A visit to New York’s Algonquin Hotel during its 1920s heyday surely would have led to sightings of writers, actors, and playwrights scattered across the lobby. General manager-turned owner Frank Case relished the arts, and the property, just off Times Square, became a literary and cultural hotspot. Its boisterous gatherings organically evolved into the iconic Algonquin Round Table, spearheaded by Dorothy Parker, which unfurled from about 1919 to 1929.
“They were all huddled here. They came here every single day for lunch,” explains Sara Duffy, principal of the interiors division at Stonehill Taylor, the local firm tasked with the recent revamp of the 181-room hotel’s lobby. “What we wanted to do was honor that history not only architecturally, but also this idea of what was really happening here and the importance of it to New York.”
Now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the Algonquin first debuted in 1902—the neighboring horse stable, once known as the home of the famed cabaret and supper club, was adjoined in 1904—is the city’s oldest operating hotel. Stonehill Taylor was respectful of that heritage, looking to the past when updating the lobby and incorporating artifacts along the way.
By moving the reception area back, the entry feels more open and spacious, characterized by black and white hexagonal tile flooring. The paneling that once covered the walls was “a dark, dark wood so we completely transformed it into this white, white space,” Duffy says.
Lighting also plays a pivotal role in the renovation and is based on the concept of a monocle. Beyond the circular motif of the chandeliers and sconces, regal columns are now lit at the top and the creation of a datum “throughout the whole room helps illuminate the space,” points out Duffy. In the dining area, undulating light fixtures are a nod to the rope stanchions that lent an air of exclusivity to the Algonquin Round Table.
The Blue Bar—named for the blue lighting that the late actor John Barrymore vowed was flattering on stage—was formerly located next door at the annex, but Stonehill Taylor folded it into the lobby to strengthen its presence, dotting the curved bar with crushed velvet stools to conjure a sense of theatricality. “There’s drama in the fabrics, there’s drama in the materiality, and it’s just a very comfortable place to sit,” as Duffy puts it.
Despite the lobby’s new elements, like drapery that demarcates flexible areas, a timeless aura pervades. Consider the grand, scalloped sconces that were restored, refinished, and resettled where they always held court. “But then we also accentuated some of these original details by placing this very modern mirror within the recesses of the moldings, which we thought added a lightness and a reflectivity,” explains Duffy.
Great care was also taken by Stonehill Taylor to accommodate Hamlet VIII, who, following several Matilda cats, is the 12th-generation feline in residence at the Algonquin. Petite shelves, steps, and nooks were playfully woven into Hamlet’s lobby “residence,” but he often just curls up in the window, a fixture welcoming guests to a slice of old New York.
This is part of our HDTV video series, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into designing and developing hospitality projects.
