HOTEL BELLECLAIRE This Upper West Side Beaux Art hotel on West 77th Street has good bones. Dating to the early 1900s, the hotel was the talk of the town as a flashy, glamorous spot to stay. The hotel has a love affair with Babe Ruth, who was a frequent guest. Book the Babe Ruth Suite and you’ll spend the night with nostalgic reminders of the King of Swing. You’ll be welcomed with a baseball-themed crate filled with game-day snacks like Cracker Jacks, Big League Chew and pretzels. Sit in the bay view window that overlooks Broadway. There’s baseball-themed art hanging on the walls, and baseball player statues sit on shelves. The one-bedroom suite’s living room is separated by a sliding glass door from the bedroom, in which there’s an original fireplace. Settle in on the couch in the living room, put your feet up on the steam trunk and watch a Yankees game—you’ll feel like you’re watching it with Ruth. For more information on Hotel Belleclaire—a member of the Triumph Hotels—visit hotelbelleclaire.com.
Hotel Belleclaire
Hotel Belleclaire
KNICKERBOCKER HOTEL Babe Ruth fans, as well as loyals of the New York Yankees, will especially love and appreciate this luxury hotel that commands Times Square on the corner of 42nd Street. Boston Red Sox fans, maybe not so much. In 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee, a frequent guest at the hotel, met with the team’s manager in the café at this hotel to inform him that he was selling the Red Sox’s star Babe Ruth to—wait for it—the New York Yankees. Built in 1906 by John Jacob Astor IV, the Knickerbocker was the spot in New York City to see and be seen—until Prohibition checked in and the hotel closed, and eventually converted into offices. The 330 room and suite hotel has another fame to claim—the Knickerbocker is believed to the birthplace of the martini. Knickerbocker Exterior Charlie Palmer at the Knick
While the infamous or famous café (depending on which team you root for) is no longer, you can dine at the hotel’s Charlie Palmer at the Knick, a restaurant celebrated for its quality steaks, which the Babe surely would give a nod of approval. We’re also guessing that the Babe, who lived life to the fullest, would also be a regular at Club Macanudo, the hotel’s rooftop cigar lounge, as well as the indoor/outdoor St. Cloud rooftop bar, where he’d surely throw back a brew—or two. Or, maybe one of the hotel’s signature Knickerbocker martinis. For more information on The Knickerbocker Hotel, visit theknickerbocker.com. •
38 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | MAY 2018