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It’s high time for some holiday cheer. Think hot tea or hot toddies, skiing or snorkeling and loads of twinkling Christmas lights.
Luxury hotels serve up a glamorous way to brighten up the Christmas season, whether for an overnight stay or an elegant afternoon tea.
These lavish properties are worth a closer look for a few hours of soaking up their glittering decorations, a spur-of-the-moment escape or a future holiday splurge.
The Fife Arms: Braemar, Scotland
Fishing, foraging and hiking are just outside at The Fife Arms, an antiques-packed, 19th-century retreat within Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands.
The hotel is 14.5 kilometers (nine miles) from Balmoral, the Royal Family’s residence in Scotland.
A three-day holiday package, subject to availability, offers guests a true Scottish Victorian Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Cairngorm reindeer parade through the village after afternoon tea is served at the hotel. Feasting and entertainment carry through Christmas and into Boxing Day, when outdoor pursuits are added to the mix.
Rates for the three-night package start at about $4,455 for a Nature & Poetry room.
The Fife Arms, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
One&Only Reethi Rah: Maldives
In the Maldives, Santa cruises in on the Indian Ocean, of course.
At One&Only Reethi Rah, guests are invited to wait for Mr. Claus on Christmas morning on the beach, with the surf lapping at their feet. The festivities are followed by a Champagne brunch.
In the days leading up Santa’s visit, there will be plenty of cocktails, canapés and fresh seafood to go around. And on December 27, a Pearls & Bubbles event at lunchtime pairs Champagne and oysters to keep the festive season going.
Peak-season rates start at $2,600.
One&Only Reethi Rah, North Malé Atoll, Maldives
Ojai Valley Inn: Ojai, California
“Serenity Season” is right on time at the Ojai Valley Inn, where spa treatments, golf, tennis, yoga and more can be incorporated into a restorative stay at this 220-acre coastal valley resort.
Treasure hunts, s’mores roasting, a nightly Menorah lighting, elf cookie delivery and breakfast with Santa are among the festivities in December. On December 24, there’s a Jingle Bell Jaunt across the resort grounds.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner will be served at both Olivella and The Oak, and there’s a grand buffet on Christmas Day at The Farmhouse ($195 per adult, including wine; $65 for children 12 and younger).
Rates for Christmas week start at $829.
Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California
The Greenbrier: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Natural mineral springs have drawn guests, including US presidents, to The Greenbrier property for more than two centuries. The historic hotel opened in 1913.
A fun run, a holiday scavenger hunt and ornament and cookie decorating are all part of The Greenbrier’s lineup in the days surrounding December 25.
On Christmas Eve, there’s a Season’s Greetings Dinner ($125 per adult; $55 per child) and a service in the resort’s chapel. On Christmas Day, puzzles and board games and a Christmas musical performance will keep families entertained.
Rates start at $659.
The Greenbrier, 101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Cliveden House: Berkshire, England
There’s an elegant Christmas house party happening at Cliveden House, a grand English home in Berkshire dating back to 1666.
The luxurious three-day affair is sold out this year, but now’s a good time to mark your calendars for a future English country Christmas. There are some rooms available early Christmas week this year or in late December, with a range of rates between about $715 and $1,360.
Or visitors can book a festive afternoon tea and soak up the seasonal decorations for a few hours overlooking the parterre.
Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire, England
The Plaza: New York
Tea time and Christmastime coincide at The Plaza’s Palm Court, where three holiday tea menus will be available through January 12.
The Holiday Signature Tea ($155 per person) features savories and sweets, including a foie gras macaron and a pumpkin spice latte pie. Eloise, the hotel’s famous fictional resident, lends her name to a children’s tea available for $110 per child.
A variety of other festive meals and holiday programs are on offer as well.
The starting rate at The Plaza for Christmas week is $2,395 per night.
The Plaza, Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, New York
One&Only Nyungwe House: Rwanda
Treehouses and villas are tucked amid mountains and lush greenery at One&Only Nyungwe House in the wilds of Rwanda, where birdwatching and treks with chimpanzees are big draws in the adjacent national park.
Holiday guests are invited to traditional events, including basket weaving, Imigongo painting workshops and lively dance performances.
In addition to a range of Christmas meals, the resort also hosts East African feast dinners and barbecues showcasing African flavors.
Peak season rates start at $3,250.
One&Only Nyungwe House, Gisakura, Western Province, Rwanda
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess: Scottsdale, Arizona
Ice skating, Santa experiences and a new Starlights “glowshow” are just part of the annual Christmas at the Princess festival. Add 10 million lights, a train and more: It’s safe to say Fairmont Scottsdale Princess doesn’t believe in holding back for the holidays.
The festival, which runs through January 4, is open to the public. Free for hotel guests, the entrance fee is $35 per wristband with advance purchase; children 3 and younger are admitted for free.
Rooms start at $485. There are also holiday packages available.
Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 East Princess Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona
Rock House: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
There’s certainly a lot to be said for a warm-weather Christmas that involves lounging poolside with a cocktail.
