All episodes of Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared · 2026-06-18 · 30 min · 4,598 words

Hotels with History | Waldorf Astoria, New York

Listen to the original audio · Transcribed with NVIDIA Parakeet · Why times can differ in your player

Hello, I'm head of programming Connor Boyle. Today we're whisking you away with a hand-picked episode of Armchair Escapism. After a standout first season, Hotels with History is back. Produced by Intelligence Squared in partnership with Perone International, this new season sees hosts Jules Perone and Richard E. Grant travel further than ever to some of the world's most

Storied hotels. This season you can stroll along white sand to the Copacabana Palace, watch the 1918 German Revolution unfold from the windows of Berlin's Hotel Adlon, and of course enjoy Richard's inimitable impersonations of Marlena Dietrich. In each episode, Richard and Jules check in to a different hotel, uncovering the unforgettable moments that took place within its walls and beyond its grounds, exploring how the tides of history transformed entire regions. into the luxury destinations we know today. Now over to Jules and Richard for hotels with history.

Meet me at the clerk. This was, at one time, the ultimate New York phrase, one that would have you weaving your way through the avenues to the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue, past Rockefeller Center, past Times Square past Grand Central Station. You spin through the revolving doors and enter this marbled Art Deco fantasy. You hear that ticking?

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