Waldorf Astoria’s New York City revival is just the beginning of Hilton’s 2025 luxury plans

“Will it reopen or not?” Hotel skeptics have wondered about the Waldorf Astoria New York for years. (Are not IOf course. I’m an eternal optimist and always think it will come back. Cough.) But now, Waldorf Astoria New York finally has a clear roadmap for reopening.

The multi-story, ultra-luxury hotel is now accepting reservations for December 10, 2025, after closing for a multi-year, $1 billion-plus renovation. The reopening includes 375 renovated guest rooms and suites, a signature restaurant overseen by chef Michael Anthony and the return of the hotel’s popular Peacock Alley cocktail lounge.

But it is also an important highlight on Hilton’s lid and expand in the luxury section of the hotel food chain.

Dino Michael, senior vice president and global head of luxury brands for Hilton, talked about the Waldorf renovation in an interview with TPG this month at the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes, France: “It was a labor of love.” “I think when people go, they will realize why it took so long. They will see every detail, the silver leaf, the gold leaf, the renovated mosaics, the marble, the picture and they’ll be like, ‘Okay, we get it.'”

But it’s not just the Waldorf Astoria branch in New York City that’s keeping Hilton busy on the luxury front. Hilton plans to open additional Waldorf Astoria properties in Costa Rica; Osaka, Japan; and Shanghai next year. Waldorf Astoria could have as many as 50 hotels around the world within the next two to three years, Candice D’Cruz, Hilton’s vice president of premium brands for Asia-Pacific, told TPG at ILTM.

Conrad is expected to add hotels in Athens and Hamburg, Germany, next year, while LXR Hotels & Resorts will expand to Casablanca, Morocco in 2025. The expansion comes amid a series of Hilton’s collaboration and acquisition agreements, including a new partnership with Small luxury hotels of the world and extended agreements NoMad becoming Hilton’s leading luxury lifestyle brand.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Feisal Jaffer, global head of LXR Hotels & Resorts, said of Hilton’s broader luxury operation. “I mean, this is a journey that we’ve been on to really change the perception of luxury.”

But growth doesn’t come easy. Hilton’s management must lure hoteliers away from what competitors at Marriott, Hilton and IHG are offering on the branding front.

“They presented it with all the enthusiasm in the world and it was a beauty pageant,” Michael said. “You’re fighting other brands.”

It looks like the yard is working. On the other side of ILTM, Small Luxury Hotels of the World leaders noted more than 80% of their properties are now participating in the new Hilton partnership; they see the value of reaching out more and bringing in a new type of customer from Hilton Title trajectory.

Hilton’s lavish rise appears to be on track to reach the stratosphere in the new year.

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