Waldorf Astoria New York reopens: This is our first look

The Waldorf Astoria New York is a lodge that modified the historical past of motels. All through the years, there have been many variations of the famed property, from its unique inception within the late nineteenth century to the trendy, towering icon gracefully sitting between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue right now.

This property, which Conrad Hilton referred to as “the best of all of them,” launched the world to trendy room service and iconic dishes just like the Waldorf salad, purple velvet cake and eggs Benedict. It additionally hosted a slew of notable friends — together with practically each U.S. president, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth II — and extra vital occasions, conferences and celebrations than one may presumably listing.

However again in 2017, the lodge, on the time residence to greater than 1,400 rooms, closed its doorways for a historic renovation, remodeling an enormous portion of the property into personal residences and decreasing the room rely to simply 375 keys.

Now in a soft-opening section, the Waldorf Astoria New York has been reborn and is welcoming friends again into its hallowed halls.

TPG was one of many first on the scene to expertise an in a single day keep, together with Splenda, our factors pup, who was the very first canine to grace the reopened lodge’s halls. This is what it was like.

First impressions

Regardless of the place you enter the Waldorf Astoria New York, be it through automotive by the attractive (and rare-for-New-York) porte-cochere or beneath the revived “Spirit of Achievement” statue on the doorways on Park Avenue, you’ll instantly be transported again to the glory of New York’s previous.

Over the previous eight years, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill meticulously renovated, restored and reworked the outside of the constructing, whereas Pierre-Yves Rochon revived and modernized the lodge’s interiors.

Inside, friends will discover a mushy opulence that is each contemporary and timeless, from the moody Peacock Alley foyer lounge — the place the lodge’s landmark clock, initially commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition, stands sentinel — to restored murals and tile work, cascading crystal chandeliers and a Steinway piano that after belonged to Cole Porter.

However extra importantly, the one factor equal to the great thing about the lodge is the employees’s enthusiasm to welcome again friends, and the hospitality we skilled throughout our one-night keep.

The Rooms

For my keep (with a pal and my corgi, Splenda), we got a junior suite with two double beds looking on Park Avenue. Measuring 640 sq. ft, the spacious room felt like a small luxurious condominium slightly than a lodge room, with largely understated colours, together with a beige love seat and inexperienced armchair, mushy carpets and refined particulars likes books, vases and lamps, all artfully organized.

On the wall, a big TV pulled out and round to face the 2 ultra-comfortable beds, whereas a desk divided the dwelling and bed room areas of the principle room. Tucked away in a single nook, a tantalus cupboard hid a well-stocked minibar, Nespresso machine, tea kettle, glassware and reusable water bottles.

Off the principle entryway, a lovely closet area supplied loads of room to unpack and hold clothes. On this explicit suite, the closet additionally hid a door to a connecting room, providing friends much more area if wanted. I did want I may shut the entry hallway off to the principle dwelling/sleeping space for a extra intimate area — if something, to maintain my canine from sleeping by the door and getting excited by different friends. That mentioned, sounds from the hallway and bustling Park Avenue outdoors had been few and much between.

Within the toilet, twin vanities and wonderful lighting created an expensive place to prepare, and the toilet could possibly be absolutely closed off from each the doorway hallway and the bed room. The bathroom sat in an enclosed glass room subsequent to a different glassed-off space, which housed a soaking tub (with a handy bathtub tray) and the bathe (with each handheld and rainfall bathe heads). All through the area, Aesop toilet facilities abounded.

All in all, I discovered the room (which prices greater than $1,000 per evening), extraordinarily comfy, homey and luxe.

Eating at The Waldorf Astoria New York

The Waldorf Astoria New York has three bars and eating places — Lex Yard, Chef Michael Anthony’s all-day American restaurant; Peacock Alley, the signature lounge present in each Waldorf Astoria, serving breakfast and an all-day menu, plus drinks till midnight; and Yoshoku, a New York tackle Japanese kaiseki eating — plus in-room eating.

Alongside Chef Michael Anthony, Jeff Bell of the celebrated cocktail bar Please Do not Inform created the lodge’s beverage program.

Forward of dinner, we began our journey with cocktails at Peacock Alley, the place the menu provided a variety of classics with trendy twists (assume: a number of martini and quaint choices), accompanied by people-watching, in fact.

