The Plaza

Few hotels are as woven into New York's story as The Plaza, which opened on Fifth Avenue at the edge of Central Park on October 1, 1907. Henry J. Hardenbergh designed the building in a French Renaissance chateau manner, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Inside, the scale is unapologetically grand: 282 guest rooms, a Grand Ballroom, and storied spaces such as the Terrace Room and the Oak Room. It is also, of course, home to Eloise, whose namesake shop is right here in the hotel.

Most visits begin in the Palm Court, where afternoon tea is the house tradition, or with a glass at the Champagne Bar. The hotel suits first-timers who want the full cinematic version of New York, families drawn by Eloise, and couples who like their romance in capital letters. Step outside and Central Park is across the street, with the shops of Fifth Avenue running south. Expect admirers to crowd the public spaces by day; upstairs, the quiet comes back.