Weekend at the Waldorf

The historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York opened on October 1, 1931. NINETY-FIVE YEARS AGO and still ticking! This image of the entrance to the hotel was taken for research at Columbia Pictures in 1944. I’m not sure what movie it was used for, but MGM released, “Weekend at the Waldorf” one year later in 1945. Interiors for that film were recreated on a soundstage, but most of the exteriors were shot on location. Back from my digression, I present an image I shot in 2016 when I stayed at the Waldorf, showing very little change to the exterior, other than the newer canopy that engulfs all three sections of doors.



These cool little frames on the exterior tell us that Michael Zarin and his orchestra were performing at the Lounge Restaurant:



The frame on the right gives the lineup for the Starlight Roof, along with a scowl from the doorman:



Zooming in we see it includes the Nat Brandwynne Orchestra, Nicolas Alexander and something Williams Trio, and the rest I have no idea other than the mention of Sunday dinner. Just look at the pretty pictures, please.



As of 2016, it would appear that the very same frames were still being used:



Another exterior view from 2016:



In 2017, the hotel closed for renovations after a Chinese Company, Anabang Insurance Group, bought the property for $1.95 billion. That’s a lot of smackers! After much back and forth and shifting of schedules, the hotel portion reopened again in July 2025. Apparently by February 2026, Anabang was planning to sell the hotel. I’ll take tax write-offs for $500, Alex!

See more Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in NYC photos at my main website.