By Linda Oatman High
New York City (The Hollywood Times) 8/29/2026
Photos: Dylan Bordner
After one of the most ambitious restorations in New York City history, the renowned Waldorf Astoria has reopened in a burst of splendor.
The once-in-a-lifetime renovation was an eight-year two-billion-plus project, and the results are excellent as expected, beautifully preserving the timeless charm, elegance, and radiance of the legendary hotel.
The genius of the renovation’s design team reveals itself in the Art Deco, marble, murals, bronze, plaster, and chandeliers of the beloved icon. Flooded in natural light, the opulence of the historic hotel shines bright the moment guests enter through the famed bronze doors of Park Avenue.
Visitors have been especially struck by the expansive living space granted by the restoration, which took 1400 rooms down to a spacious 375. A visit to the Waldorf Astoria feels more like staying in a luxury apartment residency, rather than in a hotel, and the rooms are quiet, immaculate, and oh-so-comfortable.
The employees are upbeat, friendly, and helpful, exuding a polite and polished positivity that seems all-too-rare these days.
From Jared, who served dinner in Lex Yard, to Isobel, who brought our breakfast in Peacock Alley, to Henry, who escorted us to our room, the Waldorf’s staff is superlative.
And dinner at Lex Yard? It was beyond delicious. Helmed by renowned chef Michael Anthony, a four times James Beard Award winner, Lex Yard is a two-story culinary destination and a renowned restaurant that evokes Manhattan’s vibrant energy in an Art Deco setting.
Every season at Lex Yard begins with farmers, fishers, and producers of the best fresh food around, dependent upon harvest changes.
From the signature Waldorf Salad to the Red Velvet cake that originated at the Waldorf, the menu is delightful.
Caviar with sour cream, potato chips, and chive oil, lobster roll loaded with caviar, truffle, trout roe, and shiso, the 34-ounce bone-in ribeye with beef fat fries, sweet corn agnolotti, the Lex burger, and so much more . . . the food satisfies and delights from the first bite to the last. Complimented and curated with fine wines, champagne, and signature cocktails, this is sure to be one of the finest meals you’ve ever enjoyed.
Breakfast at Peacock Alley beneath the sparkling crystal chandeliers is also delectable. French toast topped with fruit, fresh organic eggs, and creative omelette abound, along with the best cup of coffee in Manhattan.
Eggs Benedict were created here in 1894, when a hungover guest by the name of Benedict asked the famous maître d’ Oscar Tschirky for a cure. Tschirky went on to invent the Waldorf Salad two years later, and the hotel is also credited with introducing room service to the hospitality industry in the 1930s. (Innovation happens in glorious spaces, obviously).
Visitors to the Waldorf Astoria consider Peacock Alley to be the prime gathering spot, with its gilded glitz, the grand 1893 clock, Cole Porter’s Steinway piano (the composer lived at the Waldorf for three decades), and the towering marble columns.
The grand 1893 clock
Visitors especially enjoy martinis and the Waldorf Cocktail at Peacock Alley’s bar, with the drink menu created by award-winning bartender Jeff Bell.
Peacock Alley’s name originated in 1897, when a 300-foot corridor united the original Waldorf and Astoria hotels on Fifth Avenue. The press nicknamed the walkway “Peacock Alley” because of the wealthy well-dressed elite who paraded through the walkway in fine gowns and jewels. When the original Waldorf Astoria moved to Park Avenue in 1931, the Peacock Alley name followed.
Marilyn Monroe lived at the Waldorf in 1955, and Paris Hilton famously resided at the property. Below the hotel is an abandoned train platform, Track 61, built in 1910. The track is most famous as the private entrance from which President Franklin D. Roosevelt arrived, using a special freight elevator to enter the hotel. VIP use from Presidents to Generals is also part of the hidden railway’s history.
From Presidents and royalty, to celebrities and CEOs and creatives, the hotel welcomes one and all who are lucky enough to enter through those bronze doors and walk up the marble steps to a lavish getaway from the chaos of the world outside.
The legendary icon that stands at 301 Park Avenue is both a celebration of history and a look at the future. The hotel called “The Greatest of Them All” lives up its name and the legend continues, with the splendid reinvention from sidewalk to spire towering high in the Manhattan skyline.
The Waldorf Astoria lives on in all its magnificent glory.
www.waldorfastorianewyork.com
