Profile

This grand, European-style hotel was built in 1926 by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst for his mistress, silent film star Marion Davies. Although all of Lombardy's 85 suites and 48 deluxe rooms are privately owned today, the staff rents out most rooms much like a co-op even as a good fourth of the suites serve as permanent homes for the upscale clientele. Each studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartment is uniquely decorated to reflect the owner’s sense of style and most are outfitted with a generous-sized kitchenette, walk-in closet, and elegant marble foyer. In recent years, the Lombardy underwent $5 million worth of renovations, but that hasn’t diminished its Old New York feel. The richly redesigned lobby and hallways sport brass chandeliers, marble floors, antique furnishings, plus towering arrangements of fresh flowers. — David S. Hirschman