Elysée New York will reopen in December 2026 following an 18-month transformation of the Midtown Manhattan hotel, marking its 100th anniversary with a fully reimagined guest experience.
The hotel on East 54th Street, between Madison and Park Avenues, first opened in 1926 and returns as an 83-key boutique hotel and the flagship property of Wunderkind Hotels & Resorts, a new collection created by Hera Hospitality Group under the creative leadership of designer and art collector Wolfgang Joop and his partner and Creative Director Edwin Lemberg. Elysée New York is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Over its first century the hotel became known as a discreet, residential-style address for artists, writers and performers, with guests including Marlon Brando, Tennessee Williams, Maria Callas, Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes and Jimi Hendrix. The transformation sets out to keep that heritage while bringing together art, craftsmanship and interiors in a contemporary interpretation of the hotel.
Monkey Bar, a fixture of Manhattan’s dining scene for nearly 90 years, remains at the heart of the hotel, with its monkey murals by caricaturist Charlie Wala. The monkey motif also informs the identity of both the hotel and Wunderkind, inspired by Joop’s childhood memories of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, Germany.
On the second floor, Salon Sanssouci, named after the palace, introduces a new gathering place under the direction of Austrian chef Eduard Frauneder, with wines from Wölffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons. The 83 guestrooms and suites have been redesigned with a residential feel, and guests will also have access to a partnership with medical and longevity specialists Hamptons BioMed, offering facial and body treatments. Further details of the design will be revealed ahead of opening.
“Elysée New York is a character shaped by a century of New York mythology. I do not decorate a building like that – I listen to it, and then I answer. Our goal was never simply to restore a historic hotel, but to honor its past while expressing my own stylistic identity in every decision we made. New York has always held a special place in my creative journey, and the Elysée felt like the natural home for Wunderkind’s first hotel because it embodies the elegance, warmth, trust and authenticity that define the brand.”
Wolfgang Joop, Co-Founder, Hera Hospitality Group
The reopening marks the debut of Wunderkind Hotels & Resorts, which plans a selective portfolio of one-of-a-kind boutique hotels in gateway cities and leisure destinations, each designed around a strong sense of place. Hera Hospitality Group, headquartered in Switzerland, was founded as a joint venture between Joop Design in Potsdam and Zurich-based Monoplan.
“We created Wunderkind Hotels & Resorts to offer a new approach to boutique luxury, shaped by art, craft, and atmosphere. Wunderkind is for design-fluent, culturally curious travelers who value character and creative energy over convention. With Elysée New York, we are bringing that vision to life for the first time, pairing the spirit of a storied New York landmark with a bold new chapter in its history. It is an exciting beginning for Wunderkind Hotels & Resorts and for Hera Hospitality Group.”
Daniel Schneider, Chairman of the Board, Hera Hospitality Group
The 15-storey hotel sits moments from the boutiques of Madison Avenue and many of Manhattan’s leading cultural destinations.
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