Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza
A 439-room hotel in Manhattan's East Midtown, adjoining the United Nations complex at One and Two United Nations Plaza.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza is a 439-unit hotel in the East Midtown section of Manhattan, New York City, located at 44th Street and First Avenue beside the headquarters of the United Nations. The property occupies the upper thirteen stories of the paired One and Two United Nations Plaza towers, while the lower levels contain offices and other mixed-use space. The buildings were designed by architect Kevin Roche and the firm Roche-Dinkeloo, whose angular, glass-clad modernist architecture gives the hotel a distinctive setting and identity. The hotel opened on June 8, 1976, initially with 288 rooms in One United Nations Plaza. It was developed by the United Nations Development Corporation, a public-benefit organization created to provide additional facilities around the overcrowded United Nations headquarters. New York City owned the property during its early years, while Hyatt operated the hotel. Its location made it especially attractive to diplomats, international officials, visiting delegations, and business travelers with United Nations-related appointments. The Ambassador Grill, opened as part of the complex, became a longstanding meeting place for diplomats and other international visitors. The completion of Two United Nations Plaza in 1983 enabled the hotel to expand into the second tower. The property subsequently offered guest rooms, suites, meeting facilities, restaurants, a pool, a fitness area, and an indoor tennis court. Its interiors were designed as an elaborate continuation of Roche's architectural language, using green and white marble, mirrors, chrome, geometric lighting, glass, and reflective surfaces. The lobby and Ambassador Grill were particularly notable for their theatrical late-modernist design and remain important elements of the hotel's architectural character. New York City sold the hotel in 1997 to Regal Hotels International. Millennium & Copthorne Hotels assumed control in 1999 and renovated the property in 2001. Further renovations took place during the 2010s, while landmark protections preserved significant portions of the lobby and the Ambassador Grill. The hotel joined the Hilton brand in 2017 and became known as Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza. As of 2024, the property has 439 units, including a presidential suite, 33 other suites, and 405 standard guest rooms. It also contains approximately 7,500 square feet of meeting space capable of accommodating up to 300 people. The hotel continues to compete as an upscale, internationally oriented Manhattan property, emphasizing its proximity to the United Nations, distinctive architecture, skyline views, meeting capabilities, and access to Midtown and the East River district.
History
Planning for the United Nations Plaza complex emerged in the 1960s, when the United Nations headquarters had become overcrowded and New York and United Nations officials sought additional offices, housing, and hotel accommodation nearby. The United Nations Development Corporation developed the project with the support of public authorities. Architect Kevin Roche and Roche-Dinkeloo designed a pair of mixed-use towers with blue-green glass façades, angular setbacks, and a deliberately sculptural relationship to the nearby United Nations Secretariat Building. One United Nations Plaza was completed in 1975. Its height was constrained by New York City rules requiring it not to exceed the United Nations Secretariat Building. The tower contained offices in its lower twenty-six stories and hotel space in its upper thirteen stories. The hotel opened on June 8, 1976, with 288 rooms and was initially operated by Hyatt while owned by the New York City government. Its position beside the United Nations quickly made it a favored location for diplomats, international officials, and visitors connected with the organization. The original hotel interiors were unusually elaborate. The first lobby used Italian verde antique marble, chrome details, indirect lighting, patterned floors, and fabric wall panels. Guest rooms were decorated with textiles, tapestries, and furnishings collected from multiple countries. Many suites were duplexes with spiral staircases, and some contained grand pianos. The hotel also introduced the Ambassador Grill, a restaurant designed by Roche-Dinkeloo and characterized by angled walls, dark mirrors, green and white marble, glass trellises, and highly reflective lighting. It became a recognized gathering place for United Nations diplomats and was designed to accommodate an internationally diverse clientele. Two United Nations Plaza opened in 1983. The second tower extended the complex's office, residential, and hotel functions and allowed the hotel to expand beyond the original One UN Plaza rooms. The modern lobby, located at the base of both towers, consisted of an octagonal foyer, a reception hall, and a mirrored ramp leading toward the restaurant and elevator areas. The hotel also developed extensive recreational facilities, including a 40-foot swimming pool, sauna, gymnasium, and an indoor tennis court on the upper levels. Meeting rooms were named after former United Nations secretaries-general U Thant, Dag Hammarskjöld, and Trygve Lie. During its first two decades, the hotel was consistently profitable and retained a strong relationship with the United Nations community. In 1997, New York City sold the property to Regal Hotels International. Millennium & Copthorne Hotels took over the hotel in 1999 and carried out a major renovation in 2001. The company undertook additional work during the 2010s, updating the guest and public areas while preserving historically significant interior spaces. The lobby and Ambassador Grill received landmark protection, reflecting the broader architectural importance of the Roche-designed complex. The hotel became part of Hilton Hotels & Resorts in 2017 and adopted its current Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza name. By 2024, the property comprised 439 units, including standard rooms, suites, and a presidential suite, as well as meeting space for as many as 300 guests. Although the hotel's operating identity is now tied to Hilton, its ownership remains associated with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels. Its continuing appeal rests on its proximity to the United Nations, its distinctive postwar architecture, its international clientele, and its combination of accommodation, dining, event, and recreational facilities.
