The Waldorf Hilton, London

Last updated

The Waldorf Hilton, London
Waldorf Hotel 2.jpg
Open street map central london.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Central London
General information
Address Aldwych
Town or city London, WC2B 4DD
Country United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°30′45″N0°07′08″W / 51.5126°N 0.1189°W / 51.5126; -0.1189 Coordinates: 51°30′45″N0°07′08″W / 51.5126°N 0.1189°W / 51.5126; -0.1189
Opened1908 (1908)
Management Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Other information
Number of rooms298
Website
Official website

The Waldorf Hilton, London, formerly known as the Waldorf Hotel, is a historic hotel in the Aldwych, London. It is part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts chain and has a history dating back to 1908. The hotel was originally established by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor, a member of the prominent Astor family. The hotel features 298 guest rooms, including 19 suites.

Contents

History

The Waldorf, London, opened in 1908 with a vision to follow the American tradition of offering not just rooms but a place for passers-by to stop for dinner, afternoon tea or a drink. It opened with 400 bedrooms, 176 bathrooms and a range of innovative features – a telephone and electric lights that could be switched off at the bedside in all rooms, three elevators and central heating. [1]

Chronology [1]

1889 – Theatrical impresario Edward Sanders decided to build a major West End hotel on the northern rim of Aldwych. Sanders partnered with accountant Thomas Wild to raise the sum of £700,000, with the assistance of William Waldorf Astor, whom the hotel was named after in gratitude.

1908 – Employing a steel girder structure, the hotel was erected in 18 months and opened on 28 January with a champagne reception.

1913 – The first of many tangos was performed in the Palm Court, scandalising Edwardian society.

1934 – The resident house band was led by Howard Godfrey and his Waldorfians. Godfrey recorded 15 "Live at the Waldorf" 78 rpm discs with singer Al Bowlly. Hits included "Love is the Sweetest Thing" and "Goodnight, Sweetheart".

1939 – During WWII the Waldorf placed adverts in the press reassuring visitors that its alloy structure made it safe. One stray bomb missed the hotel but shockwaves shattered the Palm Court roof and tango tea dances were suspended. The restaurant became a staff dormitory and the hotel's head waiter slept in a corner every night to keep an eye on it.

1964 – Egon Ronay launched his hotel guides at the Waldorf.

1969 – Melody Maker hosted its music awards ceremony at the Waldorf.

1979 – Scenes from the Titanic film SOS TITANIC were shot in the Palm Court.

1982 – The Waldorf held its first Tango Teas since 1939.

1995 – The Meridien hotel group took over from the Forte family.

2004 – Hilton Hotels Corporation took over the hotel and renamed it The Waldorf Hilton.

2005 – The Waldorf was given a £35 million refurbishment.

2015 – The Waldorf Hilton received a further £13.5 million refurbishment.

Architecture

Exterior view of the hotel in 2006 Waldorf Hotel 3.jpg
Exterior view of the hotel in 2006

The Waldorf has a 190-foot curving facade made of Aberdeen granite with a frieze of cherubs depicting the arts and sciences. Edward Sanders and Wild hired the young architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie to build the hotel. Marshall Mackenzie (brother-in-law of distinguished Scottish designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh) went to New York to capture the pioneering new style in luxury. [1]

The Waldorf was built with a Gentlemen's Smoking room (now the Executive Boardroom), a billiard room (now the Executive Lounge), a ladies writing room (now the Aldwych meeting room), a 300 ft. dining space (now the Adelphi Suite), and the beautiful Palm Court.

Restaurant and bars

The hotel's Homage restaurant is inspired by the grand cafés of Europe, serving English food in a modern European style. [2]

The oak-panelled Good Godfrey's Bar and Lounge takes its name from the hotel's original house band, Howard Godfrey and The Waldorfians. [2]

The Wild Monkey is a bar serving cocktails in a "tropical environment". [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel</span> Establishment that provides lodging paid on a short-term basis

