Chinese insurer renovating iconic Waldorf Astoria
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The famous Waldorf Astoria, one of the world’s most luxurious — and rumored crumbling — historic hotels, closed its heavy glass doors Wednesday for renovation, according to the Associated Press.
Owned by Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group Co. since 2014, the glamorous New York City landmark opened in 1931 as the largest and tallest hotel of its time and has since hosted dignitaries and movie stars alike.
But today, guests complain of “dated rooms, peeling paint and issues with cleanliness,” the Associated Press reported.
Anbang, which purchased the hotel from Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. for $1.95 billion, will reportedly keep the doors closed indefinitely, according to the Associated Press.
According to the Associated Press, no official renovation plan has been released but Anbang is expected to convert a large number of rooms into luxury apartments with boutique stores on the ground floor, leaving only a small part of the building as a hotel.
