U.S. reviews Waldorf Astoria sale to Chinese firm

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – The United States said it is reviewing the sale to a Chinese firm of New York’s famed Waldorf Astoria hotel, home to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, as Washington and Beijing accuse each other of spying.

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc said last week it would sell the Waldorf Astoria hotel and residences to China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co Ltd for $1.95 billion, one of the highest prices per room ever paid for a U.S. hotel.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, has a residence in the hotel. The property also accommodates a host of heads of state and government, including President Barack Obama, during the annual U.N. General Assembly and throughout the year.