The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel’s full September reopening, five years later than first planned, will be well worth the long wait.
The magnificently restored, reborn Waldorf-Astoria brings back the Big Apple’s “grand hotel” style, with glorious public spaces open to everyone and worthy of the inn’s iconic legacy.
New York City’s great hotel lobbies fell one by one over the decades. Even the Plaza’s once-spectacular entrance is a shadow of its old self.
The Waldorf’s public portion, on the other hand, is so large, I almost forgot that more than half of the building was converted to condo apartments. (The inn’s 1,400 guest rooms were pared down to 375, although they’re much larger than the old ones).
But after it closed in 2017, relaunching it fell far behind schedule due to construction issues, COVID-19 and an unexpected change in Chinese ownership.
“The many delays that The Post first reported will be forgotten when visitors and a handful of early hotel guests have their first look at the ground floor this week. (The grand ballroom and some other facilities won’t open until September.)
