Hotel Belleclaire: The Hotel Belleclaire, which opened southwest of 77th Street on Broadway in 1903, was originally intended to serve wealthy clientele seeking apartment hotel rooms. Russian author Maxim Gorky was famously kicked out of the hotel in 1906 as bad press swirled around his visit to the U.S. Its reputation declined over the years. During the 1939 World’s Fair, double rooms at the hotel were advertised for as little as $2.50 a night. In recent years, in an attempt to freshen up the hotel, the Belleclaire’s owners have refurbished its guest rooms and restored its lobby.
