The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel provides a brisk overview of the opulent establishment that, depending on your generation, you'll remember as the residence of Eloise or as the place where Kevin McCallister crashed in Home Alone 2. Here we see a hotel that, having once been considered the pinnacle of New York high society--complete with famous guests such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Truman Capote, and the Vanderbilts--is now past its prime, shuffling between various billionaires of dubious morality as they struggle to capture what the Plaza was before the economic downturn of the 1970s. Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), the chapter about the Trumps is arguably the most entertaining; love them or hate them, they know how to put on a good show. Other noteworthy moments include the Plaza's connection to Alfred Vanderbilt, who died in the sinking of the Lusitania, and the shocking number of guests who either attempted or succeeded in committing suicide while staying there.

What The Plaza lacks are the less momentous experiences of the staff who run the hotel on a day-to-day basis. There are hardly any stories about crazy guests demanding room service at three in the morning, or anecdotes about the boiler room flooding, or memories of wacky tourists with cameras and fanny packs in the hotel lobby, or urban legends about a ghost in room 241. The book focuses heavily on the upper echelons of the Plaza's social structure, robbing it of the more humane moments that many readers were undoubtedly hoping to find. Additionally, I'm not sure that anyone from outside of New York would come away from this book understanding the Plaza's cultural significance. If anything, it just seems like another ritzy hotel with a revolving door of celebrity guests like any other.

I was hoping for so much more with this book. This was a very tedious read. I would've loved to have read stories about the hotel and the people who had stayed or lived there; too many dates, numbers, and details.

The Plaza is a good book about the hotel in Manhattan, New York.
The history at the very beginning of the book about building the Plaza was really interesting. Julie Satow did a great job of telling you about the building and the people that built it. She also takes the time to introduce you to some of the people that stayed there. There were also people that called the Plaza home and some of their stories are also in the book.
The book includes information about each time the hotel was sold and what happened to the old owner. She also told you all about the new owner and why they bought the hotel. I wish I could have seen the hotel at the height of popularity - when all of the restaurants were open and the hotel was thriving. There is also history of what was going on in the world as she told the story of the hotel.
As the history got more current I found the book less interesting. Not sure what that was about.

There were so many famous people and events happening at the Plaza, the hotel itself seemed to be alive, as the narrator of all it's drama and eccentricities.
I worked one block over and my company held two holiday corporate parties at the Plaza, which were amazing.
It was fascinating to read the history of this iconic New York hotel.
The only criticism I have is the lack of any pictures of such a visually captivating place. I read a digital pre publication copy, so perhaps the actual book had photos.

This is a great book for anybody interested in the history of the Plaza Hotel and the people who frequented it. The descriptions make you feel like you have stepped back in time, when it was at its prime, and are soaking in the luxury around you. A great piece on a great historical landmark.

Thank you NetGalley for this book!

I was excited to read about the history of this famous landmark hotel. I am into history and especially excited to learn about this exciting place that helped shape New York city. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book. This is very dry and tedious even though it's well researched and written. I did enjoy the stories about the building of it but wanted more. More stories of the diverse and interesting people that stayed there would have been welcomed. In the end it bored me!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Twelve Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A beautiful look at an architectural marvel. The Plaza is a delight for many reasons, this takes you through a rich history.

I loved this book so much. The character building was next to none. I loved the characters. The world building was also stunning.

Having visited New York often over the past 40 years to enjoy Broadway plays I have walked past The Plaza often although I never went inside. After reading this book I surely wish I had.

Julie Satow gives a wonderful and thorough history of all the owners of The Plaza hotel as well as the celebrities and some characters who resided there. I enjoyed her writing style and would be interested in reading any future works of hers.
It was a joy to meet so many of the eccentric characters that stayed at the Plaza and to read about their experiences during their stays there, many of which happening in their own minds, Clara Bell Walsh being one. But when you’re that rich, who’s going to question you?
If you’re a fan of New York City and its history you will truly enjoy this book.

I really love books about old-time hotels and the history and stories behind them. It is like transporting yourself to a different time and just having fun hearing all that happened there. I enjoyed reading this book and I thought it was well done and she obviously did her research.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. A very well written history of the plaza hotel you won't be able to put down.

I’ve always loved the look and glamour of the Plaza and this book is a treat! The good and the bad are included, but it is all interesting. Lots of things I didn’t know. Some things about NYC itself, as well. A very good book for fans and newcomers alike. I recommend it!

Murder, scandal, controversy! Absolutely riveting! I admittedly didn’t know much about the Plaza other than the antics of Eloise that I’ve read to my kids. This was such an interesting look at not only The Plaza but that specific time in history. I loved it and will definitely recommend to our book club!

No matter where you live, this story will transport you both in time and place to one of the most iconic locations in New York. You will never think of it in the same way again. It is much more than Eloise and Kevin’s stomping grounds.

What an interesting book. The book discusses the history of the Plaza hotel and the glitz and glamor.. It was so well written and a delight to hear about all the richness and parties that went on. Makes me appreciate being able to stand in there and marvel at the architecture on my last trip to NYC. Thanks to Netgallery and Twelve books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review for The Plaza
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

What makes a building special? Is it the architecture? The people who spent time in it? The events that took place in it? Or is it a combination in all three? The building in New York City most synonymous with the name isn’t the first incarnation of it – the first Plaza was opened in 1890 – but it’s the one that’s lasted the longest and has the stories to tell. It was built towards the end of the Gilded Age. Its first guest was a member of the famed Vanderbilt family. Despite an extension being built shortly after World War One, it appears it was mostly all downhill after that.

