Home Alone 2 Plaza Hotel Filming Location. 1992 saw the release of the highly anticipated sequel to the Christmas classic Home Alone. While Home Alone 2: Lost In New York might not have lived up to its predecessor, it still has plenty of charm.
Specifically, Kevin’s wild stay at the Plaza Hotel seemed like a dream to kids everywhere. But seeing The Plaza in person doesn’t have to be a dream!
It’s a real hotel that still operates today, and this guide is here to fill you in on all of its Home Alone 2 conections.
Where Is The Home Alone 2 Hotel Located?
The majority of Home Alone 2 takes place in the magnificent Plaza Hotel, located in New York City. Specifically, the address for the Plaza Hotel is 768 5th Avenue.
And that’s not a fictional address – the Plaza Hotel is a real place that you can visit yourself. Visiting the lobby and shops may be free but be prepared to shell out a lot of cash to stay overnight.
History Of The Home Alone 2 Hotel
The Plaza Hotel opened in Manhattan to great fanfare on October 1, 1907. It took two years to build its nineteen stories and cost a staggering $12 million – that’s over $370 million in today’s currency!
The original Plaza Hotel was built in 1880, but was demolished in order to build an even larger and grander hotel.
The hotel was located in one of the most fashionable areas of New York and its owners spared no expense in making the hotel as luxurious as possible.
In fact, they placed the largest order for gold-encrusted chinaware in history at the time. They also installed 1,650 crystal chandeliers throughout the hotel.
The lush hotel was quickly thought of as one of the greatest hotels in the world, hosting numerous celebrities and government officials.
It even became part of the backdrop of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal novel The Great Gatsby. It was also the basis for the Eloise children’s book series, and featured in several movies, including North by Northwest.
The Plaza was famously owned by American business tycoon Donald Trump from 1987 to 1995, when he forced to sell it due to bankruptcy.
It underwent an extensive $450 million renovation in 2008, and is owned today by the Katar Hospitality group.
How Much Does A Room Cost At The Plaza Hotel?
A one-night stay at the Plaza Hotel can range from $830 to $40,145 – before taxes and fees. With that price, you get a spacious room, a private bar, and high-quality room trimmings. The bathrooms have marble vanities and 24-carat gold plated faucets from Sherle Wagner.
In Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, the price of Kevin’s two-night stay is never said. But his dad does receive a bill for room service that totals $967.43.
The film takes place one year after the first movie, which was presumably set in 1990 when it was released.
Kevin’s 1991 room service would cost the equivalent of $2,171.33 in 2023!
How Much Of The Real Plaza Hotel Was Used In Home Alone 2?
The exterior, grand lobby, Kevin’s room, and some of the hallways in Home Alone 2 were filmed at the real Plaza Hotel.
While a lot of filming really did take place at the Plaza, there are a couple of key locations that can’t actually be found at the real hotel.
For instance, the room in which the entire McCallister family stays at the end of the movie is actually a suite at the Hilton Chicago.
And the scene where Kevin cannonballs into the pool? That was filmed at the Four Seasons in Chicago. In fact, the Plaza Hotel doesn’t have a pool at all!
The FAQs page on the Plaza Hotel website even mentions Kevin by name, explaining that “despite Kevin McCallister’s famous cannonball, The Plaza does not currently house a swimming pool.”
But the movie did have a long-lasting impact on the hotel. The production crew pulled up the rug in the lobby so Macaulay Culkin could slip and slide across the floor.
The mosaic tile revealed underneath was so gorgeous that the hotel decided not to replace the rug.
How Big Is The Plaza Hotel?
The Plaza Hotel is 21 stories tall and reaches over 251 feet. It has 282 guest rooms available, the smallest of which are 475 square feet.
Besides the rooms, the Plaza has 21,000 square feet dedicated to meeting spaces, which include the Grand Ballroom. The Ballroom alone is 4,800 square feet and can hold up to 1,000 people.
The hotel also includes a spa, two restaurants, a fitness center, and several boutiques.
Can You Visit Kevin’s Room In Home Alone 2?
Unfortunately, you can’t visit Kevin’s hotel room from Home Alone 2 because it’s been renovated into a private apartment.
This is also true of the original lobby seen in the film. It now serves as the entrance to the private residences that are part of the hotel building.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t anything left of Home Alone 2 at the Plaza, though. The hotel actually offers a “Fun In New York” package that’s based on scenes from the movie!
This special offer is an add-on to a regular booking and includes a 4-hour limo ride that takes you to locations from the movie.
You’ll even get a large cheese pizza to eat in the limo, just like Kevin. And once you return to your room, you’ll get a massive Home Alone sundae.
The sundae includes 16 scoops of different ice cream, maraschino cherries, whipped cream, M&M’s, brownie bits, and caramel, chocolate, and raspberry sauce.
It’s the perfect way to experience Home Alone 2 in the actual hotel where the movie was filmed.
