The Waldorf Astoria and New York City were made for each other

Exterior of the Waldorf Astoria on New York's famed Park Avenue  (wikipedia)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – New York’s Waldorf AstoriaHotel is in a class by itself; a landmark that stands proudly beside the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Radio City Music Hall, Yankee Stadium, Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center.

The Waldorf may not be the most expensive hotel in the city or the most luxurious, but when you combine its history and prestige, it is unrivaled.

Corner drawing room on Fifth Avenue  (wikipedia)

The Waldorf is its own book of trivia filled with historic events and world famous celebrities from every walk of life: politicians, diplomats, royalty, entertainers and, even, gangsters.

From its inception the Waldorf Astoria was destined to become America’s most prestigious hotel address in America’s biggest and best known city. It began as a family feud between two great-grandsons of John Jacob Astor in the late 19th century.

Living in mansions on Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets, William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor IV may have been neighbors, but they had a healthy dislike for each other. Out of spite, in 1893, William Waldorf Astor demolished his mansion, moved to England and built the 13-story Waldorf Hotel overlooking his cousin’s four-story brownstone residence.

The original hotels were connected by "Peacock Alley"  (wikipedia)

Not to be outdone, four years later John Jacob Astor IV opened the more elegant 17-story Astoria Hotel next door.

Over time, the two relatives came to a truce and agreed to operate the two hotels under the name Waldorf-Astoria with the hyphen becoming a significant feature of the name.

So important did the hyphen become to the name, that an expression evolved along with a song titled,  "Meet Me at the Hyphen."

"Peacock Alley"  (wikipedia)

When Conrad Hilton purchased the hotel in 1949 he changed the symbol to a double hyphen similar to a plus sign. Today, the name is simply the Waldorf Astoria without embellishments.

Despite their “alliance” the cousins never completely trusted each other, so a 300-foot hallway was built as the only connecting point between the two properties. The idea being that should the tenuous partnership fail, the hallway could easily be bricked up to separate the buildings.

The elegant marble corridor became known as “Peacock Alley” where the rich and the famous could admire themselves in the mirrored passageway while an awestruck, curious public gazed upward to get a glimpse of the hotel’s aristocratic clientele.

Perhaps the historic footnote that John Jacob Astor IV was among the 1,514 passengers who perished when the Titanic sank in 1912 was an omen of what the future would hold for the hotel.

Just four days after the Titanic sank, a senate congressional committee gathered in the Waldorf ballroom to hear testimony from the survivors of the disaster.

The Waldorf Astoria is in a league of its own in the hospitality industry  (wikipedia)

In 1929, the same year the Great Depression began, the original hotel was demolished to make room for the Empire State Building. By 1931 the Park Avenue address, where it stands today, was completed. For the next 32 years the Waldorf Astoria was the world’s tallest hotel at 47-stories.

Waldorf Salad  (wikipedia)

Among the Waldorf’s most famous employees was Oscar Tschirky, the Swiss born maitre d’hotel who worked at both locations from 1893 until his retirement in 1943. Better known as “Oscar of the Waldorf”, Tshirky was the creator of acclaimed culinary traditions like Eggs Benedict, Thousand Island dressing and, of course, Waldorf salad.

Initially a “Waldorf salad” did not contain walnuts and grapes which were added to the apples and celery in later iterations.

Nikita Kruschev and his family with Nelson Rockefeller  (wikipedia)

Over the decades, the Waldorf has garnered international attention for its countless meetings, conventions, fundraisers and balls that are far too many to list. However there are numerous other noteworthy events that are worthy of mention:

