Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Daniel Globe
The Plaza Hotel at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South is one of New York City’s best-known luxury hotels, but its ownership history can be confusing. The property has passed through several prominent owners, and today the hotel operates alongside privately owned condominium residences. That makes it important to separate the hotel’s owner from its manager and from the owners of individual residences.
Quick Answer
As of July 2026, The Plaza Hotel in New York is owned by Katara Hospitality, Qatar’s state-backed hospitality company, and managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Katara acquired full control in 2018. The Qatar Investment Authority is Katara’s parent sovereign wealth organization, but Katara Hospitality is the direct hotel owner named in current portfolio records.
Key Takeaways
- Current owner: Katara Hospitality owns The Plaza and lists it in its current portfolio of owned hotels.
- Hotel manager: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages The Plaza; Fairmont is not the property owner.
- Acquisition: Katara took full ownership in 2018 in a deal reported at about $600 million.
- Historic ownership: Past owners have included Conrad Hilton, Westin, Donald Trump, a partnership involving City Developments Limited and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, El Ad Properties, and Sahara India Pariwar.
- Ownership nuance: The Plaza also includes privately owned condominium residences, so not every part of the building is owned in the same way as the hotel business.
History of the Plaza Hotel
The current Plaza Hotel was developed by financier Bernhard Beinecke and builder Harry S. Black, with hotelier Fred Sterry serving as managing director. They replaced an earlier Plaza Hotel on the same site. Architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed the new building, which officially opened on October 1, 1907. The project cost about $12.5 million to construct and furnish, according to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
That history corrects a common misconception: Conrad Hilton did not commission or build the 1907 Plaza. Hilton entered the story decades later, when he and the Atlas Corporation acquired the hotel in 1943.
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt also was not a 1921 owner of The Plaza. The hotel’s own historical record identifies Vanderbilt as the first guest to sign the register when the new Plaza opened in 1907. During the early 1920s, the building was expanded and renovated, including the addition of a new ballroom.
The Plaza’s cultural importance grew alongside its hospitality reputation. F. Scott Fitzgerald used the hotel as a setting in The Great Gatsby, and Kay Thompson’s Eloise, published in 1955, made the fictional six-year-old resident one of the property’s best-known cultural characters.
The Plaza was designated a New York City Landmark in 1969, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
Previous Owners of the Plaza Hotel
The Plaza has changed hands repeatedly since opening. The ownership chain is more complex than the original article suggested, and several dates are important for understanding who controlled the hotel at different times.
| Period | Owner / controlling interest | Key point |
| 1907–1943 | Original ownership group / United States Realty interests | The current hotel opened in 1907 after the earlier Plaza on the site was replaced. |
| 1943–1953 | Atlas Corporation / Conrad Hilton | Hilton helped modernize the hotel and opened the Oak Bar during this era. |
| 1953–mid-1970s | A. M. Sonnabend / Hotel Corporation of America interests | The Sonnabend era followed Hilton; ownership and operating arrangements changed within affiliated entities. |
| Mid-1970s–1988 | Western International / Westin and later investors | Westin acquired The Plaza for $25 million and invested heavily in restoration. |
| 1988–1995 | Donald Trump | Trump bought The Plaza in 1988 for about $390 million. |
| 1995–2004 | City Developments Limited / Millennium & Copthorne interests and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal | CDL and Prince Alwaleed acquired a controlling interest in 1995 for $325 million. |
| 2004–2012 | El Ad Properties and partners | El Ad acquired the property in a $675 million transaction and later carried out a major renovation and partial condominium conversion. |
| 2012–2018 | Sahara India Pariwar and minority partners | Sahara acquired a controlling stake in 2012. |
| 2018–present | Katara Hospitality | Katara acquired full control in 2018; The Plaza remains in Katara Hospitality’s owned portfolio in 2026. |
Why the Plaza Hotel’s Current Ownership Can Be Confusing
There is no current mystery about the hotel owner: Katara Hospitality lists The Plaza in its portfolio of owned properties. Confusion usually comes from three different layers of control being discussed as though they were the same thing.
- Katara Hospitality is the direct hospitality owner associated with The Plaza.
- Qatar Investment Authority is the sovereign wealth organization above Katara in Qatar’s state investment structure, so some reports describe the hotel more broadly as “Qatar-owned.”
- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages the hotel’s day-to-day hospitality operation under the Fairmont brand.
Note: The Plaza building also contains privately owned condominium residences. Those individual residences can have separate owners, so “who owns The Plaza?” can mean different things depending on whether someone is asking about the hotel business, the building’s residential units, or the broader investment structure.
Speculations and Rumors About the Plaza Hotel’s Owner
Past media coverage has fueled speculation because The Plaza has changed owners many times and because the 2005–2008 redevelopment created both hotel and residential components. That complexity can make headlines about a “sale of The Plaza” sound broader than the legal interests actually being transferred.
For a current answer, the most reliable sources are the owner’s own portfolio and the hotel manager’s official property page. Katara Hospitality currently identifies The Plaza as one of its owned hotels in New York, while Fairmont identifies it as “The Plaza, A Fairmont Hotel.” There is no verified basis for describing the current owner as unknown or mysterious.
The Truth Revealed: Plaza Hotel’s Current Owner
Katara Hospitality acquired The Plaza in 2018 and continues to list the property in its owned portfolio as of July 2026. Katara announced the acquisition publicly in May 2019 and described The Plaza as its first acquisition in the United States. Contemporary reporting put the transaction at about $600 million and said Katara bought full ownership, including Sahara India Pariwar’s 75% stake.
Fairmont remains the hotel manager. This owner-versus-manager distinction matters: Fairmont operates and brands the hotel, while Katara Hospitality holds the ownership interest in the hotel asset.
