New York City Bucket List: Stay at The Plaza Hotel
Clay Coomer | Dec 21, 2020
New York City is a spectacle to behold; A dirty, smelly, crowded, wonder of the world. My wife and I decided to take a “babymoon” to the big apple and we were surprised by my parents with a luxurious one night stay at the iconic Plaza Hotel during our 72 hour, child-less adventure.
To set the stage, just to prove I’m not 100% spoiled, I had completed some work for my parents which I originally agreed to do pro-bono. My compensation, if you will, was The Plaza and after our stay, naturally, I had to write about.
Love or hate New York City, once you enter the doors of the fabulous Plaza Hotel, you immediately escape the noise, the smells and the throng of people and enter a historic spectacle of its own. One that this author strongly urges to add to your bucket list. Here’s my story:
An entrance made for royalty
Upon entering, you’re greeted by a grandiose, yet elegant crystal chandelier and the fresh aroma of lilies. It was unforgettable. Marble covered the walls and men dressed in tuxedos were at your service ready to help with anything. You truly felt like royalty as if you were about to dine with the Queen.
(http://sites.psu.edu/newyorkforlife/2014/03/28/the-plaza-hotel-our-centurys-standard-of-luxury Image source )
The wonderful smell of fresh flowers continues as you walk towards the front desk. It doesn’t matter who is there to greet you to give you instructions and a room key, they will have a smile on their face and ready to help with literally anything.
Pay attention to the beautifully sculpted design of the elevator as you make your way up to your room. It may be a small cab, but the woodwork is absolutely gorgeous.
The room
The first thing you’ll notice as you enter your room for the first time is the 13 foot vaulted ceiling and beautifully designed wainscoting throughout. The color scheme is monochromatic, but stunningly elegant with hints of cherry wood and vibrant gold trim.
Sit down your bags and venture into the bathroom. There, you will discover quite possibly the most beautiful bathroom you have ever seen. A deep soaker tub to your left, a shower to your right with a rain style shower head sits high up on the wall for (probably) the nicest shower you’ll ever experience.
This may sound weird, but one of the coolest features is the water temperature gauges. You can twist the nob and select the exact temperature of the water - opposed to twisting endlessly to find that perfect temp.
iPad controlled thermostat and lighting system
Sitting on the desk by the room’s window you’ll find an iPad. But not just any iPad – this iPad controls the lighting and temperature for the entire room. With one touch of the screen you can dim the lights based on percentage or turn them off completely. 100% lights up the whole room, 25% dims it down to a romantic setting that will make you want to uncork some wine and relax with your significant other.Splurge on room service
Your mouth might drop when you see the prices on the room service menu but do it anyway. You only live once, right? The best part is the room service is 24 hours. The worst part is the service charge ($8) and the 19% tax. That doesn’t even include the tip!
After we returned from a night cap at the second floor hotel bar, we decided to splurge. Admittedly, it could’ve been a lot worse but the $30 three scopes of chocolate ice cream was well worth it while we ate it lying in bed watching Saturday Night Live, which was coincidentally taking place a mere nine blocks away.
The bed
To quote fictional character Don Draper, the bed is “simple, but significant.” Covered with wrinkle-less white sheets with stitched gold outline, when your head hits the perfectly firm feather pillows, you don’t want to get up.
Your eyes, if they’re open, are immediately drawn to a lovely crystal chandelier that hangs in the center of the room right above the bed. It takes you a minute to realize there’s a flat screen TV hanging on the wall.
After a long day of exploring the city, eating bad food and drinking expensive drinks, nothing feels better than collapsing on this wonderful bed. Being a tourist in America’s largest city is tough!
The reluctance that is the check out
Don’t bother looking at the final amount on the bill. It will only upset you more as you leave. Once you hit the lobby, the aroma of the lilies returns. If you’re not yet done exploring the city, The Plaza will hold your bags for the entire day. This amenity should not be overlooked! If you have a late flight (like we did), it’s a really nice thing for your hotel to hold on to your bags.
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