The Peninsula New York facts for kids
| The Peninsula New York | |
Quick facts for kids  Entrance to the hotel on 55th Street |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | 700 Fifth Avenue Manhattan, New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°45′41.62″N 73°58′31″W / 40.7615611°N 73.97528°W |
| Architect | Hiss and Weekes |
| Management | The Peninsula Hotels |
| Owner | The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited |
| No. of restaurants | 3 + 1 bar |
| No. of rooms | 241 |
| of which suites | 50 |
| No. of floors | 23 |
The Peninsula New York is a well-known luxury hotel located in Manhattan, New York City. You can find it right on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street. This hotel is part of the Hong Kong-based Peninsula Hotels group. The company that owns it is called The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited.
The Peninsula group bought the hotel in 1988. Since then, it has won the AAA Five Diamond Award for many years in a row. In 2007, Travel + Leisure magazine even called it one of the best hotels in the world!
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Where is The Peninsula New York Located?
The hotel sits on the famous Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. This area is known for being one of the most expensive streets anywhere! Many fancy stores are close by, like De Beers, Fendi, Armani, Prada, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
You can also easily visit many popular tourist spots from the hotel. These include Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and Radio City Music Hall.
The History of The Peninsula New York
Building the Gotham Hotel in 1905
The building that is now The Peninsula New York was first built in 1905. It was called the Gotham Hotel back then. The hotel was designed in a style called neo-classical, which means it looked like old Greek and Roman buildings.
However, the Gotham Hotel faced some problems early on. It had trouble getting a license to sell drinks because it was too close to the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Also, other grand hotels nearby, like the St. Regis and the Plaza Hotel, were more popular. In the 1930s, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company took over the hotel. They changed many of the public areas to create more space for shops.
Renovations and New Owners
In 1979, a hotel owner from Switzerland named Rene Hatt took charge. He started a big project to fix up the hotel and planned to reopen it as the Nova Park Hotel. During this time, the hotel got its rooftop pool and a fitness center. However, the Nova Park plan did not work out, and the project stopped.
The hotel finally reopened in 1987 as the Hotel Maxim's de Paris. This was a branch of the famous Maxim's restaurant from Paris. But this business also did not last long. In 1988, the hotel was sold to its current owner, the Peninsula group. They spent a lot of money in 1999 to make even more improvements.
What Can You Find at The Peninsula New York?
Travel Services and Meeting Spaces
The hotel offers a special car service to New York's three main airports. These are John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport. You can choose to ride in a fancy limousine or a Mini Clubman.
The Peninsula New York also has five rooms for events and meetings. These rooms can be combined to create a large space for parties or conferences.
Dining and Rooftop Views
The hotel has three places where you can eat or grab a drink. The Clement Restaurant and Bar is named after Clement Kwok, who is the CEO of Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels. There's also the Salon De Ning, which is a rooftop bar and terrace. From here, you can enjoy amazing views of Fifth Avenue and the New York City skyline. The Gotham Lounge, named after the hotel's original name, is another cozy spot.
Fitness and Spa Facilities
On the very top floor of the hotel, you'll find a great fitness centre. The swimming pool is inside a room with glass walls, so you can swim and still see outside. In the summer, there's also a sundeck where you can relax in the sun.
The hotel's spa is one of the biggest in New York City. It covers three floors and offers many ways to relax and feel good. It's even one of only two spas in the city that has a Forbes Five Star rating, which means it's considered very high quality.
