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Inside The Plaza
(Applause Books). From Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald cavorting in the Pulitzer Fountain to Ivana Trump patrolling the halls to inspect the rooms, this is the Plaza Hotel as no one has ever seen it, or been permitted to see it. The Plaza is the place where the Beatles headquartered when they invaded America. It's where George M. Cohan held court during the golden era of Broadway. It's where Marilyn busted a strap on cue, where Cary Grant started out from when he traveled North By Northwest, and where Macauley Culkin stayed after staying Home Alone. From the railroad tracks in the basement to the vast luxury suites overlooking Central Park, this is the full story behind the gilded doors, the inside scoop direct from the people who have cavorted there and worked there.
1 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2001
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About the author
Ward Morehouse III
17 books2 followersWard Morehouse III (born August 11, 1945) is an American author, playwright, and newspaperman.
Ward Morehouse III was born in New York City on August 11, 1945, the son of newspaperman/drama critic Ward Morehouse II and actress-turned-publisher Joan Marlowe.
Ward Morehouse III was born in New York City on August 11, 1945, the son of newspaperman/drama critic Ward Morehouse II and actress-turned-publisher Joan Marlowe.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 5, 2020
Lately I have gotten interested in the historical hotels in New York. I had first read a couple of books about the Chelsea Hotel with all its hippy drippy occupants, plus its uncertain future.
Reading about the Plaza helped put the Chelsea in perspective. It seemed to me that you had to be pretty rich to live in the Chelsea, even if you were a drug addict, but now I understand that compared to the Plaza, the Chelsea would be vastly more affordable.
If I were to compare the two hotels, both of approximately the same age, both pieces of Art Deco architectural history, I'd say the Plaza was the good child who got a college education, married a doctor and has prospered ever since. The Chelsea was the rebellious child who ran off with her garage band boyfriend and has been living on that ragged edge of Bohemian disaster ever since.
While the Chelsea attracted the artsy, pop culture leaders and followers, the Plaza has always been classy and posh. Part of this would be location, but also darn, good business management by the various owners. The Chelsea had the son of the original owners manage it and he kept the reins loose and free and pretty much turned the hotel into the modern equivalent of an opium den, which may well have delighted the famous clientele that rented rooms there.
The Plaza was and is for the very, very rich. Not that it has not had its financial struggles, but so far it has been able to pull out of them.
Morehouse devotes much of the book to the business side of owning and managing a hotel like the Plaza, which I found a lot more interesting than I thought I would.
The rest is of course describing the famous people who have stayed there since its inception. Because his father, Ward Morehouse, a famous theatre critic and writer lived there with his second wife, he got to meet many of the clientele first hand. Consequently, we get more information about the people he has personally met and more second hand information about the rest.
Still, we get some fairly good stories about F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Beatles, the author of Eloise as well as several famous actors and singers who have since faded into the annals of time. Actually I found that interesting as well, learning about actors and singers I otherwise did not know about and then looking them up online to find out more about them.
Also, there were several movies that were filmed there, the most famous for contemporary audiences would be the Home Alone movies, but also Barefoot in the Park and a number of Hitchcock movies.
While the writing wasn't brilliant, it was good enough for me to give the book three stars. I liked it.
Reading about the Plaza helped put the Chelsea in perspective. It seemed to me that you had to be pretty rich to live in the Chelsea, even if you were a drug addict, but now I understand that compared to the Plaza, the Chelsea would be vastly more affordable.
If I were to compare the two hotels, both of approximately the same age, both pieces of Art Deco architectural history, I'd say the Plaza was the good child who got a college education, married a doctor and has prospered ever since. The Chelsea was the rebellious child who ran off with her garage band boyfriend and has been living on that ragged edge of Bohemian disaster ever since.
While the Chelsea attracted the artsy, pop culture leaders and followers, the Plaza has always been classy and posh. Part of this would be location, but also darn, good business management by the various owners. The Chelsea had the son of the original owners manage it and he kept the reins loose and free and pretty much turned the hotel into the modern equivalent of an opium den, which may well have delighted the famous clientele that rented rooms there.
The Plaza was and is for the very, very rich. Not that it has not had its financial struggles, but so far it has been able to pull out of them.
Morehouse devotes much of the book to the business side of owning and managing a hotel like the Plaza, which I found a lot more interesting than I thought I would.
The rest is of course describing the famous people who have stayed there since its inception. Because his father, Ward Morehouse, a famous theatre critic and writer lived there with his second wife, he got to meet many of the clientele first hand. Consequently, we get more information about the people he has personally met and more second hand information about the rest.
Still, we get some fairly good stories about F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Beatles, the author of Eloise as well as several famous actors and singers who have since faded into the annals of time. Actually I found that interesting as well, learning about actors and singers I otherwise did not know about and then looking them up online to find out more about them.
Also, there were several movies that were filmed there, the most famous for contemporary audiences would be the Home Alone movies, but also Barefoot in the Park and a number of Hitchcock movies.
While the writing wasn't brilliant, it was good enough for me to give the book three stars. I liked it.
July 31, 2007
A wonderful history of the Plaza Hotel! If you enjoy hotels, traveling, or work in the hospitality industry you will enjoy this fascinating read.
May 5, 2017
A short concise history of one of the most interesting hotels in Manhattan in New York City.
February 21, 2017
Interesting and informative but not necessarily well written.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews