A true Manhattan classic with a legendary following from Presidents to Princesses

Since 1930 The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, standing at the corner of 76th Street and Madison Avenue, has been a dominating presence in shaping the character and personality of Manhattan's elegant Upper East Side. For more than seven decades, a home away from home for some of the most famous names in society and for New Yorkers, an enduring focal point for East Side social life, the hotel and its traditions represent one of New York City's truest and most appealing landmarks.  Among those making The Carlyle their preferred address have been almost every American President since Harry Truman, royalty such as Diana, Princess of Wales and a roster of Hollywood moguls, business tycoons and aristocracy that have certainly helped ensure the hotel's place in history.

In a neighborhood where world figures, international celebrities and captains of industry live in refined anonymity, the 35-story, 187-room Carlyle - with 60 residences for long-term guests - has long understood the aesthetic sensibilities of its clientele. Embracing a passion for the arts (some of New York's most famous museums are within walking distance), the hotel showcases in public areas and guest rooms museum-quality art and antiques dating to the 18th century. Many suites have Steinway or Baldwin baby-grand pianos, reflecting the essential role of music in a life of culture. And, appreciating its guests' expectation of quality, The Carlyle has commissioned only the top residential decorators - such as Dorothy Draper, Mark Hampton, and Thierry Despont- to help define its character.  

Long associated with the finest residences in the area, they understood the appeal of Scalamandre fabrics, finely woven Stark carpets, antique porcelain lamps and vases with an Asian touch, and the Louis XV style furniture that has long distinguished the hotel's residential interiors. More like an elegant residence than a hotel, The Carlyle is famously void of typical characteristics of a "hotel;" paper announcements and signage are kept to a minimum, with only a single compendium offering necessary information.

Philip F. Maritz, President of Maritz-Wolff & Company, The Carlyle's current owner (there have only been five ownerships in its history) continues to honor the traditions that have made The Carlyle a New York classic for 70 years while also enhancing, with the help of Thierry Despont, areas in need of special attention. Burnishing the hotel's reputation while leading it into the future is Managing Director, James McBride. A native of South Africa, McBride was previously at the Grovernor House Hotel in London. He also oversaw the successful opening of the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. after having worked with this luxury brand for 14 years all over the world from Boston, San Francisco and Hawaii to Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Mr. McBride also has holds the title of Regional Vice President for Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, overseeing operations at the Inn of the Anasazi, A Rosewood Hotel in Santa Fe, and Little Dix Bay, A Rosewood Resort, Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort and Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort, all three located in the Caribbean.

History
To fully appreciate The Carlyle, one must first understand its unique role in New York and how it came to be. Created by Moses Ginsburg, a Russian emigrant whose wealth was in real estate, the hotel was intended to secure Ginsberg's position in society. No expense was spared on hiring only the best - Sylvan Biren as architect, Dorothy Draper as interior designer. The Carlyle was to be a residential hotel, a popular concept in the 1920s that, according to one newspaper account, provided "freedom from drudgery, the servant problem, plus the many responsibilities that go with maintaining large private homes." Ginsberg's creation was named by his daughter Diana after the famous essayist and historian, Thomas Carlyle.

During the hotel's 13-month construction, Wall Street crashed.  Knowing he would lose millions, Ginsberg forged on. When the banks foreclosed in 1930, The Carlyle was off to a less than auspicious start. Surviving the Depression, The Carlyle once again adapted to world events a decade later in World War II when its guest profile included families taking children to boarding schools, debutantes, charity bridge players, bridal parties and an early version of charity fund raisers called "bundling parties," in which society ladies brought to the hotel bundles of used clothing for the needy.

In 1940s, the wealthy tycoon Robert Dowling purchased The Carlyle and, like Ginsberg, saw an opportunity to set the highest standards of innkeeping and establish his own place in New York society. Run like a private club, social references were required to obtain a room or an apartment in the 1950s. Dowling, active in Democratic politics, also established The Carlyle as a popular private residence for American presidents and their families, first attracting the Trumans and the Kennedy's (before the latter became president). So accommodating was Dowling that he made sure that the Kennedy duplex was kept empty for years just in case the president decided to come to New York. The recently retired Captain of the Bellman Michael O'Connell, who joined The Carlyle in 1949 fresh out of college, remembers John Kennedy bidding him farewell the night before the President's assassination in Dallas in 1963.

