Latest news with #WaldorfAstoriaNewYork
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I got a sneak peek at the newly restored Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. It looks straight out of the Gilded Age.
After an eight-year, $2 billion renovation, the Waldorf Astoria New York is reopening in September. The hotel blends historic Gilded Age furnishings with modern luxuries for guests and residents. Highlights include the restored Peacock Alley and Silver Corridor plus redesigned suites and condos. They don't call the Waldorf Astoria New York "The Greatest of Them All" for nothing. After an eight-year renovation that cost a reported $2 billion, the iconic hotel is finally set to reopen in September. Furnishings dating back to the Gilded Age, such as ceiling murals that were part of the hotel's original location on Fifth Avenue, have been painstakingly restored by hand. Other parts of the landmark building have been updated with state-of-the-art luxuries, such as new four-bedroom condominiums with sale prices starting at $18.75 million. I visited the Waldorf Astoria in July for a sneak peek of the hotel before it opened to the public. Take a look inside. The Waldorf Astoria New York spans an entire block between 49th and 50th Streets in Midtown Manhattan. The original Waldorf Astoria was located on 33rd Street and Fifth Avenue. The Waldorf Hotel, owned by William Waldorf Astor, opened in 1893. His cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, then opened the rival Astor Hotel next door in 1897. The two hotels merged that same year, creating the first Waldorf Astoria with a walkway known as Peacock Alley connecting the buildings. It was knocked down in 1929 to make way for the Empire State Building. The new Waldorf Astoria opened in 1931 and stands at 47 stories tall. The hotel is split into 375 hotel rooms and 372 residences. The hotel's main entrances aren't open yet due to ongoing construction, so my tour began at one of the residential entrances. Residents who live at The Towers at Waldorf Astoria use separate entrances and enjoy 50,000 square feet of amenities like a private fitness center and access to the exclusive Empire Club's offices and coworking spaces. First, I toured a sample condominium residence, where prices range from $1.875 million for a studio to $18.75 million for a four-bedroom apartment. The units can come furnished by interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot, or residents can furnish the condos themselves. A case in the sales gallery displayed artifacts from the Waldorf Astoria's early years. The display featured silver trays, glasses, uniform pieces, room keys, and a tin that once contained the Waldorf's rum-and-brandy-flavored fruit cake. I got my first look at the new Waldorf Astoria hotel as we entered an elegant hallway leading to the lobby. The space was furnished in rich colors, including plush red armchairs, dark wood tables, and decorative columns along the burnt-orange walls. Walking into the refurbished Park Avenue lobby for the first time, I was blown away by its enormity and opulence. The high ceilings and ornate windows created an expansive, open space that made me forget I was in the middle of Manhattan. The lobby was decorated from top to bottom. Neoclassical murals were painted beneath the ceiling molding, and a mosaic in the center of the floor, titled "Wheel of Life" by French artist Louis Rigal, consisted of 148,000 hand-cut marble tiles. Seating alcoves located throughout the lobby will host Yoshoku, a Japanese restaurant serving sushi and small plates. We proceeded into Peacock Alley, featuring the famous 1893 World's Fair Clock purchased by John Jacob Astor IV. Peacock Alley originally served as a corridor between the Waldorf Hotel and the Astoria Hotel. It was named for the way that members of high society promenaded and "peacocked" through in their best outfits. At the center of the modern Peacock Alley is the 1893 World's Fair Clock, which was commissioned by Queen Victoria and purchased by John Jacob Astor IV for the original Waldorf Astoria location on 33rd Street. The hotel's original black marble columns were also restored during the renovations. Peacock Alley featured singer Cole Porter's restored piano. Porter lived at the Waldorf Astoria from 1934 until his death in 1964. It was at this piano that he wrote hits such as "Anything Goes" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." The check-in and reception area was opened up as part of the renovations. The hotel's original layout closed this area off from Peacock Alley, causing congestion. In the new floor plan, the check-in desks are situated in an open space complete with a new black marble fireplace made from the same type of stone as Peacock Alley's columns. Stairs from the porte-cochère, where guests arrive, lead straight into the check-in area. Guests arriving by car can leave their vehicle at the porte-cochère for valet parking. The Waldorf Astoria's hotel room rates start at $1,500 per night and range from 570 to more than 5,000 square feet. The hotel rooms were furnished by French interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. I toured a one-bedroom suite, which starts at $2,995 per night, according to the Waldorf Astoria's website. The bathrooms feature luxurious amenities like heated marble tile floors, walk-in showers, and separate dressing areas. Other luxury room perks include Nespresso machines, Frette linens, and Aesop skincare products. I was surprised by how effectively the room's double-glazed windows blocked out noise from New York City's streets below. Next, I visited Waldorf Astoria's Silver Corridor, which was inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. The mirrored hall, which serves as an event space, measures 1,995 square feet. The ceiling featured murals by American artist Edward Emerson Simmons, which were restored from the original Waldorf Astoria location. The Basildon Room featured an ornate ceiling and a marble fireplace mantel sculpted by British sculptor John Flaxman. Measuring 1,649 square feet, the room can hold 189 people. The ceiling art was sourced from the 18th-century dining room at Basildon Park Manor in England. The small oil paintings by 18th-century artist Angelica Kauffman, which depict scenes from Dante's "The Divine Comedy," were removed from their original settings and reinstalled in the ceiling of the Basildon Room. When I visited in July, other rooms that will host events were serving as holding spaces while workers prepared the hotel's finishing touches. The only room I wasn't allowed to photograph was the Grand Ballroom, but here's what it looked like in its heyday. At 9,990 square feet, this 1,500-capacity, three-tiered event and performance space has hosted star-studded gatherings such as the first Tony Awards ceremony, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, and President John F. Kennedy 's birthday gala. The room was full of construction materials when I visited, so it wasn't quite ready for its close-up yet, but its grand architecture still remained jaw-dropping. I ended my tour at Lex Yard, the Waldorf Astoria's signature restaurant. As the birthplace of the Waldorf salad and, legend has it, Eggs Benedict, the Waldorf Astoria's restaurants have a storied history. Chef Michael Anthony will oversee the new Lex Yard, which will serve farm-to-table American classics in an Art Deco-inspired space spanning two floors. New York's "unofficial palace" blends historic Gilded Age furnishings and Art Deco architecture with modern luxuries for guests and residents.
