Expanding on an opening season of glamour and luxury, Waldorf Astoria New York unveiled its celebrated crown jewel, the Grand Ballroom, and iconic heritage event spaces following a masterful restoration. With the return of meetings and events to the storied center of Park Avenue – joining reimagined hotel rooms and suites, and new world-class dining venues – the hotel reclaims its position as the cultural beacon of Manhattan, blending nostalgic glamour with a bold, modern stage for the city’s most spectacular events.
Waldorf Astoria New York has been a fixture of New York society for more than a century. Building on a legacy of hosting some of the world’s most memorable moments including the first Tony Awards, some of the earliest Met Galas, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, the iconic Grand Ballroom, Silver Corridor, Astor Salon, Basildon and Jade Rooms have been brought back to life.
“Waldorf Astoria New York has served as the backdrop for so many significant moments across history, including important speeches, galas and events,” said Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton. “Today, we unveil the next chapter in Waldorf Astoria New York’s opening season – once again, this ballroom will be the center of New York’s social scene. Visitors to the property will see how it blends its storied past and timeless elegance with a bold vision for the future of luxury stays and events in New York City.”
Meetings & Events Spaces
“The Greatest of Them All” – as Conrad Hilton famously described Waldorf Astoria New York – offers nearly 43,000 square feet of cutting-edge event space across 14 private rooms on two floors and has been home to countless events, weddings and galas.
The landmark property features some of the city’s most acclaimed heritage venues that have been meticulously restored by renowned architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), with interior design by Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR) to preserve their original Art Deco detailing while being updated with the latest technology, including:
- Grand Ballroom:- The Crown Jewel of New York’s Event Scene:The three-story, 1,500-person capacity space, with landmarked, curtained balconies was completely restored. With state-of-the-art sound, lighting, rigging, and staging, the Grand Ballroom rivals the city’s top performance venues – capable of hosting everything from Broadway-style productions to global product launches. Building on the vision of the building’s original architects, Schultze & Weaver, SOM incorporated luminescent cove lighting, built within three tiered covers to replicate the original intent and illuminate nearly the entire ballroom. Working alongside SOM, PYR completed the redesign of the hotel’s interior spaces to create a sense of contemporary luxury, while preserving its Art Deco legacy. The collaboration between the architects and interior designers redefine key relationships between movement, light, and function. The decorative plaster bas relief medallion at the center of the ceiling, sculpted by Eugene Rochette and Michael Parzini, has been maintained and refurbished, and further restoration of the original decor recreates the Art Deco look and feel in one of the city’s most iconic event venues. SOM also made several infrastructure changes to ensure the space is now soundproof and incorporated brand-new audio-visual systems, contemporary lighting, and heavy-duty rigging points within concealed areas in the ceiling. With these enhancements, plus the hotel’s hydraulic stage, the hotel's crown jewel is now capable of rivaling the city’s best performance venues.
- Basildon Room: An exquisite example of 18th-century design, the Basildon Room has a maximum capacity of 190 guests and now provides a lighter and brighter space as a result of strategic planning by SOM. Several key elements of the space include the ceiling’s restored frescoes, lunettes, cornices, paneling and fireplace mantel, which were all imported from England’s Basildon Manor in Basildon Park, built in 1776. Modern infrastructure, including new lighting, were added to the historic ceiling, and SOM updated the room to its original color scheme - relying only on a 1930s postcard from the hotel’s archive. SOM carefully removed layers of paint colors until they revealed those from the postcard, creating a palette that mimicked those from the original color scheme and restoring its polychromatic beauty. Preserving the space’s existing charm, PYR custom designed the carpet to draw from the original designs.
- Silver Corridor: The Silver Corridor is one of the most elegant spaces within the hotel, blending history and artistry in a way that is uniquely New York. Its significance lies not only in its architectural beauty but also in its functionality; the Silver Corridor links some of the most important event spaces in the hotel, such as the Grand Ballroom, Jade Room, Astor Room, and Basildon Room. Sixteen wall murals, originally commissioned for the first Waldorf Astoria and painted in 1897 by American impressionist artist Edward Emerson Simmons, were salvaged from the original hotel for the 1931 construction and brought back to life in the recent restoration by ArtCare Conservation. SOM honored the existing geometries and reinterpreted original materials to reinforce Waldorf Astoria’s defining architectural language and its status as a benchmark in global hospitality.
- Astor Salon: A backdrop to thousands of events throughout Waldorf Astoria New York’s history, including a 1933 concert featuring both Cole Porter and George Gershwin on pianos, the Astor Room has been restored and has a maximum capacity of 420.The room now brings in more natural light and features beautiful columns, which were uncovered during the restoration.
- Jade Room: With double-height ceilings and windows flanked by marble colonnades, the light-filled Jade Room has been updated to accommodate functions of up to 420 guests. The Jade Room can be paired with functions in the Grand Ballroom, or used as a stand-alone venue for intimate banquets and receptions.
Additional spaces great for meetings, pre-function gatherings and receptions include the East Foyer, West Foyer and Boardrooms and Executive Meeting Spaces. As part of the hotel’s new chapter, guests also have access to a new 10th floor terrace which is also available for small receptions.
Amenities for events will include a dedicated event experience manager on-site to ensure seamlessly executed events, one of the largest dedicated coat checks in New York City, a private Grand Ballroom entrance with dedicated elevators, an in-house production consultant for entertainment, media suites, and more. Event attendees can arrive via three entrances including a discreet porte-cochère on 49th Street between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue – the only hotel porte-cochère available in Manhattan – or via Park Avenue or Lexington Avenue between 49th and 50th streets.
Accommodations + Signature Suites
Following the hotel’s transformation from a 1,400-room hotel to 375 hotel guest rooms and 372 residences, Waldorf Astoria New York now offers some of the largest guest rooms and suites in Manhattan, with the majority of the hotel’s guest rooms exceeding 570 square feet. With hotel interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR) the hotel offers 11 different guest room categories, where rooms are meant to feel like private apartments, featuring distinct yet connected zones for living, working, and sleeping.
In addition to its luxurious guest rooms that opened in July, the hotel is also debuting five specialty suites this fall, ranging in size from 1,550 square feet to more than 5,000 square feet.
- Manhattan Suite (1,570 square feet with the capability to connect to another room for 2,140 square feet of space): Inspired by the elegance of a New York Art Deco apartment, the Manhattan Suite was envisioned as a collector’s curated residence. With three suites available, this suite offers a king bedroom, two bathrooms, dressing area, living room, formal dining room with seating up to eight, full kitchen with stove and wet bar.
- Empire Suite (2,260 square feet with the capability to connect to another room for 2,835 square feet of space): Conceived as Waldorf Astoria New York’s quintessential New York apartment, the Empire Suite invites guests into a world where American refinement meets English pedigree and Chippendale flourish. The suite offers a full kitchen with electric stove, formal dining table with seating for six, king bedroom, walk-in dressing area, two bathrooms and ample entertaining space.
- Waldorf Astoria Suite (Over 5,000 square feet): The Waldorf Astoria Suite captures the romance of an 18th‑century Parisian residence overlooking the bustle of Park Avenue. The suite is complete with a full contemporary kitchen, dining room with seating for eight, living room, piano, media and entertainment room, and walk-in closet. Guests can connect the suite with two adjoining rooms and one adjoining suite to create a four-bedroom suite.