A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a refrigerator and other kitchen facilities, upholstered chairs, a flat screen television, and en-suite bathrooms. Small, lower-priced hotels may offer only the most basic guest services and facilities. Larger, higher-priced hotels may provide additional guest facilities such as a swimming pool, business centre, childcare, conference and event facilities, tennis or basketball courts, gymnasium, restaurants, day spa, and social function services. Hotel rooms are usually numbered to allow guests to identify their room. Some boutique, high-end hotels have custom decorated rooms. Some hotels offer meals as part of a room and board arrangement. In Japan, capsule hotels provide a tiny room suitable only for sleeping and shared bathroom facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldorf Astoria New York</span> Hotel in Manhattan, New York

The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, is a 47-story 625 ft (191 m) Art Deco landmark designed by architects Schultze and Weaver, which was completed in 1931. The building was the world's tallest hotel from 1931 until 1963 when it was surpassed by Moscow's Hotel Ukraina by 23 feet (7.0 m). An icon of glamour and luxury, the current Waldorf Astoria is one of the world's most prestigious and best-known hotels. Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts is a division of Hilton Hotels, and a portfolio of high-end properties around the world now operates under the name, including in New York City. Both the exterior and the interior of the Waldorf Astoria are designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as official landmarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayflower Hotel</span> Hotel in Washington DC

The Mayflower Hotel is a historic hotel in downtown Washington, D.C., located on Connecticut Avenue NW. It is two blocks north of Farragut Square. The hotel is managed by the Autograph Collection Hotels division of Marriott International. The Mayflower is the largest luxury hotel in the District of Columbia, the longest continuously operating hotel in the Washington D.C. area, and a rival of the nearby Willard InterContinental and Hay-Adams Hotels. The Mayflower is known as the "Grande Dame of Washington", the "Hotel of Presidents", and as the city's "Second Best Address" —the latter sobriquet attributed to President Harry S. Truman. Today it is a four-star hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz Hotel, London</span> Luxury hotel in England

The Ritz London is a Grade II listed 5-star hotel in Piccadilly, London, England. A symbol of high society and luxury, the hotel is one of the world's most prestigious and best known. The Ritz has become so associated with luxury and elegance that the word "ritzy" has entered the English language to denote something that is ostentatiously stylish, fancy, or fashionable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drake Hotel (Chicago)</span> United States historic place

The Drake, a Hilton Hotel, 140 East Walton Place, Chicago, Illinois, is a luxury, full-service hotel, located downtown on the lake side of Michigan Avenue two blocks north of the John Hancock Center and a block south of Oak Street Beach at the top of the Magnificent Mile. Overlooking Lake Michigan, it was founded in 1920, designed in the Italian Renaissance style by the firm of Marshall and Fox, and soon became one of Chicago's landmark hotels, a longtime rival of the Palmer House. It has 535 bedrooms, a six-room Presidential Suite, several restaurants, two large ballrooms, the "Palm Court", and Club International. It is known for the contribution that its silhouette and sign on the lake façade make to the Gold Coast skyline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langham Hotel, London</span> Building in London, England

The Langham, London, is one of the largest and best known traditional-style grand hotels in London, England. It is situated in the district of Marylebone on Langham Place and faces up Portland Place towards Regent's Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm court</span>

A palm court is a large atrium with palm trees, usually in a prestigious hotel, where functions are staged, notably tea dances. Examples include the Langham Hotel (1865), Alexandra Palace (1873), the Carlton Hotel (1899), and the Ritz Hotel (1906), all in London; and the Alexandria Hotel in Los Angeles, Palace Hotel, San Francisco and the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Capitalizing on their popularity, some ocean liners also had palm courts, notably the RMS Titanic (1912).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel Astor (New York City)</span> Former hotel in Manhattan, New York

Hotel Astor was a hotel on Times Square in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Built in 1905 and expanded in 1909–1910 for the Astor family, the hotel occupied a site bounded by Broadway, Shubert Alley, and 44th and 45th Streets. Architects Clinton & Russell designed the hotel as a 11-story Beaux-Arts edifice with a mansard roof. It contained 1,000 guest rooms, with two more levels underground for its extensive "backstage" functions, such as the wine cellar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Roosevelt New Orleans</span> Building in New Orleans, Louisiana

The Roosevelt New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a 504-room hotel owned by AVR Realty Company and Dimension Development and managed by Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts. The hotel was originally built by Louis Grunewald, a German immigrant, and opened in 1893 as "The Hotel Grunewald."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas</span> Luxury hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, formerly the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, is a 47-story luxury hotel and condominium building in the CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is managed by Hilton Worldwide as part of the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand. It is owned by Tiffany Lam and Andrew and Peggy Cherng.

