The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-02
TEE METROPOLITAN HOTEL,
The Opening Observation-Disclosures ~ shs
Ifouss--ATrrvai or Uniued States Ssnstod
AMI other Disfingrish.d Gaosss, sc.


way and Prince street. was opened yesterday fortas
reception Of guests Il is under the propris.orshil
OF the brothers Leland who formerly kept the Gin
ton Hotel in BcekmGn street Before tho house wad
opened, io,u hundred persons had engaged rooms.
Last night there were five hundred dodgers in the
house, and tho clerks were obliged to refuse three
hundred application for apartments.
An opening dinner, or house warming" as the
old Knickerbockers used to term it, was given last
evening by tho proprietors, and all VINO we're pro
sent agreed in pronouncing il a very comsortahl,
affair vi its kind There about throo hundres
guests present, Including members Of the press
members of the city government, members q the
bar, and bon ripaats Of various professions. Tho
bill Of fare was Q good one. and the appe.i:ss u
the guests were fully equal to its full appreciation
Tho covers were removed at about seven o':.ock,
and for about an hour the chatter Of knives and
forks and the juggling Of glasses betokened sharp
work 1t is enough to say Of this part Of me enteF
tainment, that the meats, &c were good and weA
served and the wines, Of several branda we're ex-
cellent.
As seem to havo come upon q Few s-a Ia
hotel building and furnishing, submit n brief
description Of the house, which, even in it's
unfinished state, fairly dazzles ami beyildera
Of Arabian Nights tales or Of the abb les Of the
happy dwellers in fairy land Think, for instance.
OF shaking ones thirst in hotel from gols ~ silver
go5lcts, with water drawn from pitcher Of the
same material, Of giving the last touch 10 ones
vest collar, at dinner time, before mirror WORTH
$4,000. But such are part Of the appointments Of
this new Inn by the Broadway roadside. Tho sita
is that on which formerly stood Niblo's Garden
But for the description.
The Metropolitan Hotels one of the most magnii-
cent structures Of the kind in the country and per-
haps. in the world. No expense has been spared in
rearing the edico, or in fitting il ont with all tha
modern improvements The building forms an L.,
three hundred feet fronting Broadway, and two
hundred feet on Prince street l. is six stories
high, and presents front Of brown stone, hand
somely finished. The architecture is termed Ro-
man, though the style is not pure in any order
The main entrance, on Broadway, ~ through O.
spurious doorway, and leads to the public office Of
the house. On tho first floor the ladies recep-
ton room, gentlemens Longing room, DRESSING
rooms, and other apartments necessary to the prOpd
reception Of guests, prior to assigning thsm roomd
The floors of the Office and other public rooms ar
paved with marble slabs. The mantlss in the rs
cepton rooms are made Of rare marble, and the fua
nture is all rich and inviting. Thore 10 priya6
staircase leading from the ladies' reception room to
tho second story but the thoroughfare to tho uppd
part Of the house is by the broad staircase, which ia
very wide, and protected on each side by hcavvy
bannisters, surnOunted with n massive oak rail,
handl onely wrought out, and polished to tho
highest extent. The first landing is ylahted b
q window Of stained glass, which is finished in "A
elaborate style, Presenting. among other dessgns.
the Arms Of the United States, the Arms u the
State Of New York, and the Cout Of Arms Of tha
CITY Of New York The Capitol 2. wsnnsSn
ing is magnificent, and the window, altogether is
feature Of the house. AFT
On the second floor are four elegant Iarlors, win:
ladies parlor, twenty four by thirty feet, in which
are roe YER mrCt0lgoc0
beautiful white marble, ornamented with gent
skill The furniture is OF rosewood, covered with
rich brocatee; and silk dalnask curtains are hung ct
the Windows The walls are painted in frcsco, and
the designs upon the ceiling ars chsse and bSauti-
full, showing the unmistakcnble traces OF tho hand
Of art. The second Parlor on this floor - called
the reception parlor 1t is in size sixteen ~ thirty
feet. The mantel is Of pink Lisbon marble, Sod the
walls are painted in rich panol work. A door opens
out upon the balcony on Broadway, where view
may be had Of the great thoroughfare IRON trinity
to Grace church. The third is called the vest!buls
parlor. Tho mantelpecc hero is made Of B.ocatelle
marble, and the panel work is very rich, tho ceiling
particularly. In this a drink Of cool Cotton
water may always be had. A massive silver satyer.
holding silver pitcher and two gold linod silver
goblcts, being part Of the furniture OF tho apart
ment. This service Of silver cost $500 The fourth,
or gentlemen parlor furnished With chairs sofas,
lounges, etc framed of oak, and trimmed with
green morocco. The room measures twensy.four
by thirty feet. In the rear of the gentlenens par
lor is tho gentlemens reading room, } spaciou
apartment, The furniture in which IS OF The same
style that of the parlor opposite, oak, trimmed
with green morocco The drapery in this room IL
gold and green, and the carpet exeeediosly r'ch.
though by no means gay. In fact, the elrpek
throughout the house are OF the most expensive
fabric, and selected with great good tassc. There
this floor, besides the parors, read rooms,
needless to say aught but that they are lrnishsd
in style of elegance hitherto unsurpassed II the
annals Of hotel kcopng the furniture IN tho parlors
in the sleeping apartments, and bathing rooms,
designed. Hot and cold water is always on in the
bath room which is attached to each suit, and the
The Prince street wing Of this floor is oocvpied BY
magnificent dining room, to DO used for the Two
o'clock ordinary. This room is ono hundred and
four feet six inches in length by thirty SIX feet in
windows, each Of which is pluced the coat OF
arms OF some nation. Over the four doors ara the
coats Of arms Of the cities Of New York, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore, and Boston. The panels Of tho
doors are mirrors. At the head Of the room is o
mirror, the plate Of which i eight feet :wo ndhes
high, by on feet four inches vile. This IS sai0
10 be he largest plate yet Imported 20 this country
At the opposite end OF the room Is also very
fine mirror. though not quite 80 large as that
Mt the head Of the saloon. The side tables are
Of SCI gliola, and the work surrounding them
is rare and beautiful. just beneath each slab OF
side table s piece Of carved work. representing
baccbanalian device, brought out in high relief
The walls are fresooed i. the highest stye. The
ceiling is finished in panel work, and at the cor
ners of the panels are thrown in fruit pieces,
bouquets, md other appropriate designs. There ars
four elaborately wrought chandeliers and twenty
ride brackets, for gas, all finished, and eoaored in
what is called dragon gilt" Connected with the
dining room are the pantries, where every dish is
received from the kitchen, ard, il necessary kept
hot by means Of ste m PIPES The two O'clock or
binary is room dir city beneath the saloon jus. de-
iciibed, and IS Of the same dimensions. IL IS fine
saloop complete in all its appointments, but not qto
as elaborately finished as the room up stains.
Just ut the head Of The lower dining room is tho
private entrance from Prince street The stairwaya
leading from this entrance like those on Broadway
are well built of substantial construction, and high
" finished. Tho passages are well lighted By
windows at tho head of each ght OF stairs and by
a stained glass skyight at the top Of me omidinSA
producing q singphry good effect.
Op TIC tbirJ 1oo- the rpartments arc furnished