At Lex Yard, we sampled a sequence of dishes, together with a scorching minimize of steak, completely roasted rooster, mouthwatering cacio e pepe pasta, oysters and ultra-strong martinis.

The meals was very good, and regardless of our eyes being greater than our stomachs, we very a lot loved the expertise, particularly within the trendy, artwork deco-styled area.

Although I did not have the possibility to eat at Yoshoku, friends there ought to anticipate a six-course tasting expertise (although a la carte choices are additionally accessible) impressed by the lodge’s structure, with highlights like grilled lobster, toro tartare with caviar, and king crab with briny tosazu jelly.

And since there’s nothing extra luxurious than breakfast in mattress, we ended our stick with room service that included an egg-white frittata with rooster sausage, a fluffy waffle and iced espresso to pump some caffeine into our veins (so we had the power to clamber out of the temptingly comfy mattress).

Facilities and repair

• A devoted concierge who may also help with most requests
• A soon-to-open, 20,000-square-foot Guerlain Wellness Spa
• An expansive, soon-to-open health middle
• The pet-friendly lodge affords loads of facilities for pooches, like a canine mattress and pet equipment (word Splenda in her canine gown)
• 43,000 sq. ft of occasion areas, together with the restored, opera-inspired Grand Ballroom
• Digital keys accessible within the Hilton Honors app
• Sensible TVs with streaming capabilities
• Choose-up, drop-off and valet providers on the porte-cochere
• Extraordinarily pleasant employees who’re really excited to be working and aiding at one of many world’s most well-known motels

Location and logistics 

Situated between forty ninth and fiftieth Streets and Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue, the lodge is well accessible through various transportation choices. The closest subway is the 6 prepare’s cease at Lexington Avenue/53rd Road ($2.90). Although visitors can change drastically in New York Metropolis, a automotive journey from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) ought to take round half-hour (from $50), and round one hour from JFK Airport (from $70) or Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (from $60).

What it prices to remain on the Waldorf Astoria New York

Money charges on the Waldorf Astoria New York by the top of the yr begin at $1,406 per evening. Early in 2026, when New York sees a decline in vacationers, charges begin at between $900 and $1,000 per evening. Hilton Honors members can e book award nights from 150,000 factors, although the reserving calendar reveals most nights till February 2026 priced considerably (if not exorbitantly) larger.

When reserving the Waldorf Astoria New York, you will wish to use one of many bank cards that earn probably the most factors for Hilton stays, or one that gives computerized Hilton Honors elite standing for value-added advantages. These embrace:

• Hilton Honors American Specific Surpass® Card: Earn 12 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at Hilton motels, computerized Gold elite standing and the flexibility to improve to Diamond standing by the top of the subsequent calendar yr by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar yr.
• Hilton Honors American Specific Enterprise Card: Earn 12 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at Hilton motels, computerized Gold elite standing and the flexibility to improve to Diamond standing by the top of the subsequent calendar yr by spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar yr.
• Hilton Honors American Specific Card: Earn 7 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at Hilton motels and computerized Silver elite standing (with an improve to Gold by the top of the subsequent calendar yr whenever you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar yr).
• Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card: Earn 14 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at Hilton motels and computerized Diamond elite standing.

The knowledge for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Accessibility

After present process its meticulous redesign, Waldorf Astoria New York is extra accessible than ever, with public and in-room options to assist folks with varied wants. Public areas and visitor room flooring are all accessible through elevator and there are a variety of ADA-compliant rooms.

As all the time, TPG recommends calling the lodge straight to debate what is offered to assist vacationers with particular requests and accessible room choices.

Backside line

The Waldorf Astoria New York is again and higher than ever. From the minute I arrived, the lodge oozed glamour and historical past, however nonetheless felt contemporary and trendy. Few motels have the gravitas of the Waldorf Astoria — in spite of everything, it is a lodge that launched a complete model. And this explicit lodge, in variations previous and current, modified each New York Metropolis and the hospitality trade writ giant. Everybody who labored on this challenge must be proud, and in case you’re in search of a luxurious expertise that feels definitively of New York, think about reserving a keep at “the best of all of them.”

And for what it is price, Splenda recommends it as effectively.

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