America's Top 10 Most Enchanting Holiday Hotels For Festive Fun

For some travelers, there's no point in taking a holiday trip without that holiday feeling. If you're going to take time off to travel for the holidays, they figure, shouldn't the hotel you choose get you in the spirit of the season? And there are plenty of such hotels across the U.S. that do just that. But for the most spectacular holiday festivities, some decidedly excel, and we've found the one you will want to know about before you book your holiday travel.

Whether tucked away in the mountains or steps from the beach, these ten above-and-beyond holiday hotels have been making spirits bright for decades. Some are stellar picks for families, with a wide range of festive activities and holiday dining options, while others cater to more laid-back travelers with a cozily elegant, snowed-in feel. (And no matter where you're going, these tips will help you avoid overpaying for holiday airfare.) Amongst the multitudes of U.S. hotels going all-out with holiday cheer, the reputations of these ten much-feted picks precede them.

You may be dreaming of a white Christmas — or you might want nothing less than to have to lace up your snow boots to step outside on your holiday vacation. And while this list will feature heavily on winter-wonderland experiences, there's still hope if sun and sand are number one on your wish list. Though it's known as a summer beach retreat above all else, you'll find that the elegant Victorian-era Hotel Del Coronado, located in one of San Diego's visitors' favorite neighborhoods, changes gracefully with the seasons.

In keeping with its circa-1888 surroundings, "the Del," as locals know it, goes all-out with its holiday preparations. Every season brings ornate themed decorations to its lobby and grounds (can confirm from experience: even locals turn out in droves to take Christmas-card photos in the lobby), holiday meals and afternoon teas, s'mores on the beach, and an outdoor ice skating rink with ocean views. And that is, of course, if you don't want to make a rush for the beach as soon as you arrive — because, inevitably, the highlight of any Christmas visit to the Del is the mild, usually sunny weather.

And it's not only the holiday add-ons that appeal. Because the changing seasons don't impact Southern California the same way they do most other regions of the U.S., the Del's beach resort amenities are just as enticing in the winter. From swimming, to a bonfire on the beach in December, to patio dining at the Del's brand-new branch of the renowned Japanese fine-dining chain Nobu, you can do it here. Add that to its holiday cheer, and you have a near-perfect snowbird's escape.

We've just finished discussing one well-loved Victorian resort, so let's get right into the second on this list — because they couldn't be less alike. Sure, both are stately, elegant late-19th-century properties with a classic "old-fashioned Christmas" atmosphere, but that's about where the similarities end. (As to be expected of the Hudson Valley, where America's so-called oldest operational inn is also located.) 

You only need to know that Mohonk Mountain Resort is a self-described "castle resort" built in the late 19th century by a glacial lake in New York's Hudson Valley to begin to get a picture of its charms. With all the grandeur of an aristocratic estate in a lavish period drama and a snowy upstate setting that beautifies it even more each winter, you already have a promising Christmas destination at hand. Then go and add its plethora of holiday add-ons, and it becomes clear why Mohonk Mountain Resort is a cherished holiday destination.

The holiday season at Mohonk Mountain unfolds on all fronts. Ice skating, a gingerbread house design contest, an outdoor light display, and more elaborate Christmas trees than you'll be able to keep track of are only a few marquee highlights of a trip here. And really, what sets a festive mood like a snowy lakeside castle in a quiet mountain valley? We'd be hard-pressed to name a more magical holiday backdrop than this.

Though this list isn't ranked, you're more than likely to see this most iconic of all holiday hotels atop many a list of America's best for holiday festivities. Want your hotel room decorated, a trimmed tree, and all? Got kids who'd love to enact their Home Alone-style holiday fantasies in the film's real-life setting? Or is it more exquisite holiday dining and afternoon tea you're after? You'll find all of that and more in New York City's prestigious Plaza Hotel. (It is also, surprisingly, pet-friendly, if that's something you're after.) 

There are wonderful festive experiences nationwide, but no place quite like the Big Apple during the holiday season. And the Plaza Hotel is the place to experience the big-city holiday portrayed so glamorously in every other Christmas movie you've ever seen. And even if a stay is a little bit out of your price range, it's still worth stopping by for afternoon tea, cocktail hour, or even just a peek around the lobby, if you find yourself in New York City between November 13th and New Year's Day.

