Algonquin Hotel
Opened in 1902, this haven for midtown intellectuals and the site of the most famous round table since King Arthur was built and managed for many years by the theatrical Frank Case. The hotel was designated a New York City Historic Literary Landmark because of the famous Algonquin Round Table that began to congregate over lunch at the main dining room of the hotel. This group of literary masterminds first met at the Algonquin in 1919 and continued to meet almost daily until the beginning of the Great Depression. This group claimed legendary New York figures like Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, George S. Kaufman, and Robert Benchley as card-carrying members. Even the Case family caught the literary bug: Frank Case penned a cookbook about the hotel restaurants while his daughter Margaret wrote The Vicious Circle, an in-depth look at the members of the round table. Although the hotel was sold in 2005, the new owners remained true to its literary tradition. Upon check-in, guests are now provided with iPods with audio books already inserted into the device. The hotel features many excellent venues for enjoying a beverage, including the Round Table Room, the Oak Room, and the Blue Bar.
Every day, at the same time, at the same place, and at the very same table, America's literary elite would meet at the Algonquin Hotel for lunch.
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