The luxury resort Rock House on the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos offers holiday programming from December 20 through January 3 including live music at al fresco restaurant Vita, a mixology class, a movie night with holiday treats and a visit by boat from Santa.
A community-table Christmas Eve dinner will be served on the jetty, On Christmas Day, dinner will be offered at Vita, or there’s a “Journey of Italian Christmas” dinner available for a separate price.
Rates during Christmas week start from $760 (Sunday through Wednesday).
Rock House, Blue Mountain Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Hôtel de Crillon: Paris
Historic Hôtel de Crillon delivers a next-level Parisian holiday.
From December 5 through January 1, a festive afternoon tea service with pastries and canapés is available at the Jardin d’Hiver for about $93 per person.
A seven-course Christmas Eve menu at L’Écrin starts at about $630. Or there’s a lavish Christmas Day brunch in the hotel’s Salons Historiques.
The five-star property, originally built in 1758 under the direction of King Louis XV, overlooks Paris’ Place de la Concorde.
The starting room rate during the Christmas season is around $2,645 for a premier room.
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, 10 place de la Concorde, Paris
Willard InterContinental: Washington
In the United States capital, the Willard InterContinental will host free nightly performances by local choral and vocal ensembles in the lobby from December 1 through December 23. Signature holiday cocktails and a caviar service will be available in the famed Round Robin Bar.
Holiday afternoon tea — with savory and sweet treats — will be served every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from November 29 through December 29 ($90 per adult or $105 with a glass of champagne; $65 per child).
Christmas week rates start at $399.
Willard InterContinental, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman: Cayman Islands
Who says the season isn’t about sun and sand?
Situated on Seven Mile Beach, The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman also embraces a cozy Christmas with a gingerbread house workshop and a gingerbread man tea.
There’s a Christmas Day brunch and a four-course holiday dinner will be served at the restaurant Seven.
The starting rate is $1,700 for a garden view room.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane: London
In bustling London, guests at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane this season will find dazzling disco-ball themed holiday décor, including an eye-catching lobby snowman.
The hotel’s festive holiday afternoon tea (about $125) features treats such as smoked maple éclairs alongside traditional scones.
Concierge-curated London tours of the city’s spectacular holiday lights or a private tour of Hampton Court Palace are available for varying prices.
Christmas room rates start at about $1,515.
Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire and Four Seasons Hotel London Park Lane, England
Madeline Hotel & Residences: Telluride, Colorado
With 14,000-foot peaks as your backdrop, why not have a ski and spa Christmas?
Madeline Hotel & Residences in Telluride boasts luxurious ski-in/ski-out accommodation, with letters to Santa, sunset s’mores, story hours and cookie decorating among the special December offerings.
Three-course Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners showcasing the bounty of the Western Slope will be served at Black Iron Kitchen + Bar ($125 for adults, $35 per child younger than 10).
The starting rate during Christmas week is $1,299 per night.
Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection, Mountain Village Blvd. Telluride, Colorado
Royal Mansour: Marrakech, Morocco
The holidays are a gourmet affair at the Royal Mansour in Marrakech.
The property’s restaurants, Sesamo and La Grande Brasserie, will feature special multi-course menus for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Christmas tea will be served at La Grande Brassiere. And each of the hotel’s chefs has created a signature yule log cake, or bûche de Noël.
Chef Hélène Darroze’s take is made entirely of chocolate. The Alajmo brothers’ version features roasted sesame, combined with hazelnut and Giamaica coffee flavors. Pastry chef Jean Lachenal’s yule log, a combination of citrus and chocolate on gingerbread – all coated in gold, evokes the Royal Mansour’s majestic doors.
Rates start at about $2,700 per night for a one-bedroom riad with a minimum two-night booking.
Royal Mansour, Rue Abou El Abbas Sebti, Marrakech, Morocco
The Breakers: Palm Beach, Florida
Founded by Standard Oil Co. magnate Henry Morrison Flagler in 1896, The Breakers Palm Beach carries its lovely traditions right through the holiday season.
The oceanfront Italian Renaissance-style resort dazzles with 170,000 twinkling lights, 8,000 ornaments and 12,000 feet of ribbon.
The Circle will host a grand Christmas Day brunch ($285 per person; $100 for children 12 and younger). There’s also a Christmas Day feast in the Ponce de Leon ballroom.
Starting rates during the holiday week (with limited availability) range from $1,090 to $1,790.
The Breakers, One South County Road, Palm Beach, Florida
Claridge’s: London
In London’s elegant Mayfair district, Claridge’s enlists celebrated designers each year to create an eye-catching lobby Christmas tree.
This year’s tree, from designer Sir Paul Smith, sits in a signature striped barrel and is laden with colorful Smith ornaments, ribbon and birdhouses.
The hotel features an array of holiday menus, including a lavish Christmas Day lunch with choices such as butter poached lobster or chicken liver parfait, roasted Norfolk turkey or beef Wellington, followed by Christmas pudding or chocolate yule log and British cheeses.
Room rates during Christmas week start at around $1,975.
Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, London
A version of this story has been published in past years. This version has been updated with additional hotels and 2024 holiday programs and pricing.