The famed New York Helmsley Hotel--long identified with its larger-than-life owners, the late Harry and Leona Helmsley--will officially become a flagship member of the Westin family of hotels this spring after an extensive rebranding initiative and $65 million renovation. Westin, known for its signature amenities, in-room spa offerings and the iconic Heavenly Bed, is a leading hotel brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which took over management of the Helmsley last summer after it was purchased from the estate of Leona Helmsley by Host Hotels for $313.5 million.
The hotel renovation includes a complete redesign of the 774 spacious guestrooms, the extension of the lobby bar/restaurant to the 42nd street entrance and a complete overhaul of the entire façade of the building. More than 15,000 square feet of meeting space will also be renovated. The renovation, which began in January, is expected to continue through June, and rooms will remain open to accommodate guests during the conversion.
The guestrooms, all larger than 300 square feet, will undergo a floor-to-ceiling renovation and feature the brand’s eco-friendly Westin Classic design scheme, which reflects a simple, refined elegance that reinforces the brand’s identity and wellness strategy.
“The transformation of the New York Helmsley Hotel into a flagship Westin hotel marks a new era for this historic hotel and its neighborhood,” said Brian Povinelli, global brand leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts.
The midtown Manhattan location near Grand Central Terminal is Westin’s second New York City property, joining the Westin Times Square.
The New York Helmsley was founded in 1981 by Leona Helmsley, the wife of hotel magnate Harry Helmsley. The couple’s huge public relations blitz throughout the 1980s and 90s touted Leona as the “Queen of Hotels,” but she became better known as the “Queen of Mean” when stories of her business tactics and treatment of employees became fodder for tabloid headlines. She died in 2007, 10 years after the death of her husband.
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