Lotte New York Palace

"This is the hotel that will give you the closest brush with Gilded Age New York, bar none. If you care about that sort of thing, this is where you should be staying. Set the scene Directly across Madison Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, there sits a courtyard. This courtyard was made very famous, in the late aughts, by a show called Gossip Girl, because on season one of Gossip Girl Lily and Serena van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford and Blake Lively, respectively) lived in this hotel while renovating their apartment. Serena’s comings and goings from the hotel are frequently depicted, I suspect, to make use of this singular setting. You’ve got the west-facing light flitting through the cathedral’s high steeples, the ample seating that is very much being made us of by hotel guests and other chic passerby (in the summer months, the aptly-named Summer Bar serves cocktails and light bites), the wrought iron arch at the entrance, and the original mansion wrapping three sides in a hug. It makes for a great entrance, although the lobby can also be accessed directly around the corner via a modern entrance on East 50th Street. The backstory That original U-shape came to be when New York financier Henry Villard executed his vision of constructing the Villard Houses, six separate private brownstone residences designed by Stanford White and built around a courtyard. The hotel lobby is in the central wing, with details like the red marble fireplace by Augustus Saint-Gaudens preserved. Six three-story residences, though, do not a 900-plus-room hotel make, and the skyscraper shooting up out of the building’s center actually accounts for nearly all of the rooms in the count. This 55-story glass-and-aluminum goliath broke ground in 1978 after developer Harry Helmsley brokered a deal with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, then-owners of the building, and the Palace Hotel opened its doors in 1980. The hotel can claim major parts of New York history—Le Cirque operated here from 1997 to 2005, for example. Ownership has changed hands a few times since then, namely to Bruneian royalty, before South Korean hotel operator Lotte Hotels & Resorts bought it in 2015. The rooms There are two room categories to be checked into at the Lotte: Palace rooms, and Tower rooms. The latter are premium, 176 of them total, occupying the 41st through 55th floors. The Palace’s 733 rooms occupy the 9th through 36th floors—still part of the tower, to be clear. My room is in the towers, on the 44th floor, staring down at St. Patrick’s from high above (113 rooms total, I’m told, have some sort of view of the church.) It’s remarkable. The room itself isn’t half bad, either, with wall-to-wall windows at the far end of its 500-or-so-square feet. The bed is a King, the bathroom is black marble, and the stylings of the room itself are slightly dated but smartly neutral enough for it not to matter. Food and drink The food at the Lotte is improved by the environs in which you’ll consume it. The Gold Room is the closest thing to a full-service dinner restaurant—although it’s really more of a bar with a whirlwind-world-tour list of shared plates ranging from oysters to “Korean-style” chicken wings to Jamón de Bellota to lobster mac and cheese. So-called for its setting within a room adorned overwhelmingly in gold, with cavernous vaulted ceilings overhead and gilded wainscotting, the space was originally designed by White to function as a music room—vestiges of this purpose can be found in the room’s north end, where a large suspended balcony was once a performance stage. The drinks are very good, with a standard cocktail list complemented by a novel martini list with prices that go up to $250 bucks a glass. The 25-seat salon Rarities, also in the original building, is like the hotel’s labyrinthine living room, with deep chairs and warm light. Named for its extensive menu of rare Champagnes, whiskies, and other liquors, it’s extremely indulgent and worth a splurge. The spa The spa, Ila Only Spa, is pretty standard by New York standards, with seven treatment rooms in which guests can enjoy massages, facials, waxes, and the like and steam rooms and saunas in the men’s and women’s locker rooms. The relaxation room has just been redone in cool neutrals, but the most exceptional aspect was already there: the view of St. Patrick’s, which from this eighth floor vantage point just seems to stare you right down. The neighborhood/area I’ll mention for a third time the looming presence of St. Patrick’s, which really does dominate one’s impression of the neighborhood from the perspective of the Lotte. This is Midtown East at its most buttoned-up—you’re a few blocks north of Grand Central, with luxury shopping and office workers abound. You’re a very easy walk to the Museum of Modern Art, Rockefeller Center, and the original Saks Fifth Avenue. The service Totally white-gloved and deferential, this is old-school service. For families The hotel offers a few packages that will appeal to kids. Most directly, there’s Little Royals which comes with a Palace playhouse, $100 gift card to nearby FAO Schwarz toy store, keepsake collection of bedtime storybooks, and a cupcake delivery. Adults, too, are likely to be keen on the Wicked package that’s led to the display of costumes from the Broadway production on mannequins in the gilded lobby. It doesn’t come with tickets to the show, although the Gershwin is a mere 15-stroll away for those inclined to pick some up of their own, but those who book it can expect a signed playbill and some pink and green F&B. Accessibility There are ADA-compliant rooms and entrances to the hotel. Anything left to mention? Fourth mention of St. Patrick’s: be sure to request a room that faces Fifth Avenue, so that you get a view of its mint green roof."

