New York's Plaza opens its doors

Grand dame ... the century-old Plaza hotel, on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, reopened its doors this month after a three-year renovation Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

Costing more than $400m the revamp split the iconic hotel into private residences and luxury $1,000-a-night hotel rooms Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

Not only is the hotel famous for featuring in Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, it also played host to Truman Capote's black and white ball and the Beatles on their first New York visit Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

Luxury doesn't come cheap though - even a pot of tea will lighten your wallet by $12 (£5.96) Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

Dazzling chandeliers hang in the lobby and carpets have been removed to reveal beautiful floor mosaics Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

Fur coverlets grace the beds and a butler service is provided on every floor Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

A bedroom touchscreen brings the ease of technology into hotel living Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance

For most of us the Plaza's charms will have to be viewed from the outside - before catching a taxi back to our more modest accommodation Photograph: Lisa Carpenter/freelance