Last Updated on July 30, 2026 by Daniel Globe
The Plaza Hotel is one of Manhattan’s best-known luxury landmarks, but many older articles still name the wrong owner. The ownership changed in 2018, and the distinction between the hotel’s owner and its manager is important.
Today, the property remains a working luxury hotel at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. It is part of Katara Hospitality’s international portfolio and operates under the Fairmont brand.
Quick Answer
Katara Hospitality, a hotel owner and asset manager based in Qatar, owns the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. It acquired full ownership in 2018 in a deal reported at about $600 million. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages the hotel, so Katara is the owner while Fairmont runs the guest-facing operation.
Key Takeaways
- Katara Hospitality has owned the Plaza Hotel since 2018.
- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages the hotel but does not own it.
- Sahara India Pariwar held a controlling stake from 2012 until the 2018 sale.
- The present Plaza opened on October 1, 1907, and was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh.
- The hotel is protected by New York City landmark designations and is also a National Historic Landmark.
Who Owns the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan Today?
Katara Hospitality currently owns the Plaza Hotel. The Qatar-based company lists The Plaza among the hotels it owns, and its corporate history records the property as its first acquisition in the United States.
| Current owner | Katara Hospitality |
| Hotel manager | Fairmont Hotels & Resorts |
| Katara acquisition | 2018 |
| Reported purchase price | About $600 million |
| Address | 768 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019 |
Katara Hospitality owns The Plaza; Fairmont manages the hotel’s day-to-day hospitality operation.
Katara Hospitality and Fairmont: Owner vs. Manager
Hotel ownership and hotel management are often separate. Katara Hospitality owns the asset and provides strategic oversight. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, part of Accor, manages the hotel operation and handles the guest experience, reservations, staffing, rooms, dining, and service standards.
Note: Seeing “The Plaza, A Fairmont Hotel” does not mean Fairmont owns the building. It describes the management and brand relationship.
What Katara Hospitality Does
Katara Hospitality is Qatar’s flagship hospitality organization and a global hotel asset owner and manager. Its portfolio includes landmark hotels in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The company traces its origins to Qatar National Hotels Limited, established in 1970.
What Fairmont Does
Fairmont operates The Plaza as a luxury hotel. Guests book through Fairmont channels, and the hotel uses Fairmont’s service platform and brand. This arrangement is common in the hotel industry: one company owns the real estate or hotel asset, while another company manages the property under a recognized brand.
How Katara Hospitality Acquired the Plaza Hotel
Katara Hospitality acquired full ownership of The Plaza in 2018. Reuters reported the transaction at about $600 million and said the purchase included the 75% stake held by Sahara India Pariwar as well as the remaining interests. Katara’s official portfolio continues to list The Plaza as an owned property.
The sale ended Sahara India Pariwar’s period as the controlling shareholder and made Katara Hospitality the sole hotel owner. The acquisition also marked Katara’s first hotel purchase in the United States.
Why Sahara Group Is Still Mentioned in Older Articles
Older pages often say Sahara owns The Plaza because Sahara India Pariwar bought a 75% controlling stake in 2012. The reported price was approximately $570 million. That information was once correct, but it became outdated when Katara Hospitality completed its acquisition in 2018.
Sahara India Pariwar Is Not the Current Owner
Sahara India Pariwar’s ownership period lasted from 2012 to 2018. During that time, the company’s chairman, Subrata Roy, faced major legal and financial difficulties in India, and the group sought buyers for several overseas hotel assets. The Plaza was eventually sold to Katara Hospitality.
Do Not Confuse Two Different “Sahara” Companies
Sahara India Pariwar was the Indian conglomerate connected to The Plaza. It is not the same business as Sahara Group, the energy and infrastructure company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Mixing the two companies produces incorrect details about the former Plaza owner’s industry, founding date, and headquarters.
Warning: Articles that still name Sahara as the current owner are at least eight years out of date. Check Katara Hospitality’s current portfolio before relying on an ownership claim.