• Former president Herbert Hoover lived at the Waldorf for more than 30-years following his retirement.
• Frank Sinatra paid a million dollar a year to maintain a residence in the hotel.
• Three 5-star American generals lived at the Waldorf for a time: Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and Omar Bradley.
• Gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, a major force in the development of the Las Vegas Strip, owned an apartment at the Waldorf during the 1930s.
• Lena Horne was the first black performer at the hotel.
• Sir Harry’s Bar, is the home of the Rob Roy and Bobbie Burns cocktails.
• The Waldorf was the first hotel in the world to offer complete electricity and private bathrooms. It was also the first hotel to offer room service and to hire women chefs.
• Speaking of women, the Waldorf was influential in allowing women to register for accommodations without an escort.
• In 1948 the Waldorf was the site of a press conference that introduced the first LP record.
• IBM unveiled its first personal computer at the Waldorf in 1981.
• The NBA held its first draft lottery for non-playoff teams in 1985 with the first pick being Patrick Ewing.
• Songwriter Cole Porter and Linda Lee Thomas had an apartment in the Waldorf Towers. Thomas died in 1954, but Porter wrote his famous song “You’re the Top” which includes the lyric, “You’re the top, you’re a Waldorf salad” twenty years earlier.

Believe it or not, there is also an abandoned subway station beneath the hotel that was linked to Grand Central Station just a few blocks away. President Franklin D. Roosevelt used it during while in office in an attempt to keep his wheelchair from public view.

The presidential train could pull into the platform where Roosevelt’s armor-plated limo would then drive down a ramp and into an elevator that led to the hotel garage.

The foyer at Christmas  (wikipedia)

On October 15, 2014 the Anbang Insurance Group from China purchased the Waldorf Astoria. It is scheduled for massive renovations which will take three years to complete beginning in the spring of next year.
Throughout its fabled history the Waldorf Towers have encompassed the 28^th floor to the 42^nd featuring 181 rooms. Approximately 75% of those accommodations are 1 to 4 bedroom suites.

At one time, the number of high profile guests residing in the towers was so abundant that author Ward Morehouse III referred to it as a “kind vertical Beverly Hills.”

Virtually everybody who is anybody has stayed at the Waldorf  (wikipedia)

When it comes to character and personality the Waldorf Astoria is legendary. Its corridors, banquet halls, ballrooms and clientele represent a who’s who and a what’s what of the past 150 years of American and world history.

The Waldorf Astoria is a national treasure. It is more than a hotel; it is a landmark. It is, in its own unique way, a museum of modern history with bedrooms.

Casa Wirth: Uruguay’s tiny gem is an “inn” place to be

Good things come in small packages such as Casa Wirth in Salto, Uruguay  (casa wirth)

SALTO, URUGUAY – Savvy travelers know only too well that their most treasured experiences are those unexpected gems that have been overlooked by guidebooks and camera-laden tourists.

And sometimes the best places to visit are the ones that require a little effort to get there. Whether it is the satisfaction of accomplishing something that tests your wanderlust spirit or nothing more than the personal pride of discovery, there is something magical about finding a traveler’s treasure hidden among a world of tourism.

Peter Wirth was raised in the
hospitality industry  (casa wirth)

Peter Wirth is an enterprising hotel entrepreneur with a rich pedigree in the business. After growing up in the surroundings of the luxurious Hotel Hassler in Rome, he became Executive Director of Waldorf Towers in New York.

The Bucher-Wirth family is a familiar name to veteran travelers that is filled with tradition and heritage. For five generations they have been catering to the world’s most prestigious clientele and their name is revered throughout Switzerland and Italy where the family perfected the art of hospitality.

Following the family legacy, Peter ventured into Mexico where he established the first Relais & Chateaux property there in San Miguel Allende.

Simple elegance is the theme at Casa Wirth  (casa wirth)

Now Peter has returned to Latin America with his most recent “Inn-carnation” known as Casa Wirth in Salto, Uruguay. In the true spirit of the family tradition, Casa Wirth labels itself “Your Uruguayan home with a heart” where the only requirement is to “enjoy simple life with a touch of class.” 

Garden bedroom  (casa wirth)

To be sure, Casa Wirth is off-the-beaten-path. Having lived in New York, Peter Wirth knows all to well that there is Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway. In the world of travel, Casa Wirth is termed a “pathfinder” destination, which is code for “off-off-the-beaten-path.” But that’s part of the magic, and it does not mean that you must sacrifice comfort or luxury.

To begin with, the 12,000 square foot estate was once the love nest of an Argentinian ballerina that has been renovated into a secluded five guest room hideaway nestled along the shores of the Rio Uruguay.