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"Gossip Girl Courtyard Photo"

@jtsp8cgc89

"Christmas tree, up stair ou dans la court "

@philippe.guillaud34

"Hôtel le palace dans GOSSIP GIRL"

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"Très bel arbre de Noel + des animations + cocktail du pole nord au Gold room"

@tity69

"Enter the courtyard, walk through the door, turn left, go up the stairs, and the bathroom is behind an elegant wood door."

@kevinwooldridge

"Nice place in good location. Room was big. Pretty quiet. Had room service, robes and slippers. I didn’t check for a mini bar but I assume they have one. A couple options for food in the hotel"

@claryrebekah1

"sculpture « Love » de l'artiste Robert Indiana, exposée dans la pittoresque Lotte New York Palace Courtyard sur Madison Avenue ."

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"Appartement Serena Gossip Girl "

@lievincaroline94

"Serait l'un des décors de Gossip Girl"

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"À voir en période de Noël "

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"Bel immeuble, avec des decos de Noël. C’est cute."

@paloma.lyonnet3

"Gossip Girl - VanderWoodsen apartment"

@julietteb25

"Gossip Girl : Hôtel particulier de Serena Van Der Woodsen et de sa famille"

@eva.lbr

"palace de Serena dans Gossip Girl <3"

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"gossip girl + white collar filming location!! "

@paulinebsd

"hotel serena gossip girls "

@sabflavtom

"Hôtel gossip girl et magnifique à Noël"

@donatella.amitrano4

"https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz07ostOJto/?igshid=ODhhZWM5NmIwOQ=="

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"Christmas Tree in Courtyard"

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"Gossip Girl Tour!!! Ask for Maurice Palace hotel!"

@lubzie

"casa di Serena gossip girl"

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"Face à la cathédrale Saint-Patrick et au Rockefeller Center, Lotte New York Palace associe une fastueuse résidence construite au XIXe dans le style de la Renaissance italienne et une imposante tour de verre de 172 mètres bâtie à la fin des années 1970. Un choc architectural qui résume parfaitement New York ! L'hôtel, propriété du groupe coréen Lotte depuis 2015, compte aujourd'hui pas moins de 822 chambres et 87 suites, réparties sur 55 étages. Pour les fans de séries TV, le palace est la résidence de Blake Lively dans Gossip Girl."

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"- Piano on 5th. Rarities you need a res. Rarities you need a res. Go get lunch and then check out lotte. Late lunch. Check out the trunks club which I didn’t check out trunks club. Or the club outside. From the entry where the garden is. I missed the left turn. . Drink , go out the bar. Drink visit. Drink visit. Spa closes at 7pm, rarities, troubles trust 3pm, villard/gold room 5pm, pomme palais 5pm , rarities 5p. Let’s get lost. I never really been. But I go do some business meetings here. . 4th floor. 5th floor from the second floor elevator . Check out the apartment in 4th floor. . Have to come during week day. Complete privacy. Let’s get lost in this hotel . there’s a piano on 4th floor and second floor. . We can get a drink early like at 3pm at lotte after walking on Madison. Want to get day drunk . Gold room have rooms where we can fuck. Also the place near Bryant park. Add gold room and maybe other bars to this list. . The hideaway ila. 8 floor at the lotte."

