New York's Plaza Hotel — the Fifth Avenue landmark that Kevin McCallister ran riot through in Home Alone 2 — will shut its doors in January 2027 so the building's century-old facade can be restored. Operator Fairmont Hotels & Resorts says the scale of the work makes staying open impossible, and the project is expected to run at least four years. That means the city's grandest address beside Central Park could stay dark until 2031, with no confirmed reopening date yet.
The Plaza opened in 1907 at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, and its exterior is protected as part of New York's architectural heritage. That status means any restoration has to clear strict preservation requirements and careful coordination with city authorities. The hotel hasn't disclosed a budget or full technical scope, only that the work would significantly disrupt operations. Everything from room bookings to restaurants, weddings and private events from 2027 onward is affected, and travellers with existing plans will need to look elsewhere in Manhattan.
There are open questions beyond guests. The building holds 282 hotel rooms — including 102 suites — plus 181 residential condominiums, and it's not yet clear whether apartment owners will have to move out during construction. On the staffing side, the hotel's 378 unionized employees are guaranteed the right to return at their previous pay when the Plaza reopens, with the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council union working to place members in interim jobs meanwhile.
This isn't the hotel's first long hiatus. The Plaza closed in 2005 for an extensive transformation and didn't welcome guests back until 2008, so a multi-year break is precedented — even if this one looks longer.
For movie fans, the timing matters. The Plaza's cameo in 1992's Home Alone 2: Lost in New York turned it into a Christmas pilgrimage site, from the lobby scenes to Kevin's extravagant room service spree — not to mention Donald Trump's brief appearance as himself, the hotel's owner at the time. Fans still visit to retrace Kevin's steps, and Christmas 2026 will be one of the final chances to sleep, dine or simply have a drink inside the real thing before the scaffolding goes up.
If the Plaza has been on your New York wishlist — for an afternoon tea, a festive overnight stay or a Home Alone-style splurge — book it for 2026 rather than assuming you'll get to it another year. Once January 2027 arrives, you'll be admiring the facade from behind hoardings for the better part of a decade.
Story via Colombia One.
