New York City has long been a tourism mecca both domestically and internationally. Travelers come to NYC for its legendary attractions, entertainment, history, and hotels. In New York, where you rest your head at night can be just as fascinating as the places you explore during the day. Historic NYC hotels often tell their own unique stories, the Waldorf Astoria included. In this 1978 ad, the Waldorf Astoria was branded as an attraction in its own right, a place to see the “great and near great, the noted and the notable.” We wonder what they would all say about the news of the famous landmark being partially transformed into apartments?

Fun Fact: The Waldorf Astoria was positioning itself as a luxury hotel even before construction was completed in 1931. Waiters in suits and ties would serve construction workers lunch on the rafters where they were building the hotel’s Park Avenue location. (Source: Waldorf Archives)