LeVar Thomas
For more than a century, the answer to where to stay in New York has started with one address: 768 Fifth Avenue, at the corner of Central Park South. The Plaza Hotel opened on October 1, 1907, and it has stood there ever since, the grandest of the grand hotels. It is a luxury hotel, formal and unapologetically old-fashioned in the best sense, and it is exactly right for travelers who want the classic New York hotel experience and are willing to pay for it.
This guide explains what The Plaza is actually like today, from its rooms and suites to its dining rooms and spa, and it is honest about who the hotel suits best and who should stay somewhere else.
Quick Facts
- Address: 768 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South.
- Opened: October 1, 1907.
- Landmark status: A National Historic Landmark since June 24, 1986.
- Dining: The Palm Court for afternoon tea, The Champagne Bar, and 24-hour in-room dining.
- Wellness: 111SKIN Spa and Clinic, Blandi Hair Salon and a 24-hour fitness center.
- Book through: The official site, theplazany.com, or the hotel directly at (212) 759-3000.
A Short History
The Plaza opened its doors on October 1, 1907, and the hotel’s own history describes it as having stood ever since as one of New York City’s most enduring landmarks. It was conceived as the finest hotel in the world, rising above Fifth Avenue and Central Park South at the southeast corner of the park, and it became the address for presidents, royalty, writers and film stars. The hotel’s history pages carry the line, “Nothing unimportant ever happens at The Plaza,” and the building has lived up to it: its rooms and public spaces have appeared in films and books, and its name has become shorthand for New York luxury itself.
The building’s importance is official as well as cultural. The National Park Service lists The Plaza Hotel as a National Historic Landmark, designated on June 24, 1986. The hotel’s history pages trace its story from its origins at the turn of the century through a celebrated restoration, and through its place in films, books and New York life.
The Location: Fifth Avenue and Central Park South
The Plaza’s location is its greatest practical advantage. It sits at the southeast corner of Central Park, where Fifth Avenue meets Central Park South, so the park is across the street and the shops of Fifth Avenue begin at the door. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a walk up Fifth Avenue, and Midtown’s theaters, Rockefeller Center and the shops of Madison Avenue are all within walking distance or a short subway ride.
That corner is also one of the busiest in the city. Fifth Avenue traffic and the crowds around the park’s southeast entrance are constant, and the hotel’s entrance sits right in the middle of it. The tradeoff is worth it for most guests: few hotels in New York put the park, the shopping and Midtown within such easy reach.
Arriving is straightforward. The hotel’s address is 768 Fifth Avenue, and its listed phone numbers are (212) 759-3000 and (888) 850-0909. If you are arriving from the airports, allow plenty of time: New York traffic is unpredictable, and the last mile through Midtown is the slowest part of any airport trip.
Rooms and Suites
The Plaza’s rooms and suites are described on the official site in five groups, and the differences between them matter more than the names suggest.
Guest Rooms are the entry level, and the official site describes them as timelessly elegant and spacious, with a sitting area and sumptuous bedding. They are classic Plaza rooms: traditional furnishings and high ceilings, with the feel of an earlier New York. Legacy Suites take a more contemporary residential approach, with heritage touches, and some offer partial views of Central Park, outdoor terraces and connecting rooms that can turn a suite into a full family home. Suites, the third group, are described as expansive, in both traditional and open-concept layouts, and they sit above the guest rooms in size and flexibility.
The top of the range is the One-of-a-Kind Rooms and Suites group, which includes the Eloise Suite and the Penthouse Suites. The Eloise Suite is the hotel’s nod to the children’s book heroine who lived at The Plaza, and the Penthouse Suites are the largest and most private rooms in the hotel. Multi-Room Suites, the last group, combine connecting rooms and suites for large groups and families who want to stay together.
Two things are worth knowing before you book. First, the official site does not publish room rates on its rooms pages, and prices change with the season and the room, so check the official booking pages for the dates you want rather than relying on a rate quoted elsewhere. Second, views vary: only some suites offer views of Central Park, so if a park view matters to you, say so when you book rather than assuming it comes with the room.
Dining: The Palm Court, the Champagne Bar and In-Room Dining
Dining at The Plaza centers on The Palm Court, the hotel’s iconic dining venue, which serves afternoon tea and an evening service with an elegant bar and a craft cocktail program. Afternoon tea is the signature experience here, and it is the reason many visitors come to the hotel even when they are not staying the night. Book ahead: tea service is popular, and the room is not large.
