Ritz-Carlton Hotel
A historic luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan that operated from 1911 until its demolition in 1951.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City was a landmark luxury hotel at the intersection of 46th Street and Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It was the first Ritz-Carlton hotel opened in the United States and served as an early American expression of the European luxury-hotel tradition associated with Swiss hotelier César Ritz. The property was part of a wider international expansion of the Ritz-Carlton name during the early twentieth century, when grand hotels sought to combine elite accommodation, formal French-influenced dining, ballrooms, private entertaining spaces, and highly personalized service. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company had been established by César Ritz in 1898, with its first location opening in Paris. In the United States, Albert Keller established the Ritz-Carlton Investing Company and acquired the right to use and franchise the Ritz-Carlton name. The New York hotel opened in 1911, making it the first American location to carry the name. Its arrival coincided with the rapid transformation of Midtown Manhattan through major infrastructure, commercial, and cultural projects. The hotel was designed by the architectural firm Warren and Wetmore in a Renaissance Revival style and was modeled on the Carlton Hotel in London. Its setting placed it close to the expanding concentration of luxury retail, transportation, entertainment, and institutional buildings that defined early twentieth-century Midtown. The property was enlarged soon after opening. A contemporary account announced a major construction addition in June 1911, including an eighteen-story structure and a lower wing containing a ballroom, private dining rooms, and a banquet hall. The expansion increased the hotel's capacity by roughly one-third and strengthened its role as a venue for New York high society. Its public spaces hosted prominent social events, including Barbara Hutton's lavish 1930 debutante party. The hotel also accommodated unusual and demanding guests; in 1914, sculptor and Russian prince Paul Troubetzkoy reportedly sought lodging for his two Russian shepherd dogs and offered to reserve an entire suite for them. The New York property was also associated with notable culinary personnel. Louis Diat served as head chef and brought French culinary techniques to the hotel's Roof Garden restaurant. Diat is widely associated with the development of modern vichyssoise, the chilled leek-and-potato soup, during his career at the hotel. Vincent Sardi Jr. trained there before joining the family restaurant business that later became known for Sardi's in Manhattan. The broader Ritz-Carlton chain expanded to Philadelphia and Atlantic City, and by the early 1920s was reported to include fifteen hotels worldwide. The American business subsequently declined rapidly. The Philadelphia property was converted into an office building, while the Atlantic City hotel was sold. The New York hotel remained in operation until 1951, when it was demolished to make way for an office building. Its demolition marked the end of the original New York Ritz-Carlton property and left the Boston location as the only remaining Ritz-Carlton hotel from that earlier period. The site should be distinguished from later New York hotels using the Ritz-Carlton name. In 1982, the name was licensed for renovated hotels in Washington, D.C., and at Central Park South in New York. In 1999, Ritz-Carlton acquired the former Hotel St. Moritz, which reopened in 2002 as the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, a hotel and condominium complex. These later properties belong to the development of the modern Ritz-Carlton chain and are not the same building as the 1911 hotel covered here.
History
The history of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City is part of the early development of branded luxury hospitality in the United States. César Ritz established the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company in 1898, building on a model of elite European hotelkeeping that emphasized refined surroundings, formal service, sophisticated cuisine, and careful attention to prominent guests. The first location opened in Paris, while the brand name later became available for American development through Albert Keller and the Ritz-Carlton Investing Company. New York's Ritz-Carlton opened in 1911 at 46th Street and Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It was the first hotel in the United States to use the Ritz-Carlton name. The location was strategically important. Midtown was being reshaped by subway construction, new commercial districts, luxury department stores, entertainment venues, and major civic and transportation projects. The hotel therefore entered a rapidly modernizing urban environment in which grand hotels functioned not only as places to sleep but also as social, culinary, and ceremonial institutions. Warren and Wetmore designed the building in the Renaissance Revival style, using the Carlton Hotel in London as a model. Soon after the opening, the property was enlarged. A June 1911 report described an eighteen-story addition and a lower wing that included a ballroom, private dining rooms, and a banquet hall. The expansion increased capacity by approximately one-third and broadened the hotel's role as a venue for private celebrations, formal dinners, and high-society gatherings. The hotel's clientele included wealthy New Yorkers and international visitors. Barbara Hutton held a lavish debutante party in the ballroom in 1930. In July 1914, Russian prince and sculptor Paul Troubetzkoy reportedly requested accommodation for two Russian shepherd dogs and offered to reserve an entire suite for them. Such accounts illustrate the property's association with affluent and aristocratic guests, as well as its reputation for accommodating individualized demands. Food and service were central to the hotel's identity. Louis Diat, who had trained under César Ritz, served as head chef and worked at the Roof Garden restaurant. He helped introduce French culinary traditions to New York's elite and is associated with the creation of modern vichyssoise, the cold leek-and-potato soup. Vincent Sardi Jr. also trained at the hotel before becoming associated with his family's Manhattan restaurant business. The New York opening was followed by Ritz-Carlton expansion into Philadelphia and Atlantic City. By the early 1920s, the international Ritz-Carlton network was reported to have reached fifteen hotels. The American chain then entered a period of rapid decline. The Philadelphia hotel became an office building, the Atlantic City property was sold, and the New York location eventually became the last major New York expression of the original chain. In 1951, the building was demolished and replaced by an office structure. The Ritz-Carlton name later returned to New York through separate operations. In 1982, the name was licensed to two renovated hotels, including a property at Central Park South. In 1999, Ritz-Carlton acquired the former Hotel St. Moritz, which reopened in 2002 as a hotel and condominium complex. These later developments connect to the modern Ritz-Carlton brand but do not represent the original 1911 building. The subject of this article is specifically the demolished Midtown hotel.
