�I live on the top floor
Of course I am apt to be on any floor at any time�
I have my own room
It has a coat rack which is a large as me�
            Eloise, City Child, Age 6

New York � July 29, 2010 � The Plaza Hotel (www.fairmont.com/theplaza) is rawther thrilled to announce the launch of the one-of-a-kind Eloise Suite, designed by celebrated fashion designer Betsey Johnson. Channeling the ebullient spirit of The Plaza�s most famous �resident,� Eloise, the irreverent and irrepressible fictional heroine of Kay Thompson�s classic book who skibbled her way into the hearts of generations of readers, Johnson has designed an exclusive Eloise Suite that blends luxury and whimsy for a charmingly original result. Children have long marveled at Eloise, one of fiction�s most enduring and appealing pint-sized heroines, a precocious six-year-old who lived with her Nanny, pet pug Weenie and turtle Skipperdee at The Plaza and had the unfettered run of the place. Like The Plaza itself, Eloise defined New York in 1955 when her book was first published, and she still defines it today. Designer Betsey Johnson understands this. Acclaimed for her celebration of the exuberant, the over the top and the eternally young at heart, Johnson is pitch perfect for the project, and the Eloise Suite is her first-ever hotel collaboration, for Lord�s sake! 

Says The Plaza�s General Manager, Shane Krige, �Each day, our colleagues share Eloise�s adventures with guests from all over the world and she is such a beloved character. Collaborating with a visionary of style and design like Betsey Johnson to bring Eloise�s world to life has been so rewarding and we feel she is the ideal talent for this project. We are delighted to be able to offer guests the opportunity to stay in the Suite and to experience Eloise�s Plaza.� 

"'I absolutely loooove The Plaza!' as Eloise would say,� says Betsey Johnson. �Now I hope she says, 'I absolutely loooove my new room decorated by Betsey Johnson! She's so pink, so fun...neon, and stripes, and flowers, and yipes!!! ...petticoats, princess crowns, and even pink chandeliers! Ahhhh...absolutely home-sweet-home. Hey Eloise!  Me and my grandkiddos want a sleepover with you real soon! Thanks to my absolutely most favorite hotel, The Plaza, for inviting me to decorate Eloise�s room!" 

As is only fitting for New York�s quintessential �city child,� Eloise�s suite is located on the 18th floor and is comprised of two rooms � one for erstwhile young Eloises and one for their parents � and Johnson�s design captures all the brio of New York�s Naughtiest.  The Suite is resplendently rendered in an Eloise-approved palette of pink and black, and a signature Plaza chandelier fitted with pink bulbs casts a rosy glow throughout. Wall panels are candy striped with pink and white and outlined with gold leaf molding providing a striking contrast to the black and white zebra-print carpet which muffles the sound when Eloise slomps her skates to �make a really loud and terrible racket.� 

When guests are tired, tired, tired they can sink into a King-size bed made up with custom-designed bedding � a bedspread sprigged with scenes drawn by �Eloise� illustrator, Hilary Knight, depicting our hapless heroine scampering around The Plaza, a charming print that makes an appearance on the bow-tied curtains, too. Accent pillows are sheathed in shams patterned with custom �Betseyville Rose" and "Betsey Rosebud" prints. The padded pink headboard sparkles with �trinkles� (as does a matching nearby ottoman), and is surmounted by the crowning touch: Eloise�s name scrawled in neon lights and affixed to the wall above, which is absolutely the way it should be, for Lord�s sake.

Two comfy chairs, similarly upholstered in Johnson�s signature rosebud prints, make the perfect perch for bedtime storytelling, and the shades of the bedside lamps are also abloom with this motif. Original Hilary Knight prints adorn the walls, and the Suite is equipped with a disposable Eloise camera so that guests may snap photos of their stay, then tuck them into the �memory board,� a glass-topped mirror just right for storing images of guests both past and present. Betsey Johnson will kick this tradition off herself by taking the very first photo. 

