Waldorf Astoria New York Reopens After Landmark Restoration / Publisher Luxurytravelmag

The Park Avenue landmark returns with 375 redesigned rooms, new dining by acclaimed chefs and a 2,000-square-metre Guerlain spa following one of the most extensive restorations in its history

Waldorf Astoria New York has reopened on Park Avenue after an unprecedented restoration that brings the 1931 landmark into a new design era.

The project, led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) with interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR), preserves the hotel’s original Art Deco character while introducing contemporary layouts, expanded light and renewed circulation throughout the building’s protected spaces.

Guest rooms and residences

The hotel has been reconfigured from 1,400 rooms to 375 guest rooms and 372 residences, with most guest rooms now exceeding 53 square metres.

Enlarged bathrooms, refined finishes and a residential design DNA signal a shift toward modern luxury, while historic murals and artworks – some dating to the 18th century – have been fully restored.

Dining and wellness

Three new dining concepts debut with the hotel’s reopening. Lex Yard, the signature brasserie led by chef Michael Anthony, blends American cuisine with a neighbourhood-focused feel; Peacock Alley returns in an evolved form with cocktails developed alongside award-winning mixologist Jeff Bell; and Yoshoku introduces Japanese fine dining with kaiseki influences interpreted through a New York lens.

A new 2,000-square-metre Guerlain Wellness Spa joins the hotel’s fitness centre and some 4,000 square metres of event space, including the Grand Ballroom.

Waldorf Astoria now operates 38 properties across 18 countries, with recent 2025 openings in Osaka, Costa Rica, Helsinki and Shanghai. Upcoming 2026 launches include London Admiralty Arch and Kuala Lumpur, ahead of further planned debuts in Tokyo, Bali, Hanoi, Tanger, New Delhi and Jaipur.

The highly anticipated Waldorf Astoria Sydney is also slated to open in late 2026.