Planning to visit New York City? We highly recommend you stay or at least visit the Plaza Hotel®. A familiar address, Fifth Avenue at Central Park South; perhaps you’ve visited there before. Unless it was fairly recently you’re in for a pleasant surprise. The iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City has undergone a complete makeover and though there are those who prefer New York city in the spring our favorite time to visit is anytime. In New York, there’s so much to entertain. Broadway, great food, national monuments and museums, clubbing, shopping and the Plaza.
While doing the research for this article we heard a lot of whining from the natives. The righteous ire so colorfully articulated by many New Yorkers was an expression of loyalty—we think misplaced, to a city landmark that hadn’t changed (overmuch) in a hundred years. Most folks resist change we think. The status quo is comfortable and New Yorkers are somewhat proprietary about New York, so the knee-jerk ‘you did what to our venerable old landmark hotel’ was not unexpected. That said, and allowing for a period of adjustment, we dare say native New Yorkers will be every bit as impressed with the new Plaza as they were fond of the old. Moreover, it’s hard to believe anyone really misses Ivana’s golden touch.
Yitzhak Tshuva, an Israeli tycoon, under the auspices of his El-Ad group, has poured over $400 million into the makeover. Renovations were finally completely completed in late 2010 and at last the tell tell signs of construction have disappeared. Even the most critical eye will see it was money well spent. The Plaza—dear to us as well, had acquired a patina of age, which works for many historic hotels, but it made the Plaza look dated and rather tired. Had El-Ad made material changes we would probably balk as well. We don’t see that, though some of the space has been reallocated, we see revitalization and resurrection with a bit of reinvention. Over 80 percent of the hotel has been converted to residences. Living at the Plaza? Works for us.
The Grand Ballroom is just stunning and not materially changed, just more beautiful. The Oak Room is being revamped, but again not materially changed. The Grand Concourse now houses luxury retail shops, the Edwardian Room presents haute couture fashion, and the Terrace Room is reborn in the most indulgent fashion and with an embarrassment of grace; The Palm Court—ditto. The Rose Club is new as is the Champagne Bar and the Tranquility Garden. Also new is the Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa® and the Warren-Tricomi Salon®. All gorgeous, all lovely, all a gift to this storied inn. We can’t find fault here, and we’ve looked.
The amenities have been enhanced and the Plaza has been pulled into the 21st century to accommodate all the gizmos and gadgets. About the white gloved bartender? Did they always wear gloves? We can’t remember, but okay, sure. Finally, The Plaza is still the Plaza, and we’ll wager that in no time at all New Yorkers will embrace this new incarnation of a familiar and long cherished address.
For as long as there’s been a Valentine’s Day, flowers have been the token given to express affection for your loved one on the most romantic day of the year. Roses—the all time favorite, gerbera daisies—oh so popular, and calla lilies—if you really want to impress. Flowers. Nothing else quite says ‘I love you’ like flowers. Except diamonds of course.
