- Every December, hotels decorate for Christmas and the holidays — but some do it better than others.
- In Disney World, the Swan and Dolphin Resort and the Wilderness Lodge are both famous for their Christmas decorations.
- Swissôtel in Chicago, Illinois, transforms its presidential suite into the North Pole where children can meet Santa Claus.
- Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee, hosts musicals, an ice show, and a water park for the holiday season.
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While there are famous hotels across the US, some shine more than others over the festive season.
Come December, hotels around the country cover their gardens with Christmas lights, line their banisters with garlands, and place expertly decorated Christmas trees in the center of their lobbies. Some of these hotels go all out, transforming their presidential suites into Santa's North Pole or creating life-size gingerbread houses.
Here are some US hotels that create a true Christmas fantasy every December.
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, transforms into a spectacular Christmas wonderland.
Every year, the Gaylord Opryland Resortcelebrates "A Country Christmas," which transforms the massive space into a Christmas spectacular. The hotel is decorated in three million lights and decor. Guests can also experience the ice sculptures that depict scenes from the famous movie "A Christmas Story." The hotel also hosts the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" musical. If that isn't enough, the Gaylord also has an ice skating rink, tubing, and a water park.
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, is famous for its beachfront ice-skating rink.
The Hotel del Coronado is a popular destination during the holiday season because of its ice-skating rink that sits right next to the ocean. But the hotel also decorates its premises with thousands of Christmas lights, ornaments, and garlands. The two-story Christmas tree in the lobby is also famous in the city.
Four million Christmas lights decorate the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Every year, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess transforms the entire resort into a holiday wonderland known as Christmas at the Princess. In the plaza, guests are treated to a light show, and you can also explore the other lights throughout the resort via the Princess Express Train. The resort also has an ice skating rink, rentable igloos, and a Santa Claus meet and greet.
The Roosevelt in New Orleans, Louisiana, displays 44 Christmas trees in its lobby.
During Christmastime, the lobby of The Roosevelt is well known in New Orleans. The block-long lobby is decorated in 135,572 Christmas lights, 3,328 feet of lit-up tree branches, 2,200 glass ornaments, and 44 Christmas trees. The hotel also hosts an annual tradition called Teddy Bear Tea, where children can meet Santa and his elves.
The Houstonian in Houston, Texas, is known for its epic gingerbread house.
The Houstonian is best known for its gingerbread house during the holiday season. Sitting above the grand fireplace in the lobby, the gingerbread house is made up of hundreds of pounds of various candies and gingerbread. The house is a representation of the hotel's history. Throughout the rest of the premises, there are Christmas lights, Christmas trees, mistletoe, and other holiday displays.
At the Swan and Dolphin in Orlando, Florida, some of the decorations are made from candy.
The Swan and Dolphin is an official Walt Disney World hotel, and it has been dubbed "Santa's favorite resort." In this hotel, you can find a life-size Santa made entirely of chocolate and a Christmas tree made out of sugar. Every night of the holiday season, the resort has a tree-lighting event and musical performances.
To some, Christmas at Wilderness Lodge — a Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida — is even better than the parks.
Like the Swan and Dolphin, the Wilderness Lodge is a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, and it's known for its Christmas decorations. Some bloggers even call it the best place in Disney for the holidays — even better than the parks. In the hotel's lobby, you can find a massive Christmas tree and a gingerbread house.
Children can visit Santa at the presidential suite in Chicago's Swissôtel.
The Swissôtel in Chicago transforms its five-room, presidential suite into Santa's North Pole where children can come and meet Old St. Nick himself and explore room after room of activities and holiday decor. In the suite, there are 15 Christmas trees, face painting, holiday cookies, and candy.
The St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado, hosts a never-ending calendar of holiday events.
The St. Regis Aspen Resort is a luxury hotel that goes all out during the holidays. At the beginning of December, the hotel unveils its gingerbread house, which honors the hotel's history. There's also a 30-foot Christmas tree, and its lighting ceremony has become somewhat of a community tradition. Throughout the month, the hotel hosts a variety of holiday events, including the art of gingerbread construction, carriage rides, gift making, and reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve.
The Plaza in New York is the city's go-to location for elegant decorations.
The Plaza is a landmark in New York City, and that's no different during the holidays. Come December, the Plaza expertly decorates its lobby with lavish Christmas decor and elegant lighting. The hotel also offers a series of events, including photos with Santa, a tree lighting ceremony, and Eloise tea events.
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