From an ice skating rink on the beach to a 70s Christmas rooftop lounge, there's a magical experience awaiting at every hotel listed below this holiday season. Travelers can take in all of the splendor and soak up the merry from Sunny San Diego to Chilly Cincinnati through thoughtful decorations and remarkable transformations — bringing the spirit to every nook and cranny.
Home for the Holidays at Hotel del Coronado (November 22, 2021 - January 2, 2022): One of the most magical times of year at this historic grande dame, The Del is known among locals and travelers alike for welcoming the holidays with splendid fanfare, bringing wintertime fun to sunny Southern California. Beginning right before Thanksgiving day, the newly refurbished Windsor Lawn will transform into a dazzling winter wonderland with the Pacific Ocean and The Del’s iconic turret as striking backdrops. Thousands of white sparkling lights, magnificent Christmas trees, ornament-trimmed evergreens and garlands will make for the most charming setting for an outdoor stroll, photo opportunities with loved ones and a unique experience that is totally Southern California to get into the holiday spirit.
Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection hotel | Fort Worth, TX
As the newest kid on the block, Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection hotel, invites locals and guests far and wide to relish in the celebrations and festive decorations as the property rings in their first Christmas. Grab your felt hat and your finest pair of boots and take in the splendor as the entire property transforms into a winter wonderland. Imagine: lights adorning the entire exterior, a 30 ft. Christmas tree posed in The Backyard — the property’s half-acre oasis that includes a live music stage, bar, firepits and lawn seating — and trees and garland sprinkled throughout the lobby.
Omni Grove Park Inn | Asheville, NC
With fragrant logs crackling in a pair of 36-foot fireplaces, the Great Hall of the Omni Grove Park Inn summons the holiday spirit. But the main draw at Christmastime is the National Gingerbread House Competition, which originated in 1992. Judging takes place just before Thanksgiving, and entries are displayed until early January. Though public tours are available, hotel guests have an advantage when it comes to seeing the edible architecture, and gingerbread-themed packages lend themselves to family traditions. Dates of the display: Nov. 28-Jan. 2.
Chetola Resort | Blowing Rock, NC
At 3,566 feet, the resort village of Blowing Rock is on the unofficial list of North Carolina Towns Most Likely to See a White Christmas. Even without snow, Chetola Resort checks every festive box with its Festival of Lights on the 78-acre woodland property with a lake. Festivities begin Thanksgiving weekend and continue until Blowing Rock’s Winterfest event in late January. Displays are updated from year to year. Here’s a link to a Word doc with the 2020 release. Lodging at Chetola includes the eight-room Bob Timberlake Inn (a luxury B&B experience) and the 42-room Chetola Lodge as well as one- to four-bedroom condos. Festival dates: Nov. 26-Jan. 30.
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island | Amelia Island, FL
The World’s Largest Gingerbread Pirate Ship will be docked in the lobby this holiday season, which will debut on November 24th during the annual tree lighting celebration. This culinary masterpiece is crafted with handmade gingerbread planking and adorned with sugar-sculpted pirates wearing bright fondant clothing. Rekindling a favorite holiday tradition, the resort will host the annual Build-A-Gingerbread House experience with a pastry chef. The chefs unveil the secrets of building and decorating a gingerbread house, sharing techniques that use an array of sweet and savory treats. The house is mounted on handcrafted cherry wood and packed for the trip home. This is a memory that can be shared with family and friends at future holiday gatherings. The entire family can join the festivities at Santa's Magical Dinner, a whimsical dining experience straight from storybooks following the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Rancho Bernardo Inn | San Diego, CA
Located in North County San Diego, Rancho Bernardo Inn is full of Christmas cheer and welcomes guests to enjoy their winter wonderland of celebrations, holiday dining and festive decorations. Each year, the property creates an annual life-size gingerbread house built and baked in-house during the holidays. The outstanding life-size gingerbread house is on display in the hotel lobby after months of baking and building with over 4,000 pounds of delicious ingredients including 1 ton of powdered sugar, 750lbs. of granulated sugar, 750lbs. of cake flour, 2,160 eggs and more.