A Brief Ownership Timeline of the Plaza Hotel
The present Plaza has changed hands several times since opening. The following timeline highlights the major ownership changes most relevant to the hotel’s modern history.
| 1907 | The current Plaza opens after development led by financier Bernhard Beinecke, hotelier Fred Sterry, and builder Harry S. Black. |
| 1943 | Conrad Hilton and Atlas Corporation acquire the hotel for $7.4 million. |
| 1988 | Donald Trump acquires The Plaza for $390 million. |
| 1995 | A partnership led by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and City Developments Limited buys a controlling interest. |
| 2004–2008 | El Ad Properties buys the property, closes it for a major restoration and partial condominium conversion, and reopens it in 2008. |
| 2012 | Sahara India Pariwar acquires a 75% controlling stake for about $570 million. |
| 2018–present | Katara Hospitality acquires full ownership for about $600 million; Fairmont continues to manage the hotel. |
History and Landmark Status of the Plaza Hotel
The current Plaza Hotel opened on October 1, 1907. Architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed the French Renaissance-inspired building for financier Bernhard Beinecke, hotelier Fred Sterry, and builder Harry S. Black. The developers replaced an earlier hotel of the same name that had stood on the site.
The building’s historic status limits how its most important spaces can be altered. New York City designated the exterior as a landmark in 1969 and designated major interior spaces in 2005. The Plaza was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
The official Plaza timeline also records a $450 million restoration that concluded with the hotel’s reopening in 2008. That project reduced the number of hotel rooms and created private residential units within the building.
The Plaza Hotel in Popular Culture
The Plaza’s cultural importance reaches far beyond hotel ownership. F. Scott Fitzgerald set a pivotal scene in The Great Gatsby at the hotel. Kay Thompson’s Eloise books turned The Plaza into the home of one of children’s literature’s most recognizable characters.
The hotel has also appeared in movies, including Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The Plaza’s official history notes that filming for Home Alone 2 began in the hotel’s 59th Street lobby in December 1991.
What Current Ownership Means for Guests
For most travelers, the ownership structure has little effect on the booking process. Reservations, room information, dining, guest services, and hotel policies are presented through The Plaza and Fairmont. Katara Hospitality operates at the ownership and asset-management level.
The building’s mix of hotel rooms and private residences can cause confusion. A portion of The Plaza contains condominium units, and those individual homes may have private owners. That does not change the answer to who owns and manages the hotel operation: Katara Hospitality owns the hotel, and Fairmont manages it.
Pro Tip: For the most reliable ownership check, compare the owner’s portfolio with the hotel operator’s official page. Brand names on booking pages usually identify the manager, not necessarily the property owner.
The Plaza Hotel’s Legacy Under Katara Hospitality
Katara Hospitality’s ownership places The Plaza within a portfolio of high-profile historic hotels. Fairmont’s continued management provides operational continuity, while landmark protections help preserve the building’s exterior and important public interiors.
Claims about major future renovations, new celebrity-chef partnerships, or sweeping operational changes should be treated cautiously unless Katara Hospitality, Fairmont, The Plaza, or New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission has announced them. The most defensible current picture is straightforward: Katara owns the hotel, Fairmont manages it, and the landmark continues to operate at its historic Central Park South address.
For a fuller chronology, see The Plaza’s official history timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who currently owns the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan?
Katara Hospitality owns the Plaza Hotel. The Qatar-based hospitality company acquired full ownership in 2018.
When did Katara Hospitality acquire the Plaza Hotel?
Katara Hospitality acquired The Plaza in 2018. The transaction was reported at approximately $600 million.
Does Fairmont own the Plaza Hotel?
No. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts manages and brands the hotel. Katara Hospitality is the owner.
Did Sahara Group own the Plaza Hotel?
Sahara India Pariwar owned a 75% controlling stake from 2012 until 2018. It is a former owner, not the current owner.
Did Donald Trump own the Plaza Hotel?
Yes. Donald Trump acquired The Plaza in 1988 and sold his controlling interest in 1995.
Are there privately owned residences inside the Plaza?
Yes. Part of the building was converted to condominium residences during the 2000s redevelopment. Individual residential units can have private owners, separate from the hotel operation.
Is the Plaza Hotel a protected landmark?
Yes. The exterior and several major interiors have New York City landmark protection. The property is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.
Sources
- Katara Hospitality acquisition announcement — confirms the acquisition and Fairmont management relationship.
- Katara Hospitality: The Plaza — confirms that The Plaza remains in Katara Hospitality’s portfolio.
- The Plaza official history — supports the opening date, developers, architect, and restoration history.
- The Plaza official timeline — supports major ownership and cultural milestones.
- New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designation report — supports the architect, construction dates, and exterior landmark status.
- Reuters report on the 2018 sale — supports the reported purchase price and ownership transfer from Sahara to Katara.