It’s the most wonderful time of the year in New York City, and Lotte New York Palace is going all-out to celebrate the arrival of crisp weather, holiday lights and winter festivities. From a traditional 35-foot Christmas tree in the Madison Avenue courtyard to an awe-inspiring gingerbread recreation of the Villard Mansion to a special performance by St. Bartholomew’s Choir, we’ve gone to great lengths to deck the halls this holiday season – join us and make a few timeless NYC memories of your own.
Learn more about our holiday celebrations, and be sure to share your NYC experiences with us by tagging your Tweets and Instagram posts with #HolidaysAtThePalace. Visit our Facebook album for #HolidaysAtThePalace tags as well.
Holiday-Themed Palace Hour Specialties
Our daily Palace Hour social took a holiday twist in December with some special seasonal treats, complements of the Pomme Palais kitchen. Christmas week kicked off with candied chestnuts on December 21 before progressing through an array of winter sweets, including gougeres, Christmas cookies, and Christmas cupcakes on Christmas Day.
Christmas Carols by the St. Bartholomew’s Choir
One of New York City’s most acclaimed choirs made a special stop at Lotte New York Palace to perform an hour-long set of festive Christmas carols. The 14-chorister group performed on Thursday, December 17, in the lobby (just to the right of the Grand Staircase). The St. Bartholomew’s Choir has earned recognition for its performances at Carnegie Hall, Washington’s National Cathedral, along with television appearances on Today, Good Morning America, and The Early Show.
Kid-Friendly Holiday Storytelling Sessions
New York City is filled with family-focused activities during the holidays, and Lotte New York Palace is adding to the fun with holiday storytelling sessions. Gather around and hear traditional holiday tales in a festive environment between trips to the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink, American Girl Place, and Central Park.
A 35-Foot Christmas Tree in the Courtyard
New York City’s most famous Christmas tree is a couple of blocks west at Rockefeller Center, but Lotte New York Palace’s 35-foot tree holds its own as a beautiful piece of the city’s seasonal scenery. The ornate tree, bedecked by sparkling ornaments and topped with a shimmering star, is the centerpiece of the Madison Avenue Courtyard this holiday season. The tree sits before the beautiful brownstone backdrop of the Villard Mansion, which has been decorated with lights and wreaths for the holidays.
A Sugary Scale Model of the Villard Mansion
This holiday season, Lotte New York Palace is the proud home of an ornate gingerbread house-style replica of the historic Villard Mansion. Created by pastry chef Tracey Sorci – wife of Lotte New York Palace executive chef Jacques Sorci – the gingerbread house was inspired by the landmark architecture and decadent décor of the 1882 structure, which serves as the base of the hotel.
Sorci’s creation took six weeks of work – more than 300 hours! – to create, and comprises a stunning collection of sweets:
• 40 pounds of rolled fondant
• 70 pounds of flour
• 80 pounds of ground sugar
• 25 jars of molasses
• 30 pounds of powdered sugar
• 8 quarts of egg whites
Sorci’s gingerbread house is currently on display in the Lotte New York Palace lobby.
Sweet Treats and Seasonal Eats at Pomme Palais
Warm up and build energy for the busy day ahead by stopping by Pomme Palais for a holiday-inspired snack and a seasonal specialty drink. Located adjacent to the lobby and accessible via a separate entrance on 51st Street, Pomme Palais puts a festive twist on its refined French bakery fare during December. Seasonal sweets include apple cider donuts, eggnog cheesecake, gingersnap cookies, and a selection of seasonal macarons, including candy cane, eggnog, gingerbread and candied chestnut. The drink of the month for December is perfect for the coming winter chill: a piping hot combination of homemade churros and rich hot chocolate – the recipe comes straight from Barcelona.
As we embark upon 2016, the team at Lotte New York Palace wishes our loyal guests a very Happy New Year!