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee | Greensboro, GA
Celebrate the festive season lakeside at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. From delicious treats and train rides to family dinners to celebrate the season, the resort provides guests with a variety of experiences such as a playful Hansel and Gretel-themed gingerbread house curated by Pastry Chef Michael Gaddy displayed in the lobby, an ice skating rink with festive cocktails and activities for the whole family, caroling on the Linger Longer Express and reindeer games to create memories that last a lifetime. The festive season kicks off on November 24 with the Lighting of the Lake, where Santa arrives at the resort (in a fun surprising way each year!) and flips the switch on over 500,000 lights and a grand Christmas Tree. With chef-curated dining specials and themed spa treatments, there is truly something to cross off everyone in the family’s list this year. Surprises are in store for both children and adults as the resort decks the halls, ensuring each moment is merry and bright.
Washington School House | Park City, UT
The idyllic boutique hotel for a holiday celebration, Washington School House offers 12 luxuriously appointed guest rooms just steps from Park City’s Main Street (and also offers an incredible buyout option). The property doubles as a National Historic Registry landmark, built in 1889. Located in this quintessential snowy town, Washington School House allows guests to enjoy the beauty of a true winter wonderland whether that’s building a snowman and sledding or staying nestled in the intimate and cozy space of the hotel as you look upon the falling snowflakes with a warm fire. A gorgeous 14-foot Alpine tree is the hotel’s centerpiece, that drips with crystals, silver ornaments and strings of bright glowing lights to fill the entire hotel with the sweet pine smell of the holidays and festive cheer.
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans | New Orleans, LA
The spirit of the holiday season fills The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans for another year of dazzling decor and festive traditions in the heart of the French Quarter. Upon entering the Beaux Arts retreat, guests will be greeted with wonder and merriment as a new multi-color light and ornament display illuminates the lobby and sets the stage for holiday memories to be made. The decor kicks off a season of beloved traditions at the hotel including holiday Papa Noel Tea and gingerbread house building, along with culinary experiences that allow for extra time to enjoy the celebration with loved ones.
Pendry Hotels
Each Pendry Hotels property embraces the art, design, culture and holiday spirit of the neighborhood in which its’ found, and will embrace the season with festive holiday decor. Guests of Pendry hotels can dress up their Christmas tree with the purchase of a specially-designed surfboard ornament by LA Fashion Designer Heidi Merrick. Heidi Merrick will also create a fashion-minded holiday tree in the lobby of Pendry Hotels. At Pendry San Diego, Deck the Halls at Nason’s Beer Hall with the jolliest, brightest, over-the-top holiday decor and frosty cocktails like ‘Rum and Cookies’ in a snowy white glass with a cookie cut-out for Santa.
Bobby Hotel | Nashville, TN
The iconic Rooftop Lounge at Bobby Hotel, known for its retrofitted 1956 Scenicruiser, will be the place to be this holiday season, as it transforms into Camp Bobby — a 70’s camp-inspired theme including a rooftop ice skating rink made to look like a frozen pond, “campfire sites” in each heated igloo, and a decked out 70’s inspired design in the Scenicruiser bus. Guests and locals alike can enjoy a cocktail or get that perfect Instagram shot, in addition to soaking up the spectacular views of music city from high in the sky.
Chalet 27 at The Westin Nashville | Nashville, TN (November 12, 2021 – February 28, 2022)
Taking place 27 stories above Music City, The Westin Nashville’s ‘Chalet 27’ activation will kick-off the holiday season with a new luxury winter experience. Chalet 27 will feature a monochromatic winter white oasis with alpine accents inspired by the Swiss Alps. Guests will feel as if they were completely transformed to the Alps with white design elements everywhere they turn and of course, live music offerings to enjoy as they dine on festive bites and cocktails on Nashville’s highest rooftop.
The Lytle Park Hotel | Cincinnati, OH
This festive season, the hotel will be activating in several different ways to spread holiday cheer. A massive Champagne Christmas tree - made of our Champagne bottles - will take center stage in the lobby, also acting as a central bar for guests to toast upon arrival. Vista, Cincinnati’s only four-season rooftop bar, will deck the halls with seasonal lights and decor to transform into Vista Winter Lodge using Alpine and Russian Fir trees, woodsy ornaments, woodland creatures, berries, pine cones and icicles with two 'ski chalets' as the main attraction. One of the Presidential Suites will also transform into a decorative winter wonderland with a gourmet hot chocolate display. You can also check out the many other downtown Cincinnati restaurants and attractions