There are many unique and interesting facts about New Yоrk City hotels given the city’s rich history and diverse culture. Here is one:

The Waldorf Astoria

The Waldorf Astoria, an iconic luxury hotel located in Midtown Manhattan, has a secret underground railway platform known as Track 61. This private railway platform beneath the hotel was once used by VIP guests to enter the hotel in privacy. Most famously, it is said to have been used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to conceal his polio diagnosis from the public. The presidential limousine would reportedly drive off the train, up a ramp, and into the freight elevator to access the hotel above. This hidden railway platform still exists today but is not in active use.

The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza is one of the most filmed locations in the world. It has been featured in more than 150 movies, including classics like “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” and “The Great Gatsby.” It was also the setting for parts of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” The hotel also hosts the Eloise Suite, designed by Betsey Johnson, inspired by the fictional character Eloise who lived in the “room on the tippy-top floor” of the Plaza Hotel in the beloved children’s books by Kay Thompson.

The Algonquin Hotel

Famous for the Algonquin Round Table, a celebrated group of New York City writers, critics, actors, and wits. Gathering initially as part of a practical joke, members of “The Vicious Circle”, as they dubbed themselves, met for lunch each day at the Algonquin from 1919 until roughly 1929. The Algonquin Hotel also has a tradition of keeping a resident cat. If the cat is a male, his name is Hamlet, and if the cat is a female, she is called Matilda.

The Jane Hotel

Originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms, The Jane Hotel’s most famous resident was Titanic survivor Molly Brown, who stayed at the hotel shortly after the infamous shipwreck in 1912. The rooms are intentionally kept small, as they were originally designed for sailors coming into the nearby port.

Chelsea Hotel

 This hotel is famous for its artistic guests and many have referred to it as the home of writers, musicians, artists, and other bohemian types. Dylan Thomas, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, Robert Mapplethorpe, Arthur C. Clarke (who wrote “2001: A Space Odyssey” while staying at the hotel), and multiple survivors of the Titanic were guests. It’s also notorious for being the location where Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, was found dead.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel

 Offers one of the best views of Central Park available, as it starts from the 35th floor of the Time Warner Center and goes up to the 54th. The lobby itself is on the 35th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows for a stunning view.

Each hotel in New York City has its own history and charm, making the city a fascinating destination for hotel enthusiasts.