Like a fanfare of trumpets on a dead quiet night or red lipstick worn with an all-black ensemble, holiday decor captures the attention. Strings of pulsating lights in a whirl, trees festooned with colored balls, blue and gold showcased menorahs lit for the night, Santas in thrones, beribboned gifts stacked all catawampus, these are the wonders of holiday bedazzlement. Swiftly conveying us into the season, holiday decorations alter our moods as surely as a glass of Bollinger… Haven’t we all experienced that transformative euphoria that happens when we’ve somehow forgotten the holidays have launched, only to find ourselves immersed amongst splendor? We’re cast joyfully into a parallel world of celebration that belies our stressful ordinary days.
I’ll never forget walking through the ornate front doors of the French Quarter’s The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel in early December 2020. Disconnected from my usual Christmas fervor (thank you, pandemic), I’d not expect frippery and trimmings.
But one step into this grand dame’s Waldorf Wonderland lobby and I was surrounded by the hotel’s quintessential display of 112,000 lights, 1,600 feet of garland, 4,000 glass ornaments, gingerbread sculpture, and North Pole-themed spectacles. It was exhilarating — and I felt so grateful for this hotel’s holiday gift of sparkly cheer. With Teddy Bear Tea ceremonies for kids and holiday libations at the Sazerac Bar, The Roosevelt during the holidays continues to offer hope and enchantment.
Be prepared to be wowed and uplifted this year by holiday decorations and seasonal activities.
Aspen Meadows Resort, Colorado
You’ll want to go just for the holiday village with burros dressed in Christmas outfits. But, you’ll also love the outdoor bar with steaming hot cocoa and mulled wine, the lobby brimming with gingerbread displays, sleigh rides, holiday movies, and cookie decorating that this sprawling resort offers amongst 40 acres in Aspen’s West End. The retreat also proudly celebrates all eight nights of Hanukkah. As the sun sets, each evening at 5 pm, guests and locals alike can gather to light the menorah and savor delectable latkes crafted by Chef Nathan Kargman. Leaders from the Aspen Jewish Congregation and Aspen Chabad House take turns conducting the candle-lighting rituals.
Four Seasons Hotels
This storied brand with outposts around the world goes all out for the holidays, each property expressing itself uniquely and with elan. At Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, the party lasts all season long with a richly festooned lobby setting the scene and exterior red-and-green awnings acting as a portal for the fete. From a Holiday Boutique in the Wilshire Wing offering branded items, beauty products, and house-made treats to nightly Hanukkah menorah lighting with a local rabbi and kosher cookies, the Beverly Wilshire brings December to a grand finale with a New Year’s Eve Carnaval de Noite party in THE Blvd, among other culinary offerings.
While most people seek out the biggest parties in town, especially in Texas where things are purportedly bigger to begin with, Four Seasons Hotel Houston takes a minimal and more exclusive approach — albeit one with maximalist tendencies. At Bandista, the hotel’s diminutive speakeasy (which boasts only 20 sought-after seats and serves astonishingly creative cocktails), a veritable holiday extravaganza awaits the few lucky enough to get a reservation. A divertissement of decor and an abundance of bespanglement, Crazy Lights returns for its second year, an Instagrammable event to be enjoyed by the fortunate few. Outside the speakeasy confines, hotel guests can hug the huge teddy bear, pose by the tree, indulge in holiday-themed spa treatments at the Spa (Peppermint Pampering) or nosh at The Nutcracker Gingerbread Tea.
Willard InterContinental Washington DC
Head to the fabled Willard InterContinental Washington DC, the capital’s historic home-away-from-home for the holidays. You’ll not only walk in the sparkly shoes of dignitaries, celebutantes, and presidents, but have the opportunity to listen to the hotel’s nighty choir of carolers — a capital city highlight during festive season. In the grandiloquent beaux arts-inspired lobby, hung wreaths, shimmering lights, and draped ribbons ensure the ideal backdrop for photos beside the impressive Christmas tree. Take afternoon tea in the Willard’s stately Peacock Alley or book the hotel’s sought after Christmas brunch, a tradition beloved by locals.
