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FILE
UB-NYC-012
SUBJECT
THE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL
REGION
NEW YORK CITY
OPENED
1930
RENOVATED
2021
UPDATED
2026.06.03
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CASE FILE · SUBJECT PROFILE

The Carlyle, A Rosewood
Hotel.

HIGH · CONFIRMED
KEYS
190 rooms
PRICE
$$$$$
ARCHITECT
tonychi studio
OPENED
1930
RENOVATED
2021
DISTRICT
Upper East Side, Upper West Side & Central Park
RESTAURANT
Multiple
AIRPORT
JFK · 45 min
FEATURED IN 6 MAJOR PUBLICATIONS
The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
EXHIBIT A · NYC · NORTH AMERICA
● LIVE · 123K
Rosewood's Upper East Side flagship has been hosting presidents, princesses, and Met Gala A-listers since the year of the Crash.EXHIBIT A
FEATURED IN 6 MAJOR PUBLICATIONS
ASSESSMENT
58
RANK#17of 88
UNBOOKABILITY · / 100
DEMAND
50
SCARCITY
60
CRITIC
70
SOCIAL
80
SEARCH
20
GUEST
80
DESK NOTE
The Carlyle is the rare grand hotel that still functions as a piece of living New York rather than a museum of itself. The bar, the cabaret, the murals, and the address keep doing the work that the building has been doing since 1930.
Filed by UB DESK · MENA
6 critic reviews
§ 01 · PHOTO ARCHIVE · EXHIBIT A
The evidence.
@ROSEWOODTHECARLYLE · IG EVIDENCE
EX · A
FEED-NYC012 · @rosewoodthecarlyle
§ 02 · CRITIC DOSSIER · 6 INDEXED
What they
filed.
4 / 6 · CONSENSUS TIER-4
EXHIBIT · F1
Fodor's
TIER-2 · AUTH.
2024
"the Carlyle fuses elegance with Manhattan swank, and calls for the aplomb of entering a Chanel boutique"
EX · F1READ SOURCE →
TIER-2 SOURCE
EXHIBIT · F2
Time Out New York
TIER-3 · SPEC.
2024
"The Carlyle is one of those New York grand dames that still manages to feel as relevant today as when it first opened in 1930."
EX · F2READ SOURCE →
TIER-3 SOURCE
EXHIBIT · F3
Hotels Above Par
TIER-4 · WRITER
2025
"Timeless, effortlessly chic, and always on point... a landmark ever since it opened in 1930, capturing the essence of old New York elan."
EX · F3READ SOURCE →
TIER-4 SOURCE
EXHIBIT · F4
Country Life
TIER-4 · WRITER
2024
"A classic, a landmark, a grande dame. And by New York standards this dame is getting on a bit."
EX · F4READ SOURCE →
TIER-4 SOURCE
EXHIBIT · F5
One Mile at a Time
TIER-4 · WRITER
2022
"The Carlyle is an iconic Upper East Side hotel with renovated and luxurious rooms and famous old world food & beverage outlets."
EX · F5READ SOURCE →
TIER-4 SOURCE
EXHIBIT · F6
The Points Guy
TIER-4 · WRITER
2021
"The Carlyle is truly a special hotel that pays extra attention to detail."
EX · F6READ SOURCE →
TIER-4 SOURCE
§ 03 · THE READ · ON & OFF BOOK
THE READ.
DESK ASSESSMENT · TWO ANGLES
THE OFFICIAL READ

For Bemelmans and Cafe Carlyle, unequivocally yes. For the room product alone, the answer depends on which category you book and how much patina you tolerate. A Tower Premier on a high floor closes the question.

THE OFF-BOOK READ

The Carlyle's afternoon tea in the Gallery is the Upper East Side ritual most tourists miss because they go to The Plaza instead. Smaller room, better service, no buses outside.

§ 04 · ANGLES OF APPROACH · THREE
Three
angles.
REDACTIONS · 0
ANGLE · 01

Bemelmans Bar Is Still Bemelmans

Ludwig Bemelmans, the Austrian author of the Madeline children's books, painted the bar's Central Park murals in 1947 in exchange for 18 months of accommodation. They have never been touched. Add chocolate-brown leather banquettes, a 24-karat gold leaf ceiling, and live piano nightly, and you have the most photographed cocktail room in New York.

FIELD · 001EX · A
ANGLE · 02

Cafe Carlyle, Last Of Its Kind

The intimate cabaret room hosted Bobby Short five nights a week for 36 years. Woody Allen's New Orleans Jazz Band played there weekly for decades. It is the last serious supper-club room in Manhattan and books legitimate jazz, cabaret, and the occasional Broadway voice testing new material. Reservations are essential and the dress code is real.

