On Met Gala night, two Upper East Side hotels set the fashion stage before attendees even reach the museum. The real runway starts here.
Every first Monday in May, Madison Avenue briefly steals the spotlight from Fifth Avenue. Two legendary hotels, The Mark and The Carlyle, transform into the ultimate pre-Met Gala scene, drawing crowds eager for a glimpse of fashion royalty. Stars, stylists, and designers flood these hotel lobbies, turning the simple act of departure into headline-making events. Photographers jostle, fans scream, and social media ignites before guests even hit the red carpet uptown.
The Mark
Step into The Mark Hotel on Met Gala afternoon and you enter a hive of haute preparation. The black-and-white Art Deco lobby, ordinarily sedate, becomes “the starriest hotel lobby in the world,” as The Mark’s manager boasts. Since its 2009 relaunch, The Mark has established itself as the definitive prep spot for A-listers. By midday, hallways buzz with designers adjusting hemlines and makeup artists adding final touches amid electric tension. Fully booked by Met Monday, the hotel annually hosts around 60 celebrity guests (and their glam squads). Even Vogue editor-in-chief and gala orchestrator Anna Wintour consistently makes The Mark her personal base.
Outside, the sidewalk transforms into a second red carpet, complete with velvet ropes and flashbulb frenzy. Publicists cue waiting press, security holds back fans, and one by one, stars emerge in full regalia. Recently, The Mark even added a press riser and livestream team to amplify these glamorous departures, generating billions of social media impressions. It’s no surprise celebrities without rooms beg to exit through The Mark’s front door, everyone wants that iconic “Mark moment.”
The hotel draws a fashion who’s-who each Met Gala evening. You might glimpse Nicole Kidman descending steps in vintage Chanel or Kendall Jenner shimmering under its striped awning. Cardi B’s spontaneous photo-op in the restaurant and Gigi Hadid’s monochrome entrance are already hotel lore. Even off-duty antics become legendary, like Doja Cat emerging cheekily in a bathrobe before transforming into her red carpet ensemble, proving The Mark effortlessly hosts high fashion and high jinks alike. From afternoon until the last van departs, The Mark delivers a parade of style that often rivals the Met Gala itself.
The Carlyle
Just a block away, The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel presents a distinct yet equally captivating pre-gala atmosphere. A symbol of New York society since 1930, The Carlyle has housed royalty, presidents, and legendary style icons, earning its nickname, “the palace of secrets.” Typically discreet, the hotel embraces a festive buzz on Met Gala night as rising fashion stars mingle with seasoned grandees. Since 2018, it has rolled out its own crimson carpet, formally inviting the flashbulbs it once resisted. Even Bemelmans Bar, the hotel’s famed cocktail lounge, feels electric, like a couture-clad rock concert.
The Carlyle’s blend of elegance and privacy attracts top-tier guests like Rihanna, who has repeatedly made it her Met Gala headquarters. Who could forget her 2015 appearance, stepping out engulfed in an imperial-yellow couture cape, or her 2018 papal-inspired ensemble that delighted waiting fans? In 2021, Rihanna departed last, commanding attention with her voluminous Balenciaga coat, transforming The Carlyle’s curb into her personal runway.
The hotel’s guest roster balances Hollywood glamour, fashion royalty, and pop-culture edge. Naomi Campbell, Kendall Jenner, and Priyanka Chopra have all chosen its Art Deco halls for their gala preparations. Moments unfold like cinematic vignettes, Sarah Paulson emerging in custom Prada, Penélope Cruz adjusting her veil, or designer Marc Jacobs showcasing his crystal-adorned look. Miley Cyrus, ever the wildcard, has even turned The Carlyle’s sidewalk into a stage. The hotel documents these fleeting instants with in-house Polaroids, offering guests private mementos, a uniquely Carlyle blend of intimacy and glamour.