Traditional barbecue at Casa Wirth where you can experience Gaucho life  (casa wirth)

Each room is uniquely furnished with colonial flair that retains the original style. It is tasteful and “unfussy” rather than plush. Bathrooms have been designed to offer individuality and peerless character. And, just so the “civilized” world doesn’t get too far away, free Wi-Fi is also included.

Half of the property is a garden where guests can enjoy a traditional asado or Uruguayan barbecue.

Casa Wirth is a place that time forgot where you can pick a fresh passion fruit from a tree and savor its succulent juiciness as you settle back among the aroma of fragrant orchids and roses.

Breakfast is included and lovingly prepared by the staff who will also wash and iron your clothes, if you like.

A short 30-minute drive from Salto, Uruguay’s second largest city, guests at Casa Wirth are welcomed at Estancia Don Pipo, a 2,470 acre ranch with over 100 Criollo and Arab horses as well as a herd of 400 cattle. This is the world of the gauchos, and it’s the real thing.

Criollo horse  (wikipedia)

Visitors can spend the day or experience the estancia overnight in one of its cottages. Estancia Don Pipo’s owner is also Swiss, which ensures the ultimate in hospitality and charm.

Other activities at Estancia Don Pipo include horseback riding, bird watching and an opportunity to experience the world of the gauchos.

As cruise ships like to say, “At Casa Wirth, you can do everything or you can do nothing at all.” For the “do everything” crowd, there are wine tours, access to the Club Romero gym, paragliding, tours of colonial landmarks, visits to the pilgrimage site of Padre Pio and the San Antonio battlefield and the relaxing thermal pools of Termas de San Nicanor.

Angus herd at Estancia Don Pipo (casa wirth)

It is also possible to take a ferry to Argentina for lunch.

Best of all are the prices. At $85 per night for a double room including breakfast and fresh local orange juice, you might just stay forever.

Chinese chair
(casa wirth)

The entire casa can also be reserved, complete with a private kitchen and full staff including gardener, handyman and housekeeper/cook. Casa Wirth can accommodate up to 10 guests, but there is no minimum required to reserve the entire property for $390 per night.

As mentioned above, getting there requires a flight to either Montevideo or Buenos Aires and then a choice between a private plane or a chauffeured car or rental car. Drive time to Salto is approximately five hours.

Anyone familiar with the Bucher-Wirth reputation for excellence knows all too well that they are “out-of-the-box” experts in the art of comfort and privacy.

Casa Wirth is furnished with traditional Colonial antiques from Uruguay  (casa wirth)

Peter Wirth continues that tradition with his newest enterprise, Casa Wirth in Salto, Uruguay. This is truly a “touch of class in South America,” or perhaps better said, “a touch of Wirth in Uruguay.”

As Peter Wirth puts it, “Mi Casa es Tu Casa at Casa Wirth!” W

Bath: Where the Romans took the waters in England

The famed Pulteney Bridge is as captivating today as it was during the Roman Empire  (wikipedia)

Bath, England – More than two thousand years ago, the Romans ruled the world, including England. And after a long day of conquering and marauding, the Roman baths were a favorite place to tell stories about individual heroics, much the way golfers today gather in the bar to recount your latest 18 hole adventure.

Perhaps the best place to experience Roman culture, elegant architecture, theater and museums in one place in England today is situated about 100 miles west of London in the city of Bath. The Romans called it Aquae Sulis or  “the waters of Sulis,” but locals now simply refer to it as “Baaath.”

For travelers, Bath is a marvelous day trip by train from the English capital. Situated in hills of the valley of the famed River Avon, it was the hot springs that attracted the Romans in 60 AD because of their healing properties. By the 3^rd century, the town was fortified with defensive walls but with the decline of the Roman Empire in the early part of the 5^th century, the luxurious baths fell into disrepair.

The Abbey dates to the 7th century  (wikipedia)

The once glorious spa and pilgrimage destination was layered with silt, leaving only the ruins of the temple of Sulis-Minerva to mark the ancient site.

