Park Row, Broadway and City Hall Park

Text from the Nelson's Guide: «The hotel establishments of New York are famous over the world, being on such a scale, and of such perfect organization in all their departments, as to defy all rivalry and to excite the admiration of strangers. One of the most important, although not the most extensive, is that of the Astor House, named after the late John Jacob Astor. It is situated in Broadway, with its front to the Park, and it is the only hotel of a leading character found in the lower part of the city. It is formed of granite, and is remarkable for the simplicity yet massive character of its design. Its front upon Broadway is 201 feet, six storeys in height ; altogether it is a massive, independent structure, exhibiting rows of windows on every side. The ground floor is entirely occupied as retail-stores; and not till we ascend the central flight of steps, and find ourselves in the great lobby, with its marble flooring and pillars, do we come into contact with the distinctive signs of the establishment. These signs are to be found in the porters, young men, and others, who are lounging there, or busily employed in connection with the arrival or departure of visitors ; the piles of luggage lying here and there, and the presence of the functionary, with his apprentices, whose business it is to receive the names of the comers, to assign to them their apartments, and to hold a general supervision over the book-keeping interests of the establishment. The internal arrangements of this, as well as the other leading houses of the kind, are as near perfection as can well be imagined ; everything is conducted with systematic regularity — a regularity which no amount of crowding or throng of business is allowed for a m6nient to disturb. The table d'hôte hours at the Astor are— breakfast from 8 to 10, dinner at 3, and tea at 7. The entire charge at this house for board and lodging, including attendance, is about two and a-half dollars a-day — the usual charge at such establishments, although in some cases they are a little higher.»