Is the Waldorf Astoria New York the ‘greatest of them all’? Here’s our review

Few names in the hotel business can lay claim to being the former residence of Marilyn Monroe, the venue for Grace Kelly’s engagement party, or the preferred crash pad of every U.S. president since Herbert Hoover. Nor can they boast of a secret train station beneath its foundations or the ability to make a salad of apples, walnuts and celery the pinnacle of chic. The Waldorf Astoria New York certainly can.

This fall, the landmarked Art Deco Grand Dame, designed by Schultze & Weaver in 1931, unveiled a comprehensive restoration and renovation, one that took nearly a decade and $2 billion to complete. Now, the Waldorf has been reborn not only as a five-star hotel (operated by Hilton and owned by a Chinese insurance company), but also as a luxury residence, culinary destination and wellness mecca. Such a legacy firmly places a stay at the Waldorf on the itinerary of well-heeled travellers the world over – Conrad Hilton himself gave it the sobriquet ‘The Greatest of Them All.’ But does the revitalised hotel live up to its glory days? Wallpaper* paid a visit to find out.

Wallpaper* checks in at the Waldorf Astoria New York

What’s on your doorstep?

The Waldorf, with its unmistakable Art Deco setbacks and double-tower design, occupies an entire city block between Park and Lexington Avenues. Its Midtown East address means that Manhattan is your playground. Care to sip cocktails amid skyscrapers at the Rainbow Room? 30 Rock is a mere 10-minute walk west. Looking for some retail therapy? The luxury boutiques and flagships lining Fifth and Madison Avenues beckon. Want a day of culture? Hail a cab to Museum Mile to take in the latest at the Met, the Frick or the Guggenheim, followed by a relaxed stroll in Central Park.

Who is behind the design?

The Waldorf’s impressive rebirth is as epic as its past. A veritable army of design professionals and preservation specialists was assembled for the renovation, helmed by the New York office of global architecture firm SOM. In addition to clarifying the building structurally and making way for the building’s new luxury residential program (whose interiors were handled by Parisian designer Jean-Louis Deniot), the firm worked to preserve every inch of the Waldorf’s historic spaces, from its towering ballroom (the venue for the first-ever Met Gala) down to the gleaming handrails.

The public spaces and hotel interiors, meanwhile, were left to Chicago and Paris-based firm Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR). ‘You are really dealing with the story of preservation and reimagination for the future, so we blended modern aesthetics and modern operations while respecting and honouring the past,’ Amy Jakubowski, principal and managing director of PYR, said. In Peacock Alley, the hotel’s imposing Art Deco hall, that meant translating period details and motifs into the furniture and accessories via curved lines, metallic finishes, scenic wallpaper and richly-patterned rugs that evoke the building’s Jazz Age metalwork.

The room to book

Before the renovation, the Waldorf had a whopping 1,400 guest rooms. That number was reduced to just 375 rooms and suites and 372 residences, a move that immediately imparts luxury in a metropolis where square footage is a premium. The Waldorf’s Junior Suites clock in at 620 sq ft (larger than your average New York studio apartment) – every aspect of which is designed to help you sink into luxury. In addition to a pillowy king-size bed, the suite (which starts at about $1,200 a night) includes its own small foyer, living area and spa-worthy bathroom, complete with a soaking tub. ‘We had the ability to take the small, original rooms and elevate them to a much more luxurious style,’ Jakubowski, of PYR, said. Simultaneously, ‘The goal was to keep it at a very residential and intimate scale,’ she added.

The palette is muted, all dove, taupe and white, with hits of hues like chocolate and pistachio. The Art Deco DNA carries through, but is never over-the-top, as with the gently scalloped headboard, tray ceilings and black lacquer casegoods. One welcome detail is not visible to the naked eye: silence. Despite being in the middle of Midtown, not a sound penetrates these restful quarters.

Looking to splash out like one of the Waldorf’s golden era guests? You can choose from one of the hotel’s signature suites, which includes the Manhattan Suite – a glamorous, Art Deco-inspired pad defined by a dramatic palette of black onyx and burnished gold – or the Empire Suite, which – with its chintz fabrics, Federal-style wood furniture and gold chandelier – feels like the home of an Upper East Side socialite, with prices to match: these exclusive suites will set you back about $10,000 and $35,000 a night, respectively.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The Waldorf popularised many dining concepts, including eggs Benedict, red velvet cake and of course, the Waldorf salad. You can still find these classics at the hotel, but today’s incarnation offers much more. Firstly, there’s Lex Yard, a two-storey elevated American dining concept named for the secret train station beneath the building. The mood here is more theatrical, thanks to interiors designed by AvroKO, with a menu to match. Here, you can indulge in a lobster roll topped with caviar and truffles; feast on a ribeye steak; or keep it classic with the Lex cheeseburger, which is topped with caramelised onion and Thousand Island dressing (another Waldorf invention).

There’s also Yoshoku, an elegant multi-course Japanese kaiseki restaurant that’s adjacent to the Waldorf’s restored ‘Wheel of Life’ mosaic, created by Louis Regal in 1931. Choose from a selection of maki or nigiri and follow with delicacies like foie gras-topped venison, Wagyu striploin and even squab. For $135 per person, you can also opt for a Japanese-inspired tea service.

Wash it all down with a drink in Peacock Alley, the hotel’s all-day lobby restaurant, where you can sip on a ‘Met Gala’ martini, a Rob Roy (another Waldorf claim-to-fame) made with single malt Japanese whiskey, or a flute of Taittinger alongside the hotel’s famed gilded clock. There’s always room service, of course – the place reportedly invented it after all!

Where to switch off

If you’re looking to wind down after an evening of over-indulging, head to the hotel’s fifth-floor, which houses a veritable wellness mecca comprising an eye-popping 22,000 square feet. Here you’ll find fitness facilities, which include everything you need to get your heart rate pumping, including treadmills, Peloton bikes and barre workouts courtesy Physique 57. But the real draw is the Guerlain Wellness Spa, one of just three Guerlain concepts in the United States. Amenities here include an infrared sauna, steam room and even a chilly ‘arctic cave’ and a comprehensive menu of luxurious treatments, ranging from massage to facials to hair and makeup. You can even book in for a three-day wellness retreat (prices start at $4,850) where Guerlain will set you up with consultations and specialised treatments to ensure you’re at your best.

The verdict

‘Iconic’ is an adjective that’s grossly overused when it comes to hotels but it’s one the Waldorf has earned, both for its longevity in New York City and for its place in the popular imagination. While the service felt less than five-star at moments, the sensitive restoration, coupled with world class amenities, reflects that legacy. If you have deep enough pockets (or are flush with Hilton Honors points), a stay at the Waldorf is one to check off your bucket list.

The Waldorf Astoria New York is located at 301 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022