The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge check into the Carlyle during a visit to the United States
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the luxe Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, in New York around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, their first stop in a three-day trip to the Eastern United States.Chad Rachman/The Associated Press
The 188-room hotel, located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is a favourite of celebrities and Royals – including Prince William’s mother, the late Diana, who stayed there frequently in the 1990s. So what are the rooms like?Andrew Kelly/Reuters
In a word: swanky. The hotel will not disclose which room William and Catherine are staying in, but the Royal Suite seems a likely choice, judging by the name. The 1,700-square-feet space features two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a six-person dining room, two marble bathrooms, a grand piano and a fireplace. One night costs $15,000 (U.S.).
Then again, the Empire Suite is actually the most grand in the hotel, coming in at 2,600 square feet and boasting three bedrooms, four and half bathrooms, a private art collection and floor-to-ceiling picture windows with stunning views of Central Park. The “duplex” is so large it’s spread over the 26th and 27th floors.
At a Sunday briefing, officials were asked how Kate, pregnant with the couple’s second child, was expected to spend her downtime. The response: “I don’t suspect she will be out and about.” Perhaps she will visit the Carlyle’s Sense spa, where celebrity facialist Su-Man Hsu is offering treatments Dec. 9 - 13.
Or perhaps she’ll have her famous tresses pampered at the on-site Yves Durif salon, where a cut can run $300. Surprising fact: One of Yves’s star clients is Neil Young.
Interested in checking into the Carlyle yourself? Superior rooms, starting at 350 square feet, come with many of the same perks Will and Kate will receive – Kiehl’s toiletries, an oversized umbrella, twice-daily housekeeping – starting at $450.
Just don’t try to reserve a room for Monday night. The hotel is fully booked. Gee, wonder why.