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The infamous New York City hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, has reopened its doors after a massive eight-year renovation gave the nostalgic building a modern facelift – but the essence of old Park Avenue money hasn’t disappeared.
After eight years of renovations, delays, and ownership scandals, the iconic hotel is back, with many nods to its roots.
The Waldorf Astoria has a long history of influencing culture, fashion, and architecture, donning a unique Art Deco style that put the hotel on the map.
Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, once referred to the Waldorf Astoria as ‘the greatest of them all’.
The newest version of the hotel has significantly cut down on rooms from 1,400 to only 375, increasing the exclusivity and making it even more difficult to book a stay.
The reduction has also made the rooms some of the largest in the city, starting at 570 square feet.
The hotel’s infamous Peacock Alley, which once connected the Waldorf and the Astoria before it became one building, has been restored to its original grandeur.
The alley got its name from the promenade that guests would take to show off their wealth.
The Waldorf Astoria reopened its doors on July 15 after eight years of renovations
The hotel’s infamous Peacock Alley, which used to connect the two buildings before it moved locations, prominently displaces the grand Waldorf Clock (pictured), once commissioned by Queen Victoria
The iconic hotel has a long history in New York City, as it was once two separate hotels before it moved to Park Avenue
The Waldorf Salad (pictured) was invented at the hotel and is one of the Waldorf Astoria’s claims to fame
Now that the building is one hotel, Peacock Alley has become the Waldorf Astoria’s breathtaking lounge.
The grand Waldorf clock is the star of the show in the center of the lounge. It was once commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Also featured prominently in Peacock Alley is a beautiful Steinway grand piano that once belonged to the famous American composer Cole Porter.
Porter composed scores for several Broadway shows, including Kiss Me, Kate, and the 1965 film, High Society, which starred Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra.
He lived in the Waldorf Astoria from 1934 until he died in 1964. The tribute to him goes beyond decoration, as the hotel plans to have a pianist play the instrument for guests in the lobby.
Rooms decreased in the new renovations from 1,400 to just 375. The room sizes are now the largest in the city, starting at 570 square feet
The Waldorf Astoria has seen some of history’s most iconic stars. Pictured above are two guests celebrating the new year in 1940
Setting the scene
The doors to the Waldorf Astoria have seen many celebrities and political figures, including Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, and even Queen Elizabeth II, walk through them.
The hotel is steeped in history, with the Grand Ballroom being the first venue to host the Tony Awards.
Monroe is said to have met former President John F. Kennedy at the awards ceremony.
The Waldorf Astoria also introduced the world to the famous Waldorf salad, a classic fruit and nut salad created by the maitre d’hotel Oscar Tschirky in 1893.
The hotel’s kitchen is responsible for producing other staples like red velvet cake and eggs Benedict.
Lemuel Benedict, a retired Wall Street stockbroker, is believed to have ordered the combination to cure his hangover, which inspired Tschirky to popularize the dish.
The Waldorf Astoria was the first to offer 24-hour room service for its guests and was even the first to start hiring female chefs, starting in 1931, according to Culture Now.
The Peacock Alley got its name from the promenade that rich guests would take from one hotel to the next. It now serves as a lounge, pictured above
Despite the renovations, the architecture and design ring true to the hotel’s Art Deco style
The Waldorf History is famous for unique cocktails, including the Bronx Cocktail and Rob Roy
In addition to food, the Waldorf Astoria was famous for cocktails. One of the bartenders, Johnnie Solon, invented the Bronx Cocktail behind the hotel’s bar.
The cocktail is a mix of gin, orange juice, and a dash of vermouth.
History riddled with drama
The hotel’s story begins in 1897 when cousins William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV built two separate hotels on Fifth Avenue.
The cousins turned their mansions into hotels during a bitter feud to one-up each other.
A cruel twist came in 1929 when they were forced to demolish their hotels for construction of the Empire State Building.
They then made a deal to combine the Waldorf and the Astoria into one hotel, moving the location to Park Avenue.
The grand opening came two years later when the Waldorf Astoria debuted as a 47-story skyscraper with a coveted Grand Ballroom that saw Frank Sinatra perform and Albert Einstein speak.
In 1977, Conrad Hilton achieved his dream of acquiring the property, but sold it to Chinese firm Anbang Insurance Group in 2014 for a whopping $1.95 billion in 2014.
Historic figures have graced the iconic hotel, including Queen Elizabeth, seen here arriving for a dinner
The Waldorf Astoria opened its doors in 1931 after moving locations to make way for the Empire State Building
Over a decade later, the sale remains the most expensive hotel sale in history. In 2017, the insurance group began renovations.
However, just two years later, the firm’s chairman, Wu Xiaohui, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fundraising fraud and embezzlement by the Chinese government.
Anbang declared bankruptcy, and the Waldorf Astoria was acquired by another Chinese firm called Dajia Insurance Group.
The legal woes further delayed the hotel’s current renovations, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 pushed it back even further.
A new era
With a rich history of scandal, art, culture, and wealth, the Waldorf Astoria has now entered a new era.
The renovation was overseen by architects from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, one of the leading architecture firms in the country.
The team told the New York Times that they spent years sifting through archival photos to create new designs that rang true to the hotel’s origin.
Chef Michael Anthony, who previously won a Michelin Star at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, is spearheading the cuisine at the Waldorf Astoria’s Lex Yard restaurant.
The hotel’s ballroom has served as a staple of culture over multiple decades, with greats like Frank Sinatra having performed. A 1934 file photo is seen above
The Waldorf Astoria has consistently been at the forefront of cocktail innovation, with drinks such as the Rob Roy cocktail and Bronx Cocktail originating there. Pictured a bartender makes a Rob Roy at the hotel on Wednesday
The hotel also features a massive 30,000 square foot spa with a sprawling fitness center.
The brand is staying true to its ballroom roots, reimagining the Grand Ballroom to accommodate new technology.
The bordering rooms have undergone renovations to make them soundproof, so guests can still rent them out during events.
A gaudy crystal chandelier that used to be the centerpiece of the ballroom has been removed and replaced with a modern lighting system.
Frank Mahan, a principal architect with SOM, told the Times that the lighting of the ballroom, ‘never quite worked the way it was intended’.
The chandelier’s harsh lighting damaged the paneling and metalwork of the ballroom, but now light comes through from coves in the ceiling.
The hotel’s third floor features a stunning hallway called the Silver Corridor, connecting the Grand Ballroom, the Astor Room, and the Basildon Room.
The hallway’s grandiose chandeliers light up the jaw-dropping murals on the ceiling, painted by Edward Emerson Simmons.
The Lex Yard restaurant (pictured) is the flagship dining experience at the Waldorf Astoria
Michelin Star Chef Michael Anthony (pictured) is taking over the hotel’s Lex Yard restaurant
Guests are also promised ultimate comfort in their rooms, which feature dressing areas and private bar areas.
The Waldorf Astoria is officially open for guests and has rooms available starting at a whopping $1,500 a night.