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Travel Weekly
Tour of the revamped Waldorf Astoria: Huge suites, see-and-be-seen scene
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.
New York Post
21-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Manhattan foreclosures spiked this spring — and didn't spare one of the wealthiest ZIP codes
April showers brought Manhattan foreclosures this spring — even in the poshest parts. Fresh data, published by the real-estate industry portal PropertyShark, documented an 11% citywide jump in new foreclosure filings from April through June, compared to last year. Manhattanites with mortgage defaults rose 15%, with a surprising number of cases documented in one of the city's historically wealthy ZIP codes. 5 A historically wealthy swath around Park Avenue saw a shocking spike in foreclosures. Rinze van Brug 5 Citywide foreclosures numbered 408 in the spring. zimmytws – Out of 46 Manhattan homes hit with new filings, eight were clustered in Midtown's 10022 ZIP code — a locale known for exclusive 100-year-old buildings, sky-high prices and old-money owners. ZIP code 10022 spans roughly from 49th to 60th streets, sandwiched between Fifth Avenue and the East River. The area encircles landmarks like the Waldorf Astoria New York and Bloomingdale's. Its local reputation for luxury shopping, particularly along Fifth Avenue, comes with home prices to match — the median listing price in the 10022 ZIP code was $1.3 million in June, according to reporting. Looming debt and lagging sales are bogging down even the city's most well-heeled residents. 5 The ZIP code of 10022 encompasses some of the best shopping and some of the highest prices in the city. Michael Nagle 5 Grand Army Plaza at Central Park borders the well-off nabe. MISHELLA – 'Interest rates are rising, there is high economic distress, many times generational wealth does not mean someone is liquid,' luxury Serhant realtor Peter Zaitzeff told the Daily Mail. Even historic pre-war condominiums like the Parc Vendome building on West 57th Street, on the opposite side of Central Park, saw a foreclosed-upon studio recently enter contract with a listing price of just $525,000. Across the river, Brooklyn led the city in foreclosure filings, dethroning Queens. Kings County saw 129 new filings in the spring, a 36% spike compared to last year. Canarsie and East Flatbush led the borough with 17 cases. 5 Flatbush and Canarsie led Brooklyn's numerous foreclosures, but record-high cases came from across the city, in The Bronx. Helayne Seidman Queens, the city's most active market, saw a welcome 20% slowdown in fillings, down to 128 in the second quarter of the year. Staten Island foreclosures, on the other hand, increased by 25% to 48 cases, and activity in The Bronx hit a new high. The borough surpassed its five-year foreclosure peak with 57 filings last quarter.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside the Newly Renovated Waldorf Astoria New York Residences
After a nearly decade-long renovation, buyers are now able to live in one of Manhattan's most famous hotels. While the revamped Waldorf Astoria New York won't start accepting reservations in September (and is slated for a soft opening in the spring), tenants can begin moving into its swanky Park Avenue residences in the meantime. Condo closings are officially underway at the iconic Art Deco property and are being handled by real estate brokerage Douglas Elliman. More from Robb Report This Marble-Filled N.Y.C. Penthouse Just Hit the Market for $8 Million This $35 Million Townhouse in N.Y.C.'s Greenwich Village Has a Private Rooftop Terrace Inside the View, New York City's Only Revolving Restaurant Spearheaded by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the landmark project features 375 condominiums, set atop the reimagined 375-key hotel. Currently, pricing starts at $1.875 million, and layouts range from studios to four-bedroom apartments and penthouses with private terraces. In terms of the design, Jean-Louis Deniot tackled the interiors. Interestingly, Waldorf Astoria Residences New York is the first and only residential building in New York City to offer tenants the opportunity to purchase fully furnished, turnkey homes curated by B&B Italia. For example, buyers will be able to choose everything from their own light fixtures to linens, towels, artwork, and wall coverings. The hotel-residences also partnered with Bang & Olufsen to stock units with top-of-the-line audio-visual products. When it comes to perks, there is a 50,000-square-foot amenity suite, also designed by Deniot. The offerings include a 25-meter indoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a wellness area, gaming rooms, and a theater. Of course, if you're only in town for a weekend, the hotel recently unveiled its plush Park Avenue View Premier suite, which will run you $1,500 per night. 'At Waldorf Astoria Residences New York, we're excited to offer a living experience like no other, with stunning views of Park Avenue, right above the famous Waldorf Astoria New York hotel,' Andre Zotoff, CEO of Strategic Hotels & Resorts, the asset management company of Waldorf Astoria New York, said. 'When the hotel reopens in spring 2025, residents will not only have access to private, top-of-the-line amenities, but will also enjoy special access to the hotel's world-class services. This includes over 100,000 square feet of hotel amenities, such as a 30,000-square-foot spa and a variety of dining options.' Not too shabby for your new Big Apple of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