The Qatar Investment Authority is relevant because Katara Hospitality sits within Qatar’s state investment structure. However, saying simply that “QIA owns The Plaza” skips the direct ownership entity. The clearest wording is that Katara Hospitality owns The Plaza, with Katara under Qatar’s sovereign investment umbrella.
Impact of the Plaza Hotel’s Current Ownership
Katara’s ownership gives the hotel a long-term institutional owner with an international luxury-hospitality portfolio. Its acquisition announcement emphasized long-term investment and preserving The Plaza’s role as a high-end hospitality asset.
For guests, the most visible operational fact is that The Plaza continues to function as a Fairmont-managed luxury hotel. Fairmont’s current listing shows 282 rooms and suites in total, including 102 suites. That corrects the earlier wording that implied 282 guest rooms plus another 102 suites.
The hotel also continues to offer The Palm Court, The Champagne Bar, spa and wellness services, retail shops, event spaces, and other guest services. Its status as a functioning hotel is therefore not in question.
Future Plans for the Plaza Hotel Under Katara Hospitality
Older reports have discussed possible renovations, management changes, and redevelopment ideas, but those should not be presented as confirmed current plans unless they appear in up-to-date owner or operator announcements. As of July 2026, Katara continues to list The Plaza in its owned portfolio, and Fairmont continues to market and operate the hotel.
Katara’s public acquisition statement emphasized long-term investment and maintaining The Plaza as an iconic luxury property. That supports a general expectation of ongoing upkeep and asset investment, but it does not justify claiming that a specific new renovation, rebranding, or chef partnership is confirmed today without a current announcement.
Pro Tip: When checking ownership of a landmark hotel, look at both the owner’s portfolio and the operator’s official property page. Hotel brands frequently manage properties they do not own.
Public Reaction to the Plaza Hotel’s Owner
It is difficult to support broad statements such as “the public reaction has been largely positive” without a representative survey. News coverage and social-media discussion are not enough to measure public opinion accurately.
What can be stated with confidence is that The Plaza’s ownership attracts attention because of the hotel’s landmark status, famous past owners, luxury profile, and role in New York culture. For preservation-minded visitors, the more important question is whether the historic property continues to operate and whether protected architectural features remain recognized under New York City and federal landmark designations.
The Legacy of Plaza Hotel Ownership
Each ownership era has changed The Plaza in some way. The original developers created the 1907 hotel; Conrad Hilton modernized parts of the building in the 1940s; later owners restored and repositioned the property; and the 2000s redevelopment combined hotel accommodations with private residences.
The Plaza’s ownership history is not just a list of wealthy buyers. It also reflects changing ideas about luxury hotels, historic preservation, branding, and mixed-use real estate in Manhattan.
The property’s protected status places limits on how key historic features can be altered. The Plaza’s exterior became a New York City Landmark in 1969, and major public interiors received city landmark protection in 2005. The National Park Service lists the Plaza Hotel as a National Historic Landmark designated on June 24, 1986.
Plaza Hotel’s Continuing Legacy
The Plaza remains one of New York City’s most recognizable hotels, with its location at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, its 1907 architecture, and its long connection to literature, film, celebrity culture, and major social events.
Today, the ownership picture is much clearer than the original article suggested. Katara Hospitality owns the hotel, Fairmont manages it, and individual condominium residences within the building can be separately owned. That distinction explains why different sources sometimes use different names when discussing who “owns” The Plaza.
The hotel is still accepting guests and promoting current stays, dining, events, and experiences. Travelers researching a New York visit can also use this guide to choosing a travel guidebook when planning the rest of a trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the current owner of the Plaza Hotel in New York?
As of July 2026, Katara Hospitality owns The Plaza Hotel in New York. Katara’s current portfolio lists The Plaza among its owned hotels. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages the hotel.
When did Katara Hospitality acquire the Plaza Hotel?
Katara Hospitality acquired full control of The Plaza in 2018. Katara publicly announced the acquisition on May 1, 2019. Contemporary reporting valued the deal at about $600 million.
Does the Qatar Investment Authority own the Plaza Hotel?
The most precise answer is that Katara Hospitality owns The Plaza. The Qatar Investment Authority is the sovereign wealth organization associated with Katara’s parent investment structure, which is why The Plaza is often described more broadly as Qatari state-owned.
Did Donald Trump own the Plaza Hotel?
Yes. Donald Trump purchased The Plaza in 1988 for about $390 million and owned it until 1995, when a partnership involving City Developments Limited and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal acquired a controlling interest.
Who built the current Plaza Hotel?
The current hotel was developed by Bernhard Beinecke and Harry S. Black with hotelier Fred Sterry, and it was designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. It opened on October 1, 1907.
Is the Plaza Hotel still operating as a hotel?
Yes. The Plaza continues to operate as a Fairmont-managed luxury hotel in New York City. Fairmont currently lists 282 rooms and suites, including 102 suites, along with dining, wellness, retail, and event services.
Sources
- Katara Hospitality — Our Hotels — confirms The Plaza remains in Katara Hospitality’s owned portfolio.
- Katara Hospitality — Plaza acquisition announcement — confirms Katara’s acquisition and Fairmont management.
- The Plaza — Official History — supports the 1907 opening, original developers, architect, and historic timeline.
- Fairmont — The Plaza, A Fairmont Hotel — confirms current operation and the 282 rooms-and-suites count.
- U.S. National Park Service — National Historic Landmarks by State — confirms The Plaza’s National Historic Landmark designation.
- City Developments Limited — Plaza ownership history — documents the 1995 acquisition partnership and later ownership consolidation.