FIELD · 002EX · B
ANGLE · 03

Champalimaud's Tower Premier Floors

Alexandra Champalimaud designed the Tower Premier rooms, each filled with antiques and the kind of upholstery that does not exist in newer hotels. Ten suites overlook Madison Avenue. The Empire Suite, by Thierry Despont, is a duplex on the 28th and 29th floors with floor-to-ceiling Central Park views. The Presidential Suite occupies the entire 26th floor with a bronze mail chute and an Art Deco private elevator.

FIELD · 003EX · C
§ 05 · CAVEATS · FILED UNCLASSIFIED
Real
talk.
UNEDITED · DESK COMMENTARY
△ CAUTION · UNCLASSIFIED
△ CAUTION · UNCLASSIFIED
01POINT · SCALE

190 rooms in 1930 Upper East Side icon. Rosewood-managed since 2001. Standard rooms smaller than rate suggests; hallway carpets show 95-year age; service uneven shift-to-shift.

02POINT · AUDIENCE

No Instagram signal but 2 MICHELIN Keys plus Condé Nast 2025 #2 in NY pull Bemelmans-mural-romantic and Cafe-Carlyle-cabaret loyalists. Less Aman-quiet than Bobby-Short-piano-history demographic.

03POINT · VARIANCE

190 rooms: tower Premier with park view (Champalimaud antiques plus Central Park sightline) is essential Carlyle. Carlyle Suites for Madison Avenue side. Standard rooms not the headline.

04POINT · COMPETITION

At $$$$$ Upper East Side, Carlyle competes with The Mark and The Lowell. Wins on 1930 continuity, Bemelmans 1947 mural, and Cafe Carlyle cabaret tradition, not on Grange interiors or Lowell fireplaces.

§ 06 · WHERE IT SITS · PROXIMITY
The ground,
mapped.
4 ANCHORS · ON FOOT
COORDINATES
40.7744° N · 73.9632° W
DISTRICT
Upper East Side, Upper West Side & Central Park
REGION
New York City
NEAREST AIRPORT
JFK · 45 min
FIELD BRIEF · PROXIMITY
AnchorOn footDistance
Alice in Wonderland· Tourist Attraction4 min294m
The Frick Collection· Museum6 min514m
Central Park Boathouse· Tourist Attraction6 min480m
The Metropolitan Museum of Art· Tourist Attraction7 min558m
PROXIMITY PLAN · ON FOOT
CULTURAL ANCHORS · WALKING DISTANCE
§ 07 · SUBJECT BRIEF · FIELD NOTE N°012
On the
record.
1 MIN BRIEFING · LAST AMENDED 2026.05.17
FOUNDED
1930
ARCHITECT
TONYCHI STUDIO
RENOVATED
2021
KEYS
190 ROOMS
TIER
HIGH
AIRPORT
JFK · 45M
INSTAGRAM
123K
DISTRICT
UPPER EAST SIDE, UPPER WEST SIDE & CENTRAL PARK
◉ FILED · UB-NYC-012
DOSSIER-OPEN
SUBJECT · THE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL
UPPER EAST SIDE, UPPER WEST SIDE & CENTRAL PARK · NEW YORK CITY
CLEARANCE · PUBLIC
¶ SUBJECT BRIEF · OPEN FILE

The Carlyle opened in 1930 at 35 East 76th Street, named after the Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle, and has spent 95 years quietly being the most important hotel on the Upper East Side. Rosewood took it over in 2001 and earned 2 MICHELIN Keys and a 2025 Condé Nast Traveler ranking of #2 in New York. The reasons are the same ones that made it famous in the first place.

Bemelmans Bar, with its Ludwig Bemelmans murals from 1947 and 24-karat gold leaf ceiling, remains the city's most romantic cocktail room. Cafe Carlyle is the last serious cabaret in Manhattan, the room where Bobby Short played for 36 years and Woody Allen still occasionally brings his jazz band. The Presidential Suite has hosted JFK, the Clintons, and Princess Diana. You stay here for the continuity, not the novelty.

EOF · SUBJECT BRIEF— THE EDITORS, UB DESK
§ 09 · TRANSMISSION LOG · CHATTER
What came
across the wire.
7 ENTRIES · ROLLING 90-DAY
TIMESTAMPCHANNELENTRY
2026.04.14 · 07:13ZSYSTEMAdded to Unbookable index
2025.10.29 · 00:00ZPRESSHotels Above Par review filed
2024.11.29 · 00:00ZPRESSTime Out New York review filed
2024.03.23 · 00:00ZPRESSCountry Life review filed
2024.01.01 · 00:00ZPRESSFodor's review filed
2022.06.20 · 00:00ZPRESSOne Mile at a Time review filed
2021.07.04 · 00:00ZPRESSThe Points Guy review filed
ROLLING LOG · LATEST 5-8 SHOWN · RETAINED 90 DAYS
§ 10 · CONDITIONS REPORT · CLIMATE & DEMAND
On the
ground.
12-MO WEATHER RECORD · DEMAND CYCLE
NEW YORK CITY · SEASON CYCLE

Late April–early May beats Met Gala. First two weeks of September beat UNGA. Anything SepDec needs 60–90 days of lead time.