In 1967, The Carlyle was purchased by real estate entrepreneur Peter Sharp. A native New Yorker whose family owned and operated the Ritz Tower, the Delmonico and the Stanhope (all residential hotels) where he lived while growing up, Sharp had a keen knowledge of the industry, the clientele, and an infinite appreciation for the finer touches. He purchased the finest art and antique furnishings that still adorn hotel today, personally collecting the Audubon and Piranesi prints found in the guestrooms. Understanding the residential character of his hotel, he demanded that only the finest materials be used. Beautifully scented five-ounce soaps, custom designed limoge ashtrays and only the finest fabrics and floor coverings became de rigueur. 

Public Spaces
Entering The Carlyle, guests are greeted by the subtle and lovely aroma of Casablanca lilies, long a feature of the Lobby. An original 1928 chandelier softly illuminates the room's famous pre-war Dorothy Draper Art Deco touches such as the predominant black and white patterned marble floor. Two immense 18th-century gilt-wood mirrors and Baroque torcheres, along with Louis XV chests now listed in the Parker Benet catalogue, are among the only pieces of furniture in The Carlyle's intimate reception area. In 2002, Thierry Despont updated this classic room while paying tribute to its unique heritage and place in New York's history. 

After check-in, guests are ushered into a small foyer dominated by a pair of magnificent 17th-century Jan Weenix Flemish murals purchased by Sharp. A white-gloved elevator operator delivers them to their accommodations, providing the subliminal security so appreciated and expected by the world's leaders and experienced travelers.

Guest Rooms
With 187 rooms and suites distributed among private permanent apartments, Carlyle guests truly feel ensconced in a New York residential hotel. The décor of each room has a distinctive aristocratic brand of Anglo-American good taste, a legacy of the late designer Mark Hampton who decorated each room individually. Known for his penchant towards the English country style, Hampton had a keen understanding and appreciation of the details that would distinguish the hotel, yet make it at one with the neighborhood.  While the furniture is traditionally light in color in classic Louis XVI style, the rooms are set apart by the use of luxurious appointments and fabrics of a quality typically reserved for luxury residences. Each room also features an armchair designed by Hampton and named after his daughter Alexa. Bedding, especially appreciated by those who truly enjoy a pampered breakfast in bed, is highlighted by 440 thread count custom designed Rivolta Carmignina sheets and beautifully monogrammed Carlyle duvet covers and coverlets neatly draped over a quilt stand every night. 

Bathrooms are finished in marble, with many offering whirlpool tubs. A full selection of Kiehl's toiletries, founded in New York in 1851 and an institution among discerning shoppers, is The Carlyle's featured bath product. Hairdryers, make up mirrors, monogrammed bathrobes and slippers are also on hand.

Many of the hotel's suites, each offering individual décor and a unique ambiance, provide breathtaking views of Central Park, just two blocks away, and such landmarks as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the San Remo and the Dakota buildings, the Swedish Castle and the Great Lawn. 

Throughout The Carlyle, the experience of staying in a superbly attended Upper East Side home is enhanced with touches that offer convenience and create a setting ideal for relaxation and conducting business: a fax machine, safe, DVD player, and a Bose Ipod system. An unobtrusive pantry features a fully-stocked mini-bar with such extravagances as Tattinger champagne, Dean & DeLuca chocolates and sweets from Dylan's Candy Bar.

Dining
The eclectic and sophisticated taste of Peter Sharp is showcased in The Carlyle's two dining areas. The Gallery, which leads to The Carlyle Restaurant and features an upper and lower level, is the hotel's famous "living room." A favorite among East Side residents, diplomats, politicians and celebrities, it was here that Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, arriving together by chance, introduced themselves and sat down for a chat. 

In 1980, The Gallery's décor was transformed into an exotic Turkish Tea parlor. Envisioned by designer Renzo Mongiardino, the room's hand-painted navy blue and gold patterned wallpaper features vignettes of Turkish treasures, most notably the Topkapi Palace and the famous Bosphorous Straits. In The Gallery, guests can enjoy a quick morning bite, including renowned blueberry muffins cut horizontally and toasted, a light lunch of salads and entrees, and daily afternoon tea, whose Devonshire cream is specially flown in from England.

