The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel — Hotel Review

The Plaza Hotel has occupied the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street — directly facing Central Park South and the Pulitzer Fountain — since 1 October 1907. Designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in a French Renaissance château style, the 18-storey building is one of the most recognisable hotel facades in the world and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. It is owned by the Qatari firm Katara Hospitality since 2018 and managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which has operated the property since 2005. A $450 million renovation completed in 2008 converted much of the upper floors into private residences, leaving 282 hotel rooms and 102 suites within the building; the hotel portion occupies floors up to approximately the 19th level, with residential condominiums above. The Palm Court, the hotel’s iconic domed dining room, was first opened in 1907 and has served as a setting for scenes in celebrated novels and films including F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The building continues to function as a social and cultural landmark at a level beyond almost any other hotel in New York City.

The Plaza participates in ALL — Accor Live Limitless as a Fairmont brand property. The programme’s mechanics are significantly different from the Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt models: ALL uses a fixed-value redemption structure — points are worth a set rate against the cash cost of a stay, with no separate award chart and no free night certificates. For UK members, earning is primarily through stays, with a small number of airline transfer partners available. There is no UK co-branded credit card and Amex Membership Rewards is not an ALL transfer partner — making points accumulation meaningfully harder for UK travellers than at the major US chain alternatives. Elite benefits at Fairmont properties are also constrained: Platinum and Diamond status does not unlock lounge access at Fairmont properties, and complimentary breakfast outside Asia-Pacific is limited to Diamond members on Saturdays and Sundays only.

Location

The Plaza’s address is as good as it gets in Manhattan for a certain type of guest. The hotel occupies the southeast corner of Central Park, directly opposite the Pulitzer Fountain on Fifth Avenue — one of the most photographed corners in the city. Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co, and the stretch of Fifth Avenue that defines luxury retail in New York are all within a two-minute walk. Carnegie Hall is approximately six minutes on foot; MoMA is approximately eight. The geography suits guests who want proximity to the park and the Upper East Side cultural corridor, or who are combining a stay with high-end shopping.

Transport access is less immediate than the Midtown properties around Times Square and Grand Central. The N/Q/R/W and A/B/C/D lines converge at 59th Street—Columbus Circle, roughly eight minutes walk to the west; the F train at 57th Street is about five minutes south. These connections are perfectly adequate for most Manhattan visits, but the hotel does not sit on top of a transit hub in the way that the Barclay (five minutes from Grand Central) or the Marquis (two minutes from Times Square) does. Taxi and rideshare are the practical mode for many guests. JFK is approximately 45–60 minutes, LGA approximately 30–40 minutes.

Rooms

The 2008 renovation by Annabelle Selldorf created the current guest room stock, which spans a wide range of categories. Standard Classic rooms feature high ceilings, sitting areas, and mosaic tile bathrooms with 24-carat gold-plated Sherle Wagner fixtures — a distinctive finish that positions the property clearly at the trophy-asset end of the market. The Deluxe and Signature Terrace rooms run to approximately 550 sq ft; the Grande Luxe category (625–750 sq ft) adds an open-plan living configuration and butler service on request. Butler service is available across most room categories on request — not universally standard below suite level, but part of the Fairmont service model here.

The 102 suites include categories ranging from the 730 sq ft Junior Suite through Edwardian (1,000 sq ft) and Pulitzer (900–1,000 sq ft, overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Fountain) to the One-of-a-Kind Suites. The Tower Suite on the 18th floor is notable — a room built within an exposed-brick turret with a 23-foot ceiling and a round bed, overlooking Fifth Avenue — one of the more architecturally unusual hotel room configurations in New York. At the top of the hierarchy, the Grand Penthouse is a two-bedroom duplex with a large terrace commanding views of Central Park and the Midtown skyline. The guest room stock overall shows its age in some areas: recent reviews note HVAC inconsistency in some rooms and a sense that certain spaces have not been refreshed to match the rates charged. Requesting a high floor and a specific view (Central Park or Fifth Avenue rather than the courtyard) makes a material difference.

Dining and Bars

The Palm Court is the centrepiece of The Plaza’s dining offering and one of the most famous hotel dining rooms in the United States. It has operated in its current form since the 2008 renovation, with the original stained glass ceiling restored, and serves afternoon tea, breakfast, and an evening service with cocktails. The afternoon tea — tiered pastry and scone service at tables beneath the domed ceiling — is heavily booked and should be reserved well in advance. The Palm Court also operates a breakfast service which has received generally positive reviews, though at prices commensurate with the setting. The destination fee’s $50/day F&B credit is redeemable here, which meaningfully offsets the fee for guests who use it.

The Champagne Bar faces Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain and specialises in champagne, caviar, fine wines, and light fare from morning through evening. It is a strong choice for pre-theatre drinks or a late-evening occasion in surroundings that few hotels can replicate. The Rose Club operates as an event and private-hire venue rather than a daily public restaurant. In-room dining runs 24 hours.

Pool and Facilities

There is no pool. The complimentary fitness centre on the fourth floor is equipped with Technogym cardio machines, Peloton bikes, free weights, and a rowing machine — a reasonable provision for a property of this size. The 111SKIN SPA/CLINIC is the hotel’s new wellness offering, replacing the long-running Guerlain Spa; 111SKIN is a doctor-driven skincare brand specialising in advanced treatments, operating on an appointment basis. The Warren-Tricomi Salon provides hair and beauty services. The destination fee includes a $50 discount on qualifying 111SKIN treatments of 60 minutes or more. Meeting and event spaces include the Grand Ballroom and Terrace Room, which have been restored to their original grandeur and are used for major social and corporate events.

ALL — Accor Live Limitless — Earning and Elite Benefits