Two billionaire cousins, who were once rivals, founded the iconic Waldorf Astoria. In the heart of the Gilded Age, William Waldorf Astor built the 13-story Waldorf hotel in 1893, and in 1897, John Jacob Astor IV - who tragically perished in the Titanic sinking in 1912 - constructed the 17-story Astoria hotel on the adjacent plot.
After making peace, they connected them with the Peacock Alley, named for being the fashionable place where high society paraded. Nikola Tesla was one of the most notable guests. Unfortunately, descendants of both families sold the land where the Empire State Building now stands.
In October 1931, President Herbert Hoover inaugurated the new Waldorf Astoria at 301 Park Avenue, becoming a symbol of economic recovery after the 1929 Stock Market Crash as the tallest and largest hotel on the planet. The American hegemonic dominance of the hotel ended in 2014 when the Hilton Worldwide group sold it for 1.95 billion euros to Wu Xiaohui, founder of the Chinese insurer Anbang, who, after being imprisoned for fraud and embezzlement, led to another Chinese insurer, Dajia Insurance Group, taking ownership.
The hotel closed in 2017 for a historic renovation costing 1.7 billion euros and, after eight years, has reopened its doors without forgetting its former glamour. The 1,400 original rooms are now 375, along with 372 luxury apartments ranging from 1.5 million euros for studios to 16 million euros for a 600-square-meter unit. The Waldorf Astoria is filled with countless anecdotes.
Two months after its opening in December 1931, Winston Churchill spent two weeks recovering after being hit by a car during his lecture tour. Since its inception, the five-star hotel had a Catalan identity as they paid Josep Maria Sert 150,000 dollars to paint fifteen murals inspired by the Cervantine episode of The Wedding of Camacho from Don Quixote de la Mancha. These murals now belong to the Banco Santander Collection.
Guests like Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, and John and Jackie Kennedy, who celebrated their honeymoons in the early 1950s, were captivated by this piece of art while savoring renowned dishes from their chefs like eggs benedict, Waldorf salad, and red velvet cake. The Waldorf Astoria epitomized luxury as it was the first to offer a telephone and radio in each room, as well as 24-hour services.
Zsa Zsa Gabor whimsically mentioned in her memoirs that she persuaded her husband Conrad Hilton to buy her the hotel. The businessman took over management in 1949 but did not acquire it until 1972. This was one of the main reasons why Elizabeth Taylor often stayed there, having been married to his son Nicky Hilton, and of course, where his great-granddaughter Paris Hilton took her first steps and spent much of her childhood.
Cole Porter resided in the largest suite in the Towers - the most exclusive area of the property - for the last three decades of his life until 1964. As a gesture of affection, the hotel gifted him a Steinway piano named High Society, after the movie for which he composed the soundtrack and which was the last film of Grace Kelly before celebrating her engagement to Rainier III at the hotel. The musical instrument can be seen in the lobby. Following his passing, Frank Sinatra and his wife Barbara Sinatra rented the room for almost a million euros annually until 1987.
Also staying in the noblest part was Lucky Luciano, considered the father of organized crime in the United States, who faced his lowest moments when some hotel staff testified against him in court, and Marilyn Monroe sublet a three-bedroom suite from actress Leonora Corbett for 850 euros per week.
Throughout its history, important personalities such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Truman, General MacArthur, and actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have stayed. Not all guests had good manners, as the rock band The Who was banned for life for causing considerable damage.