Historic High-Class Hotel Is Ready for Its Guests after $180M Renovation
The InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel went through a complete modernization process for almost two years and is now ready to meet guests with luxurious amenities and 704 redesigned guestrooms.
By Alexandra Pacurar, Associate Editor
InterContinental Barclay New York
New York—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the opening of Barclay, its iconic facility in Manhattan, after a top-to-bottom $180 million, 20-month renovation.
IHG Design Studio worked with Stonehill & Taylor, interior design firm HOK and Shawmut Construction for the transformation of the building, a true landmark of the city with a history of 90 years. The 704-key hotel now offers more than 420,000 square feet of modernized interiors, including a more open lobby and a new Carrara marble Grand Staircase.
Visitors can now enjoy the rooms and suites channeling a classic Park Avenue home, complete services of Club InterContinental and 15,000 square feet of thoughtfully designed meetings and events space. Being one of the original Railroad hotels, the Barclay opened in 1926, but it still maintains its over-the-top glamour.
“The InterContinental New York Barclay has been a Manhattan feature for more than 90 years. The hotel’s introduction to the city’s skyline coincided with the debut of famous landmarks, such as the Chrysler Building, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. While the rejuvenation of the Barclay inspires us to look back and reflect on the hotel’s storied past, it also allows the hotel to open a new chapter, welcoming a new generation of globally-minded guests who are looking for a residential-style New York escape,” said Hervé Houdré, general manager of InterContinental New York Barclay.
The Barclay, located at 111 E. 48th St., boasts two brand new spectacular ballrooms—the 4,954-square-foot Grand Ballroom and the 3,500-square-foot Empire Ballroom. Both feature 17-foot coffered ceilings, exquisite chandeliers, as well as custom crown molding and millwork. Throughout its nine decade history, it has been the choice of Ernest Hemingway, Martin Luther King, former President William Jefferson Clinton, and President Barack Obama.
The upscale New York hotel now offers distinctive food & beverage amenities, inspired by the hotel’s history, but adapted to the needs of the modern traveler. The new Gin Parlour offers 88 premium gins alongside other preferred wines and spirits plus a locally sourced menu, inspired by the cosmopolitan lifestyle of New York and the English and Dutch gin bars of the 1920s.
When it comes to dining, The Barclay is committed to offering environmentally conscious food, so it formed a network of local providers of seasonal and organic produce which includes Norwich Meadows Farm, Old Chatham Sheepherding Creamery and Satur Farms. In addition, the Club InterContinental continues to offer an elegant and discreet place for business and social interactions to guests.
Every detail is cared for at the new InterContinental New York Barclay. Each artwork was chosen carefully to reflect the hotel’s 1920s heritage. Antique maps, early 19th century Hudson River School landscapes, classical urns, sculptures or busts decorate the premises. The renovations works preserved one of the original Barclay features—eagle medallion door plates are affixed on each guestroom. Guests opting for the hotel’s suites will discover a range of custom-made Caswell-Massey care products, after their shop, founded in 1752, was housed by The Barclay for 80 years.
The renovation marks the hotel’s 90-year history and it strengthens its aim to be the first hotel to align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Image via InterContinental Hotels Group
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