The Waldorf Hilton, London facts for kids
| The Waldorf Hilton, London | |
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°30′45″N 0°07′08″W / 51.5126°N 0.1189°W |
| Address | |
| Management | Hilton Hotels & Resorts |
| No. of rooms | 298 |
The Waldorf Hilton, London, is a very old and famous hotel in a part of London called Aldwych. It's part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts family and has been open since 1908! A rich and famous person named William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor started it. The hotel has 298 rooms, including 19 fancy suites.
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A Look Back: The Waldorf's Story
When the Waldorf opened in 1908, it wasn't just for sleeping. It was a place where people could stop for dinner, afternoon tea, or a drink. It had 400 bedrooms and 176 bathrooms. The hotel was very modern for its time. All rooms had telephones and electric lights. It also had three elevators and central heating.
Important Dates for the Waldorf
- 1889 – A theater boss named Edward Sanders wanted to build a big hotel. He teamed up with Thomas Wild and got help from William Waldorf Astor. The hotel was named after Astor to thank him.
- 1908 – The hotel was built very quickly in 18 months. It opened on January 28 with a big party.
- 1913 – The first tango dance happened in the hotel's Palm Court. This was quite shocking for people back then!
- 1934 – The hotel had its own band, "Howard Godfrey and his Waldorfians." They even recorded songs with singer Al Bowlly.
- 1939 – During World War II, the hotel told people it was safe. A bomb missed the hotel, but the Palm Court roof broke. Tango dances stopped, and the restaurant became a place for staff to sleep.
- 1964 – Famous hotel guides by Egon Ronay were first shared at the Waldorf.
- 1969 – The music magazine Melody Maker held its awards show here.
- 1979 – Parts of the movie SOS TITANIC were filmed in the Palm Court. This movie was about the famous ship RMS Titanic.
- 1982 – The hotel started its popular Tango Teas again after many years.
- 1995 – A new hotel group called Meridien took over the Waldorf.
- 2004 – Hilton Hotels Corporation bought the hotel. They changed its name to The Waldorf Hilton.
- 2005 – The hotel got a big makeover that cost £35 million.
- 2015 – The Waldorf Hilton had another update, costing £13.5 million.
How the Waldorf Looks: Architecture
The Waldorf has a long, curved front that is about 190 feet long. It is made of special granite stone. There's also a cool carving of angels showing arts and sciences. Edward Sanders and Thomas Wild hired a young architect named Alexander Marshall Mackenzie. He went to New York to get ideas for a new, fancy hotel style.
The Waldorf was built with many special rooms. It had a smoking room for gentlemen, which is now a meeting room. There was also a billiard room, now a lounge. A writing room for ladies is now another meeting room. It also had a huge dining area, now called the Adelphi Suite, and the beautiful Palm Court.
Places to Eat and Drink
The hotel has a restaurant called Homage. It's inspired by grand European cafes. They serve English food with a modern European twist.
Good Godfrey's Bar and Lounge has wooden walls. It's named after the hotel's first band leader, Howard Godfrey.
The Wild Monkey is another bar. It serves fun drinks in a "tropical" setting.
