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Waldorf-Astoria Announces United Arab Emirates Hotel

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has announced its second hotel in the Middle East the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah. The hotel is located in the United Arab Emirates about 40 minutes away from the Dubai International Airport. The new hotel will have 349 rooms in an Arabian-themed palace hotel with outdoor swimming pools, 10 restaurants and bars, a new spa concept, meeting and ballroom space and more. The hotel is part of a development that will also have an 18-hole golf course, a private beach and a convention center with capacity for 3000 people.

Guests will also have access to the recently opened shopping mall located within the Al Hamra development. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Al Hamra Group dubbed Al Hamra "a stunning oasis of luxury and tranquility, where guests can come to relax and unwind." The hotel is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year. Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah will be the second Waldorf Astoria property to open in the Middle East. Existing Hilton Worldwide properties in Ras Al Khaimah are the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah and the soon-to-open Doubletree by Hilton Ras Al Khaimah.

The hotel group takes its name from originalThe Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York. All of the branded Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts offer a luxury experience including spas and culinary excellence to world-class golf and hotels extend from Orlando to Shanghai.

Tags: al hamra, ras al khaimah, uae, united arab emirates, WaldorfAstoria

Waldorf=Astoria plans New Location in Tel Aviv

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

The Waldorf-Astoria is a veritable New York City landmark. But what was once a single establishment has since grown, under the direction of Hilton Hotels, into The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

In addition to the flagship location in Manhattan, four more opened in the United States (including the Arizona Biltmore, La Quinta in California, the Dakota Mountain Lodge in Utah and the Grand Wailea in Maui), but the expansion isn't limited to America alone. The Calalieri in Rome joined the collection in 2008, which was preceded by the Qasr Al Sharq in Jeddah. The roster has since expanded to include dozens of locations, but Saudi Arabia isn't even the only country to put The Waldorf on the map in the Middle East.

Visitors to Jerusalem will invariably notice the construction of the latest location in the Israeli capital, opposite the boutique Mamila Hotel and the modern David Citadel, and just down the street from the historic King David. But soon that development is set to be joined by an additional location in Tel Aviv.

The Mediterranean development is planned for the Tel Aviv beachfront on a plot next to the expansive Tel Aviv Hilton. Although details of the project have yet to be confirmed, the Jerusalem location is set to feature 220 guest suites along with 30 residential condos.

[Source: Yedioth Aharonoth]

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Tags: hilton, hotel, israel, jerusalem, tel aviv, waldorf, waldorf astoria, waldorfastoria

Waldorf Astoria Announces First Latin American Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has announced its first hotel in Latin America, The Panamera, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, will open the second half of 2011 in Panama City, Panama. The new hotel will be located in the tourist-friendly Calle Uruguay area of Panama City. The tower will have 130 guest rooms, 118 luxury residences, a 1,200-sqare-foot fitness center, a 2,500-square-foot spa, an outdoor swimming pool, 4 600 square feet of meeting space and more than 9,000 square feet for food and beverage options. The hotel is already under construction and slated to open in the second half of 2011.

Tags: panama, panama city, panamera turbo, waldorf astoria, WaldorfAstoria

Waldorf Astoria Club Opening In Shanghai

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

More and more luxury hotel brands are planting their flag in Shanghai. The Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund has announced that the first of its two buildings, the Waldorf Astoria Club, will open this summer, with reservations now being accepted for September 15, 2010 and beyond. The club is located on the famous Bund in Shanghai and is in the home of the former Shanghai Club, an exclusive club originally built in 1911. The neo-classic architectural gem has been restored to its former glory, with designers using archival photographs and historic records as a reference guide.

Each of the Waldorf Astoria Club heritage building's 20 suites is decorated in classic European style. Some amenities include walk-in closets, marble-finished bathrooms, claw-foot bathtubs and separate showers, in-room entertainment and coffee and tea-making facilities.

Tags: china hotels, hotel opening, shanghai 2009, waldorf astoria, WaldorfAstoria

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The Waldorf-Astoria's New Sex and the City Package

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

I would rather gouge my eyes out with the heel of a mold-encrusted Manolo than see Sex and the City 2 , set to be unleashed in theaters on May 27th.

(For the record, I liked the HBO series, but was appalled by the first movie, which apparently makes me a lonely heretic, since it did very well in the box office.)

Still, I cannot ignore the buzz that's building around the sequel, and Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria's The Waldorf Towers is offering a Sex and The City Movie package, which is actually a pretty good deal. Stay for two nights at $300, double occupancy, eat cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, drink two Cosmos at the hotel's Bull & Bear restaurant, get two 60-minute spa treatments (one per person), and... two tickets to see the blessed movie itself. You can also take the Sex and the City NYC tour.

Nota bene, these activities probably won't have anything to do with the new movie, which centers around a trip to Abu Dhabi (filmed in Morocco). And it has to be said that these Manhattan-based activities are starting to feel a little retro, since let's face it, it's been 12 years since the series started airing and six years since it stopped -- but hey, nothing's wrong with a little nostalgia. Other hotels in the city are also offering similar packages.

The package runs May 1st to August 30th, but movie tickets are only available when the movie is in theaters. And if history's any indication, given the track-record of these sort of sequels, the run could be short -- so if this package intrigues, book earlier rather than later.

