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The Plaza Hotel, a NYC luxury icon since 1907, announced a four-year closure beginning in January 2027 for major restoration. The landmark hosted presidents, celebrities, and world leaders for over a century and earned NYC and National Historic landmark designations in 1969 and 1986, respectively.The French château-style hotel, designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, has become a pop culture fixture through its numerous film appearances.
The Plaza Hotel has been a New York City icon for over a century. Now, the historic hotel is bracing for a four-year closure to restore its façade. It will shut its doors on January 19, 2027, with a crew scheduled to begin the major, multi-year renovation project on January 20, according to a press release.
The announcement also highlighted the project’s complexity, which would undoubtedly hinder the hotel’s day-to-day operations, pose significant safety risks, and disrupt guests if the hotel were to remain open. While the hotel has not announced specific project details, it has noted that careful coordination with stakeholders has been paramount as it considers historic preservation requirements.
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The main entrance to The Plaza is a well-known filming location, appearing in over 30 feature films.
The Plaza first opened its doors nearly 120 years ago, on October 1, 1907, quickly becoming a hub for socialites, celebrities, and world leaders, including Nelson Mandela, John F. Kennedy Jr., and practically every U.S. president from William Taft onward. In 1969, the hotel earned New York City landmark status—it was declared a National Historic Landmark nearly 20 years later, in 1986. The Fifth Avenue location has become one of the city’s most recognizable destinations, and it is an architectural masterwork.
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Designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, who also worked on the Upper West Side apartment complex, the Dakota, the 18-story hotel’s exterior was inspired by the opulence of European palaces. The building boasts dramatic dormer windows, carved stone, terra-cotta veneers, and white brick masonry, all crowned by a sloping green Ludowici tiled mansard roof and soaring chimneys. Inside, a mix of German and Spanish Renaissance Revival styles defines the Edwardian and Oak rooms, while the Palm Court restaurant reflects a neoclassical design scheme.
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The Palm Court at The Plaza features a skylight, marble columns, and Caen stone walls.
In addition to its significance to the Big Apple, The Plaza has gained a notable pop culture reputation, appearing in numerous films over the years, including The Way We Were, Sleepless in Seattle, The Great Gatsby, and, of course, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Because of the hotel’s landmark status, the restoration process has to adhere to strict guidelines, which might be the reason behind the lengthy timeline. But as the saying goes, icons never die, and we look forward to seeing The Plaza restored to its true glory.