The Plaza Hotel
In terms of luxury hotels, The Plaza in New York City towers above the competition just as the soaring skyline that surrounds it towers above the vibrant Manhattan streets below. Standing on Fifth Avenue and Central Park South as a pinnacle of luxury for over a century, The Plaza Hotel is as much a New York landmark as The Statue of Liberty or Yankee Stadium. Before the hotel first opened its doors in 1907, the largest single order in history for gold-encrusted china was placed with L. Strauss and Sons, and no less than 1,650 crystal chandeliers were purchased. Today, The Plaza still maintains this strong devotion to elegance and sophistication, and combines it with impeccable white glove service to create the ultimate luxury hotel experience.
One needs to look no further than the sinks in The Plaza’s bathrooms to realize that this hotel is a cut above the majority of other luxury hotels; The Plaza is the first hotel in the world to have 24-carat gold plated Sherle Wagner designed sinks and fixtures in every guestroom and suite- these lavish custom designed basins are carefully cradled by handcrafted white marble vanities. All of the washrooms also contain a gracefully inlaid ‘earth stone’ floral wall mosaic, which brings the tranquil beauty of the surrounding Central Park landscape indoors. When this attention to detail and flair for opulence is given to the sinks, you know that the rest of the hotel will exceed the expectations of even the most discerning luxury traveler.
The rooms have been lavishly decorated with custom-made furnishings featuring marquetry that emphasizes curved lines, fine details, and delicate colors, along with richly veined marble, and inlay work in exotic woods, mother of pearl, and ivory. These trappings evoke the feel of a French Chateau, but the rooms are very in touch with the times, featuring high speed internet access, wall-mounted flatscreen TVs, and iPads in every room and suite that connect visitors to a wide array of services. Whether its fashionable Fifth Avenue, beautiful Central Park and Pulitzer Fountain, lively 58th Street, or the hotel’s immaculately manicured interior courtyard, the accommodations all offer spectacular views of New York City. The Terrace Suites and The Royal Terrace Suite feature spacious, well-furnished outdoor terraces, providing up-close, open-air views of these aforementioned views. Perhaps the crown jewel of the accommodations is the three bedroom, three bathroom Royal Plaza Suite, which features all of the aforementioned amenities plus a separate study, a butler’s pantry, a powder room, and even a grand piano.
The dining at The Plaza Hotel lives up to the high standards of luxury set by the guestrooms and suites. The fabled Oak Room is a New York City landmark in its own right: It made its debut in 1907 and the original detailed wood-paneled walls and barrel-vaulted ceiling remain today, as do the three carved niches featuring murals of German feudal castles that fill the arches. This romantic meeting spot is steeped in history and strives to bring old world glamour to a new generation. Meanwhile, the newly restored Oak Bar overlooks verdant Central Park and serves up distinctive seasonal cocktails and a tempting menu. The original Oak Bar and murals of Central Park on a winter evening by artist Everett Shinn are still intact, giving this famous bar an air of the opulence of days gone by. Overlooking Fifth Avenue and the Pulitzer Fountain, the new Champagne Bar is New York’s preferred choice for tasting some of the world’s finest champagnes, wines, and caviars. The new Rose Club overlooks the Fifth Avenue Lobby and stands on the site of the old Persian Room, a nightclub that once hosted the likes of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The Rose Club seeks to replicate these exciting nights in a grand, contemporary setting, serving up a vast array of signature cocktails, live Jazz performances, and a select epicurean menu.
The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English presents a diverse range of quality specialty foods and prepared dished to take away or enjoy in one of eight seating areas. Food Hall is located on the Concourse Level of The Plaza, you may choose their selections and watch as they are being freshly prepared.
In addition, The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English offer a range of international specialty foods such as olives, vinegars, spices, gourmet coffee, teas and cocoas, artisan jams and sauces. The open kitchens also serve as venues for interactive events such as cooking demonstrations, wine classes, wine and cheese events and book signings.
The Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa evokes the feel of a French wine chateau in the heart of New York City while offering unique and advanced treatments that will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Resplendent in warm precious woods, dark stones, and vine sculptures, the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa features 14 treatment rooms, a Vichy shower, a private VIP room for 2, a signature barrel bath, two hammans, and an exclusive French Paradox Wine Lounge. The unique line of treatments here include a bevy of facials that utilize grape and vine active patents to purify, firm, energize, and illuminate your skin, Honey and Wine wraps, a Crushed Cabernet Scrub, the Wine Maker’s Massage for the body, plus a Crushed Grape Manicure and Crushed Grape Pedicure.
While one couldn’t be blamed for staying within the luxurious confines of The Plaza Hotel for the entirety of their stay, walking out of the ornate doors opens up a world where high-end shopping, world class dining and nightlife, and interesting sight-seeing coexist seamlessly. Just steps away from The Plaza, world-famous Central Park awaits you with 843 acres of sprawling greenery. There’s miles and miles of winding trails for hiking, walking, and biking, artificial lakes where you can rent a paddle-boat or skip stones, an impressive zoo, a reservoir, and two-ice skating rinks. Than there’s The Great Lawn and Sheep’s Meadow, where you can lay out and sunbathe, picnic, enjoy a catch, socialize with New Yorkers, or in the summertime, catch a free concert by artists at the cutting edge of contemporary music. Also nearby is the esteemed Carnegie Hall, a beautiful and acoustically perfect venue that has hosted over 50,000 concerts in its long and storied history and continues to host world-class orchestras and other refined performers to this day. The Museum of Modern Art, a comprehensive celebration of avant-garde and contemporary art, is just a few short blocks away. This is the place to go if you want to see abstract art, futurism, impressionism, Picasso originals, and the works of breaking artists who will doubtlessly be renowned in the future but who are just beginning to make a name for themselves today.
This fashionable section of New York is a fashion enthusiast’s paradise that will indeed challenge even the most seasoned shoppers to ‘shop til they drop.’ The hotel itself is the site of The Plaza Shops at The Plaza, a top-notch collection of handpicked high-end shops that spreads out over 160,000 square feet and three levels. Walk outside the door and you’re on Fifth Avenue, arguably the world’s premier shopping destination. Here you’ll find flagship stores from Louis Vuitton, Versace, Christian Dior, Cartier, Prada, Chanel, Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman, and many, many more. If you still haven’t quenched your thirst for luxury shopping, venture one block further to Madison Avenue, a posh shopping strip that features stores like Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Yves St. Laurent, Valentino, and more. At night, some of the world’s most stylish bars, exclusive nightclubs, and finest restaurants await you.
You can explore this exciting city on foot, or you can do it in a top of the line, ultimate luxury Roll’s Royce Ghost, The Plaza’s automobile to which guests will enjoy access. It is extravagant touches like this, and the hotel’s 24-hour white glove butler service, that truly set The Plaza apart as an unparalleled five star hotel in vibrant New York City. The recent $450 million renovation ensures that the old world luxury that made Alfred Hitchcock choose this as the site of his seminal 1959 film North By Northwest is supplemented with the most modern of amenities and contemporary refinement.
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