The Champagne Bar offers the world’s finest wines, champagnes and caviar, overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain. It is a bar for a special occasion rather than an everyday drink, and it suits the hotel’s formal mood. In-room dining is available daily, 24 hours, which matters more than it sounds: New York is a late city, and a hotel that will bring you dinner at midnight is a real convenience.
Note what is on the current dining list: the official dining page lists The Palm Court, The Champagne Bar and in-room dining. The Palm Court’s evening service is the in-house dinner option, and the surrounding neighborhood is full of restaurants for everything else.
Wellness and Amenities
The Plaza’s wellness offering sits on the fourth floor, where the 111SKIN Spa and Clinic is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Blandi Hair Salon, on the second floor and reached through The Shops at The Plaza entrance on West 58th Street, is open Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and closed on Sundays. The fitness center, also on the fourth floor within the spa, is open 24 hours.
The hotel also runs the Fairmont Fit program, which lends workout gear to guests, and organizes guided runs and walks through Central Park. These are small touches, but they fit the hotel: The Plaza is a place that expects you to use the park across the street.
The Shops at The Plaza, the retail level at the hotel’s base, is reached from West 58th Street, and the hotel’s meeting and celebration spaces host weddings and events. For most leisure guests, the spa, the salon and the fitness center are the amenities that matter, and they are all on site.
Who The Plaza Suits Best
The Plaza suits travelers who want the classic New York hotel experience and are happy to pay for it. It is the right choice for a special occasion, a first stay in the city, or a trip where the hotel itself is part of the point. Families who want connecting rooms will find the Multi-Room Suites and the Legacy Suites with connecting rooms made for them, and the Eloise Suite makes the hotel a natural pick for families with children who know the books.
It also suits travelers who value location over size. The rooms are spacious by New York standards, but this is a historic building, and the spaces are not the vast open-plan suites of a new tower. If your idea of luxury is the newest building with the largest rooms, a newer hotel elsewhere in the city will suit you better.
Who should look elsewhere? Travelers on a tight budget, for one: this is a luxury hotel, and there are better values a few blocks away. Travelers who want a quiet, residential stay should also look elsewhere, because the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South is one of the busiest in New York. And travelers who plan to spend every waking hour out in the city may not get their money’s worth from a hotel whose best features are its public rooms, its dining and its address.
The Plaza is one of the world’s great hotels. For a similar grand-hotel stay in London, read our guide to The Langham Hotel, London, and for another city where the hotel is part of the trip, see our first-timer’s guide to Paris.
Practical Tips for a Plaza Stay
- Book directly. Use the official site, theplazany.com, or call the hotel at (212) 759-3000. Rates and availability change, and the official channels are the reliable source.
- Book afternoon tea ahead. The Palm Court is the hotel’s signature experience, and it fills up.
- Ask about the view. Only some suites offer partial views of Central Park. If it matters, confirm it when you book.
- Use the park. Central Park is across the street. The hotel’s guided runs and walks are an easy way to start the day there.
- Plan for the corner. The entrance sits on one of the busiest corners in the city. Allow extra time when you leave for the airport or a show.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is The Plaza Hotel?
At 768 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, on the southeast corner of Central Park.
When did The Plaza Hotel open?
October 1, 1907. It has operated as a hotel ever since, and it has been a National Historic Landmark since June 24, 1986.
Does The Plaza serve afternoon tea?
Yes. The Palm Court, the hotel’s iconic dining venue, serves afternoon tea and an evening service with an elegant bar and a craft cocktail program. Book ahead, since tea service is popular.
What rooms should families book at The Plaza?
Families should look at the Multi-Room Suites, which combine connecting rooms and suites, and at Legacy Suites, some of which have connecting rooms and can be turned into a full family home. The Eloise Suite is the hotel’s one-of-a-kind family room.
Sources checked November 9, 2026: the official Plaza Hotel site (theplazany.com) for rooms, dining, wellness and history, and the National Park Service list of National Historic Landmarks (nps.gov) for the landmark designation. Room rates are not published on the official site’s rooms pages, so none are quoted here; check the official booking pages for current prices.
