Plaza Hotel to close for at least four years starting January for landmark facade restoration

The Plaza Hotel is preparing for its longest shutdown in modern memory. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, which operates the Midtown landmark, said the hotel will close for at least four years beginning in January 2027 so crews can repair and restore its landmark-protected facade.

The announcement was first reported by the New York Times and confirmed in a Business Wire statement from the hotel. ABC7 New York reported the same timeline and said the work covers the 18-story building on Fifth Avenue at Central Park South.

Why the hotel is closing

In its statement, the Plaza said the facade project reflects the complexity of caring for a building that has been part of New York's architectural heritage since it opened in 1907. The hotel said the scope requires detailed planning and coordination with stakeholders and must meet historic-preservation requirements. "Further considerations relating to the planning and execution of the works remain under review," the statement said.

Because the work will intrude heavily on day-to-day operations, the hotel said it will close for the duration. Fairmont did not publish a dollar figure or a full construction schedule in the statement ABC7 and Business Wire carried.

Weddings and public spaces

ABC7 reported that staff at the Palm Court and hotel event rooms told the Times those venues will also close during construction. In a related ABC7 story, a bride who had booked the Plaza for a May wedding said she learned of the closure on Wednesday and is now searching for another venue, possibly on a new date.

The Plaza has long been a backdrop in film and popular culture, including "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," ABC7 noted. For now, the operator's public message is limited to the January 2027 start, the multiyear timeline and the facade restoration itself.