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Tis the season for holiday decorations. And while most establishments will honor the festive season with a wreath or some lights, some luxury hotels go all out. In fact, you might want to book a room at some of these properties just for their elaborate displays. Here are seven of the most decked out hotels around the world.
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in Riverside, California
From Thanksgiving until January 6, The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa transforms into a colorful display for the six-week-long Festival of Lights. And boy, do they mean business. The historic AAA-Four Diamond hotel, situated on an entire city block, is draped in over five million light bulbs, the world's largest man-made mistletoe, a life-sized Gingerbread House, freshly fallen snow, over 200 animated figures, and an impressive fireworks display.
Playa Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo, Florida
Who says you can't experience the best of winter at the beach? This Christmas Playa Largo Resort & Spa is creating an oceanfront Winter Wonderland with its pop up 40-foot ice skating rink overlooking the Florida Bay. There will also be pictures with Santa and Rudolph, a gingerbread decorating station, a hot chocolate bar, as well as snow cones (and boozy snow cones for adults), cotton candy and popcorn snack stations alongside the rink. On Christmas Day, guests can continue to enjoy the beachside ice skating rink with carolers throughout the property, brunch at La Marea (set to include spiked eggnog and hot chocolate) and Christmas dinner around the ice skating rink. Enjoy chestnuts roasting on an open fire with Playa's Chiminea package that provides a fire butler to start your beachside chiminea bonfire along with blankets, and s' mores supplies.
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, has really outdone themselves this year with lots of yummy (oversized) cheer for the festive season. The property is hosting the happiest of hours with a life-sized gingerbread bar (12 feet tall and 15 feet long) made from 800 pounds of spiced cookie dough. Then it was adorned with 350 pounds of icing and 100 pounds of candy. Inside you can order signature holiday cocktails until January 4 when the delicious house is torn down.
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
All the Christmas character favorites like Santa and Mrs. Claus return for their annual holiday vacation at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. In addition to the meet-and-greets with the Clauses in their vacation attire, other holiday favorites including bedtime elf tuck-ins, a dancing lights show, and 2,000-pound life-size holiday scene made entirely from chocolate.
Le Royal Monceau Raffles in Paris, France
Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, another American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, has decked out the hotel into a nostalgic winter wonderland this season. From launching the winter terrace–The Royal Marché, to Pierre Herme's bûche de Noël, Agapé Yule Log, and a rotating festive Christmas tree imagined by Baptiste Pitou, the hotel's floral designer, the entire hotel is transformed with holiday décor. Plus, the magical holiday market is outfitted with a glistening Ferris wheel, twinkling lights, and three snow-covered chalets with exclusive dining experiences available.
Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri
Tucked away in Missouri's Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge is an award-winning 4,600-acre wilderness resort that transforms into a winter wonderland each holiday season, with a twinkling ice rink featuring peppermint-flavored snowflakes, visits from St. Nick, weekly winter workshop activities, and over one million holiday lights. That ice rink features peppermint-flavored snowflakes that fall over, while each cozy log cabin and lakeside cottage comes with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree.
Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California
Southern California's newest ultra-luxury retreat, Rosewood Miramar Beach—an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property—is celebrating its first festive season in a big way. The resort is transforming into a beguiling winter wonderland with a towering 60-foot tall Christmas tree draped in 5,000 sparkling lights as well as a beachside Santa's House, where children can share their wish lists with Mr. Claus himself. There will also be a Santa's Holiday Brunch, and guests can book the Merry Miramar Package, which includes a personal in-room Christmas tree with carefully curated ornaments, monogrammed stockings, and a special mistletoe turndown service.
