Iconic Waldorf Astoria New York hotel reopens after $2 billion refurbishment

The Waldorf Astoria New York hotel is welcoming guests for the first time in eight years as the 1931-era building emerges from a full makeover.

These are not the original hotels that originated the brand, the Waldorf and the Astoria, but their second incarnation. The two hotels were knocked down in 1929 to make room for the Empire State Building before the Waldorf Astoria was rebuilt as one building in 1931.

As Hilton’s press release notes, the Waldorf Astoria is credited as being “the original standard-bearer of luxury” and introduced the first in-room telephones and 24-hour room service.

By 2017, however, the hotel was not bearing much of a standard for luxury and its Chinese owners decided to close it for a “multi-billion-dollar” refurbishment. Although delayed by several years, the hotel is now having a soft opening ahead of its scheduled September official grand opening.

The refurbishment has drastically reduced the number of rooms, from over 1,400 to 375, with the remainder of the 47-story limestone skyscraper home to 372 residences.

(It was, at least in its later years, technically run as two hotels. The Waldorf Astoria occupied the lower floors whilst The Waldorf Towers, which had a separate entrance, occupied the upper floors. This had apartment-style rooms – albeit very delapidated when Rob stayed in one around 2006.)

Although still sizeable, the reduction in room count should completely change the atmosphere (and service) inside. The smallest room is a chunky, and positively palatial for New York, 45sqm (475 sqft) – double the size of the original hotel rooms. The hotel lobby – one of the most impressive spaces in New York – will be much improved for losing 75% of its daily traffic.

That said, just 6,000 sq m of the 148,000 sq m building is heritage protected by New York City. This has given the architects and designers significant leeway to reimagine the building as a modern luxury hotel.

Restored areas include the Park Avenue lobby with its grand staircase and 5.5m diameter “Wheel of Life” marble mosaic made from 148,000 pieces of stone by the French artist Louis Rigal.

The Grand Ballroom and Peacock Alley remain, and in better condition than before. Peacock Alley has been restored to its 1931 design with walls covered in maple burl panelling and black marble columns.

The space takes its name from the marble promenade that connected the two disparate Waldorf and Astoria hotels at their original locations on Fifth Avenue. This was a place to see and be seen and which has become a staple in every Waldorf Astoria since.

The original 3.3m Waldorf clock, commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and a feature of the hotel since it opened in 1931, has also been cleaned, restored and returned to its spot in Peacock Alley.

Show me the money!

The hotel’s historic credentials are not in question. So what about its rates?

Bookings have been open since December 2024. After punchy opening rates of over $2,000 per night (the official September opening coincides with the peak autumn travel and conference season), prices settle down early next year at around $1,200 per night. This is on a par with The St Regis, Park Hyatt New York et al.

A Hilton Honors redemption is therefore very attractive, with a Standard Room Reward costing 150,000 points per night. This drops to 120,000 points per night when you factor in Hilton’s ongoing ‘fifth night free’ offer for redemptions.

Assuming our valuation of around 0.33p per Hilton Honors point you are getting excellent value here. If we assume a midpoint of $1,500 per night including taxes, you are getting 1 cent per point.

(If Standard Room Rewards have sold out, you’ll see Premium Room Rewards running as high as 1,000,000 points per night! This is because, with a Premium Room Reward, Hilton buys your room for cash from the hotel on your behalf as a weak ‘cents per point’ rate.)

Conclusion

The reopening of the Waldorf Astoria New York marks the return of an iconic hotel, and gives Hilton a genuine global flagship.

By the looks of it this is a sensitive refurbishment that retains much of the hotel’s original character whilst offering all the modern luxuries a 21st Century traveller would expect, including larger rooms.

Rob is booked in for a night in October and will report back!

You can find out more, and book, on this page of the Hilton website.

If you are considering a cash booking, you should contact Emyr Thomas (click here), our luxury hotel booking partner, as he can access special benefits as a ‘Hilton for Luxury’ partner.