Photos by Darek Solarski

I came across a funky fantasy hotel on Blog Like You Give A Damn, but it was in the Midwest. So I did a little search of theme hotels closer to home and came up with one right here in NY.

I’ve heard of The Carlton Arms and I think I even know someone who stayed there once (my couch must’ve been booked). What I didn’t realize is that it’s so cool inside. Not only are the walls covered with colorful murals, this is a budget hotel. With rates starting at $80 per night, what cheap ass relative would pass this up? (My relatives, that’s who)

The Gramercy Park 54 room hotel has been around for about 100 years. Original clientele included out of state farmers and businessmen who parked their horses in the carriage barn next door.

During prohibition, the Carlton lobby acted as a speak-easy with gambling taking place in the upstairs rooms. It became a respectable hotel again for a while until the 50’s when it became a hang out for drag queens, prostitutes and drug addicts. Not that drag queens can’t be respectable.

Like so many other NYC buildings, including my own, The Carlton became an SRO during the 60’s. By the 80’s, it had hit rock bottom, with a steady clientele of pushers, junkies and nut jobs.

Ed Ryan took over the place when the owner had a mental breakdown. As rooms vacated, he cleaned them up and rented them to travelers looking for inexpensive lodging. In 1983, front desk clerk, artist Gil Dominguez painted a series of murals. Other artists came and followed suit in the rooms.

John Ogren and Ty Inwood took over the hotel in 1998. Now it’s mostly young European and Asian hipsters staying there.