PLAZA HOTEL
 

Found a really cheap rate for my husband and I in November. Is it still a nice place, or is it old and tired? The location would be ideal!

Which city, Feiny?

Sorry! New York City at Central Park South and Fifth Avenue. I've never stayed there.

I haven't stayed there, either! Been inside a few times for meals, tea, etc. I used to work in the hotel biz so I "poked around" the guest floors looking at open rooms. They looked nice but not as special as I'd imagined for the price.

I'd call and ask when the rooms were last renovated. If it's before 1997 or so, it's way overdue!

I've stayed there twice for work--two years ago. The hotel is in a PERFECT location, the lobby and other public areas are beautiful, and the service is good (not great). The rooms are hit & miss. The first room I had was TINY (just a small area around the bed on all three sides) and didn't smell great. The second one was very large and nice. I would definitely ask for a room on the exterior of the hotel (even if you don't have a park view). The rooms in the interior are smaller and not as nice. I would definitely stay there again if for nothing else the location! Have fun!

I have never stayed there, but I am going to stay there in Feb. I know that the Hotel was last renovated in 2000, and it is rated very highly by Quikbook.com and others.

Hi Feiny,
We stayed at the Plaza two years ago during the Christmas holiday season. Our room was large but "old and tired." I had requested a king bed but we had two doubles. We were told there were no more rooms left and they had "upgraded" us. They did send up a bottle of wine to compensate. In spite of all of this, I am glad I stayed there. I had always wanted to stay at the Plaza at Christmas time. The time we spent in NYC was great and this hotel is a special place. I think there are nicer , newer rooms. My husband had stayed there previously and had a very nice room so he was more disappointed. I did not get a cheap rate but if I could get one I would stay there again.

Location is tops and public areas are very grand.
Those are the highlights, and the basis for the Plaza's popularity.
The rooms vary greatly from one to another. Many are very, very small.
The standard rooms are not 5 star by most people's standards. I haven't seen a suite.
If you get a good rate, the Plaza's fine.
But don't go in expecting a Four Seasons quality room (or service).

We didn't stay there but my then 9 year old daughter and I peeked in the Plaza during our 2001 trip (we had to see if Eloise was hanging around--LOL). The public areas of the Plaza are beautiful and the staff seemed used to people who wander in off the street just to look around--they couldn't have been friendlier and pretty much told us to roam as much as we wanted. We considered the Plaza for afternoon tea but ended up sipping at the Pierre. In my opinion, the Plaza and its location just epitomize classic New York.

Who is this Eloise? That's the special rate we got...an Eloise special. We won't have any kids along, but we get all sorts of Eloise "stuff" and pictures with our room. Is she somebody who teaches manners or something?

I was wondering about the Plaza as well -- not as a place to stay but as a place to eat. My husband is rooting for Thanksgiving dinner there (in part because of the 'experience'), but after reading the rants and raves I'm not so sure it's a good idea. Any thoughts?

Also, as to who is Eloise: www.eloisewebsite.com/

The rooms are hit or miss. You can just as easily have a decent one as you can one the size of a broom closet facing a brick wall.

When you check in, tell the desk clerk (politely) that you would like to see the room before you accept it. Keep in mind you aren't going to get a suite overlooking Central Park for $200 per night.

As far as Thanksgiving dinner, if it doesn't bother you paying $129 per person for the buffet, go for it! You only live once.

I agree with previous posters that the hotel itself is very nice in so far as public areas and the location.

When I stayed there a couple of years ago, the rooms were fine, very nicely decorated but nothing really special for the $200+ that we were paying. Yes, it's great to do it once just to have the experience, but not something I'd pay that kind of money for again.

However, if I were to have some sort of great rate, I'd stay again. So, I would say "go for it."

Thanks so much for your messsages. It's as I thought. I'm paying for the "experience". I guess that's just fine if I know ahead of time what to expect. And thanks so much for the Eloise site. My daughter couldn't BELIEVE I didn't know who Eloise was!

Do you mind if I ask what rate you got? My hubby and I are looking for a new place to getaway, and would love to stay there if the price is right. Thanks in advance!

We got the "Eloise Experience" package. My daughter tells me it's to celebrate the first new Eloise book in 50 years! Anyway, it's room, Eloise membership (valued at $500), ice cream sundaes, valet parking OR $30 food and beverage credit per night, AND a photo of Eloise. We are paying $289 per night for 3 nights.

Read the reviews on tripadvisor.com.....they are quite offputting

I have stayed there twice. Rooms can be small, but concierge recognized us as being a group of women who were 'doing the town.' He had all of our stuff (from TWO rooms!) moved to one of the Plaza Suites for the weekend. The staff did all the moving and packing...we were in our original rooms for two nights, and then had two GLORIOUS nights in a a two-bedroom suite which had a HUGE corner living room which attached the two gigantic bedrooms. Both bedrooms were sumptuous, with canopy beds, marble bathrooms, fireplaces in all three rooms, I think. It was a weekend to remember! So I would definitely recommend this hotel for its hospitality AND its great location!! Have a great time--don't miss Eloise's portrait just off the lobby!

well, the Plaza isn't the Peninsula or other 5 star hotel but it is an institution and an historic landmark building. For years the Plaza ignored the Eloise thing: good for them to do this promotion.

If you are going to do this, go all the way. Have a horse drawn carriage pick you up and take you to dinner. Have tea in the lobby, they still do one of the better afternoon teas in New York. This is a great thing to do when you are going to a Broadway show as it can be substantial enough to hold you through to supper after the show. You also must do the Oak Room.

This is ground zero for great shopping on Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue. You'll need that cheap rate with Bergdorf's and Bendel's so close by. LMF

I mentioned this on another thread, but my husband, brother-in-law, his wife and I all stayed at the Plaza the weekend before Christmas a few years ago. It was a classic New York experience. The common areas are beautifully decorated for Christmas, and Sunday brunch at that place right in the middle of the lobby (can't remember the name) was great. The rooms, for the price we were paying, were not extravagant. But, it was New York, it was Christmas, it was magical in every way I thought it would be....so who really cares what the rooms looked like? It's not what I remember about the trip. I remember the windows at Saks, the skaters in Central Park and Rockefeller Center, the food!!! oh my!!! The Radio City show...just being there. Stay at the Plaza. For us, it was part of the magic that is New York.