The Plaza Hotel

What the classifiers highlight

Open since 1907, The Plaza hosted the Beatles' first stop in America and Truman Capote's Black and White Ball, its Persian Room once booking Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Billie Holiday. Forbes notes 24-karat gold-plated faucets and mosaic bathroom tiles patterned after leaves and flowers, a nod to neighboring Central Park. The Palm Court serves the city's best-known afternoon tea.