October 29, 2019
Hilton Gives Historic Hotel Martinique a Multi-Million Dollar Renovation
Hilton is bringing the luster of the NoMad District to The Martinique, a century-old hotel at 32nd Street and Broadway. The hotel building has earned a spot on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of Hotels of America and was declared a landmark by The New York City Landmark’s Commission in 1998.
Even so, the building has mirrored the history of many fine architectural structures in our neighborhood. Designed in French Renaissance style with mansard roofs and tiers of balconies, the Martinique started out in 1898 as a luxury hotel surrounded by New York’s theatre district. It hosted many famous writers and entertainers, and in fact, in 1916 the PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) was founded at the Martinique.
However, as the city moved uptown, the hotel, as many other buildings in NoMad fell on hard times, and from 1973 through 1989, the hotel served as a short-term shelter for families on public aid. It then laid vacant until it opened as a Holiday Inn, then a Radisson, and now as part of Hilton Hotel’s Curio Collection.
Over the years the building has undergone many changes, but fortunately Hilton hired HVS Design to restore the stunning architecture. The firm uncovered many of the fine details of the original building, and it has augmented the original design with an Art Deco treatment, a style synonymous with New York elegance, giving the hotel distinction amid the blander hotels that flood the New York City hotel scene.
The hotel lobby has a stunning original hand-laid marble floor and this has been enhanced with crystal chandeliers and art deco accents. The guest rooms have a clean design with sleek contemporary furnishings and bedsteads in colors that harken back to the Art Deco period, while still looking up-to the minute. All 531 unusually spacious rooms feature a full range of amenities that travelers today expect.
For the active quest it offers a 1,500-square-foot recreation center with high-tech cardio and strengthening gear, and free weights. For those looking instead to wind down a bit, there is an intimate in-house French Bistro and Wine Bar — Petit Poulet.
The Martinique promises to make guests feel especially taken care of beyond the confines of its grey and gold trimmed décor and amenities. The hotel offers an Are You Curious pamphlet with top tier suggestions for local activities around the clock including dining, sight-seeing, and entertainment, which is segmented by personality type including culturist, challenger, pathfinder, epicurean, or spiritualist. The hotel also has a Director of Guest Relations, Tara Williams, who occasionally runs personal tours of the surrounding area to familiarize guests with NoMad.
The Martinique
49 West 32nd Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 736–3800