In the 21st century, the USA is an incredibly developed country. Many high-ranking officials, celebrities, singers, performers and other no less famous personalities come here every day. The annual flow of tourists is huge here and all of them stay in American hotels. There are more than 40,000 hotels in the USA. Most of them are located in New York. That’s why it can be called a city of hotels. Each of them is different and has its own history and unique architecture. Among the oldest ones in New York that are still working in the 21st century is the Benjamin Hotel, which used to be called the Beverly. Learn more at new-york-future.
The foundation of the Benjamin Hotel
The history of the Benjamin Hotel begins in the 1920s. At that time, the Midtown portion was completely transformed, the subway line was opened, the new Grand Central Terminal and the new hotel, Beverly, were built due to infrastructure reconstruction of the city. The hotel was a high-rise edifice in the Romantic style. In the early 20th century, it was one of the few buildings, which were the predecessors of modern skyscrapers. The hotel first opened its doors to visitors in 1927. It was a 25-story building located at the corner of Lexington Avenue. In the first half of the 20th century, Beverly was considered a premier hotel.
The architectural features of the Benjamin Hotel
The main feature of the hotel was the open terrace on its roof, which offered an excellent view of the city. The hotel was also decorated with a very beautiful two-story limestone arcade. It became one of the few elements in the hotel architecture that was preserved in its original form until the 21st century.
The facade of the building is made entirely of dark gray brick. Most of the windows are rectangular, but on the last floors, they are semicircular. There is also a tower with semicircular windows perched at the top of the building.
The style of the building is elegant Romanesque. Its architecture features such accents as sculptures of owls and pelicans in particular.
The hotel had unique architecture and looked like an old-time castle. Its magnificence became a muse for many artists of the 20th century. A lot of paintings depicting the hotel were repeatedly presented at exhibitions. In the 20th century, Beverly was one of the most beautiful architectural pieces.
The first changes in the hotel took place in the 1990s when a popular New York firm purchased the building and renamed it from Beverly to Benjamin in honor of the firm founder. Also, in the late 1990s, the new owners carried out a major renovation of the building.
In the 21st century, this place remains one of the most popular in New York. Thanks to its highlight, an open terrace on the roof, this hotel is considered an incredibly romantic place. Many couples in love visit it every day because the hotel looks like a castle with a very sophisticated design and the terrace offers a breathtaking view of the city. In addition, customer service is at a very high level. It also hosts an elite New York social club and much more.
Another large-scale reconstruction of the hotel took place in 2012. In the 21st century, the Benjamin Hotel is listed among the best apartments in New York. The guests stay in hotel rooms with a modern artistic atmosphere. Thanks to this, the hotel becomes much more than just a place of temporary accommodation for visitors.
There are a total of 209 rooms in the hotel nowadays, including 50 studio apartments and 98 one bedroom suites.
The hotel building is considered an architectural monument of New York and a real treasure of America. This is not just a classy building in the New York center, it is also one of the best hotels in the city, where the visitors’ comfort is the top priority.