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"lieu de tournage Gossip Girl"

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"Night mode photo!!! Stop by at sunset or sundown to get a pretty picture in front of the hotel’s entrance, then have a drink at Trouble’s Trust, which is located just inside."

@katiek1000

"Vue panoramique sur la skyline de Midtown. Face à la cathédrale Saint-Patrick et au Rockefeller Center, Lotte New York Palace associe une fastueuse résidence construite au XIXe dans le style de la Renaissance italienne et une imposante tour de verre de 172 mètres bâtie à la fin des années 1970. Un choc architectural qui résume parfaitement New York ! L'hôtel, propriété du groupe coréen Lotte depuis 2015, compte aujourd'hui pas moins de 822 chambres et 87 suites, réparties sur 55 étages. Pour les fans de séries TV, le palace est la résidence de Blake Lively dans Gossip Girl…"

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"Si vous êtes fan de Gossip Girl vous risquerez de croiser Chuck Bass à l’entrée 😍😍😍😍 « Oh oh seems that Serena Vanderwoodsen is back in town, XOXO » "

@mathilde.charbonneau

"Gossip girl Entrée du Lotte New York Palace Hotel, ayant servi de décor pour la résidence de la famille Van der Woodsen."

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"Huis van der woodsen gossip girl"

@juliabrink

"Déco de noel du Lotte (grand sapin dans le hall)"

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"Serena’s mother Lily initially resided at the extravagant New York Palace Hotel. And You can see Serena going on a Date with Dan here in episode 5 of season 1. "

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"À faire absolument la cour à noël avec le grand sapin ! "

@leama

"hôtel de Serena Gossip girl "

@lauraguilmin315

"Fancy / high quality drinks "

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"Hotel où vit la famille Van der Woodsen"

@rachelmgn

"Mom and I love staying here!"

@msuiterragland

"Palace hôtel gossip hotel "

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"https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdTDWdAn/"

@meaganng1228

"https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdT2tDtR/"

@julietoconnor00

"Casa chuck bass in gossip girl"

@sabrina.rotunno

"Arbre A faire dans la nuit. "

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"Casa di chuck bass in Gossip girl "

@sabrirotu

"gossip girl, lily initially resided + serena ordered grilled cheese "

@eliss.chee

"Une des seules terrasses fumeurs de NY"

@victoire.lesthevenon

"Visit there courtyard to see NYC’s second most famous Christmas 🎄 tree !"

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"Hôtel dans lequel Serena Van Der Woodsen vie "

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"Pastry Chef bleoard@lottenypalace.com"

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"Palace Hôtel où Serena habitait avec Lilly et Éric saison 1"

@princessemiaxoxo

"Leben und Arbeiten wie Chuck Bass "

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"Le plus beau sapin de Noël"

@estellegclto

"Hôtel des van der Woodsen dans ma première saison"

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"Hôtel où loge les Van Der Woodsen"

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"Magic. hôtel de Gossip Girls 🤪😱"

@anais.perret

"Gossip girl : hôtel de luxe qui appartenait à Bart Bass, le père de Chuck"

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"Appartement de la famille de Selena dans Gossip Girl"

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"Serenas home! Gossip Girl "

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"Juste pour le sapin de noel !!"

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"Aller voir le sapin de noël "

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"Hotel grandiose, photo a faire, et surtout là ou habite Serena et Lili :) "

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"See the huge Christmas tree!"

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"Hôtel with family October 2018"

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"Hôtel palace fantastique. En particulier l’étage executive "

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"Beautiful historic hotel with a great lobby bar."

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"Hotel Serena Van der Woodsen - Gossip Girl"

@marion.hnd

"Gossip Girl : Maison de Serena"

@noemielacarelle

"GG: Hôtel de Serena et sa mère dans les premiers saisons."

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"Gossip Girl hotel - beautiful Christmas decorations "

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"Am Ex room upgrade to Junior Suite"

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