``They say this place is the world's most famous hotel,'' said
doorman Freddy Davila, who worked for the hotel for 15 years before it
closed in 2005. As he welcomed visitors up the red-carpeted steps and
through the revolving doors, he added: ``It's wonderful to be back.''
``We just had to see inside,'' said Owen Mathieu, visiting from
Marblehead, Mass. ``We've seen it in the movies. Everybody's heard of
it.''
The Plaza, which is a National Historic Landmark, first opened in
1907. Marilyn Monroe was photographed here, the Beatles stayed here and
Frank Lloyd Wright lived here. The hotel ballroom was the setting for
Truman Capote's ``Black and White Ball'' and the wedding of Richard
Nixon's daughter Julie. Movies shot at the hotel include ``North by
Northwest,'' ``Barefoot in the Park,'' ``Crocodile Dundee'' and ``Home
Alone 2.'' Owners have included Conrad Hilton and Donald Trump.
Many fans also know the hotel from children's books by Kay Thompson
about a naughty little girl named Eloise who lives at The Plaza. A
portrait of Eloise hung in the lobby for nearly 50 years; hotel
officials say it will be back up later this spring.
The Plaza's current owners, Elad Properties, originally planned to
convert all guest rooms into condominiums, but the plan was criticized
by preservationists and the hotel workers' union. Negotiations with
Mayor Michael Bloomberg led to a deal that resulted in 282 hotel rooms,
down from the original 805, and 181 apartments.
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