Plaza Hotel

The Plaza Hotel stands 18 floors tall at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, clad in white brick with a French Renaissance facade, marble base, and mansard roof. The building occupies an entire block front, forming the western edge of Grand Army Plaza and facing the park entrance directly across the street.

This building opened on October 1, 1907, replacing an earlier structure of the same name after two years of construction under architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. It quickly became a meeting place for New York society and has changed ownership several times while retaining its original exterior appearance.

Afternoon tea remains a living custom here, served daily in the Palm Court with tiered trays of sandwiches, scones and pastries alongside champagne or tea. The ritual takes place beneath a glass ceiling and gilded columns, preserving a social tradition that has attracted New Yorkers and travelers for generations.

The property offers 282 rooms, including 102 suites, along with a fitness center, boutique shops, and the Guerlain Spa spread across multiple floors. The main entrance is on Fifth Avenue, while the lobby extends through several levels with seating areas and retail spaces open to hotel guests and walk-in visitors.

Scenes from Home Alone 2 were filmed here, showing the lobby and guest corridors that remain largely unchanged today. Truman Capote hosted his Black and White Ball in the grand ballroom in 1966, an invitation-only event for 540 guests that became a defining moment in New York social history.

Location: Manhattan

Location: New York City

Inception: 1907

Architects: Henry Janeway Hardenbergh

Official opening: 1907

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

Floors above the ground: 18

Height: 76 m

Operator: Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

Address: 5th Avenue

Phone: +12127593000

Website: https://theplazany.com

GPS coordinates: 40.76453,-73.97444

Latest update: December 15, 2025 00:33