THE ALGONQUIN HOTEL

By AI Chat-T.Chr.-Human Synthesis-18 June 2026

The Algonquin Hotel is one of New York City's most famous literary hotels.Opened in 1902, it became renowned not because of wealth or glamour, but because it attracted writers, critics, playwrights, actors, and journalists. �Algonquin Round Table +1

The Legendary Round TableThe hotel's greatest claim to fame is the Algonquin Round Table, a group of writers and intellectuals who gathered daily for lunch beginning in 1919. Their sharp wit earned them the nickname "The Vicious Circle." Members included Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, George S. Kaufman, and Alexander Woollcott. �Encyclopedia Britannica +1

A Birthplace of IdeasThe atmosphere of the Algonquin helped shape American literary culture. Connections made there contributed to the founding of The New Yorker in 1925. Many Pulitzer Prize winners, playwrights, and journalists were regulars.Algonquin Hotel +1

The Famous Hotel Cat

One of the hotel's most charming traditions is its resident cat. Since the 1920s, a succession of feline "concierges" has greeted guests. The current tradition continues with cats named Hamlet (male) or Matilda (female).Architectural Digest

Why People Still Stay There

Guests do not usually choose the Algonquin for large luxury suites or spectacular views. They come for:Literary history.

Old New York atmosphere.The historic lobby and restaurant.The feeling of stepping into the world of the 1920s writers.

Its location near Times Square and the theatre district.Algonquin Hotel +1

A Curious Fact

Although everyone speaks of the "Round Table," the first gatherings were actually held at square tables pushed together. The famous round table came later.Encyclopedia Britannica +1

For many visitors, the Algonquin is less a hotel than a living piece of New York history—a place where one can imagine the sound of typewriters, cigarette smoke curling toward the ceiling, and Dorothy Parker delivering another devastating one-line remark over lunch.Encyclopedia Britannica +1

The 4 Poster bedroom.

A dark mahogany four-poster bed draped with cream linen.

Persian rugs on polished oak floors.

A leather reading chair beside a glowing fireplace.

Tall nine-pane windows overlooking the city.

Brass lamps casting warm golden light.

Shelves of books and framed family portraits.

Heavy curtains softening the sounds of Broadway below.