Recently, I was invited to a media familiarization program at The Carlton on Madison Avenue. Though it wasn't really a trip, per se, the fam still gave me the opportunity to experience some new things, such as staying in a suite in a luxury New York City hotel.

To be fully honest, I had never heard of the Carlton. But the fam, over a late-February weekend, showed what the hotel, a 12-story Beaux Arts building on 29th St. erected in 1904, has to offer - including a restored lobby featuring a tasteful architectural blend of classic and modern, elegant meeting rooms, and a Michelin-rated restaurant.

That restaurant, Country, owned by chef Geoffrey Zakarian, hosted a fine six-course meal for a small contingent of journalists. We got to savor items from the seasonal menu, including a shrimp and lobster bisque and a medallion steak, and, beforehand, we sipped champagne in Country's second-floor Champagne Lounge.

Now, the beautiful lobby. It has a two-story waterfall flanked by suede panels, crystal chandeliers encased by frosted-acrylic boxes, a curvy staircase leading from street level down to the reception desk, and mahogany wood finishing throughout. Meanwhile, my humongous suite (as with all 316 guest rooms and suites) featured plush furnishings and down-feather bedding, an elegant marble bathroom, and an alarm clock radio with an iPod docking stations. It also featured a fantastic view of the Empire State Building.

The Carlton has a total of 6,000 square feet of meeting space, which is mostly used by financial and insurance companies. After feasting on a breakfast of eggs Benedict and pastries - made on property by Country's culinary team, which also caters meetings - during a presentation by sales and marketing director Jill Lieblein, the media squad toured the rooms, which are as richly appointed as the rest of the hotel.

The largest is the Seville room, which can host 110 attendees theater-style. Meanwhile, the Madison room, with a windowed wall overlooking Madison Avenue, can be used as an executive boardroom, and the Murray Hill room is a dedicated ballroom. The Flatiron room boasts a collection of black-and-white photos of jazz greats like Billie Holliday and Count Basie.

Lieblein said the hotel will begin some guest-room renovations later this year; some rooms will be converted to parlor rooms. The Carlton will also add a fitness center and spa. Right now, it offers guests complimentary passes to a nearby gym.