2 days ago
Guests can experience Gilded Age glamour inside New York City's historic Fifth Avenue Hotel
Stepping into Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Hotel feels like going back in time into the Gilded Age, which has been all the rage lately thanks to the HBO Max show of the same name.
The Gilded Age was produced by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, and the period drama has been a hit with viewers who describe the show as Gossip Girl in corsets.
Fellowes, who's behind Downton Abbey and Belgravia, is now focused on the fight between new and old money Manhattanites in the 1880s. The torrid lives of America's wealthiest dynasties are suddenly a hot topic once again, with dynasties like the Astors, Roosevelts, Vanderbilts, Carnegies and Rockefellers, on full display.
The award-winning show follows fish out of water Marian Brook (played by Meryl Streep 's daughter Louisa Jacobson Gummer) as she moves from Pennsylvania to New York to live with her wealthy aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon). Viewers aren't just taken in by the characters, they're equally invested in the people living the ultra-wealthy lifestyles during that era in Fifth Avenue mansions.
While many of the palatial homes were demolished in the 1920s - later to be replaced with Zara, Nike, and Bergdorf Goodman - some still stand tall.
Now, history buffs and fans of the show, can experience their very own Gilded Age vacation thanks to The Fifth Avenue Hotel, which is housed inside of a 19th century NoMad mansion.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel is just as opulent as the homes featured on the show, from the elegant yet cozy lobby to the perfectly over-the-top, eclectic décor in both the rooms and pink hallways.
The expertly restored property is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, which is a collection of the most unique independent hotels across the globe, highlighting chic, distinct travel experiences - and this former gilded age mansion certainly stands out.
Visitors are given their very own butler who introduces themselves at the beginning of the trip can help them with anything from pressing clothing to hiring a personal photographer.
The suites not only have colorful chandeliers, they also boast well-stocked complimentary mini-bars and housekeeping twice a day. The concierge experience is just as luxurious, as they offer reservations at the hottest restaurants in town (it's like you're getting access to your very own opera box).
The memorable touches, like bone-inlaid tables and tiger-striped rugs, are thanks to Stockholm-born designer Martin Brudnizki, who's famous for paying tribute to the past and present. The cozy, oversize suites full of colorful, bold designs stand out in a city known for its shoebox size, cookie cutter hotel rooms. Guests might want to take some of the décor home, but it's all one-of-a-kind.
Even the restaurant, Café Carmellini, is majestic, with live trees, stunning chandeliers, Art Deco mirrors and blue velvet seating. Diners can imagine the space as a ballroom with guests dancing down below and gossiping up above. The Italian and French restaurant's chef Andrew Carmellini is also behind downtown hot spots Locanda Verde, Lafayette, and the Dutch.
The hotel also houses The Portrait Bar, which went viral on TikTok as a date night destination. The intimate cocktail lounge is fittingly covered in photos, paintings, and drawings, as diners sip cocktails described with tongue-in cheek descriptors, like 'not a margarita for margarita drinkers.'
The original five-story limestone and brick building was owned by socialite Charlotte Goodridge, who commissioned the original construction in 1856.
Then, in 1907, it was redesigned as a bank by landmark architecture firm McKim, Mead & White, who were also behind the Brooklyn Museum and the original Penn Station and designed many houses in Newport, Rhode Island. In fact, they have been credited with defining the signature look of Gilded Age America.
Hotel founder Alex Ohebshalom's family bought the building in the 1970s and he focused on restoring the landmark and bringing it back to its glory for its opening in 2023.
The hotel is at the intersection of 28th Street and Fifth Avenue, which makes it perfect for tourists eager to visit places like Madison Square Park and the Empire State. It's also walking distance from The Morgan Library & Museum, another must for history devotees. The museum and research library started as the personal library of financier Pierpont Morgan and now houses impressively rare manuscripts.
The hotel is so Gilded Age-coded that members of the cast recently fittingly posed for a New York Times photoshoot inside the lavish rooms, which start at $895 per night.
Mrs. Astor would surely approve.
