The
iconic Algonquin Hotel near Times Square: founded by Southern Jews
NEW YORK – In the book The Algonquin Kid:
Adventures Growing Up In New York’s Legendary Hotel, author Michael Colby tells the
story about his grandparents Mary and Ben Bodne, who built this legendary
landmark. Southern Jews, they owned the hotel from 1946 to 1987. As a kid,
Colby and siblings visited their grandparents every weekend. Colby took up
permanent residence in the hotel at the age of 18 and made his way into the
theater world as a librettist, composer and lyricist. His musical, Charlotte Sweet, an all-sung,
all-rhymed original musical with libretto by Colby and music by Gerald Jay
Markoe, received three Drama Desk Award nominations and was critically lauded
as “adorable, strange and delectable” by the New York Times.
I absolutely love the historic Algonquin Hotel (https://www.algonquinhotel.com. It is always our first choice when visiting New
York City. Located on44th Street near
6th Avenue, walk out the front door and you are a block and a half
away from Times Square.
The Algonquin first opened its doors in 1902. Today,
it is part of the Marriott chain’s Autograph Collection, an evolving ensemble
of strikingly independent hotels. Each destination has been selected for its
quality, bold originality, rich character, and uncommon details. The result is
an array of properties that is nothing less than unique. The Algonquin Hotel
was the first New York City property to become a part of the
collection.
For well more than 100
years, the Algonquin has been greeting and lodging the country’s most prominent
writers and literary personalities, as well as the leading figures of the
American stage. The hotel is best known, perhaps, for the members of the Round
Table, a group of luminaries who had in common both the ability to fire blazing
witticisms and to withstand being on the receiving end of them.
After World War I,
Vanity Fair writers and Algonquin regulars Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley and
Robert E. Sherwood began lunching at the Algonquin. Though society columns
referred to them as the Algonquin Round Table, they called themselves the
Vicious Circle. “By force of character,” observed drama critic Brooks
Atkinson, “they changed the nature of American comedy and established the
tastes of a new period in the arts and theatre.”
This year marks the
centennial of the Round Table and as a result special programming took place
all summer long. We were there to take in some of the festivities
Each of the 181 rooms and 25 suites features a
comfortable well-lit work desk, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. We stayed in a
very comfortable one bedroom Heywood Broun Suite, named for the noted American journalist, sportswriter and newspaper
columnist in New York City who founded the American Newspaper Guild.
The layout was ideally suited for us. There is a
nice sized entrance, with the master bedroom to the left featuring a nice-sized
bathroom. The spacious living room has a pullout couch, a large desk which was
perfect for me to write my stories and good drawer and cupboard space. You can
get a fridge and a microwave, depending upon availability and on request.
When you enter the hotel, you come face to face with
the casual Lobby Lounge, along with The Round Table Restaurant. Just to the
left is the hotel’s trendy and aptly named Blue Bar.
As a cat lover, Iwasof
course excited to see Hamlet VIII,the threeyear-old orange cat who calls The
Algonquin his home. According to hotel executive assistant Alice De Almeida, he
was originally a feral cat found in Long Island and brought to the
Bide-a-wee shelter (the oldest shelter in the Big Apple), where the Algonquinthen
adopted him as their own. He came to the hotel in July 2017 after their former cat,
Matilda III, retired. “He is so friendly and loveable that people who never liked cats love
him.” Alice says proudly. “He has great purrsonality! I am a real Jewish momma
to him.”
The Algonquin Hotel is located at 59 W 44th Street, New
York, New York 10036. www.algonquinhotel.com.
Main Phone: 212-840-6800
The Algonquin, its bar and
restaurant, have easy access for wheelchairs from the street. There is valet
parking. The hotel has six ADA rooms and one ADA suite. There are two
elevators. Staff are very helpful and friendly.
A STOP IN POUGHKEEPSIE:There is a new hotel in Poughkeepsie, the perfect
stopover en route to New York City. We
typically like to stay here overnight, getting us into the Big Apple at a good
hour the following day. The arrival of a Homewood Suites by Hilton (Hwpoughkeepsie.homewoodsuitesbyhilton.com)
made
that decision a lot easier. This is a beautiful property. The suite we had was
very spacious and comfortable.
Conveniently located
off of Route 9 and I-84 at 900 Thomas Watson Drive, the hotel is within walking
distance of IBM and is minutes away from the Culinary Institute of America,
Vassar, Bard and Marist Colleges. The hotel also places guests close to
Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, rich historical sites and a variety of great
restaurants, breweries and wineries.
The property is owned
and managed by Briad Lodging Group, LLC, the hotel division of Livingston, New
Jersey-based The Briad Group.
“Situated in
the heart of the Hudson River Valley, Homewood Suites by Hilton Poughkeepsie is
the perfect location for our newest property,” said Hans Kleinganz, general
manager. “Our spacious suites offer all of the comforts of home, and we look
forward to welcoming guests and ensuring they enjoy their stay with us.”
This hotel offers a
combination of spacious studio and one-bedroom suites, featuring fully-equipped
kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Guests are also provided all
the essentials needed for a smart, reliable and convenient stay including
complimentary hot breakfast seven days a week, evening social with
complimentary beer and wine* served Monday to Thursday, complimentary shuttle service
within a five-mile radius and complimentary advanced Wi-Fi.
The hotel makes it easy
for travelers to unwind with an outdoor patio area, featuring multiple fire
pits, an outdoor kitchen under a large pergola and a putting green. The
property boasts a 750-square-foot fitness center with state-of-the-art
equipment, including a Peloton bike, indoor saline swimming pool and an outdoor
sports court. The property also offers more than 1,000 square feet of flexible
space that is ideal for meetings and social events.
Homewood Suites by
Hilton Poughkeepsie is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty
program for Hilton’s 14 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book
directly through preferred Hilton channels save time and money and gain instant
access to the benefits they care about most, such as an exclusive member
discount and a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any
combination of Points and money to book a stay. Members can also redeem their
points for free nights, to gain access to unique events through the Hilton
Honors auction platform or to make purchases with at Amazon.com with Amazon
Shop with Points. For more information or to make reservations, visit Hwpoughkeepsie.homewoodsuitesbyhilton.com
or call 845-462-0030.
Briad Lodging Group was formed in 1997, when Briad became a Marriott franchisee. Five years later, the company added Hilton to its portfolio. Since obtaining these franchise rights, Briad has developed more than $600 million in real estate, concentrating on focused-service and extended stay hotels, including the Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, TownePlace Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites brands. During the past decade, Briad has developed, operated and managed 34 properties and has built more than 3,800 hotel rooms in the tri state area.
By Mike Cohen
