St. Regis History

St. Regis® Hotels & Resorts traces its name and heritage to the internationally acclaimed St. Regis New York, the original Beaux Arts classic landmark built by Colonel John Jacob Astor IV in 1904. This legendary property is our flagship, consistently ranked as one of the world's finest hotels. Astor's original mission in creating the St. Regis was to bring the feeling of Old World charm, service and hospitality to the New World. Today, nearly a century later, this objective has not changed.

The site of the original St. Regis, at Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, was a residential neighborhood when Astor broke ground for it in 1902. He wanted to create a hotel where gentlemen and their families could feel as comfortable as they would as guests in a private home; in fact, he frequently used The St. Regis as a place for his personal guests and visiting relatives to stay at his invitation. For their comfort, Astor introduced such "modern" conveniences as telephones in every room, a fire alarm system, central heating and an air-cooling system that efficiently predated modern air conditioning and allowed each guest to control the temperature of his room. Mail chutes were installed on each floor, a newsworthy innovation at that time. One of the hotel's other novel features was a special design "for the disposition of dust and refuse" - one of the first central vacuum systems. All maids had to do was plug their vacuum cleaner's hose into sockets situated throughout the hotel.

Throughout its history of nearly a century, St. Regis Hotels have invariably attracted the most glamorous, creative and intriguing personalities of each era. In New York alone, Colonel Serge Obelensky, the Russian Prince who had been a page at the Czar's court before he escaped the revolution and grew up to marry Alice Astor, was associated with the St. Regis for many years; Marlene Dietrich, William Paley and his wife Barbara ("Babe") lived at The St. Regis as did Salvador Dali and his wife Gala; and actress Gertrude Lawrence instructed her agent to arrange all her press appointments at The St. Regis.

Colonel Astor died on the Titanic in 1912, but his influence will always be felt at all St. Regis Hotels - an impressive roster that continues to grow with the addition of distinctive properties around the world.

The first hotel to join the New York flagship was St. Regis Hotel, Washington, D.C. (the former Carlton Hotel), followed closely by St. Regis Resort, Aspen (the former Ritz-Carlton) in early 1999. After an extensive yearlong $35 million restoration, the Grand Hotel in Rome officially became St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome in early 2000 making it the first St. Regis to open in Europe. In February 2000, St. Regis Hotel, Houston (formerly The Luxury Collection Hotel) was introduced, marking an important milestone in the brand's development. In March 2000, the Beijing International Club, formerly part of The Luxury Collection, converted to St. Regis Hotel, Beijing - becoming the first St. Regis hotel in Asia. Then in August 2001, St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach - situated on 200 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean - opened. St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai opened its doors in September 2001 providing China's most international city with a hotel that combines the best of both Eastern and Western ambience. Considered one of London's most prestigious addresses, the world-renowned The Lanesborough, A St. Regis Hotel became a St. Regis in May 2002, strengthening the brand's overall presence in Europe.