Feeling lazy?
I just love room service! True, it’s quite expensive, but sometimes it’s just worth the money. Who has not enjoyed listening to a good movie while eating a meal in their hotel bed? Raise your hand 😉. Today, we look at the origins of room service and how it has evolved over time.
Catering to the needs of the wealthy
In the mid-19th century, the Industrial Revolution created a new class of wealthy individuals who began to travel the world. This led to an increase in the number of luxury hotels that catered to their needs. In-room dining, also known as room service, was one of the services that high-end hotels and resorts started offering to their guests.
The Waldorf Astoria
The history of room service is closely connected to that of the Waldorf Astoria in New York. It goes back to the 1890s when John Jacob Astor and his cousin built competing hotels next to each other. Eventually, the cousins resolved their differences and joined forces before John died on the Titanic. Later, both hotels were dismantled, and their lands became home to the Empire State Building. The Waldorf Astoria was erected in 1931 on Park Avenue (its current location). President Hoover, broadcasting on the radio from the White House, said “The opening of the new Waldorf Astoria is an event in the advancement of hotels, even in New York City.â€