The Eloise Suite has got absolutely ALL the essentials: a wall-mounted flat screen TV and DVD player because as per Eloise, �Ooooooooooooooooooo I absolutely love TV,� Eloise DVDs and books, a tea set and Eloise and Weenie dolls to share it with, Eloise robes and towels complete with appliqués of Weenie and Skipperdee.

As the hotel�s mischievous mascot since 1955, Eloise once again rules The Plaza, from the Suite�s 18th floor all the way down to the rawther wonderful Eloise shop on the hotel�s Concourse Level.  The 2,100-square-foot shop resembles a playhouse where Eloise fans young and old may relax in the stylish Living Room, model their chicest Eloise looks in the Fashion Room or scamper off to the Library Room to watch their favorite Eloise movie clips or enjoy story time with their own �mostly companions.�  Of course, fans can�t leave without a visit to the shop�s Tea Room where family and friends can come together for refreshments and celebrate birthday parties and other occasions. In August 2010, The Eloise shop will also introduce a week-long �Charm School� to teach little Eloise�s in training how to dine, dress, write thank you notes and generally learn how to say, �s�il vous plait� and �thank you very much.�

The Plaza�s legendary Palm Court is now pleased to offer a special �Eloise Tea� complete with kid-approved favorites such as miniature grilled cheese and organic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, freshly baked, warm seasonal scones, cupcakes, a cookie that looks just like our heroine, assorted sweets and pink lemonade or peppermint iced tea. 

For more information, please visit www.fairmont.com/theplaza. The Plaza has appointed a dedicated Eloise Ambassador to assist guests in booking a stay in the Eloise Suite.  Please contact the Eloise Ambassador directly at [email protected] and 646-599-8365.  Upon arrival, the Eloise Ambassador will escort guests to the Suite where they will sign the official guest book and have their photo taken.  The photo will be framed and given to the guest at turndown. 

Rates for the Eloise Suite start at $995/night and include a monogrammed Eloise bathrobe, a $100 gift card to the Eloise shop, an Eloise camera, a framed photo of the guest inside the suite and an Eloise book.  Guests also have the option to book an adjoining �grown-up� Edwardian Suite, which includes both champagne and truffles.  Rates start at $2045/night for this two-bedroom option. 

About The Plaza
Timeless, captivating and unforgettable, The Plaza has undergone a $450 million, three-year, lobby to roof renovation and restoration. The passion and uncompromising service which made the hotel a legend has returned with a new and contemporary spirit. The Plaza is an extraordinary hotel and a luxury lifestyle destination that offers guests every indulgence featuring The Shops at the Plaza, a world-class retail collection with a Caudalie Vinotherapie® Spa, Warren-Tricomi Salon and the Eloise shop. The Palm Court, Oak Room and Oak Bar provide quintessential New York experiences, and the opulent Plaza Grand Ballroom continues to host the world�s most memorable events. New additions also include the elegant Champagne Bar, stylish Rose Club, and newly opened The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English. Designated a New York City Landmark in 1969, it is also the only New York City hotel to be designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Plaza is managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. For reservations and additional information, please call 888-240-7775 or visit www.theplaza.com.

About Betsey Johnson
Rule-breaking designer Betsey Johnson, is famous for her unique, feminine, rock n' roll clothing and accessories.  During the start of her design career at Paraphernalia in the 1960�s, the explosive mix of art, culture, and innovation inspired what would soon become known as Betsey�s trademark look. Johnson�s creations were seen everywhere on icons as Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, and Edie Sedgwick. As times began to change into the working woman�s wardrobe of the 70�s, Betsey freelanced for other trendy labels. Once punk was on the rise, Johnson continued her downtown approach to fashion at hotspots CBGB�s and Mudd Club. In 1978, she decided to create her own label with friend Chantal Bacon. Nowhere else did punk and femininity coexist in a modern, edgy store where everyone was treated like family. With fans like Molly Ringwald, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, Joan Jett, Cher and Madonna, the pair was able to maintain a strong foothold in the unpredictable fashion industry of that time. Now more than thirty years later, the evolution and expansion of the Betsey Johnson label continues to rank as a top recognizable American Lifestyle brand with over sixty-five retail stores and distribution in international markets. For store locations or product information, please visit www.betseyjohnson.com.