TOURIST DEMAND BY MONTH
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
LowShoulderPeak
WEATHER IN NEW YORK CITY
101010121111131110109114°5°9°15°21°26°29°28°25°19°12°7°JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC
RAIN · DAYS/MOAVG HIGH · °C
JAN-FEBLowCold value window

Demand drops to 45-50 across January and February as overnight lows fall to -4°C and Manhattan visitors thin out for the post-NYE stretch. NYC Restaurant Week in January and NY Fashion Week (Fall/Winter) in February provide cultural anchors, but the broader calendar runs unusually soft for a major destination. Hotel rates fall noticeably below peak across most categories, and properties that rarely discount run winter promotions during NYC Hotel Week in mid-January. For travelers tolerant of single-digit cold and willing to layer, this is when New York runs as a working city without the visitor compression of every other month.

MAR-APRShoulderSpring transition

Demand climbs from 60 in March to 75 in April as temperatures rise from 9°C to 15°C and outdoor New York becomes physically possible again. The St. Patrick''s Day Parade (March 17) compresses Midtown for a day; Easter weekend and MLB Opening Day drive booking pressure across Manhattan and Brooklyn in April. Lead times for Very High-tier properties (Baccarat, The Bowery Hotel, Wythe Hotel) sit at 3-4 weeks outside the parade and Easter compression dates. April second half is where temperature, daylight and pricing align before the Met Gala / Memorial Day events trigger May''s peak structure.

MAY-JUNPeakEvent-driven spring peak

Demand jumps to 90 in May and 85 in June, driven by an event calendar that compresses inventory across distinct one-week windows rather than spreading evenly. May compresses around Met Gala, Frieze NY and Memorial Day weekend; June stacks NYC Pride, Tribeca Festival and Tony Awards in the back half. Temperatures climb from 21°C in May to 26°C in June, before the July humidity locks in across Manhattan and the East Coast. Lead times for Very High-tier properties (Baccarat, The Twenty Two, Gansevoort) tighten to 6-8 weeks during event compression weeks and 3-4 weeks otherwise.

JULShoulderSummer heat dip

July demand drops to 65 as Manhattan residents flee the city for the Hamptons, Hudson Valley and the Jersey Shore, opening inventory across central neighborhoods. Highs hit 29°C with 20°C overnight lows, with humidity and 13 rain days producing reliable afternoon thunderstorms across Manhattan. Independence Day week pulls one short demand spike (fireworks over the East River, July 4 weekend), but the broader month runs as a value window for non-residents. Wildflower Farms (Auberge, Hudson Valley) and Wythe Hotel (Williamsburg) absorb spillover travelers seeking summer atmosphere with lower August-style booking pressure.

AUGLowSummer slump

August demand bottoms at 55, the softest reading for any month outside February, as the city empties of residents and business travel pauses. Highs hold at 28°C, similar to July, but the absence of resident and business demand opens the cleanest direct-channel inventory window since February. US Open Tennis begins in the last 10 days of the month and pulls demand into Queens (Flushing Meadows) and Midtown hotels with USTA partnerships. Outside the US Open weeks, August reads as a value window for travelers willing to work around the heat-and-humidity combination.

SEPPeakAnnual maximum

September is the year's annual peak at demand 100, driven by the simultaneous arrival of UN General Assembly and NY Fashion Week into the same compressed two-week window. Midtown specifically locks down as UN diplomatic delegations, security shutdowns and Fashion Week buyers converge; Baccarat, The St. Regis and The Twenty Two require 8-12 weeks of lead time. Highs hit 25°C with 10 rain days, physically agreeable for outdoor Manhattan activity, but the booking pressure cancels the comfort entirely. First two weeks of September (before UNGA) are the only soft window: late August into early September captures fall weather without the diplomatic-event compression.

OCTPeakFoliage and Comic Con

October demand stays at 90 as Hudson Valley foliage pulls weekend trips upstate and NY Comic Con (mid-month) compresses Midtown across a four-day stretch. Highs drop to 19°C and rain holds at 10 days, the autumn weather window that foliage-trip operators and Hudson Valley packages plan around. Booking discipline matches September''s: 60-90 days lead time at Very High-tier, longer for Comic Con weekend specifically (Wythe Hotel and Brooklyn properties absorb adjacent demand). Wildflower Farms in Hudson Valley peaks here as the foliage destination of choice for travelers blending NYC and upstate; book by August.

