Ever met Mathilda, the hotel’s cat, at the lobby late at night? Recently health regulations require Mathilda to stay out of food-related areas. In a few days, Matilda will no longer be an issue. The Algonquin is closing in January for a four-month renovation. Matilda will move to temporary quarters, “an exclusive cat spa,” Ms. Almeida’s house in Sunnyside, Queens. She has three other cats, “playmates or hiss-mates,” she said.

Dorothy Parker had the famous Round Table founded here. In 1934 John Henry O’Hara wrote Appointment in Samarra here.

William Faulkner penned his 1950 Nobel Prize speech in the Algonquin Suite and Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote My Fair Lady in Lerner’s suite.

No wonder this hotels offers an Author’s Rate. Cat fanciers may contact Matilda directly at matildaalgonquincat@destinationhotels.com.