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Modeled after one of the anterooms in Versailles, France, this 19-story hotel's gilded lobby contains French and Flemish tapestries, Persian rugs, and a sweeping staircase that ends next to one of the first five pianos built by Steinway. The hotel has attracted such notable guests as President Gerald Ford and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in addition to celebrities. The hotel is filled with European antiques, including hand-cut Baccarat crystal chandeliers, paintings by Gainsborough and Boucher, and a seven-foot-long, 18th-century desk used by the concierge. Built by Henri Dasson, the desk is braced with golden cherubs above bronze-encrusted pigeonholes, and is the twin of a desk in the king's bedchamber in Versailles. Modern amenities include a business center and 17 meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment and high-speed Internet access (surcharge) available. |
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