Many folks feel warm and fuzzy at the idea of a family Christmas spent all nice and cozy at home. Others prefer waltzing off for a winter wonderland getaway in another state — or an entirely different country, in many cases. As Americans' most wish-listed Christmas vacation destinations are seemingly more yearned for than ever before, the notion of spending the festive season in whimsical wintry foreign lands appeals to many travel-starved United States residents. Although many US citizens still like to keep it stateside with a magical holiday staycation, with some of the more adventurous and cold-phobic Americans gallivanting off to Hawaii's best islands for enjoying Christmas and savor some sun, sand and sea — still technically stateside staycation spots, albeit tropical!
Whether flying across the pond to Europe or staying in the States, Christmastime offers stockings full of fantastically festive places to spend this joyous period with family and friends. In fact, many spots offer the chance to feel like the star of a classic Hallmark Christmas movie — especially the cozy lodgings and grand hotels decked with boughs of holly on this robust roster courtesy of Bread & Butter; all peppered across the snow globe. Anyone craving the holiday movie feels can savor Santa and sink their Claus into the following accommodations overflowing with festivities, where they can live out their own Christmas film moments — not just watch them on the big screen.
10 Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
To any Christmas movie fans planning the ultimate Chicago winter itinerary to feel like Kevin from Home Alone — get a load of this epic hotel for that dream city holiday break! Four Seasons Hotel Chicago's decked halls exude enough classic holiday nostalgia to make even Macaulay Culkin tear up — all while still incorporating the modernity guests expect on a memorable getaway.
In between strolling through the streets and checking out the city's iconic landmarks on the best Christmas tours in Chicago, guests can retreat to their fancy festive home from home and create family memories. Plus, the hotel's redesigned lobby brimming with Christmas cheer means the holidays begin from the very first step inside the gorgeous building.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Chicago’s bright, twinkling Magnificent Mile is the ideal festive backdrop for the holiday theme adorning the hotel this winter. What's more, guests can relive scenes from Home Alone 2 with a family-friendly dine-in movie every Friday in December — the beloved holiday classic is screened at the property's 50-foot pool, which famously appeared in the legendary movie. For even more flavor and sugary fun, the famous Four Seasons Ice Cream Cart also appears each Friday in December — and with all that sugar running through kids' veins, little ones can burn it all off through the excitement of sending a custom letter to Santa!
9 Grand Adirondack Hotel, Lake Placid, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Lake Placid, New York
Perfectly nestled on Lake Placid's tree-lined Main Street, the indulgent Grand Adirondack Hotel reopened in August 2022 under a brand-new name after a full-scale renovation. Every single one of the hotel’s 92 guest rooms, three food and beverage concepts, and communal spaces blend cozy luxury with the great outdoors. The region's historical Great Camps tradition of the Adirondacks also ignites festive feels during a fantasy, dream-like stay at this unpretentious, luxe property, forming an idyllic winter retreat for all the family.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Put on some skates and glide across the historic Olympic Oval against a backdrop of bright Christmas lights, mountain vistas, and the nearby Olympic Center.
8 Little America Hotel, Flagstaff, Arizona
Little America Hotel finds itself in one of the world's underrated Christmas destinations, built upon 500 pine-covered acres at the scenic base of the San Francisco Peaks. The property is Flagstaff’s one, and only AAA-approved Four Diamond hotel, wherein a wealth of amenities beckon guests for an intense Christmas getaway in holiday paradise. With an outdoor pool and hot tub to the excellent restaurant and bar, convenience store, 24-hour travel center, and surrounding nature trails, the Little America Hotel and the property's encompassing outdoors is the perfect place to spend Christmas in The Grand Canyon State.
- Holiday Movie Moment: For 14 years, the North Pole Experience has been whisking families away on trolley rides through the pretty Ponderosa Pine Forest adorned with over 1 million twinkling Christmas lights. The one-of-a-kind trip returns yet again to deliver more Christmas cheer, seasonal smiles, and happy holiday memories!
7 Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Aurora, Colorado
Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center exhibits Colorado's alpine allure. Set at the edge of the Front Range, the property is beautifully situated for a fabulously fun festive family getaway and is a welcomed change from the conventional mountain resort stay for which the state is famed — it's significantly finer with an air of luxe synonymous with upscale Colorado winter retreats.
This winter escape offers the utmost indulgences; from eucalyptus treatments at Relâche Spa to “freeze the day” at the hotel’s yearly holiday tradition, ICE, there's something special for every guest of all tastes at this resort. Plus, plenty of other festive attractions and Christmas retail therapy await, such as the Yuletide Street Market in Mistletoe Village, chock-full of holiday gifts, collectibles, toys, plush ornaments, home décor, apparel, and more.
- Festive Movie Moment: A team of 40 ice artisans uses over two million pounds of ice to bring to life the old favorite holiday story and animated flick, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Amazingly, the team works for around six weeks to create the gargantuan 17,500-square-foot, icy frozen attraction — ICE! It features more than ten classic scenes from the Charlie Brown classic, with iconic characters including Charlie Brown and his furry friend, Snoopy, along with the whole Peanuts gang.
6 Residence Inn by Marriott Pigeon Forge, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Tennessee is one of those states that many wouldn't think about spending Christmas in — but this next hotel throws that notion out into the snow. After opening its doors in May 2022, the new Residence Inn by Marriott Pigeon Forge welcomes guests to enjoy a sublime holiday retreat in comfortable accommodations. The property's spacious studio and one-bedroom suites, each with fully equipped kitchens and complimentary hot breakfasts, are cozy and laid back but without skimping on any of the luxuries. As this lovely lodging is pet-friendly, guests are welcome to bring their four-legged companions along for their stay — whose tails will wag like a helicopter propellor when they step their paws into the on-site dog park.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Presented By Humana is just a quick drive from the hotel, where the annual holiday tradition offers award-winning festive shows and over five million twinkling lights surrounded by dozens of Christmas trees — each rising up from the ground to 12 feet in height.
