The Lotte New York Palace

The Lotte New York Palace is situated at one of Manhattan’s most prestigious addresses, occupying a full city block in Midtown East at 455 Madison Avenue. Located between East 50th and 51st Streets, the hotel is positioned directly across from the historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, providing many guest rooms with unobstructed views of the cathedral's Gothic spires. This central location serves as an ideal hub for both high-end leisure and business, placing guests within a five-minute walk of Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue shopping, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Major cultural landmarks like the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Theater District are roughly a 10-minute walk away, while Central Park is less than a mile to the north. The property is well-connected to the rest of the city, with the 51st Street subway station (6, E, M lines) and Grand Central Terminal just a short stroll from its iconic wrought-iron courtyard entrance. 

Lotte New York Palace is rooted in a harmonious duality that bridges 19th-century Gilded Age opulence with sleek, 21st-century urbanity. Its foundational philosophy centers on the meticulous preservation of the Villard Houses—a neo-Italian Renaissance landmark modeled after Rome's Palazzo della Cancelleria—which serves as a grand, historic "gateway" to a modern 55-story tower. This "townhouse in the sky" approach, particularly in The Towers, aims to create an intimate, residential feel through expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and bespoke art, ensuring that contemporary luxury feels grounded in architectural legacy. The design extends to the iconic courtyard, which draws inspiration from Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio to function as a public sanctuary that honors the past while facilitating modern metropolitan life. 

The architectural design of the Lotte New York Palace is a grand fusion of Gilded Age heritage and modern luxury. The hotel's historic base, known as the Villard Houses, was commissioned by railroad magnate Henry Villard and designed in 1882 by the renowned firm McKim, Mead & White. Architect Joseph Morrill Wells of the firm is credited with the Italian Renaissance Revival style, modeled after the Palazzo Cancelleria in Rome. The original complex consists of six brownstone townhouses arranged in a U-shape around a central courtyard, featuring elaborate interiors with work by artists such as John La Farge and sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In the late 1970s, developer Harry Helmsley expanded the site by adding a 51-story bronze-colored aluminum and glass tower designed by Emery Roth & Sons. This modern addition, completed in 1980, seamlessly integrates with the historic mansions, preserving the landmarked 19th-century facade while providing contemporary hotel accommodations. 

The hotel opened in 1981 as The Helmsley Palace and remained under Helmsley's ownership until the early 1990s, when it was sold to the Sultan of Brunei following a high-profile bankruptcy. In May 2015, the property was acquired for $805 million by Lotte Hotels & Resorts, a South Korean luxury hotel operator, which rebranded it to its current name. Most recently, in late 2025, reports indicated that Lotte Hotels & Resorts further solidified its position by acquiring the land beneath the hotel for approximately $490 million.