Off Manhattan’s 44th Street, a few steps from the hustle and bustle of Times Square, is The Chatwal Hotel. A few years ago this amazing property got a new lease on life. From what used to be the exclusive haunt of The Lambs Club, Midtown hangout for the theatrical set, The Chatwal Hotel now brings the Lambs’ vibe to all comers in need of a meal, a drink, and a room.

The prestigious Lambs was America’s first professional theatrical club. It originated in London before making its way to this side of the Atlantic. John Barrymore, Red Barber, George Michael Cohan, John Wayne, Douglas Fairbanks, and Fred Astaire were just a few of the impressive list of over 6000 Lambs members.

In 1905, the club hired celebrity architect Stanford White to design their club in Midtown. For the Lambs Club, White’s work reflected the spirit of the age — a turn of the century period of confidence and optimism in the United States that inspired the feeling that America might be the embodiment of no less than Greek Democracy, Roman Law, and Renaissance Humanism. The architecture of the day reflected this, notable examples being the homes of the Vanderbilts, the Washington Square arch, and the original Madison Square Garden, where White used to live in a grand apartment on the second floor.