The Plaza Hotel

A long time and much beloved New York icon, The Plaza Hotel New York offers unparallel traditional luxury combined with a modern feel.

The Plaza Hotel NYC has had many famous guests both fictional and real! Eloise, the children’s book character who lived at The Plaza has her portrait hanging near the Palm Court and photos of Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles are hanging towards the rear. In 2009, the hotel completed a nearly half billion dollar restoration and the site of both Truman Capote’s “Party of the Century” and Donald Trump’s wedding to Marla Maples opened once more.

While you’re in the city, be sure to stop in at the Plaza and check out the public spaces. You can indulge yourself without racking up a hotel bill!

The Plaza has been deemed a national historic landmark and here are a few of the reasons why:

Hotel Lobby and The Champagne Bar

When you enter the hotel the first thing that strikes you is the totally new lobby. There is a diminutive champagne bar at the same location where the Champagne Porch used to be in the hotel originally more than 100 years ago.

The Palm Court

One of the most beloved institutions in the hotel, the Palm Court is famous for its afternoon tea. During the restoration, the stained glass laylight was replaced. In 1943, when Conrad Hilton purchased the hotel, the original had been taken out during air conditioning installation. The Palm Court also serves brunch, breakfast and lunch. I used to have “Shirley Temples” there as a child (non-alcoholic beverages.)

The Terrace Room

Added to The Plaza in 1921, The Terrace Room designed by Warren & Wetmore, the very same architects who designed Grand Central Terminal. Charles Winston designed the chandeliers inspired by chandeliers from the Palace of Versailles in France. Charles Winston was the brother of Harry, the famed Fifth Avenue jeweler.  

The Oak Room and The Oak Bar

The Oak Room’s interiors remind you of a hilltop castle in Germany, the frescoes there look like big picture windows. Conrad Hilton added The Oak Bar to the hotel and it was made famous in the Hitchcock film North by Northwest. The bar is still considered one of the most amorous in the city.

The Grand Ballroom

The renewal of the ballroom alone has cost $14 million! Stepping into the ballroom you can imagine yourself back in the 1920’s. Truman Capote was called the Grand Ballroom “the most beautiful room in the city” and it was here in 1966 that he held his celebrated Black and White Ball. In 1993 it was here that then owner of the Plaza, Donald Trump, wed his second wife Marla Maples.

Want to visit the Plaza Hotel NYC? Take our Uptown and Harlem tour and hop off at Stop #28, Central Park South.