"So much Christmas": the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville isn't shy about the scale and spectacle of its efforts to bring the holiday spirit. Features include the critically-acclaimed ICE! exhibit displaying elaborate ice sculptures, an Appalachian-style Christmas village, a holiday acrobatics show, and over five million Christmas lights strung up across the property. Simply put: Gaylord Opryland's "Country Christmas" adopts a "go big or go home" approach, and no one's going home anytime soon.

With its lively event calendar of family-friendly activities, the Gaylord Opryland is a top choice for families and a hit with kids of all ages. The Gaylord chain of hotels may be known for its upmarket luxury focus, but the Gaylord Opryland's elegance does not preclude exuberance. Not only are the holidays here festive, but they're fun, too. And if you're not the sipping-cocoa-by-the-fire sort of traveler, that liveliness is as integral to the sense of festivity as the trimmed tree.

Clearly, Christmastime is big business at the Gaylord Opryland. Whether you're interested in watching a live performance, going ice tubing (in Nashville, it doesn't take snow to sled!), or taking a more sedate stroll through the themed ice sculpture gallery for which the hotel is known, this hotel has probably covered that base. It's a fantastic higher-energy alternative to the refined festivities you'll find elsewhere.

For many, the holiday season isn't complete without a trip to the slopes. There's a reason ski resorts are such a hot commodity, and it's just their luck that so much holiday travel happens to line up so perfectly with their peak season. But at the five-star, ski-in Little Nell in the upper-crust ski town of Aspen, the holiday-to-slopes pipeline is much more than a coincidence. Come for the powder, but stay for a festive holiday in an impossibly perfect Christmas-card setting that's favored by celebrities for good reason. 

Make no mistake: for all that The Little Nell is a sports-focused resort, it's also the definition of the lap of luxury. So you can expect that its holiday dining will be worthy of its five-star, five-diamond ranking. (You'll get your choice between pre-fixe fine dining and à la carte, depending on the restaurant you select.) Also to be expected: outdoor adventures from early-access skiing to snowshoeing. You can even tag along on a Snowcat to see how the mountain is groomed for skiing, if you haven't had enough snow in your holiday season just yet.

But don't mistake that outdoor focus for ruggedness — it's far from it. Even if you're not in town early enough to catch the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on December 7th, you'll have the chance to take in the elegant atmosphere against its snowy backdrop all month.

There are plenty of reasons to visit the Grove Park Inn in the Smoky Mountains tourist hub of Asheville, North Carolina, come wintertime. Yes, the setting is gorgeous year-round, and, like most luxury hotels, it'll be lavishly decorated for the holidays. But there's one reason most holiday tourists flock to this resort: every year, it plays host to the annual National Gingerbread House Competition. Perhaps unsurprisingly for the home of a hidden-gem art destination, Asheville doesn't play when it comes to edible masterpieces at Christmastime. 

For the culinarily inclined, that makes the Grove Park Inn a particularly sweet holiday treat. No, it's not your typical culinary experience, but the chance to admire dozens of elaborate gingerbread houses designed and assembled by artistic bakers of all ages from across the nation is nonetheless one many can't pass up. Think you know what all is possible to do with gingerbread and icing? Think again.

It's no secret that the gingerbread houses are the draw here. Yes, the Inn's restaurants are open for holiday dining, and there's a certain mountain magic to its setting this time of year. But the annual gathering of gingerbread artists is really what makes it shine. So much so that "Gingerbread" gets a whole tab of its own on the Inn's website. It really is that spectacular.

To some, the holidays mean a cozy mountain cabin with a roaring fireplace, far from the city lights — and just about everything else, too. And if that's what you're looking for in your holiday hotel experience, let us urge you to consider Timberline Lodge on the slopes of Oregon's Mt. Hood for your holiday stay.

Much of the hotel's holiday appeal is in its year-round setting and design. A National Historic Landmark built in 1937, it retains its old-fashioned charm. The cozy log-cabin interior is the perfect complement to the snowy mountainside setting. With no two rooms decorated alike, your experience is, in true rugged-mountain-cabin fashion, yours alone. Need more convincing? You'll be greeted upon arrival by the warmest possible welcome committee: St. Bernards Heidi and Bruno, the latest in an unbroken line of resident St. Bernard dogs stretching back to the hotel's opening.

