Dorothy Parker and the Round Table are not the only legends at the Algonquin Hotel in New York. One of the other traditions they have is that there’s always been a cat-in-residence for almost 80 years now.

The Algonquin Hotel in New York and Matilda, Cat in Residence

With the retirement of Matilda II after a 13 year reign, the hotel has now chosen a new “Algonqueen” for the throne – Matilda III, a blue-eyed ragdoll.

The hotel’s new 4-year old mascot divides her time between rubbing up against the plush chairs in the lobby and taking naps on the bellman’s luggage cart. Matilda III has also taken a liking to the hotel’s 13th floor.

The new cat is the hotel’s tenth cat-in-residence in 79 years, starting with a stray named Rusty who sneaked into the hotel in 1932. Rusty started sharing a room with then owner Frank Case, and got so snooty he would only drink milk from a champagne glass.

Rusty was renamed Hamlet by actor John Barrymore. Rusty/Hamlet was followed by a string of Hamlets (II to VII) until 1987. In fact, Hamlet VI vanished during the hotel’s renovation and legend has it that he was accidentally trapped inside the walls.

Matilda I took over the throne in 1987 and the retired Matilda II is now living in a cushy pad in Brooklyn. Matilda III has taken over extensive duties at the hotel, including greeting felines who come to stay at the pet-friendly hotel under the “Algonquin ♥’s Pets” Program.

Guests with paws are greeted with a “purrrsonalized” welcome kit with a welcome letter from Matilda and a list of available services as well as some of Matilda’s favorite hot spots. The pet’s guest room is arranged prior to arrival with amenities such as food and water bowls, a floor mat, a litter box if needed and essentials for owners such as latex gloves and waste bags.

Matilda also has an active online social life managing the hotel’s facebook and twitter (@Algonqueen) pages, and she stays in contact with her many friends and fans via email. In fact, the hotel has even designed a special package for ‘Friends of Matilda.’

The package includes two night accommodation in a queen room, welcome amenity letter from Matilda and  a replica plush of Matilda, a novel about the Algonquin cat, two cocktails in the lobby, and a 10% discount off the hotel’s best available retail rate. Don’t forget to use the promo code MAJ when booking online.

Photos – Algonquin Hotel

Info: 59 West 44th Street (between fifth and sixth ave) New York NY 10036; (212) 840-6800

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400 years ago this September, Henry Hudson sailed into what is now known as New York Harbor, and ever since, visitors have been looking for a place to stay in New York City. Here’s a few of New York’s ‘centennial club’ hotels, all of which are at least 100 years old.

The Sohotel, New York

Let’s start with a simple question – Which is New York’s oldest hotel still in business? That title belongs to the Sohotel, which has been in operation since 1805 under various names including The Worchester, The Occidental, The Pioneer and now Sohotel.

That’s a 204 year old hotel located just north of the spot where George Washington entered the Bowery with his troops and took command of the city, setting up the government of the United States on November 25, 1783.

This location in lower Manhattan off The Bowery at 341 Broome Street - with walking access to the attractions of Soho, Greenwich Village, Little Italy, China Town, and Tribeca - is pretty good even today.

The Sohotel nowadays makes a decent living as a no-frills budget hotel for students and tourists looking for reasonable accomodations in the heart of Downtown Manhattan.

The Algonquin Hotel, New York

Next question – which is the oldest NYC hotel operating under the same name? That would be The Algonquin Hotel, which opened in 1902.

Nothing much needs to be said about this famed historic hotel which has been immortalized on screen and in the literary works of Dorothy Parker and the rest of the Algonquin Round Table members.

Next up on the list is The Plaza (now the Fairmont Plaza), which opened its doors on October 1, 1907. Billed at that time as the world’s greatest hotel, The Plaza charged the exorbitant price of $2.50 per night for single rooms when it opened.  

Straddling Fifth Ave and Central Park, The Plaza is not only a traditional brunch and afternoon tea spot for New York’s socialites, but also a movie star in it’s own right – most famously featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.

Hotel Chelsea, New York

No list of New York hotels would be complete without honorable mention of the Chelsea Hotel - ground zero for Bohemians. The Chelsea is housed in a distinctive landmark building which dates back to 1884, first as an apartment building which opened as a hotel in 1905.

Former residents of the Chelsea include Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Sid Vicious and many more linked to Andy Warhol’s Factory.

Another hotel which just makes the cut as a 100+ historic hotel is The Jane NYC. Originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms in 1908, the hotel was restored and brought back to life in late 2008 as a budget hotel offering $99 rooms.

The Jane’s claim to fame lies in the fact that in 1912, the survivors of the Titanic stayed at the hotel until the end of the American Inquiry into the ship’s sinking.  The surviving crew held a memorial service at the hotel four days after the ship sank.  

Also eligible to join New York’s exclusive centennial club is the The Hotel Wolcott (1904), which also housed one Titanic survivor – Dr. Washington Dodge of San Francisco, who then penned a harrowing first-person account of the tragedy while staying at the Wolcott. Really dodged that one, didn’t he? 

Hotel Chelsea photo by Gyrofrog (creative commons).