Muenchinger-King (M K) Hotel - Newport, Rhode Island

Muenchinger-King Hotel in 1914

Muenchinger-King Matches
Approx. 1930's

Muenchinger-King Hotel in 1998

Muenchinger-King Hotel as it looks today

MK Hotel postcard

The first time I saw the phrase "Muenchinger-King" together was in a ad for the Confectionary in 1857, and "Muenchinger-King" in the sense of a hotel was in September 1895 when an article spoke of Muenchinger-King Cottage. The Meunchinger Hotel was established by Gustave A. Meunchinger and his wife in 1899 and is located at the corner of Catherine and Bellevue Ave. The MK appears to have been the "in" place to hold wedding receptions, anniversary receptions, class reunions, League Banquets, club meetings (like Sierra, Trigon, or Jay-C-Ettes), along with receptions for government officials and ambassadors. It appears to have been the home for socialites coming to Newport for "the season." On April 4, 1903, 20 men came to the MK from New York for a $5,000 bachelor dinner given by Reginald C. Vanderbilt (groom to be married to Cathleen Neilson). At this time it was also referred to as the Hill Top House. (The Hill Top House is said to have been built for and occupied by the famous architect Richard Morris Hunt - designer of "The Breakers," "Ochre Court," and "Belcourt" to name a few. It was one of the two hotel building operated by the Muenchinger-King Company.)

The MK fell into trouble with not paying taxes (some articles said $35,000 and some $37,000) and was ordered to be put up for sale in approximately September of 1966. The sale was postponed a few times. The first sale date was to be October 11, 1966. This was postponed till November 10, then March 15, 1967, then April 5, 1967, April 25, 1967, then April 3, 1968 before finally being sold on May 14, 1968. The Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co. bought the property for $35,000 plus paying the back taxes ($24,133.31 ) and an unpaid water bill. The sale was attended by a large crowd of people, but RITC was only bidder. Peter Mongini (owner at the time) was there and also Leonard Ball - the hotel's veteran matired', of whom it was said, "the M-K perhaps would not have lasted as long as it did."

A December 1967 article said Dutch Inns of America Inc was to buy hotel and build a multi-story hotel on the site of the MK before a Hilton could be built on Goat Island. The same article said the property was transferred from Scafield to Thirty Eight Bellevue Avenue Inc with the deed was signed my Peter Mongini for the Scafield Corp. This deal obviously fell through with evidence being an April 1968 article still listed Scarfield Inc as the owners, and that we know the proposed new hotel was never built. A December 31, 1969 article says, "During the year two of Newport's older hostelrys changed ownership. Michael J. Bove III took controlling interest in the Viking Hotel and Motor Inn. The old MK was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John. G. Clifford. New owners have already began extensive renovations in the older establishment." In fact in July 1969 a small section of the back of the MK Hotel was torn down to make a parking area. The Hotel was being renovated into apartments and gift shops.

By 1974 the MK wasn't as such anymore as an obituary for a worker referred to it as "the former MK"

The Cowsills had fond memories of playing at the MK. They were doing weekly gigs starting in about August 1965 and were still doing 3 shows a week as of September '65.

From The Newport Daily News

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