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Celebrate 100 years at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta with a guided, archival-powered rooftop tour led by Robyn Roth‑Moise. Enjoy penthouse skyline views, historic drawings from Columbia’s Avery Library, and small bites from The Parliament.
Celebrate 100 years at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta with a guided, archival-powered rooftop tour led by Robyn Roth‑Moise. Enjoy penthouse skyline views, historic drawings from Columbia’s Avery Library, and small bites from The Parliament.
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Operated by Untapped New York · New York, New York
On the 50th Street skyline of Midtown Manhattan, The Benjamin Royal Sonesta at 125 E 50th St offers a rare urban heritage walk-through that reads like a compact architectural expedition. This Centennial Celebration centers on The Benjamin — originally opened as The Beverly Hotel in 1926 — and unfolds atop a private penthouse terrace with views of the Midtown skyline. Guided by Robyn Roth‑Moise, great‑granddaughter of architect Emery Roth, the 90‑minute experience pairs archival imagery, rooftop vistas, and small bites from The Parliament to tell the building’s story.
The tour’s key features include preserved interior details from the 1920s, the hotel’s exterior masonry and period ornament, and a private penthouse terrace that frames Midtown’s familiar peaks. The program highlights Emery Roth & Sons’ influence across the neighborhood; attendees compare historic drawings and photos from Columbia University’s Avery Library archive with the buildings that still mark the avenue. That tangible link between paper and pavement—the way a hand‑inked elevation aligns with a cornice seen from the terrace—turns a hotel visit into an on‑the‑ground study of masonry, ornamentation, and early 20th‑century hotel programming.
What makes this offering singular is its lineage: a living voice directly descended from Emery Roth’s practice narrates the firm’s design choices and preservation work. The combination of a private skyline perch, curated archival material, and cocktails and small plates served by The Parliament makes the evening part history lesson, part social hour—ideal for architecture lovers, design students, and visitors who want Midtown from a different angle.
Practical details: the meeting point is The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York, 125 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022; the guided event lasts roughly 90 minutes and caps at 20 guests. The presentation includes original drawings, historic photographs, and an on‑site storyteller; complimentary refreshments are provided. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before start.
Why go: beyond skyline selfies, this event transforms familiar streets into evidence of an architect’s hand. The Benjamin functions as a microcosm of Midtown’s architectural evolution—its preserved interiors and rooftop views present design history in three dimensions. For visitors seeking a compact, highly contextual cultural outing in Manhattan, this centennial celebration is a chance to see the city’s fabric reframed by family memory, archival material, and an elevated vantage point.
Guests often remark that hearing Robyn Roth‑Moise describe her family’s drafting process humanizes the skyline; original pencil marks and client notes visible in the Avery selections reveal the constraints and ambitions of 1920s hotel design. The intimate group size encourages questions, and the rooftop’s unobstructed sightlines make architectural comparisons immediate. Suitable for solo travelers and small groups, the celebration doubles as a focused social evening where learning and local connection come with every sip and conversation.
Meet at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York, 125 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022—check in at the hotel desk and give your reservation name.
The event runs roughly 90 minutes, including rooftop time and the archival presentation.
Yes—complimentary small bites and specialty cocktails are provided by The Parliament during the event.
Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour starts.
Accessibility details are not listed here; contact The Benjamin Royal Sonesta directly to confirm elevator access and accommodations.
Group size is limited to around 20 guests to keep the experience intimate and conversational.
Untapped New York is a specialist tour operator based in Jersey City, New Jersey, offering immersive, history-focused experiences across the New York metropolitan area. The company curates guided walking tours, hard hat access trips, private tours, and urban exploration itineraries that reveal hidden architecture, abandoned spaces, and lesser-known cultural stories. Signature experiences include private tours of remnants of Old Penn Station with photographic documentation from noted photographers and railroad historians; Secrets of Grand Central led by award-winning guides; and multiple Ellis Island Hospital hard hat tours that explore century-old contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms, and JR’s "Unframed" exhibition. Other offerings include underground subway explorations, Gilded Age mansions walks along Fifth Avenue, and thematic cultural routes such as NYC’s Irish History Tour. Tours are presented as focused, small-group experiences—private and public—designed for visitors and locals who want deep historical context and rare access. Untapped New York highlights tangible artifacts and architectural remnants, combining storytelling with visual materials to enrich each tour. The company works with specialist guides, photographers, and historians to document locations factually and compellingly. Booking options include private tours and scheduled public departures for select trips. Whether exploring abandoned hospital wards, hidden stations, or the opulent façades of Millionaire’s Row, Untapped New York emphasizes archival research, expert-led narration, and unique on-site photographs to convey the layered history of New York’s built environment. Scheduled experiences feature Remnants of Penn Station, Secrets of Grand Central, Ellis Island Hospital Hard Hat Tours, NYC’s Underground Subway Tour, Fifth Avenue Gilded Age mansion walks.
Book with Untapped New York