The Historic Hotels in America is a program that recognises over 300 hotels across the Americas, noted for their heritage value and deep connection to local stories.
Many of these stories are retold beautifully to guests, expressing the building’s age through design, amenities and dining experiences. Some – the best ones – have so much history that they are included on walking tours of their respective city. Or even have tours available only to guests.
These are those “if these walls could talk” kind of hotels. And to be quite honest, the walls do talk, if you listen hard enough.
It’s my personal goal to tick each and every one of these off. American history fascinates me, mostly because of the rather eccentric characters and illicit behaviour involved in these stories.
There are just under 20 of these heritage hotels in New York City. And I’d always prefer to stay at one of these as opposed to a flashy new build. Why? Simply because of a concept called a “sense of place”.
I think of it almost in terms of mathematics when I’m travelling. My tertiary background is in Psychology so I’m always interested in how memory and attention works, and how we can maximise the limited time we have in these destinations. How can you take a city home with you so that the memories are more vivid, robust and rewarding? Easy, try and get as much of a “sense of place” as possible while you’re there.
A big part of this is choosing your accommodation carefully. I want a hotel with a story. I want a hotel that is deeply rooted in a sense of place. I want a hotel that’ll help me feel connected to where I am, even if that connection is subtle. It all helps in the end and it makes your stay so much richer.
That’s why I love “collection hotels”, especially from such a storied brand as Hilton. The iconic hotel company’s mainline Hilton hotels are fine; they are always incredibly well located, highly functional, comfortable and business-minded. But the collections are where the magic happens
Which is why I was excited to check another one of these hotels off my list, Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton.
Location
As per the hotel’s name, you’ll find the Martinique on Broadway. Specifically at 49 W 32nd & Broadway, next to the wedge-like Greely Square Park with a well-connected Subway station right out front. It’s one of only a handful of hotels that stand just metres from the Empire State Building, surrounded by Midtown South, Koreatown and Nomad. It’s my favourite location in Manhattan and easily the most ideal for first timers.
The convenient 34-Herald Square subway station is just a quick shot away and you can easily walk to Time’s Square, as well as just about every other essential Midtown attraction. There is no questioning just how valuable this is for tourists, especially since being able to take rest stops at your hotel to break up the day is so important in NYC’s most overwhelming borough.
Design
The Martinique’s main draw is the building’s facade, which was handled by Henry J. Hardenbergh who also shaped some of the city’s most iconic buildings like The Waldorf and the Astoria Hotel – now combined as The Waldorf Astoria. He also designed The Plaza, which is as inseparable from the Manhattan’s patchwork-like aesthetic as The Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building. Similarly, the Martinique is an integral part of Midtown’s cinematic quality, and equally as important when we’re talking about the cultural fabric of this great city. A lot has happened at this hotel.
The building was built a time when Beaux-Arts architecture was de rigueur, moving on from French classicism and taking a broader approach with different, more experimental ideas. Look up and the beautiful stonework balconies add a great deal of texture to the frame of limestone, granite, brick, terracotta and cast metal. Age has clearly weathered the building – it’s due for a facelift in the coming years – but the patina is part of its charm. And true to its time, that large green mansard roof crowning the building screams old-school Manhattan louder than most other building’s in the vicinity.
It was also designed in three sections between 1897 and 1911, presenting as a Frankenstein of architectural ideas, which shifted substantially at the turn of the 20th century.
Inside is very much the same story. History and age. It looks like an old luxury hotel, and I could only imagine the long list of important names that have strutted through those revolving doors. But the lobby is not as a grand and magnificent as you’d expect; nothing like The Plaza or Chicago’s transportive Palmer House (also a Hilton hotel). It’s stylish and boutique.
But that’s completely fine. The heritage details are there. Trace the walls with your hand and imagine all the decadent social gatherings that took place here. It’s not as showy about its social history as say The Pierre – which has black and white photos of elite soirees, and its own underground museum – nor does it have a destination bar like The Plaza.
This lobby is designed as such that it’s a sea of crystal and calm, even when it’s busy. It’s orderly design, popped with elegant chandeliers and an abundance of comfortable lounge seating, is in stark contrast to the chaos that hits you as soon as you walk outside. The violent juxtaposition from one side of the revolving door to the other helps accentuate both speeds. One feels slower than usual, the other feels faster than usual. Having the former to snatch you away when Manhattan becomes a bit too much is valuable.
