Now, as it turns 75, unspecified millions are being spent to enhance the 600 guest rooms and 86 suites of the hotel, which is being re-rechristened as the Inter-Continental The Barclay New York. New amenities include king-size beds in more than half the rooms, a centralized air conditioning and heating system with guest-controlled thermostats, enhanced soundproofing and telephones in the bathrooms.

To accommodate business travelers, rooms have been furnished with power and data ports, and an oval-shaped table with wheels that doubles as a desk so guests can position themselves anywhere in the room to work online.

Renovations of the meeting rooms and conference facilities are scheduled to be made this summer by the interior design firm Forrest Perkins, which also worked on the guest rooms. It will also revamp the traditional appearance of the Barclay Bar and Grill into a more contemporary, upscale design.