The Garden City Hotel
Long Island’s Premier Address
A Long Island landmark of style and service, The Garden City Hotel is a beloved and timeless retreat. Spacious guest rooms, luxurious suites, a first-class culinary team, and genuine hospitality are hallmarks of this legendary hotel. Discover Long Island’s most iconic destination.
In the heart of Garden City, generations of travelers and locals alike have discovered the incredible history and classic elegance of The Garden City Hotel. With the highest standards of service and amenities, this is where memories are made.
Hotel Highlights
- 269 Spacious Guest Rooms & Suites
- 16 Suites to Include 3 Penthouse Suites with Balconies
- Exclusive Club Level on Our Penthouse Floor
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Red Salt Room by David Burke
- The King Bar by David Burke
- Seasonal Patio Bar
- The Rose Room, a Late-Night Underground Bar | Open Fridays & Saturdays from 8pm to 1am
- Legendary Sunday Brunch in Red Salt Room by David Burke
- 30,000 square feet of Flexible Meeting & Event space
- Complete Meeting Services and an On-Site Meeting Manager
- Wedding Specialists & Custom Wedding Packages
- Fitness Center
- Indoor Pool | Open Daily from 9am to 7pm
- Red Hots Spa & Salon
- Concierge Desk
- 24/7 Security
- Check-In is at 4pm / Check-Out is at 11am
Our History
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1874 - 1886
The Garden City Hotel was built in the Victorian style by Alexander Turney Stewart and opened to great fanfare on July 30, 1874. Stewart personally managed the hotel until his death in 1876. At that time, his wife Cornelia inherited the project and honored his memory until she was laid to rest at the Gothic Cathedral of the Incarnation in 1886.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1886 - 1897
The hotel was willed to Cornelia Stewart’s family, who formed The Garden City Company to facilitate operations at the hotel. Her brother-in-law, renowned architect Stanford White, was elected to the board of The Garden City Company and his famous firm, McKim, Mead and White was contracted to redesign the hotel in the Dutch Colonial style. A distinguished cupola, fashioned after Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, surmounted the entire structure and the eastern and western wings were added. The second incarnation of The Garden City Hotel opened to the public in 1895. A nine-hole golf course was unveiled in 1897, which later became The Garden City Golf Club.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1899 - 1901
On September 7, 1899 The Garden City Hotel was consumed by flames and burned to the ground. The fire originated in the attic and was most likely caused by a defective flue. The hotel was evacuated immediately and no one was injured. The high-end appointments were destroyed, save for several paintings that were originally part of Alexander Turney Stewart’s private collection. The hotel was rebuilt in the Georgian Revival style, and this third and most famous incarnation was designed by McKim, Mead and White and opened on the same site in 1901.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1904 - 1910
William K. Vanderbilt Jr. organized America’s first international road race, the Vanderbilt Cup Races, to encourage American automobile manufacturers to challenge European quality. The races were held from 1904 to 1910 and were the greatest sporting events of their day. The events drew huge crowds of over 250,000 spectators and The Garden City Hotel was the center for the who’s who of the racing scene.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1911
The architectural firm of Ford, Butler & Oliver accepted the task of enlarging the hotel by extending the wings on either side in the Georgian Revival style. The addition allowed the hotel to increase its capacity.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1927
One of the most notable events associated with The Garden City Hotel occurred on May 20, 1927, when Charles Lindbergh spent the night before his historic trans-Atlantic flight. The event is honored with an annual anniversary celebration and festivities at the hotel.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1930 -1947
The Great Depression brought an end to the Gatsby-era excess at The Garden City Hotel. It wasn’t until after World War II that the community around the hotel began to grow and flourish as a residential suburban village.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1948 - 1959
The Knott Hotel Corporation purchased the hotel in 1948, expanding and redecorating it. The revitalized hotel attracted vacationers, business executives and world leaders, including a 1959 visit by presidential-hopeful John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1969
The Village of Garden City celebrated its 100th anniversary in February 1969 with a large reception at The Garden City Hotel. The crowds who gathered to rejoice in the memory of A.T. Stewart found it fitting to celebrate at the very location he deemed the crown jewel of the village.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1971 - 1973
The hotel was bought by builder Michael A. Forte and closed in 1971 before being torn down in 1973. Spectators gathered to watch the impending devastation of the village’s longtime symbol of elegance as a wrecking ball destroyed the historic building to make way for a new structure. However, Forte was undercapitalized and the hotel was never reconstructed. The loss of a historic landmark was a traumatic experience for the community. Many bystanders took bricks from the rubble as a memento of the hotel, its grandeur and all it symbolized for the Village of Garden City.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
1983 - 2012
The late Myron Nelkin purchased the site and rebuilt and opened the fourth incarnation of The Garden City Hotel on May 20, 1983. The hotel remained under the ownership and care of the Nelkin family until September 20, 2012.
150 Years Of
Style & Service
2012 to present
Morris Moinian and the Fortuna Realty Group took ownership of the hotel on September 20. 2012. All guest rooms and suites were redesigned by noted Italian designer Marco Pozzi in 2014, and the hotel continues to add new features and amenities to enhance the guest experience.
Getting Here
Experience the seasonal splendor of Garden City, one of the most celebrated suburban communities on Long Island. Located in Nassau County, Garden City offers close proximity to New York City, including the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, all of which are easily accessible by car and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
Located just a block from 7th Street and directly across the street from the Garden City train station, The Garden City Hotel is the city's hospitality hub, offering several exceptional local dining experiences, retail shopping, entertainment venues and convenience stores.
In addition, the hotel is located near many points of interest on Long Island and in and around Garden City, including:
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Americana Manhasset Shopping
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Roosevelt Field Mall
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Belmont Park Village & Shoppes
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UBS Arena
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Jones Beach Theater
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Paramount Theater
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Westbury Music Fair
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Old Westbury Gardens
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100+ Museums including the Cradle of Aviation Museum
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140+ Public and Private Golf Courses including Bethpage Black
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50+ Atlantic Ocean and LI Sound Beaches
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57 Distinct Wineries
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60 Craft Breweries
The hotel is a dream address for travelers seeking easy access to New York City, as the Garden City Station and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) are conveniently across the street from the hotel on 7th Street.
Plan YourGarden City Getaway
Good Neighbor
Recognizing that hotel operations impact the environment, we’ve instituted sustainable business practices throughout our organization. Responsible action through culinary, philanthropic, ecological and workplace initiatives reflect our dedication to excellence. We are dedicated to maintaining a socially responsible company for the benefit of our guests, community, staff and neighbors. We are firmly committed to these principles and are working to continually enhance our program, our procedures, and our impression on the environment.