Algonquin Hotel (“Gonk” & the “Round Table”)
The Algonquin Hotel, at 59 West 44th Street, was the place of the "Algonquin Round Table" or "Vicious Circle" of writers of the 1920s. It is believed that writer and wit Dorothy…
Arabic Amenity (hotel tray of dates, dried fruit and nuts)
"12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel" by Brandon Presser, published in Time magazine on August 16, 2017, stated how Manhattan's Plaza Hotel treats…
Big Apple Hostel
The Big Apple Hostel was at 119 West 45th Street, the the heart of Times Square in Manhattan. It opened in 1994 and closed in 2014, when the building was sold for $12 million. The location is now…
Big Apple Stars Awards Program (Hotel Association of New York City)
The Hotel Association of New York City has a Big Apple Stars Awards Program during the annual HX: The Hotel Experience trade show. The Big Apple Stars Awards Program began in 1997 and has six award…
Concorde Hotel (Radisson Martinique on Broadway)
The Radisson Martinique on Broadway has been called the "Concorde Hotel" (after the Concorde airliner that made transatlantic flight between New York City and London/Paris) because many…
Condotel (condo + hotel)
A "condotel" is a combination (or portmanteau) of the words "condo" and "hotel." Rooms in hotels are sold to buyers, who often rent them out (like a timeshare). It is…
Easy Lay (Hotel Elysée nickname)
Manhattan's Hotel Elysée (60 East 54th Street between Madison and Park Avenues) was founded in 1926 and has been frequented by many writers and actors. American playwright Tennessee Williams…
Eno’s Folly (Fifth Avenue Hotel nickname)
When Amos Richards Eno (1810-1898) planned the Fifth Avenue Hotel in the early 1850s for Madison Square (200 Fifth Avenue, on the southwest corner between 23rd Street and 24th Street), it was so…
Facebook Hotel (Pod Hotel)
The Pod Hotel (converted in 2007 from the former Pickwick Arms, at 230 East 51st Street in Manhattan) has small rooms ("pods"), but has a good location and high-tech amenities. There is…
Grand Central of the Jet Age (TWA Terminal/Hotel nickname)
The TWA Flight Center at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (opened as the "New York International Airport" and called "Idlewild Airport," but renamed…
Heartbreak Hotel (Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel)
The Ramada Plaza JFK Hotel (at JFK Airport) was called "Heartbreak Hotel" (also the title of a 1956 Elvis Presley song) in July 1996, when it housed grieving family members of those who…
Hotel for Autos
A parking garage has been called a "hotel for cars." "Hotel for Autos, 25 Stories High, Is Chicago Plan" was a headline in the Atlanta (GA) Constitution on February 20, 1922. A…
Hotel Goldman (Embassy Suites nickname)
The Wall Street Journal reported on March 12, 2009 that so many Goldman Sachs employees were put up in the Embassy Suites New York at Battery Park City that it was dubbed "Hotel Goldman."…
Mildew Plaza (Milford Plaza nickname)
The Milford Plaza opened in 1928 (as the Lincoln Hotel) at 700 Eighth Avenue. The 27-story, 1,300-room hotel is located near the Broadway theaters and was so affordably priced that it began…
Pizza Phone (hotel phone button to order pizza)
"My hotel phone has a button just for pizza" was a post on reddit in August 2013; the hotel was Country Inns & Suites (Niagara Falls, Ontario). The Huffington Post headline declared…
Polish Tea Room (Cafe Edison at Hotel Edison)
The Edison Hotel is located at 228 West 47th Street, in the heart of the theatre district. The Cafe Edison is joking referred to as the "Polish Tea Room," after the more famous Russian…
Pop-Up Hotel
The "pop-up hotel" follows a trend opf pther pop-ups, such as the pop-up restaurant. Pop-up hotels are usually set up for specific events, such as a sports festival or a music festival.…
Poshtel (posh + hostel)
A "poshtel" (posh + hostel) is a hostel that also offers "posh" amenities, such as a swimming pool or a gourmet restaurant. The concept started in Europe, but quickly spread…
Salad Astoria
Waldorf Salad is a famous salad of the old Waldorf-Astoria hotel (1893-1929) at Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. Swiss-American restaurateur Oscar Tschirky (1866-1950) -- called "Oscar of the…
The Dollhouse (Barbizon Hotel for Women nickname)
The Barbizon Hotel for Women, at 140 East 63rd Street in Manhattan, was built in 1927. In 2005, the hotel closed and was rebuilt for condominiums, and was given the new name of Barbizon 63. The…