It may still be two years out, but Dina De Luca Chartouni is already deep in preparations for the centennial of The Lowell Hotel in 2027. Part of her plans include filmed interviews with some of the hotel’s most famous guests through the years.
One of those is actress Ali MacGraw who lived at The Lowell when she was in New York making a film back in the 1970s. “I had to be in New York for 10 weeks or more,” she said, “and I needed a place where I could also invite my mother, who was recently widowed, and my little boy. The search for a three-bedroom in New York City was very difficult, but I heard about this hotel. It was a little funky so it was perfect for me. From the space and natural light that pours into the rooms to the promise of excellent room service — it was nothing short of a magical time for me.”
The boutique hotel is no longer funky — it was purchased by De Luca Chartouni’s husband Fouad Chartouni in 1982 and reopened in 1985 after a gut renovation. In 2017, the public areas were given a $25 million refresh. And MacGraw was in awe of the changes. “It’s extraordinary,” she said. “It’s actually the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever seen — and I travel a lot. It has a very unique energy and I love the scale, intimacy and the staff.”
On Wednesday, MacGraw was the guest of honor at a special Valentine’s Day Lily of the Valley afternoon tea at The Lowell’s Majorelle restaurant hosted by De Luca Chartouni as part of the hotel’s Love at The Lowell month.
Dina De Luca Chartouni and Ali MacGraw
Courtesy of The Lowell
She revisited her old apartment — “14B, the garden suite,” De Luca Chartouni said — and her reaction was recorded so it could be included in a documentary that will be prepared for the anniversary. “What you have done is blindingly beautiful,” MacGraw said of the hotel.
“Having Ali back at The Lowell during this time when we celebrate love and romance is quite special,” said De Luca Chartouni. “As we move towards celebrating The Lowell’s centenary in 2027, these visits from legendary guests bring past stories to life, while allowing us to create new and very special ones.”
She said she’s planning a “year of events” to celebrate one of New York’s only remaining independently owned historic hotels. “It’s rare in New York City to have a hotel with this kind of pedigree,” she said. As a result, “I decided to look at the stories and the guests who are still alive and vibrant and invite them back to tell their stories on camera.” The film will also include staff and visitors, she said.
In addition to the film, which has a working title of “If These Walls Could Talk,” De Luca Chartouni is also preparing a book dedicated to The Lowell’s history. “I have traced the original Dutch farm family who owned and worked the plot of land that the Lowell was built upon in 1927,” she said. “Built as a hotel, it’s unique as a property since it was never converted into a mixed-use hotel or taken over by a large hospitality brand. The Lowell remains more relevant today in the world of luxury hospitality than when it was built 100 years ago.”
So in honor of Valentine’s Day, and MacGraw’s most-famous film, “Love Story,” she decided this was the perfect time to invite the 85-year-old actress in for a sip of tea and some snacks.
The Dior-inspired tea service at Majorelle in The Lowell hotel.
courtesy
In May, De Luca Chartouni launched a year-long partnership with Dior for a year-long Lily of the Valley high tea service at Majorelle that includes scones with Devonshire cream and homemade mixed berry and clementine marmalades as well as English tea sandwiches, such as chicken curry and lobster roll, and sweets such as lemon-infused trifle and a puffed pistachio choux.
She said response to the tea has been quite strong and she’s hoping the partnership will be extended.
