Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton is a unique repository of 125 years of Manhattan history. The hotel has hosted thrilling vaudeville and theatrical performances, served as the meeting place for the founding of the Professional Golf Association, thrown countless lavish dinner parties, and more. Originally opened in the 1890s by business magnate William R. H. Martin (who named the building after himself), the hotel has a collection of artifacts that tell its story, and the story of Manhattan, throughout the 20th century.
You can see items from the archives on a trio of special tours at the landmarked hotel, one of only five Historic Hotels of America in Manhattan, on February 12th, 14th, or 15th. On these Valentine’s Day tours, visitors will see WWI love letters sent from the property, listen to Martinique Theatre’s original cast recording of “All In Love,” and learn about the 1970’s series of experimental erotic theatre, including the racy “Score” with a young Sylvester Stallone.
Tour the Historic Martinique Hotel
Each tour will reveal the beauty of the historic hotel and its recent renovations. Visitors will get to venture into the room where the PGA was founded in 1916, the historic 17th floor, and into the archives to view never-before-seen items. This tour is free for Untapped New York Insiders. Not an Insider yet? Become a member today and get your first month free with code JOINUS!
The tours will be led by Rooms Division Manager, resident historian, and 20+ year property veteran Tara Williams. Insiders will have the unparalleled opportunity to tap into Tara’s knowledge and learn more about pivotal moments across the century’s old history, inclusive of Prohibition, Vaudeville, New York’s Gilded Age, and more.
One of the most touching and personal items that will be pulled from the archives, especially for Untapped New York Insiders, is a pair of love letters that date to June 1918. The missives were sent between the Martinique Hotel and Columbus, Ohio. The property team was able to acquire further details about the two writers after getting in contact with their family members in 2009.
In 1916, Rodman Wanamaker, heir to the Wanamaker’s department store fortune, hosted a luncheon at the Martinique Hotel with a group of dozens of golfers and golf enthusiasts. A popular topic of conversation that afternoon was the need for an administrative body that would regulate and elevate golf in America to the professional level. Four months later, another meeting was held at The Martinique to officially charter the new governing body of golf, the Professional Golf Association of America, or the PGA. Today, Martinique New York has many items related to the PGA and its shared history with the hotel. The second-floor hallway houses a gallery of PGA memorabilia that was created in 2011, another stop on the upcoming tours.
Many items in the Martinique archives are related to the hotel’s history of theatrical performances, from the days of vaudeville to the experimental theater of the 1970s. In the early decades of the hotel, vaudeville shows were performed in the Dutch Room and Pierrot Room. Noted vaudeville star and playwright Gus Edwards hosted plays in the Pierrot Room twice a night. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Martinique Theater hosted plays with fresh faces who would go on to become big stars including Sylvester Stallone and James Earl Jones.
Explore more of Martinique New York in our upcoming Valentine’s Day tours!
Tour the Historic Martinique Hotel
Next, check out Top 10 Secrets of the Waldorf-Astoria