Julie Satow, a journalist who has long covered Manhattan real estate, has written a book about a hotel and apartment building that seems to have long been slightly behind the times and out of step with the world around it. In a chapter called “The Thirty-Nine Widows of the Plaza,” she tells of the genteel ladies who took up long term residence in the building. These ladies would gather in the foyer and had strong opinions not only about the direction of the hotel but of those who passed them by. Thanks to rent control agreements, successive owners could not charge them market rates or evict them, these women were indirectly, and partially, responsible for the loss of building income. Without much needed funds, the building gradually faded in its splendor. Satow scatters stories of other players in the Plaza’s history throughout her biography. Some are positive, while others are scandalous. They’re about residents, visitors, guests, owners, and staff, and all are beguiling.

What struck this reader is that The Plaza is also a representation of the New York City’s fortunes. As went the city so went the hotel. There are the highs of the Jazz Age and the lows of the near bankruptcy of the 1970s. There are the details of questionable financial decisions by both city managers and the building’s owners. It would seem the only reason the property is still standing is because of increasing preservation efforts put forth by afficionados.

Can the history of a physical property evoke emotion, or is it only the history of the people connected to it that make it so? The Plaza is evidence of the former. The story of how the Plaza decreased in value due to the Great Depression, and was eventually sold for the first time, made this reader sad. What can become of a building whose time has apparently passed? She now sits on the edge of Central Park, observing those around her like one of those thirty-nine widows, and is currently closed due to the pandemic. How much longer can she survive?

Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

The iconic Plaza Hotel sits on the most prime piece of real estate in NYC........5th Avenue and 59th Street, overlooking Central Park and has prevailed for 112 years, through good times and bad. It was THE place to be seen and some of the very rich lived there year round and were pampered to a fault by the management and staff. Beautifully designed, it was the ultimate in luxury and a magnet for the rich and famous.

This book was really such a surprise to me. Satow takes us through the history of the Plaza from its inception to present. We learn of a murder perpetrated by construction workers, Donald Trump being the first owner to not only have a woman running the hotel but also the only owner to bankrupt the hotel.

This was really and engaging and entertaining book. What one might assume would be a boring history of a hotel was actually brought to life by the author. She provides tons of little details that really brings you into the story.

I was provided this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would give (almost) anything to have seen The Plaza in its heyday. I can't even imagine, all the glitz and glamour that went along with it. Just think - Eloise, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Vanderbilts, and the like. I am a sucked for Gilded and Jazz Age splendor, and this book provided plenty of both, before reality came crashing in on Black Tuesday, 1929.

How amazing that this beautiful building could survive the Great Depression, yet all it took was a couple years of super shitty management in late 80s/early 90s to drive it right into the ground and forcing the owner to sell due to bankruptcy. I'd give you three guesses as to who that shitty owner was, but you'll only need one. He's the only owner in the hotel's grand history to completely fail at being its owner. (Full disclosure, I very quickly skimmed the two chapters detailing his ownership because, fuck that guy.)

It does make me pretty bummed to read about it in its current state but I also understand that history rarely matters to those bent on making tons of money. At least the building is now on the National Historic Registry so that no further damage can be done to this beautiful relic.

The author, journalist Julie Satow, spent over a decade conducting the research that went into this fantastic history of one of the city's most iconic buildings. Satow talked to guests/residents, and staff members - many of whom have been associated with the hotel for several decades. She traces its beginnings, from the Gilded Age to its current incarnation - no longer only a hotel, but also in-part high-priced condos, high-end boutiques and eateries, and more.

The original Plaza opened in 1890, and in less than twenty years was demolished in order to make room for an even larger, grander hotel. It still sits on that site today, perched on 5th Avenue as a silent sentry, looking out over Central Park. The doors reopened in 1907 and its owner, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, moved right in, becoming the luxury hotel's first guest.

This book is a study in business as much as it is a cultural and social history of New York City. It is true that we get behind-the-scenes details on Capote's Black and White Ball, and we see the sheer chaos prompted by the first US visit by The Beatles. We see how the hotel promoted the life of luxury that the millionaires of the city were accustomed to and expected, but the author also discusses how the hotel has survived changing ownership, and how that ownership has adapted to allow that survival. As the customer base remained the same, needs changed over the decades and The Plaza was able to adapt to serve those needs.

Had it not been for some very wealthy widows during the 1930s, The Plaza might have closed its doors long ago. Even so, when owner Harry S. Black lost his fortune in the stock market crash, his suicide made the hotel available for purchase and it was taken over by Conrad Hilton. This was only the beginning of the rapid changes in ownership that would persist to the present day. Conrad unloaded the hotel into the hands of the Westin Hotels chain, then trump got his grubby little hands on it, and now it is owned by the Qatar Investment Authority.

I loved seeing the evolution of the hotel, and New York City. This will definitely be one of the stops we make when Eleanor and I travel there when she is older. Though the hotel has gone through many changes, parts of it still exist that were original to the hotel in 1907, such as the Palm Court. I would love to just wander into the hotel, set myself down in the lobby, and people-watch for hours.

This is another must-read for those who love NYC as much as I do. It is well-researched and engaging from start to finish. Highly recommended.