Tags: abu dhabi, hotel deals, hotels, manhattan, movies, SexAndTheCity, WaldorfAstoria

Philadelphia's Waldorf Astoria Project Put On Hold

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Add another ambitious condo/hotel project to the dust heap. The 58-story Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Philadelphia has been postponed indefinitely. The $420 million project was to be a lavish project with a Waldorf-Astoria hotel, restaurant, spa, upscale retail and 136 condo units starting at $1 million. Philly.com reports that this is one of nine major hotel projects in the Center City area that have either been delayed or indefinitely put on hold. The project was doomed by the usual suspects, an uncertain real estate market and a banking climate that makes it virtually impossible for developers to get loans.

One of the developers, Timothy J. Mahoney III, president and chief executive officer of Mariner Commercial Properties Inc. has sold his stake in the project to his partner, Brook Lenfest of Brooks Capital Group.The developer is still under a management contract with Hilton Hotels which owns the Waldorf brand. Hilton is still committed to the project but it may be a while before this one comes to pass.

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Tags: condos, hotel, philadephia, waldorfastoria

Debutantes Party While Rome Burns

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Charity, Wealth

Recession or no, there was no shortage of swells willing to shell out $14,000 for a table at the International Debutante Ball at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York the other night. 47 debutantes in white gowns were presented at the ball, " a holdover from an era when the daughters of the upper crust were presented to society as a preface to meeting suitable mates," the International Herald Tribune notes. They included European aristocrats and scions of American families from the Social Register. Some guests tried to rationalize the expenditure. "It is extravagant, but I felt it was important for my daughter, and things might get worse," one noted. Another explained, "There are a lot of waiters working tonight, so it's doing something for the economy."

Each debutante's family pays $14,000 for a table as well as thousands of dollars for couture gowns, hairdressers and related expenses for the Ball, which was founded in 1954, the paper reports. Each deb is paired with a civilian escort in white tails and a military cadet in a dress uniform. Proceeds benefit the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club, a charitable organization that provides accommodations to military families visiting New York. Maria Irini Rizos, of Corfu, Greece, a self-described descendant of Venetian nobility, told the IHT she participated in the ball because "I want to meet international friends and have contacts with people from different countries."

Tags: Debutantes, New York, NewYork, Social Register, SocialRegister, WaldorfAstoria

Waldorf=Astoria Plans Philadelphia Project

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Waldorf=Astoria Hotel has announced their latest project, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Residences in Philadelphia. The $420-million development will be 58 stories and will include a 175-room hotel and 136 private residences starting at $1 million each. The property will also be home to a spa, conference room, a boutique shop and a restaurant. The granite and glass tower is to be designed by Cope Linder Architects of Philadelphia and the most desirable units will be the eight custom Bi-Level penthouses with internal private elevators, grand staircases and some of the highest walkout terraces in the city.

Some are wondering if there are enough buyers for all the condo projects being built in Philadelphia. While Philadelphia does have less construction than other large cities it also has a large inventory of condos for sale and plenty of projects currently underway which will push more units into a crowded marketplace. Perhaps by the time these condos are ready in 2012, the condo market will be a bit warmer.

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Tags: condominiums, condos, philadelphia, waldorf astoria, WaldorfAstoria

Guerlain Spa Opens at the Waldorf=Astoria

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas

A few weeks ago Guerlain opened a spa in the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. The spa "ensures a comprehensive luxury experience for every Waldorf guest." On the menu are eight kinds of massage, four kinds of facials, six kinds of body treatments, and five men's treatments, as well as hand and foot therapies, makeup application and all-day and partial-day getaway spa experiences. The spa also has a boutique and personal training studio.

I'm no beauty maven, but I've had massages and lots of facials, and what's described on the site seems no more special than what's offered at any other upscale spa, except for the use of Guerlain products and exquisite descriptions of services. I've no doubt the products add a level of luxury that's likely missing from a run-of-the-mill salon-type spa on the corner. But does Guerlain do a better job for what I assume to be a big pricetag? I don't know. I might have to check it out!

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Tags: facials, Guerlain, Guerlain spa, GuerlainSpa, hotel, hotels, massage, New York, New York City, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NYC, reflexology, spa, Waldorf, Waldorf Astoria, Waldorf-Astoria, WaldorfAstoria

Eat Like A President For $500

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Have you ever wondered what kind of food Presidents eat? Well you now have the chance to find out. The Waldorf Astoria has hosted every U.S. President since Herbert Hoover and they're now offering a four-course presidential menu complete with wine in order to share some of their best presidential creations. The meal includes:

1st Course: Seared Scallop with Osetra Caviar and Potato-Chive Mousseline (Served to President Clinton at the Heads of State Dinner in 2000)

2nd Course: Poached Turbot with Caviar-Champagne Sauce (Served to President Reagan at the Heads of State Dinner in 1985)

3rd Course: Roast Rack of Lamb with Saffron Potatoes, Candied Eggplant and Pickled Onion (Served to President George H.W. Bush in 1992 while entertaining Prime Minister John Major)

4th Course: Chocolate Extravaganza (a favorite of President George W. Bush)

The tasting menu will run you $500, which includes private butler service in a room decorated with U.S. flags and some complimentary presidential amenities/souvenirs. Yum!

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Tags: dining, president, waldorf, waldorf astoria, WaldorfAstoria