Inside The Newly Renovated Waldorf Astoria Hotel New York

A legend frequented by the most glamorous clientele, such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor, Waldorf Astoria New York continues to reinvent itself in the contemporary era after an almost eight-year-long, multibillion-dollar renovation that sets the bar even higher. “It was a full restoration of not just a hotel, but a piece of history,” says Luigi Romaniello, managing director of the hotel. Since its debut in 1931, the property has emanated such grandeur that Hilton founder Conrad Hilton deemed it “the greatest of them all”. More than nine decades later, this statement still rings true.

The Park Avenue lobby at Waldorf Astoria New York. Photo: Joe Thomas

When it originally opened, Waldorf Astoria New York was not only the largest and tallest hotel in the world, but also the first to have electricity on every floor, en suite baths, 24-hour room service and in-room telephones. Revolutionary in terms of comfort and service, its Art Deco style immediately fascinated cultural luminaries, movie and music stars, royalty and political leaders – from Queen Elizabeth II to Paris Hilton, who lived there during her childhood. “Since its first opening, Waldorf Astoria New York has been a fixture of New York City society and has rightfully earned its place as a beacon of radiance in the cultural capital of the world,” shares Romaniello. Notably during the 1950s, the hotel hosted high-profile events, which included Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco’s engagement party and President John F Kennedy’s birthday gala. The 1960s brought festivities with Andy Warhol, Tina Turner and Mick Jagger; and later years saw performances by Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Waldorf Astoria New York was also the birthplace of the Met Gala, initially established in 1948 by pioneering style and fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, who hosted the first donors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in the Grand Ballroom.

Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly at the hotel’s Imperial Ball in 1956. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images

Reinventing a hotel with such pedigree was not an easy task. It required time and the best talents, who worked to preserve its past splendour while simultaneously refreshing its aesthetic. Renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) led the restoration, ensuring deep respect for the building’s original design. Their work involved extensive archival research and preservation of over 62,000 square feet of landmarked interiors, making this one of New York City’s most ambitious preservation projects to date. “By balancing preservation, restoration and adaptive reuse throughout, we leveraged the building’s existing architecture – from column placement to window arrangement – to create character,”
explains Frank Mahan, design principal at SOM. “This allowed us to honour the iconic history of this place, while bringing it up to contemporary standards.”

Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe attend the 1957 Paris Ball at Waldorf Astoria New York. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images

In the Silver Corridor, murals painted by American impressionist Edward Emerson Simmons in the 19th century were carefully restored by ArtCare Conservation, while the Park Avenue lobby features a 148,000-piece marble Wheel of Life floor mosaic, installed by French artist Louis Rigal in 1939. Interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon took care of reimagining the hotel’s interior spaces with a refined sense of contemporary luxury. “The Waldorf Astoria New York is not a hotel one redesigns, it is a landmark one serves,” he emphasises. The majority of the 375 rooms that feel like private apartments with their marble, spa-like bathrooms – some of the largest in Manhattan – exceed 570 square feet.

The hotel’s newly-restored Silver Corridor features paintings by Edward Simmons. Photo: Image supplied

Every corner of the revamped Waldorf Astoria New York hotel is made to awaken all the senses, including, of course, taste, with the legendary Peacock Alley. A favourite of fashionable New Yorkers and international guests, the dining destination was restored to its former glory with the historic Waldorf Astoria clock and Steinway piano of legendary pianist and composer Cole Porter, who was a longtime hotel resident. “The hotel has long been a symbol of elegance and cultural significance here in the city,” reflects Romaniello. “Its transformation honours this heritage through a careful blend of preservation and modern innovation.” Suffice it to say that this landmark renovation marks the start of a new and very exciting chapter in the Big Apple.

This article was originally published in the October issue of Vogue Arabia.