The Plaza: New York’s Most Storied Address at Central Park South

New York has many celebrated hotels, but few are woven into the identity of the city as completely as The Plaza. Its mansard roof and white-brick façade have framed the southeast corner of Central Park for more than a century, while its public rooms have hosted state visits, society weddings, literary characters and scenes recognized by generations of filmgoers.

The current hotel opened on October 1, 1907, at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. Today, The Plaza is managed by Fairmont and offers 282 guestrooms, including 102 suites. Its address places guests directly opposite Grand Army Plaza and Central Park, with Fifth Avenue shopping, major museums, Rockefeller Center and Broadway all within easy reach.

The appeal extends beyond location. A stay brings together historic architecture, unusually spacious accommodations and afternoon tea beneath a stained-glass dome.

A Landmark Designed for Grand New York Living

Architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed The Plaza in the manner of a French Renaissance château, giving a metropolitan hotel the scale and ceremony of a European grand residence. Marble, richly veined stone, oak paneling, gilded ornament and carefully planned ceremonial spaces supported the original ambition: to create one of the finest hotels in the world.

The exterior rises from a stone base to pale brick upper stories, dormers, turrets and a steep mansard roof. Inside, lobbies, corridors and gathering rooms make arrival feel ceremonial. Later work by Warren & Wetmore and Schultze & Weaver expanded the hotel and its ballroom spaces.

The exterior became a New York City landmark in 1969, and selected public interiors later received protection. The Plaza was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Restoration work has preserved that character while updating the hotel for contemporary stays. In The Palm Court, architect Thierry Despont drew Central Park indoors through palms, trellis details and cane-accented furnishings.

Rooms and Suites with a Residential Sense of Scale

The Plaza’s rooms begin at a generous size by Manhattan standards, while suites range from open-plan accommodations to multi-bedroom residences. Marble bathrooms, custom furnishings and gold-plated fixtures reinforce the classical character. Butler service is available upon request for all suite categories.

The hotel’s current accommodation directory includes:

Guest Rooms

Plaza King: A 475-square-foot king room overlooking the interior courtyard or 58th Street.
Deluxe King: A 550-square-foot room with additional living space and an expansive marble bathroom.
Deluxe Two Queens: A 550-square-foot option with two queen beds and views over 58th Street.
Grand Luxe King: An open-plan room with a sitting area, king bed and butler’s pantry.
Terrace Room King: A king room with a personal terrace overlooking the courtyard garden.
Connecting Rooms: A king room joined to a two-queen room, creating 1,025 square feet for families.

Junior and One-Bedroom Suites

Junior Suite King: Up to 700 square feet, with a partition separating the king bedroom and parlor.
Family Grand Luxe 2 Queen: An open-plan layout with two queen beds, a sitting area and butler’s pantry.
Edwardian One Bedroom Suite King: A bedroom, separate living room, powder room and wet bar across 950 to 1,100 square feet.

Legacy Suites

Carnegie Partial Park View One Bedroom Suite King: A 1,000-square-foot suite with partial Central Park views.
Pulitzer Fifth Avenue One Bedroom Suite King: Up to 1,000 square feet overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain.
Penthouse One Bedroom Suite King: A 1,500-square-foot duplex with a private terrace on the upper level.
Vanderbilt Fifth Avenue Two Bedroom Suite: A 1,500-square-foot residence facing Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain.
Grand Penthouse Two Bedroom Terrace Suite: A 2,100-square-foot penthouse suite with extensive private outdoor space.

Multi-Room Suites

Edwardian Two Bedroom Suite: Two king bedrooms and 1,550 square feet of residential-style living space.
Carnegie Partial Park View Two Bedroom Suite: A two-bedroom arrangement with a large living room and partial Central Park views.
Vanderbilt Fifth Avenue Three Bedroom Suite: A 2,500-square-foot suite with a dining area and Fifth Avenue views.
Eloise Two Bedroom Suite: The Eloise accommodation combined with an adjoining nanny-style Edwardian suite.
Tower Three Bedroom Suite: The distinctive turret room expanded through adjoining bedrooms for a larger family stay.

One-of-a-Kind Rooms and Suites

Royal Suite Three Bedroom: A 4,500-square-foot residence with private elevator access and views over Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain.
Gatsby Suite: A theatrical tribute to the glamour and social energy of 1920s New York.
Tower Room: A singular circular bedroom beneath a 23-foot exposed-brick turret ceiling.
Eloise One Bedroom King Room: Betsey Johnson’s pink-and-black interpretation of Kay Thompson’s famous Plaza resident.

