Best Hotels In New York City Trivia Quiz

Answer: Four Seasons

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts was founded in Canada by Isadore Sharp in 1960. Sharp worked as an architect for his father, and designing a hotel made him interested in designing his own. As the company grew, it became the standard of excellent service, inspired by Sharp's philosophy that is encompassed in what he calls "the Golden Rule": if you treat people well and how you would like to be treated, they will do the same. Four Seasons, which was bought in 2007 by holding companies belonging to Bill Gates and Saudi Arabian Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, is one of the leading hotel and hospitality companies in the world. They have locations in many countries, including Switzerland, France, Mexico, and the U.S.

New York City has not one, but two luxurious Four Seasons hotels. One is on 57th Street, very close to attractions like Central Park and Madison Avenue, and was designed by architect IM Pei. The other one is in Downtown New York, close to the World Trade Center and designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. A stay in either of these hotels would cost you at least $1000!

Answer: The Langham

Langham Hospitality Group began in 1865 when the Langham London opened as what the owners claimed was the largest building in the English city in terms of physical size. The history of the brand took a sharp turn when it was acquired by Hong Kong real estate company Great Eagle Holdings. Since then, Langham has opened locations in Boston, New York, and Pasadena. They also operate the Cordis hotels in Hong Kong and Auckland, New Zealand (both of which previously had the Langham name), as well as the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

The Langham New York, Fifth Avenue, is a luxury hotel that offers spectacular views of New York City and is a short distance away from landmarks like the Empire State Building. A wide variety of rooms are available for guests to select, including the luxurious Roche Bobois Presidential Suite, only available by calling the hotel. A stay for a single night may cost from $600 to over $4000!

Answer: Library Hotel

The Library Hotel Collection was created by Henry Kallan, who began working in The Gotham Hotel as a busboy, then became the general manager there, and then innovated and created his own boutique hotel concept: the Library Hotel. Stays at these hotels, which can range from $200-$300 depending on which hotel you choose and the season, are one-of-a-kind experiences for guests who enjoy books and being surrounded by them. According to the hotel's website, the Library Hotel offers daily wine and cheese receptions, "rich wood furnishings", and access to a large library of both physical books and electronic books. The floors are separated in accordance to the Dewey Decimal System (the classification system that has been adopted by many libraries around the world as a preferred method to organize books by subject), so for instance, you could find an entire floor dedicated to Social Sciences, and each room would be a different subject (such as Communication).

In addition to its four hotels in New York City, Library Hotel Collection has also opened inns in Prague, Budapest, and Toronto.

Answer: Baccarat

Baccarat has a long history beginning in 1764, when French King Louis XV authorized the creation of a glass manufacturer in the commune of the same name. Over the next century, the company received commissions from monarchs around the world, and so it evolved into one of the finest crystal-making companies in Europe and the world.

After being purchased by Starwood Capital Group (not to be confused with Starwood Hotels and Resorts), the company decided to expand the brand into a high-class hotel that now features chandeliers and other glassware made by the company. According to its website, the Baccarat Hotel offers a unique Parisian experience every step of the way.

Answer: Conrad

Conrad Hilton opened the first hotel to have his name on it in 1925 in Dallas, Texas. After building several other hotels in Texas, Hilton Hotels Corporation was born in 1946, starting what would become one of the most powerful companies in the hotel industry. Hilton bought Chicago's Stevens Hotel, now known simply as the Hilton Chicago, in 1945 and renamed it after himself.

The Conrad Hotels brand, however, did not exist until 1985, when Barron Hilton (son of Conrad) created it. The Conrad in New York City, which was an Embassy Suites hotel before, offers a luxurious experience that includes suites designed by award-winning designer Jill Greaves, and hand-made cocktails in their ATRIO bar. Reservations can cost from $300 up to over $1200!

Answer: Rosewood

The Carlyle opened in the early 1930's, but it had a hard time being successful because of the timing (the Great Depression had just started then). The hotel, however, became a landmark of New York City, hosting President Truman and then President Kennedy, who was repeatedly visited at the hotel by Marilyn Monroe.

The hotel was acquired in early 2001 by Maritz, Wolff & Company, owners of the Rosewood company that already had a reputation for running luxury hotels. The hotel is at walking distance of many New York landmarks, such as museums and skyscrapers. Room rates can start at around $900, and can go all the way up to $20,000! Their most expensive room, the Empire Suite, has a dining room and four bathrooms!

Answer: Marriott

Marriott International began in 1927 as a root beer stand, and it has come a long way since then! John Willard Marriott soon expanded into the restaurant business, and in 1957, the first Marriott hotel opened in Arlington, Virginia. Though Marriott Corporation officially started in 1967, today's brand was a product of the split in 1993 that gave birth to both Marriott International and the Host Marriott Corporation, now known as Host Hotels & Resorts. Marriott International has greatly expanded their portfolio since then, branching into brands that cater to all sorts of different markets, like the luxury JW Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton, or the more affordable but convenient Courtyard by Marriott or Aloft. Marriott further expanded its impact on the hospitality industry when it announced in 2016 that it would buy Starwood.

The EDITION in New York City belongs to the Ritz-Carlton brand, owned by Marriott. Prices can range from $300 to $1200. In 2018, it was announced that another EDITION hotel would open in New York, on Times Square.

Answer: Columbus Circle

The Time Warner Center was completed and opened in 2003 and was designed by architects David Childs and Mustafa Kemal Abadan. Inside the building, visitors can find restaurants like Per Se and Porter House, studios for the news network CNN, and The Shops at Columbus Circle, a shopping mall with many different stores and places of entertainment. The building is located on Columbus Circle, a Manhattan intersection named after Christopher Columbus, of whom a statue can be seen in the center of the plaza.

The Time Warner Center is also home to the Mandarin Oriental, New York, a hotel with over 240 rooms and amenities like upscale restaurants, artistic spaces, and a relaxing spa. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is a company headquartered in Hong Kong that was founded in 1963. The company has luxury hotels all around the world, including China, England, Germany, France, and Japan.

Answer: Westin

Westin was originally called Western Hotels and then Western International Hotels, before switching in 1981 by combining the words "Western" and International". At one point, the business was controlled by the same company that owned United Airlines, and after briefly being owned by a Japanese company, it was sold to Starwood Capital in 1994. With Marriott's acquisition of Starwood in late 2016, Westin became yet another Marriott-owned brand. Westin has several iconic hotels in multiple vibrant cities, including the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco and the Westin Singapore.

The two hotels in New York, Westin New York Grand Central and Westin New York at Times Square, offer similar services (such as Westin's signature "Heavenly" bedding), but the latter has more expensive rates, partly because of its unparalleled location.

Answer: The Surrey

The Surrey claims in its website to have hosted world-renowned celebrities like President John F. Kennedy and actress Bette Davis in its early history, as well as having the coveted Relais & Chateaux boutique hotel distinction (R&C is a group of luxury hotels and restaurants). The Surrey offers a boutique hotel experience that has an intimate feel. The Private Roof Garden, for instance, offers one-of-a-kind views of Central Park and the New York skyline. Prices can range from $330 up to the $16,000 Presidential Suite, which is furnished with several televisions, a kitchen, and even a piano!

Surrey is also the name of a county in southern England, the birthplace of great musicians like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.