By the 7^th century Bath Abbey had been built, making the city a religious center. It was rebuilt twice, once in the 12^th century and again in the 16^th. Thus contemporary travelers can revel in its architectural splendor even today.

For 12 centuries, various churches came and went, and though the hot springs were in continuous use throughout the Middle Ages, they never enjoyed the splendor of their glory days under the Romans until the 1600s when they underwent a “Renaissance.”

The ancient baths are a time capsule of history  (wikipedia)

Wealthy aristocratic families were again enticed to “take the cure” of the natural spring waters and by the early 18^th century it had become a fashionable spa. Today Bath proudly proclaims that it “is the only place in the UK where you can bathe in the thermal water that comes directly from the natural hot springs deep beneath the city.”

Many Roman archaeological sites remain throughout the city, including the baths themselves which are especially fascinating because they nestle about 20 feet below the present street level.

The Royal Crescent was the forerunner to today's condominiums  (wikipedia)

Thanks to the excavations of the baths, along with numerous other outstanding attractions, the city became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

Historically, some scholars believe that Bath was the site of the Battle of Bardon in 500 AD where King Arthur is said to have defeated the Anglo Saxons.

Relaxing in the Pump Room  (wikipedia)

Several areas of the city were developed during the era of the Stuarts with even more building taking place during the Georgian era. The Royal Crescent, designed by John Wood the younger, between 1767 and 1774 is the most spectacular of three terraces that have become synonymous with Bath’s history.

The terraces, known as the “Circus”, consist of three long, curved spaces that form a circular area which were intended for civic functions and games. Inspiration came from the Colosseum in Rome.

Italian influence can also be seen at the popular picturesque Pulteney Bridge which spans the River Avon. The three-arched design came from the Rialto Bridge in Venice, but it was also created as a shopping venue much like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

Today, Pulteney Bridge, though substantially altered since its original construction, remains one of the few surviving bridges in Europe that serves the dual purpose of crossing a river and “shopping mall.”

Though a popular tourist mecca today, an early visitor in the 19^th century once remarked that “lodgings are not very numerous, but are distinguished for the elegance, convenience and comfort which they afford visitors.”

The Jane Austen Centre highlights the early 1800s when Austen lived in Bath  (wikipedia)

Bath no longer has an inadequate amount of accommodations. In fact, fans of Jane Austen can stay in the same residence where the famous novelist once lived in the early 1800s. Located just off the well known Great Pulteney Street, which has been the site of numerous period movies for obvious reasons, the 18^th century Georgian house features four elegantly appointed rooms overlooking The Holburne Museum, Camden Crescent and central Bath.

Besides the Holburne Museum, Bath also features the Jane Austen Centre, American Museum in Britain, the Haynes Motor Museum and the Fleet Air Arm Museum among others.

Pulteney Bridge shimmers in the amber glow of nightfall   (wikipedia)

At night, the theatrical scene comes to life as the city morphs into another century where time stands still in the amber lighting and soft silhouettes of history.

Baaath is a place not to be missed, at the very least for a day trip. It is also an ideal base for other exploration through England, so stay longer if you can.

After all, those early warriors didn’t call it the “roamin’ Empire” without reason.

Rome’s Hassler Hotel: The ultimate in hospitality

The luxurious Hassler Hotel sits atop the Spanish Steps next door to the famed Trinita dei Monti  (Hassler Hotel)

ROME – When it comes to quality, the Hassler Hotel in Rome is a 5-star property with 6-star service. And it is that extra star that makes the Hassler unique.

Though this story is about one of the most prestigious hotels in the world that is situated at atop the Spanish Steps and beside the Trinita dei Monti in Rome, it has its roots in Switzerland.

View of Rome (Hassler Hotel)

The Hassler Hotel is a recognized gem in the hospitality industry because it epitomizes the very word “hospitality.”

The Hassler is the story of two families, Bucher and Wirth, who merged first through marriage in 1887 and later with pioneering entrepreneurial spirit to establish one of the great luxury hotels of the world.

It wasn’t until the latter half of the 18^th century that international leisure tourism became a reality. Before that travel was primarily limited to merchants, monks, pilgrims and soldiers. Inns were dirty and run down, roads were rutted and dusty, robbers and highwaymen were behind every bush and tree and innkeepers were notoriously untrustworthy.