5 Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, Autograph Collection, Greenville, South Carolina
Opened in August 2022, The Grand Bohemian Lodge is a new addition to the Hallmark holiday hospitality heaven. Opened only in August 2022, the building is beautifully perched on the falls of the Reedy River and overlooks the scenic Falls Park right in the heart of downtown Greenville. Sitting next to the park, this glorious hotel with its 187 rooms offers a luxurious stay, with its exquisite floor-to-ceiling windows all throughout the property, opening up sensational surrounding views of the natural environment outside from almost every angle.
Indeed, with its earth-inspired design, an art gallery, a sumptuous on-site spa, a fitness center, and two restaurants, the Grand Bohemian Lodge treats guests to everything they could ever desire on a wondrous Christmas vacation. The meandering hiking trails twisting and winding around the hotel's picturesque grounds make guests' wintry retreat even more joyfully festive, too.
- Christmas Movie Moment: Heading to Downtown Greenville’s enchanting Main Street in the holidays reveals a gorgeous winter wonderland decorated with holiday cheer. With a huge 30-foot Christmas tree wearing over 25,000 LED lights and wall after wall of holiday window displays from local merchants, walking down this part of town is like something straight out of a festive flick.
4 Inn At Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection, Bay Harbor, Michigan
The Inn at Bay Harbor is for folks who relish life's simple pleasures. Nestled in the resort community of Bay Harbor, Mich., this delightful inn is centered among the charming towns and quaint shopping districts of Charlevoix, Petoskey, Boyne City, and Harbor Springs. The property's stunning locale boasts world-class amenities, such as a full-service spa, signature afternoon tea sessions, and even private yacht trips on the glistening lake. The postcard-perfect views of the famous million-dollar sunsets over Lake Michigan aren't half bad, either.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Guests can enjoy exploring miles of tranquil wintry trails around the resort, which provides complimentary snowshoes to guests.
3 Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City, Utah
Originally constructed to welcome the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the magnificent 24-story Grand America Hotel is as divine as it is tall. Set on a breathtaking landscaped 10-acre footprint in the midst of downtown Salt Lake City, this hotel is both beautiful and perfectly located. As for what's inside, guests and visitors can enjoy myriads of world-class dining options and amenities — from the Forbes Five Star Grand Spa and the full beauty salon to the JouJou toy boutique and the property's serene Mediterranean-inspired indoor and outdoor pools.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Grand America’s Holiday Window Stroll takes place during the jolly period, beckoning guests to celebrate global holiday traditions that bring people together. Local artist, Jonnie Hartman, transforms Grand America's retail shop windows on the ground floor into enchanting holiday displays for guests and local residents to enjoy.
2 The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Georgia
Tucked along the waterfront just outside of Atlanta, Georgia., the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds is the epitome of Christmas luxury. The upscale resort promises five-star amenities, pristine natural surroundings, and a lovely, quiet break away from the stresses of the daily grind.
Come the holidays, the property's exquisite lobby turns a long-loved Christmas fairy tale into reality with a bespoke life-sized Gingerbread Cottage, making this spectacular hotel one of the most festively unique on the list. No Instagram photography boyfriends are necessary to take photographs of this sweet masterpiece; guests can enjoy snapping the perfect festive pics of the ginger creation for their 'Gram reels with the resort’s complimentary photo concierge.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Getting lost in the hotel's Winter Forest is the ultimate excuse to be jolly; the space encompasses a 5,000-square-foot ice rink, a Snow Globe Photo Booth, and a Christmas-themed retro trailer Sand Bar, where warm treats and holiday faves are served, such as apple cider, hot cocoa, and hot toddies.
1 Badrutt's Palace Hotel, St. Moritz, Switzerland
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel has achieved icon status among many travelers; it's la crème de la crème of wintertime hubs. However, at Christmas, the place fully illuminates with holiday magic and Christmas cheer, creating the perfect wintertime escape for spending the festive period. Reopening for winter from December 1, 2022, to April 3, 2023, the high-end palace-like property offers the finest festive experiences that money can buy. With luxurious accommodations, world-class dining, mountainside dancing, and après-ski, this mountainous spot amidst the snow-capped peaks of the fanciest part of Switzerland is luxury Christmas in the flesh. Suppose travelers thought this haven among the mountains couldn't get any more upmarket. In that case, the exclusive Gucci Lounge at the hotel's newest F&B venue, Paradiso, throws that moment of pensiveness out of the sleigh.
Additionally, the hotel offers its esteemed guests a wellness program, as well as an indoor pool with Palace Wellness. Furthermore, guests even have an ice skating rink on-site, a ski shop stocked with everything for a day sliding down the slopes, and access to world-famous events, including the 38th Snow Polo World Cup. For a ski experience fit for royalty, guests can book the Badrutt’s Palace Luxury Ski Break package — the ultimate ski getaway that includes three or five nights of luxury accommodation, daily breakfast, a butler service, access to the hotel's wellness area and indoor pool, ski passes, and even Rolls-Royce transfers from and to St. Moritz train station. This number is definitely not one of the most affordable ski resorts in Europe — but it's undoubtedly one of the most lavish for folks with a penchant for life's finer experiences and fat wallets to match.
- Holiday Movie Moment: Each year, Badrutt's Palace hosts the Holiday Tree Auction Charity Gala on December 21, which raises funds for four local charities through an extravagant auction of opulent trees designed by international luxury fashion labels, including Bulgari, Dior, Moncler, Gucci, and Cartier.