Almost 100 years ago, The Carlyle A Rosewood Hotel on Madison Avenue opened its doors and revolutionized the New York hotel scene. Since then, the hotel has become a legend in the Big Apple. (Re)discover this mythical jewel.
Head to the corner of Madison Avenue and 76th Street in the chic Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, for a stay at The Carlyle A Rosewood Hotel. Since 1930, this 35-storey, 192-room establishment has been a landmark of the American metropolis. The setting is perfectly situated, just a stone’s throw from Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim and the Frick. Rich in anecdotes and history, the hotel knows how to renew itself in order to continue to appeal to its clientele.
Exceptional rooms
Now owned by the Rosewood Group, the hotel was designed by the renowned architectural firm Bien & Prince and named in honor of British essayist Thomas Carlyle. The hotel’s first decorator, Dorothy Draper, deployed an Art Deco style, recognizable from the black-and-white marble cle hall. A succession of designers followed, including Alexandra Champalimaud, Thierry Despont and Tony Chi. In 2021, The Carlyle A Rosewood Hotel reopened after a three-year renovation by the award-winning New York-based design firm tonychi.
155 rooms and suites have been redesigned to reflect the glamour and beauty of pre-war Manhattan, while featuring the latest technology. Luxurious furnishings, black lacquered panels, wallpaper illustrated with Central Park vignettes and a selection of artworks adorn the refined rooms. The other rooms and suites remain totally unique in their design, ranging from the Empire Suite by renowned designer Thierry Despont to the new suites by New York interior designer Dan Fink, including the Presidential Suite recently acquired by the hotel.
The latter occupies the entire 26th floor of the Carlyle Tower and is adorned with Venetian plaster walls. It includes three bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one half-bathroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen and a multimedia area. The highlight? An entryway adorned with gold leaf and hand-engraved Art Deco-inspired murals, and featuring…a piano.
The gastronomic offer
Alongside the renovation of these rooms, the hotel inaugurated Dowling’s at The Carlyle three years ago. This latest addition to the Carlyle family is named after Robert Whittle Dowling, former owner of The Carlyle and influential urban planner. While the dining room exudes the style of the ’30s and ’40s, the menu features interpretations of timeless New York dishes and retro fare from another era.
The hotel also features Le Bemelmans Bar, a favorite haunt of Upper East Side locals and visitors alike since 1947. Paced by musical performances by Earl Rose, Rob Mosci and many others, the bar is decorated with murals, chocolate-brown leather banquettes, black glass table tops with nickel finishes, a dramatic black granite bar and a ceiling covered in 24-carat gold leaf.
There’s also the Café Carlyle, opened in 1955, with its restored murals by Marcel Vertès, and the exotic Turkish tea room inspired by the Topkapi Palace in Turkey, called La Galerie, which was imagined by designer Renzo Mongiardino.
The Carlyle lifestyle
On the third floor, Valmont’s intimate spa offers a high-quality wellness experience. Renowned for its anti-aging treatments since 1985, and its signature “butterfly” movement, the brand presents unique, invigorating treatments. In addition to these beauty and relaxation rituals, customers can admire works of art throughout the space, carefully selected by owner and creative director Didier Guillon. An Yves Durif hairdressing salon and a fitness center are also part of the spa’s offering.
Private meeting rooms and lounges can be booked for business meetings, corporate seminars, weddings and anniversaries.
So it’s hard to get bored in this hotel, which regularly organizes musical events and artistic performances to entertain its guests. In a few weeks’ time, we’ll be celebrating the end-of-year festivities with gourmet feasts and Christmas carol singers. Guests will also be able to purchase the new fashion collection created by the Carlyle Hotel and Sporty & Rich, featuring vintage-inspired shirts, sweaters, jackets and caps. This line once again underlines the fact that the hotel is constantly renewing itself to captivate travelers and younger generations alike.
Multi-award-winning experiences
It’s no surprise that the famous hotel has played host to many great personalities. Every American president since Truman has stayed here, as have the royal families of England, Denmark, Greece, Spain and Sweden. But also stars of cinema, art, entertainment and song. In short, the greats of this world, accustomed to all forms of luxury, continue to adore the establishment, as do brand loyalists and those who treat themselves to an exceptional stay for a special occasion.
Hotel professionals also praise the qualities of the setting. The Carlyle A Rosewood Hotel ranks 30th in the World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024, and is in pole position on the US list.
See also: 5 hotel ideas for a romantic getaway
Featured photo: © The Carlyle A Rosewood Hotel
