Our rich heritage informs every touch across every address. It is, quite
simply, the very essence of the St. Regis brand.
Click the arrows below to scroll through time.
To learn about specific events in the history of the St. Regis brand, click the
dates for details.
Afternoon Tea … Midnight Supper … these are the events not to be missed during New York’s Gilded Age. Entry is reserved to an inner circle known as the "400"—a list of the city’s most celebrated names curated by hostess Caroline Astor. Matriarch to the venerable Astor family, "The" Mrs. Astor single-handedly creates the first expression of American high society through rituals that live on at St. Regis to this day.
The youngest son of Caroline Astor, Colonel John Jacob IV is a brilliant businessman and visionary. After patenting several inventions, Astor turns his enterprising spirit to the construction of a hotel that would set new standards for the comforts afforded to the wealthy. Located on 55th Street and Fifth Avenue, The St. Regis New York features stunning technological advancements, such as air conditioning and mail delivery shoots.
Declared “the finest hotel in America,” by The New York Times, The St. Regis New York is the exquisite realization of Astor’s vision for a place where gentlemen and their families could enjoy all the luxuries of a private estate. The magnificent Beaux-Arts building features elegant touches by Caroline Astor, such as fresh flowers and signature St. Regis butler service, adding to the air of refinement.
John Jacob Astor IV’s extraordinary life comes to a tragic end on April 15, 1912. While traveling abroad, Astor’s wife, Madeline, becomes pregnant and the couple decides to return to the States, boarding the Titanic in Cherbourg, France. When the ship begins to sink, Astor helps his wife and her nurse into a lifeboat where they are later rescued. He is last seen trying to free his dog, Kitty, from the ship’s kennels.
Expanding its illustrious presence along 55th Street, The St. Regis New York adds two new floors, including a magnificent ballroom known as the St. Regis Roof. On opening night 500 guests gather for a gala celebration that features the 18-piece Vincent Lopez Orchestra. Jazz becomes an indelible feature of the St. Regis Roof, where such greats as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Buddy Rich regularly captivate guests.
Before his untimely death, John Jacob Astor IV commissions an original work by Maxfield Parrish for another of his hotels, The Knickerbocker. Parrish chooses the English nursery rhyme character Old King Cole for his subject matter—a fitting combination of regality and revelry. After The Knickerbocker is demolished, the mural is moved to the St. Regis where it becomes an icon, beloved of New Yorkers and hotel guests alike.
Fernand Petiot, head bartender at The St. Regis New York, perfects a cocktail he first experimented with in Paris and names it the “Bloody Mary.” Deemed inappropriate for the King Cole Bar’s elegant clientele, he rechristens it the “Red Snapper.” The unlikely pairing of tomato juice and vodka soon becomes a staple of American mixology and the signature cocktail of St. Regis.
After a long tenure as one of the country’s most glamorous independently owned hotels, The St. Regis New York is purchased by hospitality conglomerate ITT Sheraton, joining a portfolio of approximately 100 hotels around the world. As ITT Sheraton expands its global footprint, The St. Regis New York becomes part of the company’s upper echelon of hotels and resorts, known as the ITT Sheraton Luxury Division.
After closing for an extraordinary $100 million renovation, The St. Regis New York reopens as an updated version of its former grandeur. New meeting rooms, a spa, a fitness center, and a business center are added, along with designer suites by Christian Dior and Tiffany. The hotel lobby is restored to its 1904 design, and the original Palm Court is brought back as Astor Court, complete with stunning trompe l’oeil ceilings.
Seeking to bring the timeless elegance of St. Regis to the world’s most exclusive addresses, Starwood Hotels launches the St. Regis brand with five new hotels, each a distinct expression of the original’s abiding legacy. The St. Regis Aspen and The St. Regis Houston debut first, followed by the conversion of The Grand Hotel Rome, The Beijing International Club and The Carlton Hotel, Washington D.C.
A stunning example of Regency-era architecture, The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel begins as St. George’s Hospital before being converted into a five-star hotel. St. Regis acquires The Lanesborough as its 10th hotel. Today The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel continues to build its legacy as one of the most sought-after St. Regis experiences and the preferred choice of royalty, dignitaries, and celebrities in London.
Recognizing the many passions and interests of its cultured clientele, St. Regis introduces St. Regis Aficionado, where guests can enjoy privileged access to rare opportunities. From exclusive entry to premiere auctions and collections, to private tastings of exquisite vintages, to guided tours of the world’s great fashion houses, St. Regis Aficionado parts the velvet rope to the world’s most captivating experiences for discerning connoisseurs.
Long favored by the European and American aristocracy, polo becomes inextricably linked to St. Regis when the brand establishes the First Annual St. Regis International Polo Cup in England. The first match is played at the Cowdray Park Polo Club, home of British Polo. St. Regis butlers from The Lanesborough, a St. Regis Hotel serve the hotel’s renowned afternoon tea to spectators during the match.
Nestled on a peninsula surrounded by white sand beaches and cerulean waters, The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort introduces the brand’s signature elegance to one of Mexico’s most exclusive addresses—Bahía de Banderas in Riviera Nayarit. Handcrafted tile work, sparkling infinity pools, world-class dining and seaside vistas make the resort a seductive entrée into Latin America.
