Historic Hotels are eye candy for lovers of classical beauty.  Each year I save those that have recently undergone renovation.  Some of my favorite 5-Star renovations.  I would love to visit any of these.

Grand Hotel Rimini, Italy – 5-Star 110 Year Old Hotel

Carlyle Hotel – A Rosewood Hotel

Built in 1930, The Carlyle is a New York City luxury hotel that exudes charm and elegance. For generations, it has been the “home away from home” for world leaders, celebrities and sophisticated travelers. Guests discover remarkable privacy, luxury and impeccable service from this award-winning property. Nestled in the heart of the Upper East Side, the hotel is legendary for its first-class combination of discretion and grace.

Designed by the noted architectural firm Bien & Prince and named in honor of British essayist Thomas Carlyle.  The Carlyle features 190 rooms and suites with stunning views of Central Park and New York, serving an impressive list of guests and visitors. Every American president since Truman has visited, and its rich history includes visiting Royals and heads-of-state — HRH, The Prince of Wales; the late Diana, Princess of Wales; The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their Majesties, the Kings and Queens of Denmark, Greece, Spain and Sweden have all visited.

Today, The Carlyle continues to be the pinnacle of luxury for sophisticated travelers.

The Carlyle in 1937

Carlyle Today.

Beautiful spot for afternoon tea.

The Historic Greenbriar

Carleton Varney is the designer who continues the tradition of Dorothy Draper’s vibrant colors.

The Ritz Paris Hotel

The refinement of the French art de vivre meets the elegance of Belle Époque décor: the hotel’s rooms and suites bear the names of Coco Chanel, F. Scott Fitzgerald or Marcel Proust — all of whom considered the Ritz “like a second home”.

The Curtiss Hotel, Buffalo, NY

Historic Landmark Harlow C. Curtiss Building.  The building bears resemblance to the works of renowned Chicago architects such as Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan, both of whom designed buildings in Buffalo. The Curtiss Building was designed by Buffalo-based architect Paul F. Mann, who was also the brother-in-law of Curtiss. The building is one of the largest terra cotta structures of its type and period in downtown Buffalo.

The 5-Star Curtiss Boutique Hotel is built inside of the renovated historic landmark Harlow C. Curtiss building located at 210 Franklin Street in Downtown Buffalo, NY.  In 2008, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Developer Mark Croce bought the Curtiss in 2002, and then added the adjacent former Continental nightclub and a parking lot in April 2009.

As of June 2017, the building has undergone an $18+ million renovation by developer Mark Croce into the “Curtiss Hotel.” The Curtiss is Buffalo’s only 5 star hotel, with 68 rooms.

Beaux-Arts Classic Products Arts and Crafts decorative grilles were chosen for this project.

Arts and Crafts Style Grille 12″ x 36″ $299.

The Arts and Crafts Decorative grilles were originally made in New York State in approximately 1870-1914.  Andrew Carnegie placed them in most of the Carnegie Libraries from 1883 to 1929.  They are a perfect choice for historic preservation since they meet U.S. Government’s General Services Administration Code #1501003S Standards for Historic Preservation Guidelines. These grilles have that historical look but they have the performance of a louvered vent cover.

The hotel features 68 ultra-luxurious, high-tech rooms and breathtaking wedding, special event, & conference style meeting spaces. Curtiss Hotel’s amenities are unlike anything Buffalo, New York has ever seen before.

High-speed elevators whisk you onto your floor.  LOVE this large ornamentation.

Rooftop lounge has spectacular panoramic views of downtown Buffalo, Lake Erie, and the Canadian shoreline.  A great place to stay to visit Niagara Falls.  The Curtiss also has Buffalo’s first all-weather urban hot springs/Roman Bath experience.

Love the ornamentation which is used so beautifully with contemporary accents.