Travel for the sake of pleasure wasn't even a consideration.

Victor Emmanuelle Monument as seen from the 7th floor of the Hassler  (Taylor)

In 1841, a man named Thomas Cook operated what became the first tour group in history when he arranged to take 540 people by train from Leicestershire, England to Loughborough for a temperance meeting eleven miles away.

As the popularity of leisure travel grew, both Cesar Ritz and Franz-Josef Bucher recognized the need to improve accommodations for travelers and the hospitality industry was born.

Bucher and Ritz were natives of Switzerland who realized that conquering the Alps with reliable transportation combined with clean, comfortable, welcoming hospitality would bring large numbers of visitors to their country.

Among Bucher’s earliest projects was connecting the Lake of Lucerne in Switzerland to an inaccessible ridge overlooking the lake with a magnificent hotel. Bucher also created roads to the property, but his genius was the constructing of a funicular that still operates today to bring travelers from the lake to the hotel.

The lush Palm Court  (Hassler Hotel)

Later Bucher added a 540-foot open-air elevator from the lake to the crest of the mountain. Completed in 1872, the Hammetschwand Elevator remains the highest exterior elevator in Europe.

In 1887, Bucher’s daughter, Christine, married Heinrich Wirth. Wirth had worked at the Burgenstock Hotel during the summer months.

Soon the Bucher/Wirth marriage evolved into a hotel dynasty and eventually the new headquarters for the business opened its doors in Rome.

By 1936, Oscar Wirth, the youngest son of Christine and Heinrich, became co-owner of the Hassler. Badly in need of restoration, Wirth personally supervised the demolition in 1939 and out of the ashes arose the Phoenix we know today as the Hassler.

Though Oscar Wirth was notoriously shy, over the years he developed a close personal friendship with many of his guests. Soon the Hassler had gained the worldwide reputation it retains today as the favorite destination for heads of state, royal families, celebrities and musicians when staying in Rome.

Quiet elegance and personal privacy are hallmarks of the Hassler  (Taylor)

With such prestigious clientele, Wirth knew the importance of providing the utmost privacy for his distinguished guests while ensuring that they received the best care and attention. It was a combination that has become a tradition at the Hassler and today, every guest receives the same “royal” treatment and attention.

It is that element that makes the Hassler stand out among other luxurious properties.

A Grand Deluxe room offers every comfort  (Hassler Hotel)

In 2001, Roberto Enrico Wirth took over as the sole owner of the hotel, purchasing the remaining shares from his brother Peter.

Continuing the family tradition, Roberto is on site at the Hassler every day when he is Rome to guarantee that the hotel operates with the highest level of efficiency and quality while maintaining the standards of excellence that have been its hallmark for 80 years.

Outside the Hassler  (Hassler Hotel)

Born deaf, Roberto has had a life-long advocacy for the hearing impaired and deaf-blind children. In 1992 he founded a non-profit organization named after him.

The organization provides the children’s parents with psychological support and guidelines to educate their offspring.

Situated just a few steps from the hotel property itself, is Il Palazetto and the International Wine Academy in Rome which Wirth opened in 2002. He calls Il Palazetto a “temple of wine and food in Italy.”

Overlooking the Spanish Steps, the lovely small palazzo is a gathering spot for people seeking the best of all worlds in Italy.

Il Palazetto is an ideal place to end the day  (Hotel Hassler)

In the end however, it is not the elegant accommodations, the culinary sumptuousness of the food, the prestige of the wine list or even its stunning setting that makes the Hotel Hassler unique.

Rather it is the dedication and friendliness of the staff, the personal attention shown to each guest as an individual and the sensation of being a part of the family tradition that began in Switzerland 14 decades ago.

A whimsical sculpture graces the Hassler lobby  (Taylor)

To ensure that the tradition continues, Roberto’s children, Robertino and Verusckha, are learning their trade at one of the finest hotel schools in Switzerland.

You see, a stay at the Hassler is “Wirth” every minute.