Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas Review: Room, Food & FHR Benefits

The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas was our first time staying at a Waldorf Astoria property, and we had high expectations. It is Hilton's top luxury brand after all. Here is the full breakdown of the room, amenities, FHR benefits, and the one area that genuinely disappointed us.

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About the Property

The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas is a boutique hotel in the heart of the Vegas strip. It is a non-smoking, non-gaming hotel, which already sets it apart from most of what surrounds it. The building is also part residential: the hotel occupies floors 3 through 22, while private residences run from floors 24 to 47.

Location is solid. It sits right next to T-Mobile Arena, Park MGM, Nomad, Aria, and the Cosmopolitan. The Shops at Crystals are basically attached.

For context, this was one of five properties we stayed at during this Vegas trip: Waldorf Astoria, Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, Conrad, and Croxford. More reviews coming.

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Check-In and Room

We booked through Amex FHR and asked at check-in if there were any upgrades available. There were not. No junior suite, no free bump. Just the room we booked.

We paid around $307 before resort fees and taxes for a one king bedroom with a strip view on the 17th floor.

Strip view verdict: It is there, and it is decent, but it is not the kind of view that makes you stop and stare. Just okay.

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Room Tour

The room itself is well-designed and modern. Here is what stood out:

Living and work area:

• Comfortable sofa with nice color
• Two desk spots for working (we each had our own area)
• Good charging setup: wireless charger at the nightstand, outlets with USB-C ports

Minibar area:

• Espresso machine (not a Keurig, which I appreciated)
• Minibar with snacks and beverages, but everything is pricey. $8 Coca-Cola pricey.
• Kettle for boiling water
• Espresso pods stored separately with cups and wine glasses

Bed:

• Bouncy mattress
• Very soft pillows (they do not spring back once you push them in)
• Analog alarm clock (the kids might struggle with this one)

Bathroom:

• Deep soaking tub, though it is narrow
• Regular shower head plus a handheld
• His and her sinks
• Amenities are from a high-end brand. They also include a Lancome shaving kit, which was a nice touch for Vincent.
• Additional amenities: mouthwash, sewing kit, shower cap, cotton
• Note: the toilet is not automatic. Manual only.

Open bath area:

• There is a partition between the sleeping area and bath that you can close, but it is not fully private. Anyone walking by can still see through. Just something to be aware of.

Closet:

• Spacious and organized, with plenty of drawers
• Safe inside
• Two thick robes and some of the best slippers I have gotten from any resort. Very padded and bouncy.
• A valet closet: a pass-through in the wall where you can leave items for housekeeping to pick up or receive deliveries. This was my first time seeing one and it was genuinely cool.

AC: Goes down to 60°F. We were happy.

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Turndown Service

They dim the lights, tidy the towels, and make the bed. Extra waters were left on request. No chocolates though. Conrad does chocolates. The Waldorf does not. Just noting.

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Pool and Fitness

Pool area:

• Three pools total, one of which is adults only
• Water is heated
• Plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas
• Sunscreen and aloe vera provided poolside
• Good strip views from the pool deck
• Pool bar was closed during our visit (off-season), so no drinks or food

Gym:

• Technogym equipment, modern and well-maintained
• Smaller than expected for a property of this size, but functional
• Cool towels and complimentary wireless headphones

Bonus: There is a nail spa and hair salon on property. First time I have seen that in a hotel. We did not use it this trip, but it is worth knowing if you want to use your FHR credit there instead.

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Bars and Dining Overview

There are two bars and one restaurant on property:

• Peacock Alley (23rd floor): cocktails and afternoon tea
• Heartshake: main bar with cocktails and shareable dishes, strip views
• Zen Kitchen: the only restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

We ate at Zen Kitchen twice: once for dinner and once for breakfast.

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Zen Kitchen: Dinner

We used our FHR experience credit plus Vincent's Hilton Diamond bonus credit here, for a combined $150 to spend.

What we ordered:

• Chef's special nigiri: king salmon
• Wagyu fried rice ($20)
• Espresso martini
• Strawberry margarita mocktail (ordered non-alcoholic, but it tasted like it had something in it. I turned pink. Ordering notes: I asked for a mocktail and I do not think that is what I received.)

Food verdict: Just okay. The portions were smaller than expected. The nigiri did not look or taste particularly fresh, which is a problem for sushi. The Wagyu fried rice was a $20 plate that did not justify the price. We were not impressed.

We had high expectations coming in. It is a five-star hotel. The food should at least be solid. It was not.

Recommendation: If you have FHR or Hilton Diamond credits to burn, consider using them at the bar or the spa instead of Zen Kitchen.

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Zen Kitchen: Breakfast

We waited about 10 to 15 minutes to be seated, standing in the hallway with no waiting area to sit in. Small restaurant, small kitchen.

What we ordered:

• Peppermint latte: genuinely good, my favorite thing from the whole restaurant experience
• Croissant: very flaky, but not warmed up. They did not ask if we wanted it toasted, and I ate it cold. For a five-star property, that is a miss.
• Breakfast sandwich: big, and decent

Overall: The same verdict as dinner. Just okay. For the price point and the brand, it should be better.

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FHR Benefits Breakdown

Here is how everything played out through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts:

We ended up spending all $150 in total on Zen Kitchen. In hindsight, splitting that between the restaurant and the spa or the bar might have been better.

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House Car

One feature that genuinely impressed us: the house car. The Waldorf Astoria offers a complimentary BMW drop-off (not pickup) within a 2-mile radius of the strip, on a first come, first serve basis.

We were originally going to Uber to the Cosmopolitan, which would have cost around $10. Instead, we loaded up in a BMW and got dropped off for free.

Small thing, but it was a nice, unexpected touch in an otherwise underwhelming stay.

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Final Verdict

The Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas is a beautiful, well-maintained hotel with a great location. The room is comfortable, the amenities are solid, and the FHR benefits worked as expected. But the restaurant, Zen Kitchen, was a real letdown for a five-star property. Cold croissants, small portions, and unremarkable food at premium prices.

This was our first Waldorf Astoria experience, and it did not make us eager to rush back. We ended up comparing it favorably to Conrad in some ways, which is technically a tier below. That says something.

If you stay here: Use your FHR credits at the bar on the 23rd floor or put them toward the spa and nail bar. Skip the restaurant.

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Las Vegas Hotel Series

This is part of our 5-hotel Las Vegas series. Read the individual reviews or see how they all compare:

• Cosmopolitan Las Vegas Review
• Bellagio Las Vegas Review
• Conrad Las Vegas Review
• Croxford Las Vegas Review
• All 5 Hotels Compared: Which Is the Best?