The Surrey, the iconic luxury hotel in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, has opened its doors again. Now welcoming guests as The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel, the hotel marks the inaugural property in North America for Corinthia Hotels.
Owned by the U.K.-based billionaires, Reuben Brothers, The Surrey has been reimagined to offer 70 rooms, 30 suites and 14 private residences. A part of New York’s skyline since 1926, the hotel has hosted presidents and royalty to actors and musicians.
The Reuben Brothers reportedly acquired the bankrupt, 95-year-old The Surrey for $150 million in 2020. The purchase marked a milestone for the millionaires’ hospitality collection. The New York hotel was the latest in their collection of existing pipeline of hotel investments and developments across the U.K. and Europe. In the U.S., besides the Surrey, Reuben Brothers had also acquired a retail condo across the street from Saks Fifth Avenue and Rockfeller Center in New York; two landmarked retail assets in Los Angeles; prime retail space in Palm Beach, Fla.; and a 50% stake in One Thousand Museum, a luxury condo building in Miami.
“The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel, has tapped leading visionaries in dining, spa, design and architecture to bring a sense of vibrancy to Manhattan’s Upper East Side,” said Pradeep Raman, managing director, The Surrey. “We aim to be a cultural mainstay of our neighborhood and add to the dynamic and ever-evolving tapestry of fashion, creativity and art that surrounds us.”
Located on East 76th Street, the hotel’s public spaces and rooms have been designed by London and New York-based MBDS. The design pays homage to New York, with details such as handcrafted Murano chandeliers and bespoke furniture pieces.
The suites draw inspiration from the bridges of Central Park and have been named Bethesda Grandeur Suite, Pine Bank Bridge Suite, Greywacke Heritage Suite and The Surrey Suite. Guests staying at the suites can enjoy dedicated butler services.
The Surrey will house the first New York outpost of the Casa Tua eatery as the exclusive F&B partner. Designed by Italian architect Michele Bonan, the restaurant’s design blends influences from Bonan’s native Florence with modern luxury elements. The Casa Tua experience extends to the hotel’s second floor with a private members’ club.
The hotel also offers a spa (with two treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, gym and Sisley retail shop) which connects to a secluded outdoor terrace along with a curated art collection in collaboration with Paris-based VISTO Gallery.
“We are incredibly proud to have our first opening in North America be one as meaningful as The Surrey, an address that has been lying in wait for its next chapter,” said Simon Casson, CEO of Corinthia Hotels. “We see this hotel as a love letter to New York and a beacon of the city’s creative spirit. As we embark on global growth, The Surrey is in many ways a new flagship, representative of the warm familial spirit of Corinthia that makes all guests feel perfectly at home.”
