Legacy
The Waldorf Astoria New York has been renowned worldwide for over a century as one of the first grand hotels to combine sophistication with unparalleled amenities and services.
The Waldorf Astoria New York hotel is an essential destination for enthusiasts of the Art Deco style. Recognized as one of the world’s most significant examples of Art Deco art and architecture, this New York City luxury hotel is a living museum of decorative ornamentation, design, remarkable paintings and beautiful motifs. An official New York City landmark since 1993, the Art Deco hotel occupies an entire city block in midtown Manhattan.
The original Waldorf Hotel was built on the site of millionaire William Waldorf Astor’s mansion at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street. The 13-story hotel opened on 13 March 1893. Four years later, Waldorf’s cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, erected the 17-story Astoria Hotel on an adjacent site. John Jacob Astor IV died on the Titanic on 15 April 1912. William Waldorf Astor, having returned to England in 1893, died 18 October 1919.
In 1929, the owners decided to tear down the original building due to it becoming dated and the draining of its revenues caused by Prohibition. The site was sold to the developers of what would become the Empire State Building. The current location on Park Avenue opened on 1 October 1931 as the tallest and largest hotel in the world.
Hilton purchased the property in 1949 (the building and management contract), for $3 million, from New York State Realty & Terminal Company. New York Central RR owned the land, which Hilton purchased in 1977.