A Grand spiral marble staircase stands opposite the guest elevators towards the entrance. It’s sightly, but on my visit roped off most likely due to a restoration project. Other notable heritage details include nautical-inspired mosaic tiles in the lobby dating back to the mid-19th century and clearly restored with sensitivity. They don’t look overly polished, but the aren’t cracking with age either.
The best historic hotels always have an impressive clock in the lobby too. This one was apparently built by the same clockmaker that worked for King James I and has been designed with so much beautiful ornamental detail that it’s the single most eye-catching thing in the hotel’s common spaces.
Rooms
There was more value placed on the size of the room than the amenities back when the hotel first opened. That’s clear in many historic hotels across America. The rooms lack personality, but almost always make for it with sheer comfort and minimal design. Much like the lobby, rooms here aren’t overstimulating but designed to calm the mind.
There are 504 guest rooms and suites and I’m in King Junior suite with classic Art-Deco touches. The apartment-style windows barely open but they bring in just enough life so your body clock isn’t blasted in the morning.
Bathrooms are moderate in size but obviously refreshed to current standards, as opposed to the dreaded tiny shower-tub combo that some of the older luxury hotels in New York City still stick with. The glass-shielded shower is dreamy and quick to land on the perfect temperature, while those bathroom amenities feel genuinely premium.
Having a room this big as a base is a godsend in Manhattan, especially for those who like to shop. It also helps that the rooms are sufficiently noise-proofed, and far enough from the concrete that Midtown’s loudness just melts away.
Food & Drink
A substantial refurbishment in 2021 reimagined the dining offerings at Martinique, with the main one being the checkered-floored magic of The Press Club.
The all-day dining room has the kind of bar you’d want to sit, drink and think at, and cosy booths that feel like carefully considered throwbacks. It takes a lot of detail to design a room that feels unstuck from time, despite it being relatively new. The black-and-white checkered floor certainly helps. This dining room feels like classic Manhattan.
There’s also a separate entrance from the street, clearly pitching this as an accessible steak house for locals as well. I didn’t have the capacity to have lunch or dinner there, but did manage to sneak in a quick breakfast before I checked out.
Service is spotty on my visit but the breakfast sandwich is pitch-perfect which speaks well for the quality of ingredients served here. The fruit platter is similarly fresh and soft; not the hard, overripe stuff I’ve received at some of New York’s other top hotels.
Taking a hard-left turn is Nōksu, which seems to more of a secret for hotel guests in-the-know than anything clearly signposted. The Korean omakase restaurant is intimate and stylish, which lines it up well with Manhattan’s increasingly large appetite for fine dining Korean (like the top-ranked Atomix). I didn’t have a chance to dine there, but given the standard of food I wouldn’t be surprised if it was equally as excellent as The Press Club. I would imagine you should have a reservation locked in long before you arrive.
Amenities
A 24-7 fitness centre, GRIT, has been kept up to date over the years, evidenced by the Peloton bikes and modern equipment. It’s not as large as some of the other hotel gyms in the area, but does the job just fine with a good range of both cardio, weights and machines.
But there’s not much beyond that. There’s no flashy spa but the aforementioned juxtaposition between Manhattan and the lobby is honestly all the wellness you need in such an exciting, tiring city.
Service
I didn’t stay long enough to really experience what Martinique’s service is like. The staff at The Press Club seemed distracted at best, but the quick-stop coffee shop was chirpy and as energising as the coffee itself. The turn down service is excellent and exactly what you’d want from a luxury hotel and the reception is efficient, snappy and approachable.
That’s expected from any hotel in the world, really. The service isn’t faultless, but it’s fine. I rarely comment on service, especially in restaurants, as I understand life happens and people aren’t always at their best. But there’s some governance needed if any harder-to-impress guests walk through. And given the Martinique’s perfect location, there will always be those high-class guests who are a bit harder to please.
Value
You’re paying for location at the Martinique. As per Google, the average nightly rate is around A$380 which is completely fine for a hotel of this scale. I put great value on being able to feel connected to New York City’s history so am pricing that in as well. As such, it’s a high-value hotel in a way that few are in Midtown.
Plus, Hilton has one of the best membership programs in the game. If you’ve got status with the hotel, you’re going to be looking for a Hilton anyway. I’ve stayed at three in Manhattan so far – watch this space – and would recommend this as the top choice.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton
Address: 49 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001
Contact: +1 212-736-3800
The author flew to New York City on Delta Air Lines and explored the city as a guest of NYC Tourism..
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Publish date : 2024-08-31 23:05:00
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