The Plaza, New York: history, location and what's nearby

The Plaza is one of New York's most famous hotels, and one of the few whose building is a sight in its own right. It stands on Fifth Avenue at the south-east corner of Central Park, facing Grand Army Plaza, and almost everything a first-time visitor wants to see in Midtown is within a walk. Here's what the hotel is, how to reach it and how to spend time in the area around it.

A château on Fifth Avenue

The Plaza opened in 1907. Its architect, Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, who also designed the Dakota apartment building on the Upper West Side, gave it the look of a French Renaissance château: a white façade, corner turrets and a steep, green-tinged mansard roof. At the time it was among the grandest hotels in the city, and it replaced an earlier, smaller hotel of the same name on the site.

The building is a National Historic Landmark and a designated New York City landmark. Since a major redevelopment in the 2000s, part of it has been private residences, with the hotel occupying the rest.

It's also known to millions who have never been to New York. The Eloise children's books are about a little girl who lives at the Plaza, and the hotel appears in many films, including Home Alone 2.

Where it is and how to get there

The main entrance faces Grand Army Plaza, the small square at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street with the Pulitzer Fountain on one side and Augustus Saint-Gaudens's gilded statue of General William Tecumseh Sherman on the other. The nearest subway station, 5 Av/59 St, is on the corner, and the 57 St station is a short walk away.

From the city's three main airports, allow roughly 45 minutes to well over an hour by taxi depending on traffic. Public transport options, such as the AirTrain connections from JFK and Newark, take longer but avoid the worst of the traffic.

Central Park across the street

Central Park begins across the road from the hotel. Walk in at the south-east corner, past the Pond, to Gapstow Bridge, a small stone bridge with a classic view back over the water to the Plaza rising above the trees. The Central Park Zoo and, in winter, the Wollman Rink ice rink are a few minutes further in.

Bethesda Terrace

Keep walking north along the Mall, the park's tree-lined promenade, to Bethesda Terrace, with its angel fountain above the Lake. It's under twenty minutes on foot from the hotel and one of the loveliest corners of the park, with rowing boats out on the water in the warmer months.

Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center

Head south down Fifth Avenue past the flagship stores to Rockefeller Center, about a fifteen-minute walk. In December its Christmas tree and skating rink draw big crowds, and the Top of the Rock observation deck looks straight up the length of Central Park. On the way you pass St Patrick's Cathedral, and the Museum of Modern Art is a block west on 53rd Street.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is about half an hour's walk up Fifth Avenue along the park, or a short bus ride. It's one of the largest art museums in the world, so pick a few galleries rather than trying to see it all. The Frick Collection is on the way, at 70th Street.

Other nearby ideas

• Carnegie Hall: a few blocks west on 57th Street, for concerts.
• Columbus Circle: at the park's south-west corner, with shops and restaurants.
• Central Park South: the street along the park's southern edge, with views over the Pond and easy access to the park's western paths.

Who it suits and when to go

The Plaza suits first-time visitors who want a famous address with the park on the doorstep, and anyone marking a special occasion. Families will find the park, the zoo and the toy and flagship stores nearby easy to enjoy. Travellers on a tighter budget, or who want to be close to downtown neighbourhoods, might compare other areas in our guide on where to stay in New York City.

Autumn brings colour to the park from around late October, December brings holiday lights and window displays along Fifth Avenue, and spring is mild and a little quieter. Summers can be hot and humid, and January and February are cold.

Practical tips

• Book early for December, when Midtown hotels are at their busiest and most expensive.
• Check the total cost: New York adds hotel taxes and sometimes nightly fees to the room rate. Check the current total when you book.
• Timed tickets: observation decks and some museum exhibitions sell timed entries, and popular slots sell out in peak season.
• Walk the grid: most of the places above are easier on foot than by car in Midtown traffic.

For a full plan that combines this area with Lower Manhattan, the museums and the High Line, see our New York City four-day itinerary.

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Cover photo: Jim.henderson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons