Algonquin Hotel

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For the resort in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, see The Algonquin.

The Algonquin Hotel opened in 1902. It is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on West 44th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York (59 West 44th Street). In the early 20th century, its owner-manager, Frank Case, began its tradition of hosting literary and theatrical notables.

In 1919 the hotel became the site of the daily meetings of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of wits who gathered to exchange bon mots over lunch in the main dining room of the hotel. The group met almost daily for the better part of ten years. This famous circle, as well as the number of literary greats who lodged there, earned the hotel its status as a New York City Historic Literary Landmark. Famed members of The Algonquin Round Table included Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, George S. Kaufman, Robert Benchley, Marc Connelly, Robert E. Sherwood, Heywood Broun, Neysa McMein, Jane Grant, Ruth Hale and Edna Ferber.

Drama critic Brooks Atkinson is quoted on the plaque establishing the landmark, claiming of the Round Table, "By force of character they changed the nature of American comedy and established the tastes of a new period in the arts and theatre." A 1994 film, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, gives an entertaining celluloid portrait of the group at the Algonquin and elsewhere.

Frank Case wrote Tales of a Wayward Inn and Feeding the Lions (a cookbook) about the place. His daughter, Margaret, penned The Vicious Circle in 1950.

Famed director Preston Sturges died at the hotel in 1959.

The hotel underwent two renovations last century. The first was undertaken the first time the hotel changed hands, and the second was completed in 1998. A recent $8 million renovation was completed in 2004. While these renovations have modernized the hotel, it retains its old-fashioned decor. Currently, each of the 174 rooms is appointed with antique furniture, as well as cable television and complimentary wi-fi internet access in the hotel's public spaces.

The hotel was sold in 2005 for a reported $74 million.

In 1996 the hotel was designated a national literary landmark by Friends of Libraries USA. The organization's bronze plaque is attached to the front of the hotel.

The Algonquin hosts the legendary Oak Room cabaret (celebrating its 25th anniversary in the 2005-06 season), Blue Bar, and Round Table Room restaurant.

In a recent, highly effective ploy to increase its publicity, it is offering a $10,000 martini, which will contain a diamond in the bottom of the glass, and will have to be ordered three days in advance. This "Martini on the Rock" was first ordered and used in a marriage proposal in December 2004. In 2004, PBS sent a reporter to the Algonquin to do a story on the "Martini on the Rock" and found that the diamond contained in the martini was assessed above the charged value. However, in an NPR story in 2005, when the diamond in the drink, assessed at $15,000, was actually sold to a dealer, the reporter received about $7,000.

Each fall the hotel is host of "Parkerfest" sponsored by the Dorothy Parker Society.

In keeping with its literary history, The Algonquin currently lends guests iPods loaded with audio books.

The hotel has a tradition of keeping a cat that has the run of the hotel, except the kitchen and dining areas. The practice dates to the 1930s, when owner-general manager Frank Case took in a stray. Hotel lore says actor John Barrymore suggested the cat needed a theatrical name, so he was called Hamlet. Decades later, whenever the hotel has a male he carries on the name; females are named Matilda. The current Algonquin cat, a Matilda, is an eleven-year-old Ragdoll who was named 2006 cat of the year at the Westchester (New York) Cat Show. Visitors can spot Matilda on her personal chaise longue in the lobby; she can be also be found in her favorite places: behind the computer on the front desk, or lounging on a baggage cart. The doormen feed her and the general manager's executive assistant answers Matilda's e-mail, which is matildaalgonquincat@algonquinhotel.com. The Algonquin throws Matilda a birthday party every year.

The Algonquin appeared in Ghostbusters as the Sedgewick Hotel.