2013 NYC by Train 5 - The Gonk

We arrived to our hotel about 8pm, warmly greeted by the "confused" hotel clerk. Many apologies. Mike feeling weak, sat down in a comfy arm chair while I handled check-in. Without asking, a bell man appeared with a wine glass full of cool water. Mike guzzled. Some color returning. Check-in was smooth and we were soon headed to our 6th floor room.

We like lodging at places with historical significance and that's why we choose the Algonquin Hotel in the heart of NYC. It is famous in literary circles, even today. In 1919, "The Gonk" (as it was lovingly known) was located around the corner from the New Yorker Magazine offices.

A group of journalists, editors, and critics regularly lunched at one particular table in the lobby lounge and it became known as the Round Table. Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott, and Edna Ferber were the core group, but actors, authors, and playwrights (such as Tallulah Bankhead, George S. Kaufman, Sinclair Lewis, William Faulkner, and Harpo Marx) joined on a "rotating" basis. 

Today the hotel is designated as a NYC Landmark (1987) , a Literary Landmark (1996) , and named as one of "America's Ten Great Historic Hotels" in Historic Travel Magazine's premier issue. See www.algonquinhotel.com/algonquin-hotel-times-square-autograph-collection and www.algonquinroundtable.org for more info.

Although the hotel was built in 1902, it had a huge makeover in 2012, which embodies the original spirit of the hotel. The decor is a mix of elegant 1920's and art deco. Color scheme is dark woods, earth tones, gold and black. There is a wonderful portrait of the prime Round Table members in the lobby lounge (see bar photo above) and a display case with some of their autographs.

And we didn't see the latest, but there has also been a series of hotel cats given full roaming privileges since the 1930's. All the male cats are named Hamlet and the females are Matilda. The current Matilda even has her own Facebook page: Matilda-The Algonquin Cat.


In the public hallways are original narrow staircases with wrought iron railings. Walls are decorated with framed and famed New Yorker Magazine covers. There are also framed copies of cartoons from the New Yorker. Mike and I had to laugh because we talked about how we often did not "get" the cartoons when we saw them in the magazine. We read them now as we waited for the elevator and said we STILL did not get them or at least did not find them so humorous. For the most part too wry, subtle, NYC "insider" for us to think funny.

Each room door has a plaque with a famous quote. Ours said, "I don't believe in astrology. The only stars I can blame for my failures are those that walk about the stage," by Noel Coward (the playwright). We had to laugh at that, as Deb is such a big theatre buff.

Our room was small, but fabulous. Although we usually get a king, we had a queen bed on this trip. Just enough room to walk around the bed at the foot, but adequate otherwise. We're thinking the room size was original and we were OK with that. Above the bed was a blown-up photograph of NYC street life. Very cool, because it was back-lit and offered a very theatrical effect. The reading lights were also intriguing as they were flat to the wall, but turned on when they were pivoted down. Quite clever.


The bathroom was minuscule (still not complaining, just "reporting"), but was luxurious. The shower might be the smallest we have ever experienced in a hotel room. Hard to reach your feet. The toilet was very modern with separate light and "heavy" flush buttons. Towels were plush and toiletries were deluxe.


We actually had three windows, but the views were not on the street side. Still we didn't mind. They were the backs of high-rises, the courtyard of a closed restaurant (tables, chairs, and planters piled high), and typical NYC fire escapes. A street view might have been better, but this was quite quiet. A plus for us.

Overall, we love-loved our room. Good service. No complaints. You felt really good there. We would definitely go back.

As an aside, when I was a little girl I would often visit my grandparents near downtown Chicago. After my afternoon naps, I would sit on my Gramma's lap and chit-chat until I fully awoke. At these times, she kiddingly called me Tallulah. We also had little fashion shows where I would dress up in some new outfit she bought and I was "Tallulah" then, too. I thought that was a silly made-up name, but a really cool name. I sometimes wished that was my real name. But later I figured she took it from Tallulah Bankhead, a pretty wild and rowdy woman for her day. Go to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallulah_Bankhead for more info. To this day, I think maybe it fits (a little)!