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As I was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City and have traveled to-and-from the city for most of my life, I have frequently passed by The Roosevelt going in and out of Grand Central Terminal, and its prominent green neon sign is permanently a part of the midtown skyline in my mind's eye. It was pretty exciting to have been invited to do a site visit of the hotel and its model renovated room. Named for former US President Theodore Roosevelt, the hotel opened its doors in 1924 and it has catered to every kind of visitor to New York ever since. When you walk into lobby (pictured above), you are immediately taken back to an era long past and you can almost hear the laughter of a flapper seated at the bar, a trail of smoke emanating from her elegant cigarette holder.
Of course, the hotel has all the modern amenities, including large, flat-screen TVs at the reception area that kept me entertained as I waited for my contact from the hotel to show me around. The hotel also includes a modern gym on site, a grand dining room for breakfast, business center, as well as the rooftop bar mad46 (more on that in a minute).
Once my guide, Angela, arrived, she showed me both the current accommodations provided by The Roosevelt as well as what the rooms will look like once the renovations are completed (hopefully) by next year. From the wallpaper and carpeting to the beds and lighting, right down to the classic photos of The Roosevelt in its early years: almost everything in the hotel rooms will be updated.
It is hard to see in the pictures, but compare the current two-bedded guest room:
With the planned renovations:
The renovated room was much brighter, with the wallpaper (hard to see in the photos) bearing a different embossed print. The current renovations are running slightly behind schedule, but clearly it will be worth the wait.
Angela also showed me mad46 (referencing the intersection of Madison Avenue and E 46th Street, but it so much cooler their way), The Roosevelt's very stylish rooftop bar. The interior is done up in richly colored fabrics and carpeting, and the view out onto midtown Manhattan once you step out onto the patio is breathtaking. Even on the gray, rainy day on which I visited, it was spectacular to look out onto the famed New York City skyline from on high. As Angela explained to me, mad46 is a very popular nighttime destination for hotel guests and New York denizens alike and since the bar is only accessible to hotel guests from inside, there is frequently a line waiting out at the special E 46th street entrance. I could picture the tables, plush lounge chairs and daybeds populated by a thirsty New York crowd transitioning from needing refreshment on a hot summer day to enjoying the change of seasons with a little something to start a fire in their bellies.
It is hard to get the full effect of mad46 from these photos since it was a dreary rainy day in New York and the staff were also still setting up for later in the evening. Take a look at the photos on mad46's website if you would like to see the bar at its best.
With its classic style nicely complimented by its modern sensibilities, The Roosevelt epitomizes where New York has been and where it is going. Guests are met with glamour, history, and comfort at a reasonable price in the heart of midtown Manhattan; it is little wonder why The Roosevelt remains a popular destination for the traveler looking to sample New York in all its past and present glory.
M. Troyer