Almanac X Acron Prague
Storybook Prague, known for its mystical aura, doesn’t hold back during the holidays. Convivial Christmas stalls in Old Town and Wenceslas Square serve up sausages, chestnuts, and mulled wine. The Almanac X Alcron ups the ante with a decor concept by Czech designer Linda Pro in collaboration with Glassor Decor, a Czech design and glass manufacturing company, known for its hand-blown glass — and artisanal glass ornaments. Behold the 12-foot tree in the lobby. It sparkles with hand-blown glass bows in powder pink and cream white, surrounded by a forest of smaller ribbon-trimmed potted trees dusted with artificial snow. Don’t miss: A holiday styling session with fashion designer Lukáš Macháček to craft the ultimate party-season outfit, hands-on art workshops with Jan Bican to create personalized Christmas gifts, and gingerbread baking with chef Richard Bielik.
Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort
While snow isn’t expected on the Big Island this year, Santa knows where to find guests celebrating amongst the palm trees and lava fields. Offering a range of local twists on traditional holiday activities created to please the whole extended family (or ohana in Hawaii), the soulful retreat with its Elvis Blue Hawaii vibes and characteristic architecture promises Mele Kalikimaka, the Hawaiian way. From gingerbread “hale” making to a seaside Christmas market with local artisans and a Santa along the sand, Kona Village puts its own sunny spin on the holiday season.
La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich
Four festive Christmas markets bring out the glitterati in Zurich, Switzerland’s lakeside portal to some of Europe’s best ski resorts. Enjoy bauble-heavy Christmas trees around the city, enlivened with Swarovski crystals or foil-wrapped chunks of Lindt chocolates. Take the children to the Märlitram, a festive streetcar helmed by Santa and his helpers. Matching the city’s celebratory ambience La Réserve Eden au Lac is shrouded in tasteful holiday finery, showing every angle of the Philippe Starck-renovated Belle Epoque mansion to its best advantage. Choose the hotel’s Christmas & Culture package (November 20th-December 23), which includes a two-hour guided tour of the city’s top Christmas markets.
Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
Waltzing distance from Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate in the historic Mitte District, majestic Hotel Adlon Kempinski honors the inner child and German ingenuity with playful holiday assemblages that star adorable stuffed animals by the beloved Steiff brand, accented by elements of local craftwork, including characteristic wooden carousels from the Erzgebirge region. In the lobby, photo ops abound, whether beside the gigantic teddy bear or the sleigh, complete with reindeer. A gospel choir croons tunes on Sundays throughout the season in the Lobby Bar & Lounge and atop the main entrance on Adlon’s notable balcony. Upon request, housekeeping will make you feel at home when they set up a bauble-laden tree in your suite.
Fairmont San Francisco
A holiday destination in itself, the lobby of this storied hotel showcases its annual, life-sized Gingerbread House, assiduously handcrafted by Chef Kevin Tanaka. Built from thousands of house-baked gingerbread bricks, adorned with more than a ton of royal icing and candy, the house’s unveiling (on November 22) signals the start of the holiday season. Book the gingerbread mansion for a private holiday breakfast, tea, or dinner. A 23-foot Christmas tree, a rooftop holiday market, and chic Santa-themed suites for overnight stays seal the deal.
Grand Velas Riviera Maya
Head to the Yucatan for a jolly holiday. At Grand Velas Riviera Maya, a posh all-inclusive Mexican retreat, celebrating guests can gather around the large central menorah for nightly candle lightings. The retreat offers a thoughtful collection of Hanukkah activities (such as dreidel making and Star of David-shaped cooking decorating), a Hanukkah-themed menu, certified by the local Rabbi, and a special homemade pescatarian menu with latkes available on the buffet. The season of bliss also includes letters to Santa, en-suite Christmas trees, holiday crafts, and a traditional Mexican posada.
Caribe Royale Orlando
Forget Disney World, which lies just 10 minutes away. This resort is so entertaining that guests sometimes don’t leave the premises. Caribe Royale Orlando, an all-suite haven, has a buzzy pool scene, a 75-foot water slide, sports courts, and numerous restaurants, but it really goes whole hog during the holidays. Chocolate lovers will swoon over the collection of chocolate sculptures, which depict North Pole Express and Santa’s Magical Flight. You’ll sip cocoa at check-in, join menorah and Christmas tree lightings, participate in a hidden gnome hunt, decorate cookies, and have the chance to make (and taste) your own chocolate holiday village.
Feature image courtesy, Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel; Travel Curator may earn a commission from booking links on this page.
