The Plaza is one of the most luxurious hotels in New York. There are few more famous hotels in the world - after all, this is where the iconic film Home Alone 2 was filmed.

This brand is as much a part of Manhattan as Central Park or the steam rising from the streets.

I've been thinking about staying at the Plaza for a long time, but it wasn't until October 2025 that I managed to plan a business trip to New York to stay here for at least 2 nights.

The trip included a stay at The Standard, a High Line hotel and a flight in the new Lufthansa Allegris Business Class.

Booking and price of stay

The Plaza has been managed by the Fairmont brand since 2005 and is therefore part of the All Accor chain.

We stayed for 2 nights and chose the lowest room category Plaza 1 King Bed with a view of the inner courtyard only.

In total, the stay with breakfast cost me 3 705 usd including all taxes and fees.

Since I earn points with this chain (and airline miles for the Flyingblue program), I book my stay directly through the website all.accor.com.

But you can also book a stay for very similar prices through booking.com, for example.

Check current prices and availability

So now the big question - is The Plaza really that great and luxurious to make a stay like this worthwhile?

The hotel's location, arrival and early check-in

The Plaza Hotel is an 18-storey building built in 1907 in a beautiful elegant French Renaissance style.

It is located on Grand Army Plaza, after which it was named, on the southeastern edge of Central Park roughly in the middle of 5th Avenue.

• 🎬 The Plaza has appeared in the films Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Great Gatsby, American Hustle and Bride Wars. From the outside, you can see it from the intersection of 5th Avenue and Central Park South - the whole world knows it from this angle.

We are moving to the Plaza from The Standard Hotel, so we arrive around noon, 3 hours before the official check-in, which starts at 3:00 pm.

It's raining, so we take a taxi and are immediately met by a porter who helps us with our luggage to the front desk.

• ℹ️ Our experience with taxi prices and transport in NY in this article

However, the lady at the front desk is very accommodating and even though I have no status with Accor yet, we get a room at no extra charge for early check-in immediately.

At the front desk, another porter collects our luggage and also shows us to our room 730 on the 7th floor.

At check-in we are given two chip cards and also two vouchers for a free drink at the Champagne Bar (wine, sparkling wine, beer or soft drink).

Signature scents

As soon as you enter the main lobby, the intoxicating scent of gardenia flowers, for which the Plaza is famous, will accompany you in all areas, including corridors and rooms.

Find cheaper hotels nearby

Elegant room with beautiful bathroom... and a narrow bed

The room looks exactly like the photos and exactly as I imagined.

Elegant, tasteful luxury, beautiful bathroom and the aforementioned intoxicating gardenia scent, which I personally loved.

First impressions are great - the Plaza Hotel was one of my travel "must-do" items and I don't feel any negative impressions at first glance.

The bathroom, as it should be

I appreciate the beautiful and very spacious bathroom with a bathtub, sink and two separate rooms for toilet and shower.

The bathroom is equipped with a hair dryer and a small toilet kit.

The spacious room

The room itself is also spacious and, most importantly, has a lovely large built-in wardrobe which also houses a safe, bathrobes, iron with ironing board or slippers. What a difference from The Standard, High Line!

We have a room facing the inner courtyard so it's quite dark, but the white walls, wardrobe and bed still make it look quite pleasant.

The room also includes a desk by the window.

The minibar is very well equipped. For example, we had Napa Valley red wine for 68 usd, a glass of M&M's for 16 usd, a can of Coca Cola for 11 usd, or a wide selection of alcoholic beverages at prices ranging from 20 usd to 27 usd.

Uncomfortable bed

We find the narrow bed with a soft mattress and absolutely bizarre bedding to be the biggest and quite fundamental problem. The duvet is just loosely sandwiched between two covers, so it only takes a few minutes to turn the duvet into several loose pieces of bedding.

Like I said, bizarre.

Of course, even the strange bed didn't stop us from watching Home Alone 2. That's just a must in the Plaza!

Every day room service refills a small bottle of complimentary water and a stylish postcard to go with it.

Other room services

In addition to the free minibar or water, you can also take advantage of the 24-hour in-room dining.

You can order directly to your room, for example, sandwiches from 30 usd or breakfast from 18 usd.

Of course, you can also use laundry service - you can have anything laundered with a standard next-day delivery time or same-day delivery at an additional charge.

No coffee machine and no wiped dust

A very unpleasant surprise for us was the unwiped dust on the headboard, pictures and many other places.

This should definitely not happen in a hotel of this category!

I was so surprised that there was no coffee maker (or even a kettle) in the room.

You can have a coffee maker prepared in your room for a fee 20 usd.

My room rating

Pluses	Minuses
✅ Elegant design	❌ No dust
✅ Beautiful large bathroom	❌ Narrow and too soft bed
✅ Perfect soundproofing	❌ Bizarre duvet
✅ Large selection of minibar	❌ No coffee machine

Order an ice cream sundae from Home Alone 2

The Plaza Hotel is proud of its cinematic history and offers a special "Home Alone: Fun in New York" package, which can be booked online at theplazany.com/home-alone-fun-in-new-york (at least 3 days in advance).