But, while that all probably sounds festive enough on its own, it's not all. The Timberline Lodge has a tree lighting on December 11, and hosts Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners, arts & crafts activities, and candlelight caroling on Christmas Eve. You can also use the hotel as a base from which to partake in Mt. Hood's many winter sports opportunities, but the holiday-card coziness of the Timberline Lodge is more than festive enough on its own.

The Jefferson Hotel has never been low-profile. In its century-plus of history, it's hosted a laundry list of luminaries, including thirteen U.S. presidents and countless visitors seeking holiday magic. The holidays are a big deal at the Jefferson Hotel, and all you need to do to figure that out is stroll into the lobby in the run-up to Christmas. Prepare to be gobsmacked.

There are plenty of hotels that go all-out for the holidays, it's true. But at the Jefferson Hotel, the transformation is dramatic. The already-opulent lobby is decked to the gills in festive swag; you'd be hard-pressed to find a more impressive lobby display anywhere. It's mostly this incredible display of festive decor that earns the Jefferson Hotel a place on this list; trust us when we say that it's worth the inclusion. 

Unsurprisingly, then, the Jefferson Hotel offers a more classic Christmas atmosphere, with less focus on events and activities and more on ambience and dining. Holiday meals, including brunch and afternoon tea, are available throughout the holiday period from Thanksgiving through New Year's. If you're seeking an elegant, leisurely holiday stay, the Jefferson Hotel is an excellent choice.

At how many hotels can you take a freshly-cut Christmas tree home at the end of your stay? This one, if you've ever aspired to do that. The Omni Mount Washington Resort's holiday festivities make full use of its location in the snowy northern reaches of New England, surrounded by snow-covered coniferous forests and perfect for those Christmas-card snapshots. And if that includes a locally-sourced Christmas tree to take home with you? If anything, it's a clever use of available resources to add a touch of Christmas cheer to the hotel's wintertime hospitality.

Setting the Christmas tree aside (not an easy thing to do), there's still more to charm during the holiday season at this posh New England hotel. If you've ever fancied a horse-drawn wagon ride through the snow, a day of skiing followed by a luxurious spa treatment at the prestigious Bretton Woods Ski area, or even a holiday ball to the backing of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's holiday hits, the Omni Mount Washington Hotel ticks those boxes, too.

But one thing we can't overlook here is the setting. In many ways, the picturesque winter scenes that illustrate everything you see during the holiday season are everywhere in this part of the country, from snow-dusted evergreens to roaring fireplaces. The castle-like facade of the Omni Mount Washington Resort only adds to the picture.

If flying to Europe for its famous Christmas markets isn't an option, you may be in luck: that happens to be the Osthoff Resort's calling card. This resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, pulls out all the stops for the annual Old World Christmas Market, with traditional festive foods and shopping. But the holiday festivities continue even after the Osthoff Hotel's Christmas market wraps up in mid-December.

Horse-drawn wagon rides, holiday cocktail hours, brunch with a reindeer (yes, a real one), and holiday meals are just a sample of the festivities the Osthoff Resort puts on outside of Christmas market season. In every way, it creates a classic winter-wonderland experience, right down to the snow-dusted turrets of the hotel's facade.

As one of the few Midwestern hotels to make this list, the Osthoff Resort is a standout in its region. For anybody looking for a truly immersive holiday experience, there's a whole miniature village of holiday delights — so if you can make it during the opening days of the Christmas market, don't think twice.

Countless hotels could have made this list, but to narrow down the absolute best holiday hotels in the U.S., we considered a variety of factors beyond general reviews and seasonal offerings.

Firstly, we hoped to include hotels in a variety of regions. While some states have more than one hotel featured, we made sure most major regions of the U.S. were represented to offer a geographically diverse list with something to offer travelers in any part of the country. This was important for the sake of variety — otherwise, New York City hotels alone could have occupied the entire list.

And most importantly, we sought out hotels that offered fully immersive experiences. A listing of Christmas dinners on an event calendar wasn't enough to make the cut: these hotels had to have a truly festive atmosphere, created by their setting, their chock-full calendar of holiday events, or their extraordinary annual holiday makeover. This often meant that less directly holiday-programming-related assets, like a "wintery" setting or especially beautiful interior design, weighed heavily in our decisions.

When you're looking for the perfect holiday hotel, you're looking to be reminded of the joys of the season every day of your stay. Ultimately, it was a hotel's ability to provide a constant dose of festive cheer that merited its inclusion on this list — and that deserves your consideration for your next holiday getaway.