A Lotte Guide to the Holidays in NYC Allow Us to Show You How the City Does the Holidays
The Season’s Best,
Courtesy of the Palace
Thanksgiving Day Parade
Thursday, November 26, 2026
Start Thanksgiving with a New York tradition a century in the making. Watch larger-than-life balloons, floats, and performers make their way through Manhattan for the 100th parade. Our advice? Arrive early. Some traditions are worth setting the alarm for.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Tree Lighting: December 2, 2026
Go after dark. Take in the tree in full glow, then make your way up Fifth Avenue while the storefronts are still shining. The Palace awaits just a few blocks later, which is rather convenient when the temperature drops.
Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows
Start at Bergdorf Goodman and follow Fifth Avenue south, where holiday windows turn window shopping into something closer to theater. Take your time. For once, arriving nowhere in particular is precisely the plan.
Ice Skating in New York
Location: Wollman Rink & Bryant Park
For skyline views, make it Wollman. For a skate followed by holiday shopping, Bryant Park has our vote. Either way, rosy cheeks and something warm afterwards are highly recommended.
New York Holiday Lights
Once evening falls, take the long way back. Follow the glow of Fifth Avenue storefronts, grand holiday trees, and Midtown displays on your way to the hotel. Comfortable shoes beneath the good coat are strongly advised.
Holiday Shops at Bryant Park
October 28, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Browse the little shops, find something you won’t see on Fifth Avenue, and keep something warm in hand while you do it. Go toward dusk and stay for the lights.
New Year’s Eve in Times Square
December 31, 2026
New York hardly needs an excuse for a late night. Join the revelry in Times Square for the countdown, confetti, and a certain rather famous ball drop. Dress accordingly, raise a glass, and welcome 2027 from a city that knows a thing or two about making an entrance.
Radio City Christmas Spectacular
November 4, 2026 – January 4, 2027
Dress for the occasion and settle in for high kicks, toy soldiers, and precision only the Rockettes could make look effortless. The Palace tip: dinner before, a nightcap after, and plenty of holiday spectacle in between.
The first brunch of the year should set a certain standard. Return to Villard for its signature Build Your Own Benedict, with a generous selection of ingredients for starting 2027 precisely to your taste.
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A New York holiday tradition returns on November 23. Discover Lotte New York's famous holiday décor as the Palace courtyard and surrounding spaces take on their signature seasonal look, creating an unforgettable setting in the heart of Manhattan.
Saturday – Sunday | 1:00 – 7:00 PM
Cold weather has its compensations. Step into the Courtyard for signature hot chocolate, sweet treats, and something warm in hand beneath the glow of the tree.
Christmas morning calls for something a little more celebratory. Settle in at Villard for a festive brunch of seasonal favorites, served in surroundings already dressed for the occasion.
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Every Sunday | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
A beloved holiday guest returns to the Grand lobby. Gather the family for a visit with Santa Claus, share Christmas wishes, and capture a photograph to remember, with a little holiday wonder along the way.
Some correspondence deserves special handling. Our youngest guests receive a personalized postcard upon check-in, ready to be slipped into our larger-than-life North Pole mailbox. Keep an eye on the room. Santa has been known to write back.
Stay at The Palace Holiday Suite
Step inside a Palace Holiday Suite transformed by Balsam Hill, where the tree is trimmed, the lights are twinkling, and homemade holiday cookies await. Settle into your own private Christmas in the city, then take home a Palace ornament to remember it by.
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