The Carlyle Restaurant offers fresh interpretations of French cuisine. Aubusson rugs, Ampola china, marble mantels, tete de negre linen and lavish floral arrangements set the mood of quiet elegance in an intimate dining room decorated in a palette of ivory, taupe and jade. A smaller adjacent room is lined in cream and pale blue Fortuny silk. Under the direction of highly regarded Chef Jimmy Sakatos, the cuisine is for those who appreciate the classics. Any number of selections from the restaurant's half million-dollar wine cellar will compliment favorites such the classic Dover Sole and exceptional terrines.

Entertainment & Libations
Music has been an integral part of The Carlyle since composer Richard Rodgers moved in as The Carlyle's very first tenant. A Mecca for jazz lovers, the hotel's romantic Café Carlyle, decorated with a fanciful mural by French artist/set designer Vertes, offers a star-studded line up each and every season. From Broadway's Elaine Stritch to East Side neighbor Woody Allen, performers and patrons flock to the café's uniquely intimate environment. But for connoisseurs of cabaret music, the essential draw was the legendary late Bobby Short. A spring season fixture at the café since 1968, Short, cabaret's preeminent interpreter of American songs, was synonymous with the café. Guests are invited to dine at the café beginning at 7:00 p.m., or stop in for a relaxing late night glass of champagne while enjoying the sounds of Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and Gershwin.

Despite a list of famous patrons that includes rock n' roll legends and statesmen, Bemelmans Bar is, at its heart, a neighborhood bar. Tucked behind a discreet Madison Avenue doorway, social lions, politicians, movie stars and magnates all flock to Bemelmans Bar for a dose of its witty New York glamour. Named for the artist/satirist Ludwig Bemelmans, the author of Madeline and 40 other books, the bar's allure lies in its delicate mix of sophistication and fun. Madeline and her classmates even make a cameo appearance in Central Park, the mural he created for the walls of The Carlyle's bar (the only surviving Bemelmans commission open to the public). 

Guests in the mood for great music are treated to the works of new and established musicians nightly. And, thanks to Executive Chef Jimmy Sakatos, Bemelmans Bar has the most sophisticated bar menu in town, including savory Cheese Madeleine, delicious cheese gourgères in the shape of tiny Madelines, Homemade Foie Gras Terrine, and Mini Marinated Lamp Chops among other selections. 

The bar and its landmark mural were restored and revitalized in 2002 by French designer Thierry Despont. With a nod to The Carlyle's Art Deco past, Despont elegantly updated the interior by lengthening and covering the bar in black granite, brown leather nosing, and fluted mahogany facing. Other updates include backlit chocolate brown leather banquettes, nickel trimmed black glass tabletops, and a 24-karat gold leaf covered ceiling. In this rich setting, guests can enjoy cocktails expertly mixed by bartender Tommy Rowles, a Bemelmans fixture since the 1950s.

Area Attractions
No hotel offers a better location for exploring the cultural and shopping treasures of New York than The Carlyle. Just steps away, in a building designed by renowned Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer, is the Whitney Museum of American Art, showcasing some of the most important works of twentieth century American Art. A few blocks to the southwest, visitors can explore a slice of Fifth Avenue's past at the magnificent Frick Collection.  Part of New York's "Museum Mile," this 1913 mansion built by Henry K. Frick (and still owned by the Frick family), showcases a treasure trove of fine and decorative arts from the Renaissance through the 18th century, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Fragonard's Progress of Love panels commissioned by Madame de Pompadour.

Just north of The Carlyle is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Among the world's most important cultural institutions, the museum is four city blocks long and has a permanent collection of nearly three million works of art. Along with special exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and seemingly endless galleries filled with works from ancient Egypt to modern times, the Metropolitan features an unparalleled bookstore and a roof garden offering spectacular views of neighboring Central Park. Just up Fifth Avenue are the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (dedicated to the decorative arts), the Neue Galerie (German expressionist art) and the Jewish Museum.

Visitors with a love of the outdoors will find a restful respite from city life in New York's beloved 843-acre Central Park. Designed with grassy meadows, wooded groves, riding paths and formal gardens, the park has something to offer everyone. Children will enjoy the Central Park Zoo in the summer, and the ice-skating rink in the winter, while adults can take advantage of annual "Shakespeare in the Park" performances.
 
A shopper's paradise, Madison Avenue is lined with the biggest names in fashion, alongside unique specialty boutiques. A casual stroll will lead to the doors of Valentino, Gucci, Carolina Herrera, Les Copains, Celine, Gianfranco Ferre and the flagship store of Ralph Lauren.