Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy…
(CNN) — It’s time to get into the holiday spirit. Think hot tea and hot toddies, skiing and snorkeling, and lots of twinkling Christmas lights.
Luxury hotels add a touch of glamor to the Christmas season, whether it’s an overnight stay or an elegant afternoon tea.
These luxurious properties are worth perusing for a few hours soaking up the glittering décor, a spontaneous escape, or the luxury of a future vacation.
The Fife Arms: Braemar, Scotland
An antique-filled 19th-century hideaway in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, The Fife Arms offers fishing, foraging and hiking just outside.
The hotel is 9 miles from Balmoral, the home of the Scottish Royal Family.
Enjoy a true Scottish Victorian Christmas with our 3-day holiday package (subject to availability). On Christmas Eve, afternoon tea is served at the hotel, followed by a parade of Cairngorm reindeer through the village. The feast and entertainment will continue from Christmas to Boxing Day and will be complemented by outdoor activities.
Prices for a three-night package start at approximately $4,455 for the Nature and Poetry Room.
The Fife Arms, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
One&Only Reethi Ra: Maldives
In the Maldives, of course, Santa cruises the Indian Ocean.
At One&Only Reethi Rah, guests are invited to wait for Mr. Claus on the beach on Christmas morning, with the waves lapping at his feet. The festivities will be followed by a champagne brunch.
The days leading up to Santa’s visit will feature plenty of cocktails, canapés and fresh seafood. And on December 27th, at lunchtime, there will be a Pearls & Bubbles event that combines champagne and oysters to get the festive season going.
Peak season prices start at $2,600.
One&Only Reethi Raa, North Male Atoll, Maldives
Ojai Valley Inn: Ojai, CA
“Serenity Season” is upon us at Ojai Valley Inn, where you can incorporate spa treatments, golf, tennis, yoga, and more into your pampering stay at this 220-acre coastal valley resort.
December festivities include a scavenger hunt, s’mores roasting, nightly menorah lighting, elf cookie delivery, breakfast with Santa, and more. On December 24th, the Jingle Bell Jaunt will be held on the resort grounds.
Dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be served at both Olivera and The Oak, and on Christmas Day a sumptuous buffet will be served at The Farmhouse ($195 per adult including wine, children 12 and under ($65).
Christmas week prices start at $829.
Ojai Valley Inn
The Greenbrier: White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia
Natural mineral springs have drawn guests, including U.S. presidents, to The Greenbrier property for more than two centuries. A historic hotel that opened in 1913.
Fun runs, holiday scavenger hunts, and ornament and cookie decorating are all part of the Greenbrier lineup in the days leading up to and around December 25th.
Christmas Eve includes a Season’s Greetings Dinner ($125 per adult, $55 per child) and a service in the resort’s chapel. On Christmas Day, families can enjoy puzzles, board games and Christmas music performances.
Prices start at $659.
The Greenbrier, 101 Main Street West, White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia
Cliveden House: Berkshire, UK
An elegant Christmas house party is being held at Cliveden House, a 1666 British mansion in Berkshire.
This year’s extravagant three-day event is sold out, but now is a good time to mark your calendars for future British Christmases. There are several rooms available for early Christmas week or late December this year, with prices ranging from approximately $715 to $1,360.
Alternatively, visitors can book a festive afternoon tea and spend a few hours admiring the seasonal decorations while looking out over the flowerbeds.
Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire, England
The Plaza: New York
Tea time and Christmas time coincide at Palm Court at The Plaza, where three holiday tea menus will be offered through January 12th.
Holiday Signature Teas ($155 per person) include savory and sweet treats like foie gras macaroons and pumpkin spice latte pie. Eloise, the hotel’s famous fictional resident, lends her name to a children’s tee that sells for $110 per child.
We also offer a variety of celebratory meals and holiday programs.
The Plaza’s lowest rate for Christmas week is $2,395 per night.
The Plaza, 5th Avenue, Central Park South, New York
One&Only Nyungwe House: Rwanda
One&Only Nyungwe House, located in the Rwandan wilderness, is a secluded collection of tree houses and villas surrounded by mountains and lush greenery.Bird watching and trekking with chimpanzees in the adjacent national park are major attractions. I am.
Holiday guests are invited to traditional events such as basket weaving, imigongo painting workshops, and lively dance performances.
In addition to a variety of Christmas cuisine, the resort will also host East African feast dinners and barbecues showcasing the flavors of Africa.
Peak season rates start at $3,250.
One&Only Nyungwe House, Gisakura, Western Region, Rwanda
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess: Scottsdale, Arizona
Ice skating, a Santa experience and the new Starlights “Glow Show” are just part of the annual Princess Festival of Christmas. Add 10 million lights, trains, and more. It’s safe to say that the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess believes you don’t have to put up with anything during the holidays.
The festival runs until January 4 and is open to the public. Free for hotel guests. If purchased in advance, admission is $35 per wristband. Children 3 and under are admitted free.
Room rates start at $485. Holiday packages are also available.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 East Princess Drive, Scottsdale, AZ
Rock House: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
There’s a lot to be said for a warm-weather Christmas, relaxing by the pool with a cocktail.
