Iconic manhattan luxury hotel near the rockefeller center park avenue splendor from its perch on affluent park avenue the waldorf astoria new york has been a beacon of new york city glamour since it opened in 1931 the rockefeller center and grand central terminal are both within a 10 minute walk and 51st street subway station is 4 minutes away on foot 2 blocks to fifth avenue fashionable fifth avenue is 2 blocks away and a 15 minute stroll past its designer shops will get you to the south