Tour of the revamped Waldorf Astoria: Huge suites, see-and-be-seen scene

Travel Weekly

2 days ago

NEW YORK -- The email from the hotel rep said to "meet at the clock in Peacock Alley at 3 p.m."
Simple enough, but the context gave the instructions extra weight. After all, this wasn't just any clock, and this particular Peacock Alley lounge had a reputation that preceded it.
This was the Waldorf Astoria New York, just over a week into its reopening after more than eight years of closure, and my anticipation to see the revamped iteration of this New York institution was running high.
Walking into the art deco high-rise from its glitzy Park Avenue entrance, I was immediately transported to another era.
Guests are greeted by a soaring, light-filled space, while an intricate, 148,000-tile mosaic, designed by the French artist Louis Rigal, spreads across the floor. Colorful and carefully restored murals, also by Rigal, wrap the walls, depicting scenes of hunting and feasting.
Consider it a sort of Sistine Chapel for the luxury hospitality set.
Guests entering the hotel on Park Avenue are greeted by the "Wheel of Life" mosaic by Louis Rigal. Photo Credit: Christina Jelski
Farther into the hotel lies Peacock Alley, a warmer, more intimate space humming with conversation and clinking glasses.
The lounge's name originates from the passageway that once connected the separate Waldorf and Astoria hotels, which were located at Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. (The current, consolidated Park Avenue property opened in 1931.) The space became known for attracting stylish clientele who liked to parade around in their finest, giving birth to the Peacock Alley concept.
Today, every Waldorf Astoria property features its own version of Peacock Alley, but this one draws its inspiration directly from the original, essentially serving as the hotel's nerve center.
The all-day venue is home to not only the aforementioned clock, originally crafted for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, but also a restored Steinway piano once owned by Cole Porter, on which he reportedly composed many of his greatest works while living at the Waldorf Astoria New York in the 1930s.
Notably, there's no velvet rope around these priceless artifacts. While I studied the ornate clock from mere inches away, another curious guest casually tested a few keys on Porter's piano.
The bedroom of a one-bedroom king suite at the hotel. Photo Credit: Christina Jelski
What I was most curious about, however, was upstairs, where the hotel has transformed its 1,400 rooms into just 375 guestrooms and 372 residences. As a result, the property now claims to offer some of the largest entry-level guestrooms in the city, most of them exceeding 570 square feet.
The one-bedroom king suite I toured certainly didn't skimp on space. The stately, apartmentlike digs offered distinct sitting and dining areas, a separate bedroom and an expansive, windowed bathroom flooded with natural light.
The suite was also remarkably quiet, despite facing a busy Manhattan street. (I was later told the hotel had installed more than 5,000 new double-glazed windows throughout the building.)
The Silver Corridor, which was inspired by Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, links the Waldorf Astoria New York's Grand Ballroom, Astor Room, Jade Room and Basildon Room event spaces. Photo Credit: Christina Jelski
Selfie-worthy spaces
Perhaps the hotel's most dazzling spaces are its event facilities, accessible via the Silver Corridor, a jewel box of a hallway that links the hotel's Grand Ballroom, Astor Room, Jade Room and Basildon Room. (The mirrored walls of the Silver Corridor, in particular, practically beg for selfies.)
The massive Grand Ballroom, which is still under renovation and on track to open in September, is another standout, framed by opera house-inspired balconies, sparkling chandeliers and silver filigree.
My tour ended where it began, near the famous clock, where we ran into chef Michael Anthony, who helms New York's legendary Gramercy Tavern and now also leads Lex Yard, the hotel's signature restaurant.
When pressed for recommendations, Anthony suggested starting with Lex Yard's seasonal vegetables -- which he said "steal the show" -- before enthusiastically endorsing the roasted chicken.
The chance encounter is proof that you never know just who you might meet at the clock. And judging by the hotel's steady stream of visitors, the Waldorf Astoria New York appears well on its way to regaining its status as a see-and-be-seen destination.