Mad Men Tour of Midtown Manhattan

10. Waldorf Astoria

New York, NY

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The Waldorfs and the Astors were two of the most iconic old-money families of New York City. In the 19th century, before the domination of skyscrapers in Manhattan Island, much of 5th Avenue was actually dotted with mansions. As you can probably imagine, a mansion in Manhattan was a serious status symbol, an indication that a family was very well off financially. However, families with mansions on Fifth Avenue were the elite amongst the elite, including the Waldorfs and the Astors. The families of both William Waldorf and John Jacob Astor had mansions, and later hotels, on Fifth Avenue around what is now Midtown. Eventually the Waldorf and Astor hotels joined forces, and the Waldorf Hotel, soon to become the original Waldorf Astoria opened in 1893, on the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. As you might know, that is now the location of the Empire State Building. The old Waldorf Astoria was torn down in 1929 to make room for the planned tallest building in the world. In 1931, after less than two years of construction, the Empire State Building was finished, and the new Waldorf Astoria opened here on Park Avenue that same year. Of course, the May 1st opening of the Empire State Building was a monumental event, but the October 1st opening of the new Waldorf Astoria, which was the largest hotel in the world, was also national news. The publicity that this lavish hotel received during the Great Depression was one of the inspirations for Langston Hughes' 1931 poem "Advertisement for the Waldorf Astoria." The Waldorf is still one of the city's most famous hotels. It is where UN diplomats stay, although in recent times diplomats have been investing in their own Manhattan condos. Since 1931, this has also been where the US president stays during visits to New York -- in the Presidential Suite, to be precise. If you would like to stay in this historic suite you do not need to be president, but it will cost you $10,000 per night. The Presidential Suite was also where Hilton company founder Conrad Hilton was staying in "Mad Men" episode "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency," as Hilton Hotels owned the Waldorf. Don walked the short distance from Sterling Cooper on Madison Avenue to the Waldorf to meet with Hilton, and give his opinion on Hilton's advertising campaign for his New York properties, including the enormous Hilton hotel on Sixth Avenue, which was only three years old at the time. The 47 story, Art Deco Waldorf Astoria is still managed by Hilton Worldwide. [Photo credit: Noah Axelrod]