tower, which has the distinction of once being the tallest building in the city. In fact, the structure has led several lives, including a stint as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, but in 2015, it found a new purpose as a boutique hotel, the result of a joint project between Marriott and legendary hotelier Ian Schrager.
271 guest rooms are fitted with modern amenities, and the design leans towards warm sophistication, giving off a home-away-from-home vibe with its cream palette. Guests can indulge in contemporary British fare at the Clocktower restaurant, throw back a tipple at the Lobby Bar, or relax with a custom massage in the in-house spa.
Read more about The New York Edition or Book through Booking.com
10. The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel
Similar to The New York Edition, The Beekman is a more recent addition to the city, but its chosen home is a meticulously restored nineteenth-century building in downtown New York City—the former Temple Court, one of Manhattan’s oldest skyscrapers at 10 stories tall.
Opened in 2016, the hotel oozes vintage romance and Victorian-era stateliness. Its open atrium, topped with a wide skylight, is one of the structure’s leading features, alongside intricate cast-iron railings and antique floor tiles.
Swedish interior architect Martin Brudnizki designed the space, and a 51-story condominium tower was added to accommodate 287 rooms and residences. Penthouse suites are housed within the two pyramidal turrets belonging to the original building.
Celebrity restaurateurs Tom Colicchio and Daniel Boulud lead The Beekman’s flagship eateries, Temple Court and Le Gratin, while the Bar Room whips up fabulous cocktails to whet the whistle. Come on the weekends for a jazzy brunch experience.
Learn more about The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel or Book through Booking.com
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