Oh dear!
In April 2004, my partner and I made our 2nd EXCELLENT trip to the USA, staying in Las Vegas and New York.
After 6 ultra-brilliant nights in Vegas we arrived in New York and after a 5 hr flight and a 1 hr cab-ride we found ourselves outside the famous entrance of the Waldorf Astoria.

We'd longed to stay at this renowned hotel for months...and after trawling the internet for days we had found the cheapest rate (...4 nts for £576 ($1008!...not exactly cheap!!!!)
Obviously we had found many hotels at much...much...much cheaper rates, but we thought the Waldorf would be special so we weren't detered by the price.

Anyhoo... we refused bellboy service (why tip when you can lugg suitcases for free...aren't we classy?) and made our way up to check in.
I admit the foyer was nice, in a dingy-darker than usual Deco kinda-way...but wasn't awe struck like some other epinion reviews might lead you to believe.

Well...I checked in and was told that I had got a room with one double bed...I had ordered TWO beds...Un-amused I asked for a twin room but was told that none were available and I was offered...a rollaway bed....mmmm VERY 5*!!!

Choiceless I accepted this and me n my significant autre made our way to the Lexington Avenue elevators...up to the 9th floor.
When we exited the elevator...our Waldorf opinions really began to go DOWNHILL...

The corridor we stepped out onto was very...very drab and dank. Ancient yellowy/blue/creamy walls and threadbare carpets. Eurgh! It honestly looked like the scary corridors of some 2* Motel that you often see in 70s horror movies...really neglected and dire. It was as if the Waldorf had been renovated 30 years ago in a 1970s "traditional" style..and hadn't been renovated since!

As we walked through the corridor to our room, it suddenly dawned on us that our room was not going to be the sumptuous, plumped-pillow, fresh deco boudoir which we were expecting!!!

We entered the room..or was it an old maids-store with a bed in it?
The double room was TINY---and with the hidiously ugly and utalitarian ROLLAWAY bed which we were provided with, there was no room whatsoever--we couldn't even open our suitcases on the floor...and we had to walk over the bed to get to the bathroom (or tiled wardrobe with a bath and toilet in it).

The room was very tired and worn out- flat-limp frumpy old bedsheets and curtains-riddled with pulled and frayed stitching.
The bathroom was also very 1970s. It was clean, but the walls were just so thick with old paint, and taps and drains just felt old and archaic.

Don't get me wrong..I know the Waldorf is old---but such aged conditions aren't what you expect when you have payed so much for a 5* hotel.

The tv signal was poor, and an ugly 1980s fax machine filled what little table space we had. The minibar was limited- and the prices were even more expensive than what you would usually expect in a "good" hotel---prices which DID NOT match the drab, motel-like room. Room service was exactly the same..and the rooms worn appearence made me question the actualy quality and standard of the Waldorf's food--it didn't instill any confidence---There was some 1970s panelling around the air-conditioning unit---which was HANGING OFF!

We were moved the next day to a twin room, which was larger, but just as tired and drab.

This room (16th floor) did have quite a large, almost walk in closet, with the usual ironing board and about 12 clothes hangers, and the tv reception was better. Unlinke the smaller room though, there was NO safe, and the mini bar made an annoying buzzing noise ((yes..it was an old fridge)).
So if you need space- get a TWIN ROOM!!!! Then again- Don't stay here at all!!!!!

The Waldorf actually tried to charge me $100 for the ROLLAWAY bed, which they had me haggle from $100...to $25...to nothing!!!! Lovely 5* treatment there!

We got used to our ugly surroundings, but we felt really annoyed that we had payed so much...for soooo little.

Oh..if you plan on having a late morning at the Waldorf- DON'T!
We were in bed at around 8am several mornings and were woken by the maids in the hall. YES-we had put our "do not disturb" signs on the door-knob, but the maids were just sooo inconsiderate and rude. They would laugh, shout to one-and-other, sing and generally be VERY LOUD. This is something which I have never, ever had to deal with- noisy maids having a laugh---I don't think so Waldorf!!!

Again we had an Excellent time in New York, but we were massively disappointed with the Waldorf Astoria.
It seems to be a very lazily, badly managed and maintained old building that is trading on its former glory. The rooms and service are barely worth 3*s, and we remarked that our 2003 stay in New York at the 3* Amsterdam Court Hotel was much more appealing, and far more accomadating and stylish.

If you go to New York, you WILL love it---but don't stay at the Waldorf Astoria, it is NOT worth the extra money!!!!



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