Iroquois by Chloe Loyd

A stately 1923 limestone facade fronts James Dean’s former home, now a stylish boutique hotel between the Algonquin and City Club Hotels. Mahogany doors open into a spacious marble-paved lobby. A small sitting area with public computer fills one corner. Adjacent, the leather-clad and oak-panelled James Dean Lounge provides a clubby drawing room for guests. The addition of Triomphe, an upmarket contemporary restaurant with a Modern American menu, is an added attraction. A small gym and sauna are available on the third floor.

The rooms
The 114 rooms are large, in tranquil colours of cream and white. Thick carpeting, plump duvets on hugely comfortable beds with upholstered headboards give a feeling of unabashed luxury, all softly lit by glowing sidelamps. Marble bathrooms have brass fittings and pedestal basins with Molton Brown toiletries. Whilst neither being too traditional nor overly modernly designed, the Iroquois has a welcoming style of understated contemporary opulence.

The James Dean Suite is a tribute to the screen idol who lived here for most of his three years in New York. Suites feature traditional artwork, fireplaces and jacuzzis. Rooms are undergoing renovation to include flat screen tvs and more connecting rooms and suites to convenience families.