Lotte New York Palace Courtyard
About This Location
The courtyard of Lotte New York Palace (formerly The Palace Hotel) is the grand gated entrance that appeared in hundreds of Gossip Girl scenes as the van der Woodsen family's home base. The Villard Houses courtyard — a semicircular plaza framed by the landmark 1882 brownstone mansions — is instantly recognizable to fans. This is where Serena would step out of town cars, where Dan awkwardly arrived from Brooklyn, and where paparazzi ambushes occurred. The courtyard's wrought-iron gates, U-shaped driveway, and the juxtaposition of the historic Villard brownstones against the modern hotel tower behind them created one of the show's most visually distinctive settings.
Featured Scenes & Episodes
Serena and the van der Woodsen family arriving and departing (Seasons 1-3), Dan Humphrey's fish-out-of-water arrivals, paparazzi scenes, holiday decoration establishing shots, the Christmas tree episode, and countless transition scenes between interior and exterior. The courtyard was arguably the most-filmed exterior in the entire show.
