Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — October 2017

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T

he Pierre, built by Charles Pierre

Casalasco, has been in the limelight

since it opened in 1930s. Back in the day,

its front row seat on Fifth Avenue

caught the fancy of A-list patrons

including Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Walters,

and Yves Saint-Laurent, who were often in

residence or came for the extravagant balls

and afternoon teas. After its US$100 million

makeover by Taj, the hotel reopened in 2010

and quickly became the address of a new

generation of the rich and the famous. Then

last year, one of its signature spaces gave

them another reason to make a stop.

The Rotunda Room turns the clock

back, I realised as I walked past it on my

way to the French-American restaurant

Perrine. Resurrected last summer, the

romantic Rotunda, formerly known as Oval

Foyer, features the much talked about fl oor-

to-ceiling trompe l’oeil mural by Edward

Melcarth. Architect Daniel Romualdez has

highlighted this Renaissance-style artwork

with dramatic lights to reveal public fi gures

(such as Jackie Kennedy who objected to

being on the wall when the curtain was

raised in 1967) and mythological characters.

Come for the mural and stay for the

supper. The classic cocktails and dishes from

the 60s have been reinvented to give guests a

glimpse of its heritage. Pair Maine lobster

tartine with Champagne and try to spot all

faces from the past. tajhotels.com

—AARTI GUPTA SURENDRANATH

Artist Edward Melcarth

has painted public

fi gures and mythological

characters in his mural at

The Rotunda Room.

26 travelandleisureindia.in

Timeless

in Manhattan

The Rotunda Room at

The Pierre New York, recently

restored by architect

Daniel Romualdez, reminisces

1960’s New York with the

spotlight on the trompe l’oeil

mural by artist Edward Melcarth.

Classic