The St. Regis New York

01

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

The St. Regis New York

Photo by Bruce Buck

Even Old King Cole needs a refreshment every once in a while. After watching patrons partake at his namesake bar at the St. Regis New York for the better part of 70 years, the king and his subjects in the establishment’s 30-by-8-foot mural were taken down in 2013 for a cleaning and restoration. The whimsical artwork reclaimed its prominent perch that fall, when the bar reopened as part of a property-wide renovation that has returned the St. Regis to the top of New York’s hotel hierarchy. The midtown landmark, which John Jacob Astor IV opened in 1904, preserved its Gilded Age ambience during the renovation, but never at the expense of creating a world-class modern hotel. Its 238 guest rooms now include 67 suites, among them three specialty accommodations designed in conjunction with Dior, Tiffany & Co., and Bentley Motors. Two Bentley house cars—a Flying Spur during the day, a Mulsanne at night—are available to all St. Regis guests for complimentary trips around town, though visitors need not leave the premises to experience one of Manhattan’s premier gathering places: Expanded and restored, the King Cole Bar & Salon always attracts a colorful crowd. ($995–$35,000) stregis.com