OUR HISTORY: A CHAPTER IN THE STORY OF GREENWICH VILLAGE

  • Hotel Earle

    Born the Hotel Earle in 1902 as a small 8 story residential hotel in New York’s fashionable Greenwich Village.

    Photo courtesy of the Wurts Bros. collection, the Museum of the City of New York

  • Twin Sister

     

    By 1907 we had a new twin sister.

    photo courtesy of the wurts bros. collection, the museum of the city of new york

  • Nine More Stories

     

    Another growth spurt took us to nine stories in 1910.

    photo courtesy of the wurts bros. collection, the museum of the city of new york

  • P.G. Wodehouse

    PG Wodehouse

    English author and humorist, P.G. Wodehouse arrives in Greenwich Village and stays at the WSH.

  • Dining in Style

     

    Our restaurant circa 1910.

    photo courtesy of the wurts bros. collection, the museum of the city of new york

  • All Grown Up

    Washington Square Hotel - All Grown Up

    We reached our current size in 1917 with the addition of a 3 story building on the corner of Waverly and MacDougal.

    photo courtesy of the wurts bros. collection, the museum of the city of new york

  • Ernest Hemingway

     

    In April, 1918 a young and dashing Ernest Hemingway arrived in Greenwich Village and stayed with us for 3 weeks prior to his WWI service as an ambulance driver.

  • Dylan Thomas

    On his first tour of the United States, Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas checked in to the WSH. Thomas liked his new location because of the easy-going staff and its proximity to his favorite Greenwich Village bars.

  • Maeve Brennan

    Irish-born author and journalist takes up residence at the WSH after becoming the first woman columnist for The New Yorker under the pseudonym “The Long-Winded Lady”.

  • Ian & Sylvia

    Ian and Sylvia

    Canadian folkies Ian & Sylvia take up residence at the WSH and write the hits Four Strong Winds and You Were On My Mind.

  • Ramblin’ Jack Elliott

    Ramblin Jack Elliot meets another young folksinger, Bob Dylan at the WSH and becomes Bobs mentor.

  • Roger McGuinn

    Roger McGuinn

    Before forming the Byrds, Roger McGuinn was living in room 707 at the WSH while working as a back-up singer/musician for Bobby Darin and writing songs at the famous Brill Building.

  • John & Michelle Phillips

    The Mamas and the Papas

    In 1963, 18 year old Michelle Phillips co-wrote California Dreamin’ and Creeque Alley with her husband John (The Mamas and the Papas), while living right here at the WSH.

  • Bob Dylan & Joan Baez

     

    Bob Dylan took up residence at the Washington Square Hotel twice. Once, in 1961 and again in 1964 when he shared room 305 with Joan Baez.

  • The Rolling Stones

     

    The Rolling Stones landed in New York for their first U.S. tour and Washington Square Hotel was their home base.

  • Patricia Highsmith

    Patricia Highsmith

    The author best known for her novels The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train was a frequent guest in her later years.

  • Dee Dee Ramone

    Dee Dee Ramone

     

    The Godfather of Punk, Dee Dee Ramone checks into the Washington Square Hotel.

  • Chuck Berry

     

    The Washington Square Hotel is humbled to have played host to Rock & Roll icon, Chuck Berry.

  • Bo Diddley

     

    Long time Washington Square Hotel regular, Bo Diddley stayed with us every time he played in NYC. He even did a live set in the the lobby for our 100th anniversary.

  • Albert King

     

    Albert King stayed with us when he played the local clubs in Greenwich Village. An extraordinary talent, “The Velvet Bulldozer” influenced the likes of Eric Clapton, Mike Bloomfield, Joe Walsh and Mick Taylor.

  • Acquisition

    Washington Square Hotel 1985

    The Paul family acquire the hotel and begin to upgrade the property.

  • The B-52’s

    The B52’s play CBGB’s and check into the WSH.

  • New Name

    Washington Square Hotel 1986

    The Hotel Earle is now Washington Square Hotel.

  • Renewed Leadership

    Judy Paul becomes CEO