Inside the 5 Most Star-Studded New York Hotels for Met Gala Prep
From The Mark to The Carlyle, these delightfully luxurious New York City hotels double as staging grounds for the most exciting red carpet of the year.
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Fashion's biggest night is mere hours away. It's the first Monday of May, which means that the who's who of the fashion world will soon descend upon the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the annual Met Gala, wearing their most glamorous couture ensembles—many of which have been in the works for several months—as they do their best to fittingly capture the 2026 theme, which, as always, corresponds to the Costume Institute's annual spring exhibit. This year, the theme is "Costume Art," and the dress code is "Fashion Is Art."
Those who manage to finagle a coveted invitation to the Met Gala often begin prepping days, if not months, ahead of the evening's festivities, from working on their outfits with designers to partaking in decidedly over-the-top beauty treatments. But it's the 24 hours preceding the Met Gala when the preparations really get going, as guests hunker down in their hotel room of choice for a day of glam, often alongside a heavyweight team including makeup artists, hairdressers, stylists and more. It's an hours-long race to that stylish finish line, also known as the Met Gala red carpet. So where, exactly, do the most fashionable guests get ready for the Met Gala? More specifically—what are the glitterati's hotels of choice?
New York City is home to a plethora of delightfully grandiose accommodations, a certain, elite selection of hotels tends to stand out for Met Gala-goers. These are all five-star hotels, but it's not just about a plush bed and drool-worthy room service menu—these properties are exclusive, yes, but, in the most practical sense, often tend to be in located in relatively close proximity to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This geographical asset is perhaps the most important criteria, considering the notoriously nightmare-inducing traffic that accompanies the festivities of the first Monday in May.
In the hours leading up to the biggest night in fashion, let's take a look at the crème de la crème of the New York hotel scene, where Met Gala attendees get ready for the biggest sartorial evening of the year.
Where Celebrities Get Ready for the Met Gala
The Mark Hotel
- 25 E 77th St, New York, NY 10075
While the Mark has long been one of the buzziest, most celeb-heavy spots in New York City, it becomes almost oppressively lively on the first Monday in May. Every year, without fail, this Upper East Side luxury hotel welcomes an array of A-listers who check in ahead of fashion's biggest night, spending the day in one of the 106 rooms as they prepare for the Costume Institute Gala.
Photographers and eager celebrity watchers begin camping out at the property the morning of the gala, and the crowds only grow as the day progresses, as excited onlookers hope for a glimpse of their favorite A-listers. The guest list never disappoints: Last year, Cynthia Erivo, Sofia Richie, Rosé, Jeremy Allen White, Sabrina Carpenter, Jenna Ortega and Damson Idris were just a few of the celebs who prepped at The Mark Hotel; in the past, other attendees who have checked in to the hotel ahead of the festivities include Gigi Hadid, Cardi B, Anne Hathaway, Kylie Jenner, Zendaya, Charli XCX, Phoebe Dynevor, Bad Bunny, DWYANE WADE and Gabrielle Union—and so many more.
And yet, it is Anna Wintour's repeated patronage that just might be the biggest stamp of approval. The Vogue editor-in-chief, who has helmed the Met Gala since the '90s, has chosen the Mark as her go-to pre-Met spot at least 10 times. And don't forget that the Mark is not only a pre-Met Gala hotspot, but it also typically plays host to one of the biggest afterparties of the evening.
The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel
- 35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021
The Mark and The Carlyle are arguably the two most popular pre-Met Gala hotels, thanks to their incredibly convenient locations and, of course, the fact that these are always celebrity-adored properties, with all the bells and whistles one would expect from such a property. The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, has been an Upper East Side icon since it debuted in 1930; over the years, the Art Deco-inspired, 192-room hotel has hosted everyone from Prince William and Kate Middleton to John F. Kennedy and Princess Diana.
You're guaranteed major celebrity sightings on the first Monday in May. Rihanna is a repeat guest for pre-Met Gala prep; she and A$AP Rocky got ready there for the past two years. In 2025, Bad Bunny, Kendall Jenner, Anne Hathaway, Hailey Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Gigi Hadid, Chappell Roan and Lupita Nyong'o were among the other pre-Met Gala guests who chose this Madison Avenue property as their Met Gala home base. Similar to the Mark, the Carlyle is also usually the setting of one of the biggest Met Gala afterparties; in 2024 and 2025, Cartier hosted the fête at Bemelmans Bar, and last year, Jon Batiste and Lana Del Rey performed.
The Lowell Hotel
- 28 E 63rd St, New York, NY 10065
A few blocks down on 63rd Street, the Lowell Hotel is one of the more boutique hotel options for Met Gala attendees. The 74-room property, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, is a touch more understated, and it's typically less of a total mob scene outside. Last year, Vogue Club hosted a private Met Gala Watch Party at the Lowell, and designer Stella McCartney has made the Lowell her home base for the Met Gala on multiple occasions, along with Pamela Anderson, FKA Twigs, Ed Sheeran, Madelyn Cline, Regé-Jean Page and Aubrey Plaza. It's already made a Met Gala splash for 2026, as well—co-chair Venus Williams was spotted leaving the hotel ahead of the Met Gala Co-Chair Welcome Dinner.
The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel
- 20 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021
The Surrey, now a Corinthia Hotel, made its grand return to the Met Gala scene last year, following a four-year closure that included a massive renovation (complete with fresh interiors courtesy of Martin Brudnizki) and a change in ownership. Despite the 100-room property's brief break, it came back in serious style, and served as the Met Gala home base for Zendaya, Regé-Jean Page, Jodie Turner-Smith, Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige and Cardi B.
For the second year, the Surrey Spa by Sisley Paris offered The Haute Edit, a sculpting experience including a slimming massage, Sisley Phyto-Contour Facial, microcurrent technology and more for the ultimate red carpet-ready skin.
The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
- 2 E 61st St, New York, NY 10065
The Pierre is a New York City classic, epitomizing old school glam. It's home to 189 rooms and suites, and has been a power player in the city's luxury hotel scene since it first opened its doors in 1930—over the years, it welcomed guests including Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor.
More recently, it has hosted a plethora of Met Gala guests like Rachel Zegler, Pedro Pascal, Emily Blunt, Jack Harlow, Kerry Washington, Emily Ratajkowski, Lady Gaga and Julianne Moore; last year, it was the dressing room for Lorde, Megan Thee Stallion, Pamela Anderson, Suki Waterhouse, Walton Goggins, Mindy Kaling, Coco Jones, Demi Moore and Zoe Saldana. It's a touch further downtown than the previous entries on this list, but it is right on Fifth.
The Plaza Hotel
- 768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019
You can't talk about New York City luxury hotels without a shoutout to The Plaza, which is just a couple of blocks down from the Pierre. Granted, the 282-room Midtown property isn't quite as star-studded with Met Gala guests as other hotels—at least not lately—but it's still an icon. Last year, it hosted Met Gala guests including Shakira, Precious Lee, Rachel Brosnahan, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Myha'la; in the past, it's been the Met Gala base for names like Maria Sharapova, Simone Ashley, Demi Lovato, Lea Michele, Rebecca Hall and Taylor Hill.
