New York City's most iconic hotel is closing indefinitely — take a look back at its star-studded past
New York City's Waldorf Astoria is one of the most legendary hotels in the world.
Its suites have hosted every US president since Herbert Hoover, and Hollywood legends Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Frank Sinatra have all at different times called the residential towers home. Countless lavish social events were held in its ballrooms, and its kitchens were the birthplace of red velvet cupcakes and the Waldorf salad.
Last year the hotel celebrated its 85th anniversary, but it will close indefinitely for renovations on February 28.
Since 2014, when the property was bought from Hilton Worldwide by the Chinese insurance company Anbang for $1.95 billion, plans for a major overhaul have been on the horizon. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is working to preserve parts of the interior, and Anbang has agreed to comply, Bloomberg reported in September. Though there are no blueprints to see yet, Anbang is reportedly planning to change most of the rooms into condominiums.
Business Insider recently visited both the hotel and the towers to talk to four employees and hear their firsthand accounts of over 100 years of combined experience there. Their stories, plus the history behind the iconic hotel, are below.
The Waldorf Astoria was originally two separate hotels that were created because of a feud between two cousins, William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV. The two hotels were next door to one another on Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. Eventually, the cousins came to a truce, and they connected the hotels with a hallway. The hotels were demolished in 1929 to make way for the Empire State Building, and the Waldorf Astoria name was sold for $1 to Lucius Boomer, who began construction on the hotel's current location.
Source: History.com
The current hotel is at 301 Park Ave. between 49th and 50th streets, and the primarily residential Waldorf Towers are at the top. When it opened in 1931, the new Waldorf Astoria was the tallest and largest hotel in the world.
President Herbert Hoover mentioned the brand-new hotel in a radio broadcast from the White House. "The opening of the new Waldorf Astoria ... marks the measure of nation's growth in power, in comfort, and in artistry," he said.
Source: Waldorf Astoria New York
Soon after opening, the Waldorf Astoria introduced 24-hour room service — a first in the history of hotels.
Excellent service has always been a top priority at the Waldorf Astoria. Maitre d' Oscar Tschirky famously put his work above all else. Known as "Oscar of the Waldorf," Tschirky collected menus, many of which came from events hosted at the hotel. The menus have since been donated to and preserved by Cornell University.
Source: The Library of Cornell's School of Hotel Administration
Tschirky is also known for creating the famous Waldorf salad, which typically contains apples, mayonnaise, celery, and walnuts. It's still served today at the famous Peacock Alley, which is one of three restaurants inside the Waldorf Astoria.
Over the years, several movies have been filmed inside the Waldorf Astoria, starting in 1945 with "Week-End at the Waldorf." It grossed over $4 million and ranked seventh at the box office that year.
Many major events have been thrown in the hotel's Grand Ballroom, a four-story, two-tier room that can host 1,500 guests under its 44-foot ceiling. Here's a shot from the National Republican Club's Lincoln Day Dinner of 1933, when Hoover gave what he considered the farewell speech of his administration.
Elegant debutante balls have also taken place inside the Grand Ballroom, including this Cotillion and Christmas Ball in 1949.
Conrad Hilton acquired the Waldorf Astoria for $3 million in 1949. Hilton Worldwide owned the property until selling it to Anbang in 2014.
Source: The Chicago Tribune
President John F. Kennedy, who at the time was a Massachusetts senator, graced the ballroom during the Duchess of Windsor's Ball in 1953.
Actress Marilyn Monroe and her third husband, Arthur Miller, attended the April in Paris Ball in 1957.
And an honorary dinner for Queen Elizabeth II was hosted in the Grand Ballroom in 1957.
The suites at the Waldorf Astoria are decorated just as decadently as the event spaces. Here's one of the suites, which start at $186 a night and can run up to $299 a night. The smallest suites are 450 square feet.
The suites in the tower portion of the hotel are larger and even more elegant. This one-bedroom suite, for example, is 500 square feet with a separate living room area, and it starts at $715 a night. The penthouse-style suite can go for up to $4,320 a night. Many notable names have owned condos in this section of the Waldorf Astoria.
There are three lobbies at the Waldorf Astoria, each originally meant for a different category of guests. This Park Avenue lobby entrance was meant for women and children, while the Lexington Avenue entrance was meant for men who might want quick access to the Peacock Alley lounge, which was smoking-friendly. The entrance on 49th Street is for those staying at the Waldorf Towers.
Source: Bloomberg