New York Hilton Midtown
| Company type | Hotel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | June 26, 1963 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Hilton Hotels Corporation, Rockefeller Center Incorporated, Uris Buildings Corporation |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | New York City |
| Products | Hotel rooms, event and meeting facilities |
| Owner | Park Hotels & Resorts |
| Parent | Hilton Worldwide (management) |
| Website | www |
The New York Hilton Midtown stands as the largest hotel in New York City, owned by Park Hotels & Resorts and operated under the management of Hilton Worldwide. It offers close to 2,000 guest rooms alongside more than of event and meeting facilities.
This 47-story structure is situated just north of Rockefeller Center, at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 53rd Street in Midtown Manhattan. It has accommodated every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy. A significant historical moment occurred here in 1973 when engineer Martin Cooper placed the first-ever handheld cellular phone call. Furthermore, the hotel was the venue for Donald Trump's victory speech during the 2016 United States presidential election.
History
The hotel was developed through a collaboration between Hilton Hotels Corporation, Rockefeller Center Incorporated, and the Uris Buildings Corporation. Initially, architect Morris Lapidus was assigned but withdrew due to a conflict of interest. The design was ultimately completed by William B. Tabler, who incorporated slab-style architecture.
Opening its doors on June 26, 1963, as the New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center, it initially featured 2,153 rooms, establishing it as the city's largest hotel at that time.
A renovation valued at $100 million in 1990 reduced the room count to 1,980. Further refurbishments took place from 1991 through 1994. Between 1998 and 2000, another $100 million investment modernized the lobby and introduced a Precor USA Fitness Center on the fifth floor. Around this period, the hotel adopted the name Hilton New York, aligning with Hilton’s branding approach of placing "Hilton" before city names. The 2007 update added 47 suites across floors 42 to 44, each measuring .
In celebration of its 50th year in 2013, it was renamed New York Hilton Midtown. At this time, traditional room service was discontinued in favor of a self-service dining option called "Herb n' Kitchen." Ownership shifted to Park Hotels & Resorts in 2017 following its separation from Hilton Worldwide.
Notable events and media
Hilton Hotels & Resorts asserts that the lyrics for John Lennon's iconic 1971 track "Imagine" were penned within this hotel.
In early 1971, reporters including Neil Sheehan from The New York Times utilized hotel rooms to compile and analyze the classified Pentagon Papers, a confidential Department of Defense report on the Vietnam War leaked by Daniel Ellsberg.
In June 1972, during a string of sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, Elvis Presley stayed at the hotel and conducted a press conference in its Mercury Ballroom.
On April 3, 1973, engineer Martin Cooper made history by placing the first public handheld cellular phone call from within the hotel using a Motorola DynaTAC device. The cellular base station was stationed nearby atop 1345 Avenue of the Americas.
The hotel once owned land to its west where the former site of the Adelphi Theatre stood—the original filming location for The Honeymooners. After demolition in 1970, an office tower was constructed there in 1989 at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, linked to the Hilton via a pedestrian walkway. This building is famously depicted as Elaine’s workplace on Seinfeld.
During the course of the 2016 United States presidential election, Donald Trump celebrated his election night victory within the hotel's grand ballroom. The venue frequently hosts prominent award ceremonies such as the International Emmy Awards and serves as a location for events like the Inner Circle Show—an annual charity dinner organized by New York City journalists.
On December 4, 2024, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was tragically shot outside the hotel's lobby moments before an investor meeting.