Places & Literature: The Algonquin Hotel

The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan (New York, New York). This 174-room hotel opened in 1902. Its first owner-manager, Frank Case (who bought the hotel in 1927), established many of the hotel's traditions. Perhaps its best-known tradition is hosting literary and theatrical notables, most prominently the members of the Algonquin Round Table.

In June 1919 the hotel became the site of the daily meetings of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of journalists, authors, publicists, and actors who gathered to exchange bon mots (= well-chosen word(s), particularly a witty remark) over lunch in the main dining room. The group met almost daily from 1919 until roughly 1929 Some of the core members of the "Vicious Circle" included Robert Benchley, Heywood Broun, Marc Connelly, Jane Grant, Ruth Hale, George S. Kaufman, Neysa McMein, Dorothy Parker, Harold Ross, Robert E. Sherwood and Alexander Woollcott.