Rock House, a luxury resort on Providenciales Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, will feature live music at the Vita outdoor restaurant, mixology classes, holiday feast movie nights, and Santa Claus from December 20th to January 3rd. Holiday programs include boat visits.
Community Table Christmas Eve dinner will be served on the pier. Dinner on Christmas Day will be served on the Vita. Alternatively, a Journey of Italian Christmas dinner is available for an additional fee.
Christmas week prices start at $760 (Sunday through Wednesday).
Rock House, Blue Mountain Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Hotel de Crillon: Paris
The historic Hôtel de Crillon offers an elevated Parisian holiday experience.
From December 5th to January 1st, Jardin d’Hiver offers a festive afternoon tea service including pastries and canapés for approximately $93 per person.
L’Écrin’s seven-course Christmas Eve menu starts at about $630. Or enjoy a sumptuous Christmas brunch at the hotel’s Salon Historique.
This 5-star hotel was built in 1758 under the direction of Louis XV and overlooks Paris’ Place de la Concorde.
Initial room rates for the Christmas season are approximately $2,645 for a Premier Room.
Hôtel de Crillon, Rosewood Hotel, 10 place de la Concorde, Paris
Willard Intercontinental: Washington
The Willard InterContinental in the nation’s capital will host free evening performances by local choirs and vocal ensembles in the lobby from December 1st to December 23rd. The famous Round Robin Bar will serve signature holiday cocktails and caviar.
Holiday Afternoon Tea, including savory and sweet treats, will be served every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from November 29th to December 29th ($90 for adults or $105 with a glass of champagne, per child) $65).
Christmas week prices start at $399.
Willard InterContinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman: Cayman Islands
Who said this season can’t be about sun and sand?
Located on Seven Mile Beach, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman offers a cozy Christmas experience with a gingerbread house workshop and gingerbread man tea.
There will be brunch on Christmas Day, and Restaurant Seven will serve a four-course holiday dinner.
Garden view rooms start at $1,700.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Seven Mile Beach (Grand Cayman)
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane: London
This season, guests at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane in bustling London will see dazzling holiday decor with a mirror ball theme, including an eye-catching snowman in the lobby.
The hotel’s festive holiday afternoon tea (approximately $125) features sweets such as smoked maple eclairs alongside traditional scones.
Our concierge-curated London tours of the city’s spectacular holiday lights and private tours of Hampton Court Palace are available at a variety of prices.
Christmas room rates start at approximately $1,515.
Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire and Four Seasons Hotel London Park Lane (England)
Madeline Hotel & Residences: Telluride, Colorado
How about a ski and spa Christmas with a backdrop of 14,000-foot mountains?
Madeline Hotel & Residences in Telluride boasts luxurious ski-in/ski-out accommodations, and special December offers include Letters to Santa, Sunset S’mores, Story Hour, Cookie Decorating, and more.
Three-course Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners filled with the bounty of the Western Slope will be served at Black Iron Kitchen + Bar ($125 adults, $35 per child under 10).
Starting rate for Christmas week is $1,299 per night.
Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resort Collection, Mountain Village Boulevard Telluride, Colorado
Royal Mansour: Marrakech, Morocco
Spend your holidays enjoying gourmet food at the Royal Mansour in Marrakech.
Our on-site restaurants, Sesamo and La Grande Brasserie, will be offering special multi-course menus on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Christmas tea is available at La Grande Brassiere. And each of the hotel’s chefs created a signature Yule log cake, or buche de Noel.
Chef Hélène Darroze’s idea is made entirely of chocolate. The Alazimo brothers’ version combines roasted sesame seeds with hazelnut and Jamaican coffee flavors. Pastry chef Jean Lachenal’s Yule Log combines gingerbread with citrus and chocolate, all coated in gold and reminiscent of the majestic doors of the Royal Mansour.
Prices for one-bedroom riads start at around $2,700 per night when booked for two or more nights.
Royal Mansour, Rue Abou El Abbas Sebti, Marrakech, Morocco
Breakers: Palm Beach, Florida
Founded in 1896 by Standard Oil Company tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler, The Breakers Palm Beach continues its beautiful heritage throughout the holiday season.
The oceanfront Italian Renaissance-style resort sparkles with 170,000 twinkling lights, 8,000 ornaments, and 12,000 feet of ribbon.
The Circle will host a grand Christmas brunch ($285 per person, $100 for children 12 and under). The Ponce de Leon Ballroom also hosts a Christmas banquet.
Starting prices during the holiday week (while supplies last) range from $1,090 to $1,790.
The Breakers, One South County Road, Palm Beach, FL
Claridge’s: London
Claridge’s, located in London’s elegant Mayfair district, collaborates with renowned designers each year to create an eye-catching lobby Christmas tree.
This year’s tree, created by designer Sir Paul Smith, is housed in a distinctive striped barrel and is filled with colorful Smith ornaments, ribbons and birdhouses.
The hotel offers a sumptuous Christmas lunch with choices such as butter-poached lobster and chicken liver parfait, roasted Norfolk turkey and beef Wellington, followed by a range of holiday menus including Christmas pudding, chocolate Yule log and English cheese. I am.
Room rates for Christmas week start at approximately $1,975.
Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, London
Versions of this story have been published in the past few years. This version has been updated with hotel and 2024 holiday programs and prices.
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