Now with more than 14 hotels spanning the world’s most exclusive destinations, St. Regis focuses on creating a new brand identity to arc over each distinct address. New services, programs, and standards further unify the St. Regis experience for travelers across the globe. A refreshed website introduces visitors to the brand’s rich heritage, flawless service, and bespoke gestures, while enticing them to explore the portfolio.
To strengthen its commitment to the game of polo, St. Regis selects celebrated Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras as the first-ever St. Regis Connoisseur. An online portal, dedicated exclusively to polo, is launched as a place where enthusiasts can access a global calendar of events, information on the fundamentals of the sport, advice on etiquette, and exclusive insights on technique and travel from Figueras.
A period of unprecedented growth leads to new hotels in key destinations across the globe, including the first hotel in the Caribbean—The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico. To ensure exceptional service at every address, the brand introduces differentiating global operating standards along with a newly defined St. Regis Butler service—one of the most iconic expressions of the St. Regis experience.
Named after The St. Regis New York’s famous Iridium Room, Iridium Spa is born from the DNA of the brand. Iridium Spa focuses on the most coveted of all luxuries—time—luring guests into tailored, transformative experiences. Each Iridium Spa honors its address by creating an environment that feels like a personal residence, complete with a post-treatment tea service.
The fifth St. Regis hotel in China, the St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort, opens on Hainan Island in the southernmost point of the country and illustrates our commitment to growing in the region. Crystal waters, undulating hills, impeccably appointed beachside villas, and a luxurious spa create an exclusive sanctuary for the discerning traveler.
Making a landmark entrance into the Middle East, St. Regis debuts The St. Regis Doha, an astounding new hotel on the banks of the Persian Gulf. Bordered by serene blue waters and a sweeping desert backdrop, the hotel brings enduring traditions to the entrancing city of Doha. A world-class spa, exclusive water sports, and a restaurant by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay make The St. Regis Doha an alluring new address.
With Le Morne Mountain—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—rising majestically in the background, The St. Regis Mauritius Resort opens its doors at the finest address on Mauritius. The resort marks the first St. Regis Hotel in Africa, a spectacular Colonial-inspired oasis on an island known as “the pearl of the Indian Ocean.” White sands, an aquamarine lagoon, a water sports club and a tea garden seduce guests the world over.
St. Regis embraces the seductive atmosphere of this celebrated city with its first hotel in South America, The St. Regis Buenos Aires.
Spirited, artistic, and tenacious, Caroline Astor becomes the doyenne of the American aristocracy with her legendary parties.
Colonel John Jacob Astor IV, son of Caroline Astor, introduces a new pinnacle of luxury with the debut of his hotel, The St. Regis New York.
The St. Regis New York opens its gilded doors to the world, introducing new standards of luxury and refinement for members of high society.
After helping his pregnant wife and her nurse into a lifeboat, John Jacob Astor IV dies tragically in the most infamous shipwreck of all time.
Heralding a new era of American glamour, The St. Regis New York undergoes an expansion that includes the addition of the famed St. Regis Roof.
The Old King Cole mural, an original work by legendary artist Maxfield Parrish, is unveiled at The St. Regis New York.
A stroke of mixology genius leads to the creation of an enduring American cocktail by Fernand Petiot, bartender at The St. Regis New York.
The St. Regis New York is purchased by hotel conglomerate ITT Sheraton, bringing its rich heritage to the company’s Luxury Division.
The St. Regis New York reopens after a $100 million renovation that restores it to its former glory while adding new, state-of-the-art features.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts acquires The St. Regis New York, expanding its legacy with the launch of five St. Regis-branded hotels.
St. Regis celebrates its 10th hotel with the addition of The Lanesborough—one of London’s most prestigious hotels—to its portfolio.
St. Regis introduces St. Regis Aficionado, offering guests bespoke experiences, tailored to their individual passions and pursuits.
St. Regis adopts the “sport of kings” and hosts the first annual St. Regis International Cup, one of the U.K.’s three major international polo matches.
St. Regis makes a landmark debut in Latin America with the opening of The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort on one of the world’s most alluring private beaches.
The new brand identity launch includes a refreshed website infused with more than a century of history, sophistication, and pedigree.
For its inaugural St. Regis Connoisseur, St. Regis chooses the world’s most recognized polo player, Nacho Figueras.
Rapid expansion results in new hotels across the globe, differentiating operating standards, and a redefined St. Regis Butler service.
St. Regis introduces Iridium Spa, designed to deliver a bespoke spa experience while honoring the distinct character of its address.
St. Regis opens its fifth hotel in China, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort, in an idyllic region known as “the Hawaii of the East.”
St. Regis deepens its storied heritage with the opening of The St. Regis Doha on the banks of the Persian Gulf—its first hotel in the Middle East.
St. Regis makes an enchanting entrance into Africa on an island known as “the pearl of the Indian Ocean”.
St. Regis introduces The St. Regis Buenos Aires, marking the brand’s first hotel in South America.
