Gates maintained a suite at the Waldorf-Astoria of New York City from 1894 onwards. Though he paid US$30,000 yearly for it, his visits pained the hotel's manager, George Boldt, at times. Gates and his guests were often loud and boisterous. He had a private entrance and elevator, but Gates had a habit of banging on the elevator doors and shouting for service. Boldt instructed his elevator operators to take their time when serving his floor, as it allowed Gates to make as much noise as he wished for a few minutes. Gates' suite was often home to high-stakes poker parties and Baccarat games. Many poker games began on the train from Chicago to New York and were continued at the Waldorf. One poker game lasted for five days and nights; when it was done at least US$2 million had changed hands. Dellora Gates had long since resigned herself to her husband's all-night poker games, but many times became upset about them. Gates made it a practice to keep some unset diamonds in his vest pocket for the times when Dellora became angry about the late hours at cards. He would then present a gem to his wife, who would suddenly forget her anger with him. Dellora would take the diamond to Tiffany & Co. to be set in a piece of jewelry of her choice.