NOV-DECPeakHoliday corridor

November holds demand at 80 with NYC Marathon and Thanksgiving Day Parade, and December climbs to 95 on Rockefeller Tree, holiday markets and NYE pressure. The corridor compresses inventory across all sub-regions, but Midtown specifically locks down for Rockefeller Tree visitors, Times Square holiday-window shoppers and NYE pressure. Lead times extend to 60-90 days minimum at Very High-tier; The Bowery Hotel and Ace Hotel see 4-month leads on the week between Christmas and NYE specifically. Overnight lows hit 0°C in December with single-digit daytime, but the festive infrastructure (markets, lights, store windows) is the explicit draw.

§ 11 · LEAD-TIME INTEL · ENTRY WINDOW
Plan the
approach.
DEMAND CYCLE · BOOKING-LEAD INDEX
HIGHTHE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL

Book 6-8 weeks ahead for Sep-Dec peaks and Met Gala spillover; January and August lulls open inside three weeks.

DESTINATION DEMAND · 12-MONTH
PROPERTY PRESSURE · AWAITING DATA
PEAKHIGHSHOULDERLOWOFF
NOW
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
PEAKHIGHSHOULDERLOWOFF
CHECK AVAILABILITY
§ 12 · KNOWN OPERATIVES · 3 FIELD NOTES
Tradecraft
briefing.
3 OF 3 · DESK-VERIFIED
OPERATIVE · 01UB-NYC-012
BEST ROOM.

A Tower Premier room with park view is the Carlyle in its essential form: Champalimaud antiques, high floor, and a sightline over Central Park that explains why the building was constructed where it is. The Carlyle Suites are the move if you need more space and want the Madison Avenue side.


  • TOWER PREMIER PARK
  • CHAMPALIMAUD ANTIQUES
  • CARLYLE SUITE FOR SPACE
OPERATIVE · 02UB-NYC-012
THE WORKAROUND.

Bemelmans does not take reservations and the line on a Friday at 8pm runs into the lobby. Hotel guests get priority seating: tell the host you are staying when you walk up, and ask the concierge to call ahead for Cafe Carlyle reservations the moment you book the room.


  • BEMELMANS NO RES
  • HOTEL GUEST PRIORITY
  • CALL CAFE CARLYLE EARLY
OPERATIVE · 03UB-NYC-012
LOCAL TIP.

From JFK, allow 50 to 70 minutes by taxi to East 76th Street. The Whitney Museum's 1966 Marcel Breuer building (the old Met Breuer) is six blocks south, the Frick Collection is four blocks south on Fifth Avenue, and Central Park is two blocks west.


  • 50–70 MIN FROM JFK
  • WHITNEY OLD BREUER
  • FRICK FOUR BLOCKS
§ 14 · DEMAND INTELLIGENCE · THE SIGNALS
What the
signals say.
4 OF 9 SIGNALS · LIVE · REFRESHED 1D AGO
STRONG ON GUESTS · STRONG ON CRITICS · FIRM ON BOOKING
INSTAGRAM DEMAND
123K
FIRM
followers on file
CRITIC CITATIONS
6
STRONG
reviews on file
BOOKING DIFFICULTY
55/100
FIRM
availability pressure
GUEST SCORE
8.0/10
STRONG
from guest reviews
§ 15 · COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT · 6 DIMENSIONS
How it
stacks up.
#16 OF 88 · NEW YORK CITY
#16IN NEW YORK CITY · OF 88
#110GLOBALLY · OF 405
Room Demand
5/10
TOP 50%
Booking Difficulty
6/10
TOP 57%
Search Demand
2/10
TOP 92%
Critic Score
7/10
TOP 37%
Guest Score
8/10
TOP 23%
Viral Reach
8/10
TOP 17%
PERCENTILE COMPUTED LIVE · 405 ACTIVE PROPERTIESMETHODOLOGY · /HOW-WE-RANK
§ 19.7 · SIGNAL MONITORING · PAST MONTH
Signals
holding.
18 SNAPSHOTS · DAY 18
Composite Unbookable Score · 17-day trace
58 0from 58
Room Demand
5 0
Booking Difficulty
6 0
Search Demand
2 0
Critic Score
7 0
Guest Score
8 0
Viral Reach
8 0

Signal stable — composite holding within ±2 points over 17 days (currently 58). No single dimension moved more than the rest.

§ 18 · FILE CLOSED · UB-NYC-012
Final
assessment.
CONFIRMEDDESK SIGN-OFF

File closes at HIGH. Book ahead six to eight weeks for September through December peaks and Met Gala spillover. Skip if downtown energy is what you want; this hotel runs old-money Upper East register.

FILED BY V. BRANSON · UB DESK · NEW YORK CITY · 2026-05-17
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