Hotel Pennsylvania Celebrates 100 Years with a Facelift!
By Rachel Kapur
October 7, 2019
October 7, 2019
Pennsylvania Hotel Circa 1919
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Did you know that the Hotel Pennsylvania was once the largest hotel in the world? The Hotel Pennsylvania was built in 1919 and featured 2200 rooms with baths which was very innovative of the time. The hotel was also the first to offer room service to its guests. The hotel has had many interesting guests over the years like Harry Houdini, William Faulkner, Clara Bow and many others. Ranking fourth in size amongst New York City hotels, the Hotel Pennsylvania’s prime Midtown location is unbeatable. The hotel is situated directly across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station and features 1705 hotel rooms. The Hotel Pennsylvania is now celebrating their 100th anniversary and in honor of this has decided to reinvent itself with a redesign that represents an evolution of its history, balancing the best of its original features with modern comforts and a fresh new aesthetic. |
The hotel has renovated 39% of it's current inventory with plans to complete the entire renovation by early 2021. We had the privilege of staying in a new "Penn Plaza Collection" King Room this past weekend and were amazed with the transformation. The newly renovated room features soothing colors with wood and leather furnishings. Renovated rooms also feature brand new carpeting, an oversized wall-mounted HD television and an updated bathroom that still has it's original subway tiles and cast-iron bathtub.
View from Penn Plaza Collection Room on the 17th Floor
Our favorite hotel room decor item was hotel door which is the original door that is dated from 1919. This door is called a valet door and it features an interior compartment with access both from the hallway and inside the guest room. It allowed guests to drop off their shoes and laundry for the bellman to retrieve and return to the same compartment the following day. Hotel Pennsylvania has preserved these doors in all of their redesigned guest rooms. Their newly renovated rooms are truly a balance of old and new.
Original Valet Door
A number of Hotel Pennsylvania's guest floors feature a "Communal Area" which is a combined lounge and co-working space. This area is right by the elevator doors and is a perfect area to get together if you are with a large group or to just unwind before heading to your room. The area has comfortable seats along with artisanally crafted tables made from reclaimed materials and a large projector screen TV.
17th Floor Communal Area
17th Floor Communal Area
Another favorite from our visit is the "1919 Pantry Room Museum" which is located on the 12th floor. Through a glass wall guests can view a historical display area that holds artifacts from the hotel’s heyday, including a laundry “mangle” that was used to squeeze water out of linens before pressing, an original room service phone, a space with a pneumatic tube to place room service orders, the hotel industry’s first-ever refrigerator, and a Smithsonian-worthy all-copper fire extinguisher. This is definitely the hotel's best kept secret and worth a visit!
12th Floor "1919 Pantry Room" Museum
12th Floor "1919 Pantry Room" Museum
The Hotel Pennsylvania is definitely redefining affordable luxury while artfully melding the historic and the modern with its centennial renovation. The hotel features the large hotel rooms at an affordable price that are tailored to meet the needs of families, couples, business travelers, and pet owners alike. For more information and to book a stay at this historic yet modern property visit: hotelpenn.com