After eight years behind scaffolding, Midtown Manhattan's grand dame is back on the calendar. Waldorf Astoria New York will reopen to guests in September 2025, capping a $2 billion, floor-by-floor restoration that fuses Art Deco splendor with contemporary luxury. The 44-story landmark will relaunch with 375 of the city's largest Hotel rooms, a 30,000-square-foot spa, and Chef Michael Anthony's new two-story brasserie, Lex Yard. Reservations opened on December 10, 2024, and early demand signals that the Park Avenue icon is set to reclaim its place at the pinnacle of New York hospitality.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Adds 375 high-end rooms amid record visitor demand.
- Eight-year, $2 billion restoration preserved landmark Art Deco interiors.
- Reservations accepted now for stays from September 1, 2025.
- 30,000-square-foot spa, 43,000 square feet of event space debut.
- Chef Michael Anthony helms Lex Yard; Peacock Alley lounge returns.
Snapshot * What's New
When doors swing open, travelers will find guestrooms averaging 570 square feet-among the city's most spacious-and suites that restore period moldings, mosaic floors, and the famed Lobby Clock. A holistic wellness wing spans two levels with treatment rooms, steam, sauna, and an outdoor terrace. Dining centers on Lex Yard, a 220-seat American brasserie, while the re-imagined Peacock Alley resumes its role as Midtown's power-meeting parlor. Event planners gain 43,000 square feet of restored ballrooms and salons, each wired for 21st-century production. Above the Hotel, 375 Waldorf Residences will phase in during 2026, offering owners a private entrance and 50,000 square feet of exclusive amenities.
Background * A Storied Dame
Opened in 1931, the Waldorf Astoria quickly became the locus of New York society, hosting presidents, diplomats, and cultural luminaries. China's Anbang Insurance Group acquired the property for a record $1.95 billion in 2014, then shuttered it in March 2017 for a top-to-bottom overhaul. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill led architecture, while Pierre-Yves Rochon refreshed interiors, balancing preservation mandates with modern building codes. The project converted upper floors to condominiums, refined mechanical systems, and strengthened the 625-foot tower for another century of service. Ownership transferred to Dajia Insurance Group in 2020, but the pandemic and supply-chain snarls pushed completion to 2025.
Latest Developments
A final construction push is underway this summer as Suffolk Construction hands off finished spaces to Hilton's pre-opening team.
Construction Breakthroughs
Laser scanning mapped every inch of the 1.6 million-square-foot structure, revealing beams up to three feet wide hidden behind century-old plaster. Crews cataloged, removed, and restored thousands of ornamental panels off-site, then reinstalled them over new HVAC and life-safety infrastructure. Gold-leaf artisans and stone conservators revived the Basildon Room, Silver Corridor, and Grand Ballroom, where terraces were reopened after removal of a 1960s mechanical room.
New Rooms and Residences
Hotel floors now feature sound-insulated walls, touch-panel controls, and marble-clad baths. Suites draw on original Art Deco motifs-chevron flooring, lacquered walnut, and bronze rails-while adding floor-to-ceiling triple-pane windows. Residential levels run from the 19th floor upward, giving owners separate lifts, a residents-only lobby, and access to the hotel's spa and concierge staff.
Culinary Comeback
Gramercy Tavern alumnus Michael Anthony has crafted an ingredient-forward menu for Lex Yard, marrying seasonal produce with indulgent staples such as truffle-laden lobster rolls. Peacock Alley reopens with cocktails curated by PDT's Jeff Bell, and 24-hour room service returns-an amenity absent from many post-pandemic luxury launches. Hotel leadership notes that 60 percent of inaugural weekend inventory is already on hold, a sign of pent-up nostalgia and fresh curiosity.
Analysis
For leisure travelers, the relaunch fills a gap at the ultra-luxury end of Manhattan's market, where room supply remains tight and nightly averages exceeded $925 this spring. Early booking secures introductory rates before anticipated peak-season surges. Business travelers gain a rare blend of large accommodations, cutting-edge audiovisual infrastructure, and heritage prestige-a combination that can justify premium corporate lodging budgets. Group planners should watch for limited midweek ballroom availability through Q4 2025 as social galas jockey with corporate events. On the residential front, the Waldorf Residences test whether branded condos can still command eye-watering prices after a soft 2024 market. If successful, the model could embolden other landmark hotels to pursue mixed-use conversions.
Final Thoughts
The September 2025 reopening crowns an eight-year quest to modernize a legend without erasing its soul. Travelers who book early can witness the return of Peacock Alley, dine under newly restored murals, and sleep in rooms that honor the past yet meet today's expectations for space and technology. With its spa, event venues, and chef-driven dining all debuting at once, the Waldorf Astoria New York is poised to reclaim its role as the city's defining address-an appointment worthy of every luxury traveler's short list, and a milestone moment for the Waldorf Astoria New York reopening.