The Plaza

This  grande dame was renovated in 2008—to the tune of $450 million—and many of the rooms were converted into condominium residences, but the hotel remains a New York icon.

• Iconic personality rooms including the Eloise Suite and the Fitzgerald Suite
• The Plaza is the only New York City hotel to be designated a National Historic Landmark
• Opulence isn’t limited to suites—even entry-level rooms feature glass chandeliers and 24k gold faucets
• Location: no hotel is closer to Central Park and 5th Avenue shopping, two of the city’s biggest draws

The Plaza hotel was a New York landmark even before it was officially declared one in 1963, having hosted some of the 20th century’s most important figures, from European royalty to literary luminaries and Old Hollywood celebrities. In 2008, the hotel re-opened its doors after a two-year, $450 million dollar renovation, converting half (and unfortunately, the best) of its rooms into private residences. As a result, the hotel barely has rooms with true park views, despite its prime location at the southeastern edge of Central Park.

A faithfully reconstructed stained-glass ceiling—the original dates back to the hotel’s early days before it was destroyed to make way for air-conditioning—hovers over the Palm Court, a popular choice for out-of-towners for lunch and where high tea is served daily. In the lobby, red velvet curtains frame enormous windows and a Baccarat chandelier casts a glow on the Louis XIV-style furniture. Everything is gilded, if not bejeweled or shined to a shimmering luster. (Twenty-four karat gold fixtures were added to every bathroom, even in the entry-level rooms.)

This brand of luxury extends to an onsite spa that uses only French products made from grapes, a Champagne bar and the tony food hall downstairs, where one can have a “casual” bite of lobster, sushi or tartines. Fancy enough? Just ask the three or so brides per weekend who book The Plaza for their fairy-tale weddings.

Those looking for a “WOW” factor in every facet of the hotel. Subtlety is not the currency here, so if luxury for you means gold ornaments, Baccarat chandeliers and marble columns, you may find this to be the kind of grandeur you seek in New York City.