Dining Beneath a New York Landmark

Dining at The Plaza is concentrated in three hotel-operated experiences, each with a distinct purpose.

The Palm Court: The hotel’s best-known dining room serves breakfast, afternoon tea, evening lite fare and cocktails beneath its stained-glass dome. Afternoon Tea remains the defining reservation, with classic, seasonal and children’s Eloise menus. Curated jazz performances, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, bring live music into the room on selected dates.
The Champagne Bar: Facing Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain, this elegant bar serves breakfast followed by lite fare, champagne, wine, caviar and cocktails. Its history reaches back to the Champagne Porch introduced soon after the hotel opened.
In-Room Dining: Available around the clock, room service covers breakfast, all-day selections and a dedicated overnight menu.

Historic names such as the Oak Room remain part of The Plaza’s story, but are not current daily dining outlets.

111SKIN Wellness and Movement in Central Park

The Plaza’s spa partner is 111SKIN Spa/Clinic on the fourth floor. Developed from the skincare work of plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, its nine treatment rooms offer technology-led facials, body treatments and massage, with an emphasis on visible results and skin health.

The fourth-floor fitness center is open 24 hours and equipped with Technogym cardio and strength-training systems. Personal training can be arranged through the Concierge, while Fairmont Fit makes workout apparel, footwear, a yoga mat and stretch band available on request. Guests can also reserve guided runs and sunrise wellness walks through Central Park. Blandi Hair Salon, on the second floor, completes the wellness collection with cuts, color and special-occasion styling.

Experiencing New York from Fifth Avenue

Central Park begins directly across the street. Wollman Rink, the Central Park Zoo, The Mall, Bow Bridge and Bethesda Terrace can all be incorporated into a morning or afternoon on foot. The hotel’s guided historical tour, led by a New York City historian and reserved for registered guests, offers access to selected public spaces and the stories behind their architecture and cultural life.

Fifth Avenue’s flagship stores begin outside the door. The Museum of Modern Art, Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center are nearby, while the Concierge can arrange theater tickets, restaurants, sporting events and private sightseeing.

Eloise and Family Traditions at The Plaza

Family programming is spread throughout the hotel rather than centered on a conventional kids club. Children receive a Plaza Passport that turns arrival into a hotel-wide discovery experience. The Eloise Suite, Eloise Afternoon Tea in The Palm Court and the Eloise collection in The Plaza Boutique bring Kay Thompson’s famously mischievous character into the stay.

The family collection also highlights the Home Alone experience, Central Park Zoo, Wollman Rink and Fifth Avenue stops including FAO Schwarz, the LEGO Store and American Girl. Cribs and paid babysitting can be arranged, while connecting and multi-bedroom accommodations help families stay together.

Preserving an Icon for the Future

The challenge at a century-old landmark is to improve performance without diminishing the architecture that gives the building its identity. The Plaza’s current environmental plan combines infrastructure work with daily operating practices. Measures include LED lighting, motion and dimming controls in selected public areas, timed exterior lighting, weather sealing, insulated air ducts, automated shading and water-conservation measures.

Waste initiatives include Orbisk food-waste monitoring, cooking-oil and cardboard recycling, fewer single-use plastics, bulk bathroom amenities and electronic guest communication. A cross-departmental Green Team reviews progress, while an environmental action plan established in 2024 is evaluated annually. The approach suits a hotel whose central task is preserving and responsibly operating an existing landmark.

Getting to The Plaza

The Plaza is located at 768 Fifth Avenue, at Central Park South. New York is served by LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. A prearranged private transfer or taxi offers the simplest arrival with luggage, although journey times can change considerably with traffic.

Rail travelers can continue by car from Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal. Once checked in, walking is the easiest way to explore the neighborhood, with subway access nearby. A complimentary Maybach house car serves a ten-block radius on a first-come basis during scheduled operating hours.

A Hotel That Still Belongs to New York

The Plaza is not a quiet retreat from the city. It is one of the places through which New York has chosen to present itself for more than a century: formal yet theatrical, historic yet continually in use.

Staying here makes the hotel’s familiar spaces personal. The façade becomes the way home after an evening out, The Palm Court becomes a meeting place between plans, and Central Park becomes the view just beyond the entrance. For travelers who value architecture, history and an address that changes the rhythm of a visit, The Plaza remains one of New York’s defining hotel experiences.

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