Built in 1939, the McKittrick Hotel became New York's place to be and be seen, and high society fought for reservations months in advance. Alfred Hitchcock, one of the hotel's first guests, would later give the name McKittrick to the hotel in Vertigo, so much did he enjoy his stay.
However, despite its initial success, the McKittrick did not survive the year:  World War II broke out and the McKittrick's fortunes rapidly deteriorated, as bookings were cancelled and prices plummeted.
Barely able to pay staff salaries, not to mention millions of dollars in debt, the McKittrick - like countless other New York City hotels - closed its doors.
The debt was slowly but surely repaid, the property having been passed down to two generations of McKittrick's in the hope that it would one day find new life.
And after decades of waiting, the old hotel has become an intimate venue, hosting NY's eclectic parties, including the exclusive "Inferno" and "Sleep no more".