The package costs 2 160 usd and includes a 4-hour limo ride to the locations Kevin visited in the movie, as well as an ice cream sundae with 16 scoops of ice cream.

If you would like to order just the ice cream sundae like in Home Alone, you pay around 500 usd and order it from the Concierge.

• ℹ️ Tip: If you don't want to spend thousands of dollars on accommodations, at least go to the hotel lobby for a drink or take a selfie at the main entrance - the staff is used to tourists.

Breakfast à la carte and hotel bars

The Plaza Hotel has one restaurant and one bar. However, they both share a common kitchen and menu, so the only difference is the different ambience.

• Palm Court - The restaurant is in a room with a beautiful ceiling, and the ambience is a little more comfortable and cosy than the Champagne Bar.
• Champagne Bar - It's located right in the hotel lobby next to the reception. For me, perfect for a drink or two before bed, the environment feels quite cold and the atmosphere is not as cosy.

Breakfast is served in both the Palm Court and Champagne Bar - you can order the identical food in both places.

We paid extra for the breakfast package with our stay, but honestly I wouldn't do it a second time. The price for two nights went up by more than 350 usd and the breakfasts were a bit disappointing.

Breakfast is only served à la carte, there is no buffet breakfast available at the Plaza.

The menu includes several types of omelettes, traditional American or English breakfast, avocado toast, eggs benedict and more.

Regular prices range between 25 usd and 45 usd.

The quality of the food is undeniable, but I would expect the portions to be much larger at these prices.

If you pay extra to stay for the breakfast package, you are limited to 120 usd per person for each day.

You always get a tentative bill after breakfast, but you don't pay it. The gratuity of 18% is already included in the price of all items.

On the first evening we use the free drink vouchers we receive at check-in, and go to the Champagne Bar in style for a glass of champagne.

The second night we go to the Palm Court restaurant for two drinks, which are great.

Cocktail prices are around 32 usd.

But even though the setting at the Palm Court is nicer than the Champagne Bar, the space is so big it feels uninviting.

Services at the hotel

There are several other hotel services you can take advantage of during your stay.

Concierge

Concierge services are standard at 5-star hotels, with a desk located in the main hotel lobby.

The Concierge can arrange all sorts of services for you, from airport transfers to tips on what to see in the area or the best restaurants and bars in New York.

Fitness center, spa and massage

The Plaza Hotel is equipped with a rather large fitness center, which is available to guests free of charge.

Next to the fitness center, a small spa with a sauna or massages is available.

For example, you can pay around 300 usd for a 60-minute massage.

Luggage storage

You can store your luggage for free at the front desk in case you arrive early in the morning and your room is not ready yet, or conversely in case you leave New York in the evening after check-out.

Shop

In the mezzanine above the reception area, in addition to a cozy lounge, you'll also find a small gift or book shop.

On the ground floor, to the right of the reception desk, you'll find jewellery and watch shops.

And where's the pool?

Although Kevin takes a dip in the hotel's swimming pool in perhaps the most famous film to make the Plaza famous - Home Alone 2 - the Plaza doesn't actually have a pool.

Common areas - tasteful interiors with iconic logos

It would be a mistake not to mention the tastefully elegant interiors of the corridors or the beautiful elevator cabs with the iconic Hotel Plaza logo.

Elegant spaces are, in short, one of the main things that make The Plaza Hotel so famous.

Conclusion - is The Plaza worth it?

I don't have a clear-cut answer to this question. Staying at The Plaza Hotel was one of my dreams and therefore I cannot be completely objective.

The hotel is beautiful, elegant, iconic, but in terms of price, for me it certainly doesn't match the quality.

If you're looking for a luxury hotel in Manhattan near Central Park, The Plaza is a legendary choice - but not one with the best value for money.

The Plaza is a hotel for those who:

• ✅ Love world-famous movie locations and iconic hotels
• ✅ Seek out Instagram spots
• ✅ They like elegant surroundings and don't mind paying more for a brand name

On the other hand, the hotel is not suitable for travelers who:

• ❌ Seek quality without compromise
• ❌ Like the views from their room
• ❌ They like buffet breakfasts
• ❌ Looking for cheaper hotels with better value for money

Our tips for alternative hotels

If you are looking for a hotel with a similar atmosphere or in a similar location near Central Park or 5th Avenue, we would recommend these alternatives

Better quality but at a lower price

• The Langham Fifth Avenue ***** - A luxury hotel known for its huge rooms and great location under the Empire State Building
• JW Marriott Essex House ***** - Great hotel with views of Central Park just a few minutes walk from The Plaza

Significantly cheaper but stylish

• Dream Midtown by Hyatt **** - standard modern hotel with small rooms near Times Square
• Shoreham Hotel **** - One of the cheapest hotels in the area with small but modern rooms