- 2024
Property has 439 units
[1]The hotel is described as having 439 units, comprising a presidential suite, 33 other suites, and 405 standard guestrooms.
- 2017
Hotel joins Hilton Hotels & Resorts
[1]The hotel becomes part of the Hilton brand and adopts the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza name.
- 2001
Major renovation
[1]The property undergoes a substantial renovation after Millennium & Copthorne Hotels takes control.
- 1999
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels takes over
[1]Millennium & Copthorne Hotels assumes control of the property.
- 1997
New York City sells the hotel
[1]The city transfers ownership of the hotel to Regal Hotels International.
- 1995
Wisteria Lounge is converted into a gift shop
[1]The former café and lounge space adjacent to the foyer is repurposed as a gift shop.
- 1984
Hotel expansion follows completion of the second tower
[1]The hotel expands into the newly completed Two United Nations Plaza and reaches more than 400 rooms.
- 1983
Two United Nations Plaza opens
[1]The second tower is completed, enabling the hotel's expansion and creating the modern shared lobby at the base of the two buildings.
- 1976
Hotel opens with 288 rooms
[1]The hotel opens on June 8 in the upper thirteen stories of One United Nations Plaza, with Hyatt as operator and New York City as owner.
- 1975
One United Nations Plaza is completed
[1]The first of the two Roche-Dinkeloo-designed mixed-use towers is completed beside the United Nations complex.
Products and positioning
Upscale, internationally oriented Manhattan hotel with a distinctive modernist design and a location beside the United Nations.
Hotel accommodation · 1976
Guest rooms
The core offering consists of standard guestrooms distributed through the upper floors of One and Two United Nations Plaza. The rooms serve visitors to Midtown Manhattan and the United Nations district, with the property offering 405 standard guestrooms as of 2024.
Hotel accommodation · 1976
Suites
The hotel provides a presidential suite and 33 additional suites. Historically, some suites were duplexes with spiral staircases, larger living areas, and distinctive furnishings and textiles.
Events and conferences · 1976
Meeting and event facilities
The hotel contains seven meeting rooms totaling approximately 7,500 square feet. The facilities can accommodate up to 300 guests and have been used for receptions, including events associated with ceremonies at the nearby United Nations Chapel.
Food and beverage · 1975
Ambassador Grill and Ambassador Lounge
The Ambassador Grill was the only public restaurant designed by Roche-Dinkeloo. Its mirrored walls, angled surfaces, green and white marble, glass trellises, and reflective lighting support a dramatic dining environment. It became especially associated with United Nations diplomats and international visitors.
Wellness and recreation · 1976
Recreational facilities
The hotel historically included a 40-foot swimming pool, sauna, gymnasium, fitness center, and indoor tennis court. The pool and tennis facilities were originally operated by the Turtle Bay Tennis and Swim Club and later by the Millennium Health and Racquet Club.
Brand decisions
2017
Adoption of the Hilton brandStrategyBackground
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels continued to own the property, but the hotel sought affiliation with a globally recognized operating brand.
Action taken
The hotel joined Hilton Hotels & Resorts and adopted the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza name.
Aftermath
The property combined Millennium ownership with Hilton branding and operations while continuing to serve the United Nations and Midtown markets.
1999
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels takes controlM&ABackground
The hotel had been sold by New York City to Regal Hotels International two years earlier.
Action taken
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels took over the property and later renovated it in 2001.
Aftermath
The property became part of the Millennium hotel portfolio while retaining its United Nations-focused location and identity.
1997
Transfer of hotel ownership to Regal Hotels InternationalM&ABackground
The New York City government had owned the hotel since its development as part of the United Nations Plaza project.
Action taken
New York City sold the hotel to Regal Hotels International.
Aftermath
The sale ended the property's period of municipal ownership and preceded Millennium & Copthorne Hotels' takeover in 1999.
Sources1 sources
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