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The Plaza
New York City, New York, United States · Fairmont · Grand Luxury
Henry Janeway Hardenbergh's Plaza opened in 1907 at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, a Beaux-Arts palace Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt made his New York address. Eloise grew up in fiction here; generations of real guests filled the Palm Court and Oak Room before condominium floors joined the hotel behind the same limestone facade.
- 282 rooms
- Opened 1907
- Neighborhood: Midtown
- Architect: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh
About The Plaza
- Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed the Beaux-Arts palace that still anchors Midtown's park edge.
- Kay Thompson's Eloise made the hotel a children's-literature landmark without leaving the Palm Court lore behind.
- Today the building mixes hotel keys with condominium apartments behind the same limestone facade.
History
The Plaza opened on October 1, 1907, on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, as one of New York City’s defining Beaux-Arts landmarks. It was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, whose name is inseparable from the city’s grand hotel era, and the current building quickly became a society address as much as a place to sleep. The hotel’s early guest book included Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, who was the first guest to sign the register, and its rooms later drew figures such as Enrico Caruso, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald, Frank Lloyd Wright, Joseph Duveen, and the Beatles. The Plaza also became an enduring stage for civic and cultural history, hosting the 1966 Black and White Ball and the 1985 signing of the Plaza Accord, one of the most consequential financial agreements of the 20th century. According to the hotel’s own history, it was the first hotel in New York to permit pets, a small but lasting signal of its place in the city’s changing social life. The building’s status as a preserved landmark is substantial: the exterior was designated a New York City landmark in 1969, it entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1986. A major 2005-2008 renovation restored the Palm Court’s stained-glass ceiling and transformed much of the property’s upper floors into residential space, ensuring the building remained both a hotel and an address with a carefully managed legacy.
The setting
The Plaza presides over Grand Army Plaza at the southeast corner of Central Park, its French Renaissance château facade unchanged since Henry Janeway Hardenbergh completed it in 1907 on one of Manhattan's most celebrated corners. The park entrance is two minutes on foot and the Museum of Modern Art eleven minutes away, while Bergdorf Goodman and the procession of Fifth Avenue luxury flagships line the avenue directly south. Designated a National Historic Landmark, The Plaza sits at the intersection of New York's Gilded Age aristocratic heritage and its evolution into the world's premier luxury retail and hospitality destination. 1.4 miles from Empire State Building.
Restaurants and bars
- The Palm Court — Restaurant
- The Champagne Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Afternoon Tea in The Palm Court — Afternoon tea with the Palais des Thés tea collection, sandwiches and fine pastries.
- Champagne and caviar at The Champagne Bar — Champagne, caviar and wines served at The Champagne Bar.
- Home Alone limousine experience — Four-hour private limousine ride to Home Alone filming locations, with pizza and an ice cream sundae delivered to the room.
- 111SKIN Spa/Clinic — Spa and clinic combining innovative science with luxury skincare.
Amenities
- Spa
- Sauna
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
- Butler service
Awards
- AAA Five Diamond (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN One Key (2025)
- New Mexico's Leading Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- New York's Leading Hotel Suite 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- United States' Leading Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- United States' Leading Hotel Suite 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- National Historic Landmark
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