35 - Hollywood on the Hudson

THE WYNDHAM, New York City

The old  Wyndham on West  58^th Street, fronting the back of the Plaza, was in some ways my favorite New York hotel.  Though certainly never one of the most luxurious, and by the time I arrived it had decidedly known better days, it remained wonderful value for money.

For the price of an inexpensive room elsewhere, the Wyndham had some knockout suites.  Opened in 1929, the hotel’s golden era was the 1950’s.  New York was then the television capital of the world, and the Wyndham welcomed some of the new medium’s most sophisticated ladies and gentlemen, often for prolonged stays

Until its demise in 2005, it continued to maintain a crew of elevator operators for its antiquated lifts.

Meadows (Scott Allen photo)

 Danny was a little bit slow, very friendly and much beloved by many returning clients.   I once observed the actress Jayne Meadows in an animated conversation with him.  She was wearing the biggest dark glasses imaginable, the kind Cadillac might produce if they were in the sunglasses business.

“But Danny, concentrate, you’ve got to concentrate.  I left my suitcase with you last month.  Now you must find it.  Do try to concentrate, Danny.”  She enunciated each word as though projecting to the last balcony.  I hope he did remember.

Rarely has such a simple and little known hotel played host to quite such an impressive array of film and theatre luminaries.  

Laurence Olivier first stayed at the Wyndham in 1976 during the filming of "Marathon Man", a spy drama directed by John Schlesinger and co-starring Dustin Hoffman.  Dick Cavett interviewed him there from suite 1401.  

Hackman and smiling wife (Google)

 I ran into Gene Hackman several times, usually in the elevator.  He always spoke and smiled as though we were old friends.  He was invariably with an asian woman I assumed to be his wife.  She neither spoke nor smiled.  John Cassavetes introduced Peter Falk and Ben Gazzara to the hotel.  

Tandy and Cronyn (Google)

 Jessica Tandy and husband Hume Cronyn had their New York  apartment in the Wyndham.  On the week of Miss Tandy's death the lobby was filled with flowers, mostly roses, of condolence.  



 Grace Kelly lived in the Barbizon for Women when she first moved to New York in the late forties to seek a career on the stage; but she too had regular contacts with the Wyndham, as her favorite uncle, playwright George Kelly, often stayed there.  In later years, Princess Grace owned a smallish pied-à-terre around the corner on Park Avenue, and she sometimes put guests up at the Wyndham.   
    



Early Grace (photo by Life)

  Ingrid Bergman stayed several weeks in 1982.  Dying of cancer, she came to New York to celebrate the 30^th birthday of her twin daughters, Isabella and Ingrid Rosellini.

Arlene Dahl (left), Ben Gazzara and Wyndham owner Suzanne Mados (N.Y. Social Diary)

It was a family owned enterprise, and the proprietors, John and Suzanne Mados, had some solid connections in the show business world.  He sometimes gave cocktail parties across the street at the Sherry Netherlands, with various film luminaries from the fifties, faithfully reported by Liz Smith in her column.  Piper Laurie and Jane Powell always seemed to be in attendance, as were often Arlene Dahl and Gena Rowlands.

The Redgrave-Neros (AP)

 I once saw Vanessa Redgrave arrive with her ex and future companion, Franco Nero, to visit their daughter who was staying there.  The lobby was European shabby-chic, the guests were somewhat the same, and no one other than myself seemed to give the Redgrave-Neros so much as a passing glance.

Around 2000, I had a client who ran a shop in Bergdorf Goodman’s next door.  She was a bit eccentric (not to say that I am not) and perhaps a little snobby (some say I am, but I am not).  I was afraid she’d be put off by the kitsch decor, but I nevertheless invited her by for a meeting.  She was absolutely enamored of the place, and I was bursting with pride as she covered me with compliments for uncovering such a funny little gem.

Jane in  suite 804, summer of 2000

It was never perfect, you had to accept its terms:  no dial telephones,  no turndown service, and no fancy designer toiletries either. The Laurence Oliviers and Lena Horne had to make do like the rest of us with those little mini bars of Ivory soap.

At the very end there was talk of mice, but I never saw any.  At best it was an oasis of civility in a very quirky environment; at worst, settling into the 21^st century, it was beginning to resemble a once perky old lady in the early throes of Alzheimers.   

Still, I’d love to be able to stay there again, just once more.

Suite 824, September 1990 (Photo Pascale Charmet)

 SIDEBAR:  What Next?

Vintage postcard of 5th Avenue at 58th Street

When the Wyndham finally closed shop in 2005, it remained vacant for some time.  This coincided with the lengthy closing and renovation of the Plaza across the street, so that part of 58^th Street looked pretty lonely for awhile.

Around 2008 I noticed new life at Number 42.  At first it appeared to be just another apartment building, then I learned the site was sort of a hotel, though a very discreet one and with an emphasis on longer rentals than one or two nights.

Called the AKA, it was a new chain with five or six of its clubby branches scattered around the city.  Most of the accommodations were one bedroom apartments.

Otherwise, the AKA is run just like a luxury hotel with a particularly well trained and polished concierge staff.

I was intrigued.  Prices were flexible, according to season and availability, and for our next trip to New York we decided to give the AKA a try.   Despite my affection for the Central Park South location of the old Wyndham, we ultimately opted for the Sutton Place branch.  It was the only one with a pool, and the neighborhood was a new one to explore. 

I was about to discover another kind of lodging –half grand hotel, half apartment building.  When it works like it’s supposed to, you have the best of both worlds.

Stay tuned.

Sutton Place, Queensboro Bridge (Google photo)

 Your input is welcomed:  hotel-musings@hotmail.fr

Next Friday:  "The Good and the Bad ... Sutton Place AKA"

  [Photos are mine, unless otherwise credited]