A look inside the newly renovated King Cole Bar at the St. Regis New York.
Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
The St. Regis New York Unveils a Stunning Renovation for Its 120th Year
Led by Champalimaud Design, the revamp includes a fresh look for the hotel’s public spaces
The St. Regis New York celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
New York City does not lack for luxury hotels, but few carry the storied pedigree of the St. Regis New York, which celebrates its 120th birthday this year. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, the business magnate’s vision was to create “the finest hotel in the world.” And indeed, it’s hard not to stop on Fifth Avenue to admire the Trowbridge & Livingston-designed limestone Beaux-Arts building, which, when it opened in 1904, was the tallest in the entire city. The mansard roof, topped with a copper cornice and intricate shell designs, still remains one of the most striking on the thoroughfare.
With Astor’s robust social network, the hotel quickly became the heartbeat of post-Gilded Age New York society, acting as the headquarters for “Caroline’s 400”—the social registry created by Astor’s mother—and a de facto clubhouse for the businessman’s close friends and family. One of the property’s original calling cards, the impeccably trained St. Regis butlers, is a beloved amenity that remains to this day.
Exterior of the St. Regis New York. Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
And while the St. Regis is keen to honor its long history, a 120th birthday was the ideal time to reimagine the location’s public areas. Led by Champalimaud Design, the remit was to create rooms that felt like where the Astor family might live in the 21st century: a melding of Beaux-Arts elements with modern touches. “We created spaces with energy and splendor, layering the classic architecture with contemporary elements, and reinvigorating the hotel with magic, as the Astors had done when the hotel first opened,” said Alexandra Champalimaud in a statement.
Included in the renovation are the hotel’s lobby, the famed King Cole Bar, and two new dining locations. Champalimaud chose a palette throughout that features emerald green and red rose, in a tribute to the Astor family’s favorite hues. The red rugs in the reception area, for example, are inspired by Caroline Astor’s favorite flower, the American Beauty rose. Color and light play a role on a more macro level as well: the whole floor is far brighter and more open now, thanks to modifications like the restoration of the reception area’s original exterior facing windows, the addition of a cloud-painted ceiling, and most notably, an open floor plan.
Champalimaud Design oversaw the first way of renovations at the St. Regis New York, implementing a palette of the Astor family's favorite shades of rose and emerald green in spaces such as the Drawing Room. Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
Beyond the reception are, lobby lounge The Drawing Room has been entirely refashioned, with furniture embellished with embroidery and fringe details in an homage to Caroline Astor’s intricate gowns. But the most exciting addition to this space is the Astor Library’s original collection of books, which Astor commissioned from Scribner and Sons especially for the hotel, and is on display publicly for the first time ever.
“We created spaces with energy and splendor, layering the classic architecture with contemporary elements, and reinvigorating the hotel with magic”
Alexandra Champalimaud
The crown jewel in the renovation, however, is the King Cole Bar, thus named for the iconic Maxfield Parrish mural featuring Old King Cole of nursery rhyme fame. New, darker wood paneling makes the painting pop from behind the bar, and the space has been modernized with the addition of a rich green ceiling, lavender tasseled chairs, and accents of bronze and onyx.
Inside the newly reimagined lobby at the St. Regis New York. Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
Still to come later this year is the unveiling of another dining space, La Maisonette, which will serve breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea. The restaurant takes its inspiration from the hotel’s original 1910s breakfast room, and with a recessed skylight and white walls, is meant to evoke the feeling of dining at an outdoor pavilion. The final phase of the renovation will begin in 2025, when all 238 guestrooms and suites will receive a full makeover, in a style of which John Jacob Astor IV would surely be proud.
A look inside the newly renovated King Cole Bar at the St. Regis New York. Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
Cover: A look inside the newly renovated King Cole Bar at the St. Regis New York.
Photo: Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