The Park Lane Mews Hotel is a luxury 4-star boutique hotel in London's Mayfair district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bentley London</span> Building in England

The Bentley London is a luxury AA 5-star hotel in London, England. It is located at 27-33 Harrington Gardens in south Kensington, between Cromwell Road and Brompton Road. It is nearby to the museums Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and other sites such as the Royal Albert Hall, Sloane Square and the Royal Court Theatre, and the boutiques of Knightsbridge such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols. The hotel contains 64 rooms. The building was constructed in 1880, joined the Hilton Group as a franchise in October 2008 and was added to the elite Waldorf-Astoria collection on 12 March 2009. As of January 2012, The Bentley Hotel is a standalone Luxury hotel with no association with Hilton or Waldorf Astoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Aldwych</span> Building in England

One Aldwych is a five-star luxury hotel in London, England, founded by Gordon Campbell Gray. One Aldwych lies in the Aldwych in Covent Garden in City of Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista</span> Hotel in Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is an AAA Four-Diamond hotel located adjacent to the Disney Springs complex located on Walt Disney World Resort property in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The 23-acre (9.3 ha) hotel, which opened on November 23, 1983, is among seven hotels that make up the Disney Springs Resort Area. The Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are located on the property of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, but are not operated by Disney.

Hilton Chennai is a five-star luxury hotel located on Jawaharlal Nehru Road at Guindy, Chennai, India. It is located next to the Olympia Technology Park and close to the Kathipara Junction. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style with an initial investment of 4,000 million, it is Hilton's fourth Indian property after Hilton (Janakpuri), Hilton Garden Inn (Saket), both in New Delhi, and Hilton Mumbai International Airport. and was inaugurated by Indian Overseas Bank Chairman and Managing Director M. Narendra on 28 February 2011.

First-class facilities of the <i>Titanic</i> Overview of facilities for first-class passengers on the RMS Titanic

Reflecting the White Star Line's reputation for superior comfort and luxury, the RMS Titanic had extensive facilities for first-class passengers which were widely regarded as the finest of her time. In contrast to her French and German competitors, whose interiors were extravagantly decorated and heavily adorned, the Titanic emphasized comfort and subdued elegance more in the style of a British country manor or luxury hotel. Titanic's enormous size enabled her to feature unusually large rooms, all equipped with the latest technologies for comfort, hygiene, and convenience. Staterooms and public spaces recreated historic styles with a painstaking attention to detail and accuracy. There was a wide range of recreational and sporting facilities in addition which provided ample opportunity for amusement during a voyage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian</span> Luxury hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland

Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh - The Caledonian is a five-star hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. Opened in December 1903, it is an example of a British grand railway hotel, formerly called The Caledonian Hotel, and nicknamed 'The Caley'. It stands at the west end of Princes Street and is a category A listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Wailea Resort</span> Luxury resort in Hawaii

The Grand Wailea Resort & Spa is a 40-acre Waldorf Astoria luxury resort located on the beach in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii. The hotel opened in 1991 as the Grand Hyatt Wailea. The Grand Wailea is owned by BRE Hotels & Resorts and is the largest private employer on the island of Maui.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldorf-Astoria (1893–1929)</span> Former hotel in Manhattan, New York

The Waldorf-Astoria originated as two hotels, built side by side by feuding relatives on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. Built in 1893 and expanded in 1897, the Waldorf-Astoria was razed in 1929 to make way for construction of the Empire State Building. Its successor, the current Waldorf Astoria New York, was built on Park Avenue in 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">100 Queen's Gate Hotel London</span> Hotel in SW, United Kingdom

100 Queen's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton is a historic 228-room hotel, now part of the Curio (brand), situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, within close proximity of Hyde Park. The hotel features three food and beverage venues: W/A Kensington, an all-day brasserie and bar offering British-French fusion cuisine; Botanica, housed in a botanical glasshouse, designed for afternoon teas and cocktails; and ESQ bar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Waldorf Hilton, London". Hilton. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "Restaurants and Bars – The Waldorf Hilton, London". Hilton. Retrieved 29 April 2019.