- 2002
Later Ritz-Carlton New York property reopens at Central Park
[1]A renovated former Hotel St. Moritz reopened as the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, combining hotel and condominium uses.
- 1982
Ritz-Carlton name returns to New York through a license
[1]A later hotel at Central Park South was renamed under a license for the Ritz-Carlton name; it was not the original 1911 building.
- 1951
Original hotel is demolished
[1]The Midtown property was demolished and replaced by an office building.
- 1930
Barbara Hutton holds debutante event at the hotel
[1]The hotel's ballroom hosted Barbara Hutton's lavish debutante party.
- 1917
Louis Diat develops modern vichyssoise
[1]Chef Louis Diat is associated with creating the modern form of the chilled leek-and-potato soup while working at the hotel.
- 1911
First American Ritz-Carlton hotel opens in New York
[1]The New York hotel opened at 46th Street and Madison Avenue as the first Ritz-Carlton location in the United States.
- 1911
Major expansion is announced
[1]An eighteen-story addition and new event facilities increased the hotel's capacity by about one-third.
- 1898
César Ritz establishes the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
[1]César Ritz founded the hotel company whose name and service tradition later supported the New York property.
Products and positioning
An early twentieth-century grand hotel positioned around European luxury, formal dining, elite social events, and highly personalized service for affluent travelers and New York high society.
Accommodation · 1911
Luxury guest rooms and suites
The hotel's core offering was upscale accommodation for wealthy domestic and international travelers. Its luxury positioning was expressed through formal service, a prominent Midtown location, and the expectations associated with the Ritz-Carlton name. Specific room counts, rates, and room categories are not established in the supplied material.
Food and beverage
Roof Garden restaurant
The Roof Garden restaurant was a notable dining venue within the hotel. Under chef Louis Diat, it served as a setting for French-influenced cuisine and helped connect the property with New York's high-society dining culture.
Events and hospitality · 1911
Ballroom and banquet facilities
An expansion added a ballroom, private dining rooms, and a banquet hall. These spaces supported formal dinners, private celebrations, debutante events, and other social functions, including Barbara Hutton's 1930 debutante party.
Brand decisions
1951
Demolish the original hotel for office developmentOtherBackground
The original New York Ritz-Carlton was part of an American Ritz-Carlton network that had declined after its earlier expansion.
Action taken
The hotel building was demolished and the site was used for an office building.
Aftermath
The original Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York ceased to exist as a physical property. Later New York hotels using the name were separate developments.
1911
Expand the New York property shortly after openingStrategyBackground
The first American Ritz-Carlton opened during a period of rapid Midtown growth and strong demand for prestigious hotel and event space.
Action taken
The property added an eighteen-story structure and a lower wing containing a ballroom, private dining rooms, and a banquet hall.
Aftermath
The expansion increased the hotel's capacity by approximately one-third and strengthened its role as a major social and hospitality venue.
Recent events
- 1951
Ritz-Carlton New York hotel is demolished[1]
Other
The original Midtown hotel was demolished to make way for an office building.
- 1911
Ritz-Carlton Hotel opens in Midtown Manhattan[1]
Other
The first Ritz-Carlton hotel in the United States opened at 46th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City.
- 1911
Expansion adds an eighteen-story structure and major event spaces[1]
Other
A reported construction addition expanded the hotel and added a ballroom, private dining rooms, and a banquet hall.
Sources2 sources
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