From an old-school charmer in Scotland, to a Moorish pleasure palace in Marrakech, travel writer David Annand picks 10 hotels where you can embrace (or escape) the festive vibes this Christmas.
Vico Milano, Milan, Italy
There are few more charming Christmassy sights than Milan’s fabled 19th-century shopping arcade, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, decked out in its festive finest with an enormous tinsel-covered tree as its centrepiece. Stay just a short distance away at Vico Milano, an intimate seven-suite boutique hotel with stand-out interiors even by the standards of the world’s design capital. vicomilano.com/en/
Globe-Trotter recommends: Pop Miniature Case in Pastel Blue/Pumpkin
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Gleneagles, Perthshire, Scotland
Come December, Scotland’s greatest hotel is the traditional Christmas incarnate, with a full-size ice rink and popular on-site pantomime. After over-indulging at one of the property’s decadent festive feasts, settle in front of a roaring fire with a glass of the good stuff, safe in the knowledge that you’re in the perfect place for a brisk winter walk the morning after the night before. gleneagles.com
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Globe-Trotter recommends: Spectre Carry-On
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Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France
December is a brilliant time of year to visit the home of the flâneur (stroller): the crisp weather is perfect for sauntering around the city’s streets, checking out the competitive window displays and brilliantly over-the-top lights. Stay near the Marais at the Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers in the 3rd arrondissement. The rooms are generous by Parisian standards and the property’s moodily glamorous Bar Herbarium is the perfect place to hole up with a cocktail or three. hotelnational.paris/en/
Globe-Trotter recommends: Casablanca Miniature Case
La Mamounia, Marrakech, Morocco
In the run-up to the big day in the city Winston Churchill once described as ‘the most lovely spot in the whole world’, there’s a special Christmas market in La Mamounia’s glorious gardens. The hotel’s Menu de Noël – which features caviar, black truffles and a Pierre Hermé yule log – is in keeping with the ultra-decadence of this sumptuous Moorish pleasure palace. mamounia.com/en/
Globe-Trotter recommends: Centenary Medium Check-In - 4 Wheels in Marmalade/Brown
Aman Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
There aren’t many Christians in Japan, so it doesn’t really celebrate Christmas, which makes Tokyo a great place for those who want to get (mostly) away from the hype. But even though it isn’t a public holiday, it isn’t ignored either – expect festive lights and shops full of kitschy Santa knick-knacks. Stay at the exquisitely understated but ultra-luxurious Aman Tokyo. aman.com
Globe-Trotter recommends: PEANUTS Carry-On - 4 Wheels
The Standard, London, England
Already a riot of colour and retro-whimsy, The Standard will be ramping up the Christmas vibes this year when Italian-born artist Raissa Pardini reimagines the hotel’s ground floor, decorating it in poppy neon and bright bold typography. Guests staying between 24-26 December are invited to a special Christmas lunch at the property’s glorious 10th-floor Decimo restaurant. standardhotels.com/
Globe-Trotter recommends: Centenary London Square in Brown/Burgundy
Heckfield Place, Hampshire, England
This year, Heckfield Place is going all-out on the festive fun at its stately Georgian manor in the rolling Hampshire countryside. Highlights include actor Tim McInnerny giving a reading of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, a Christmas market, a whisky trail, and a festive wreath-and-cake workshop with in-house florist April Rose. heckfieldplace.com
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Globe-Trotter recommends: Original Carry-On - 4 Wheels in Brown/Brown
Petit Ermitage, West Hollywood, USA
If all the faux snow and whimsy of a European Christmas leave you cold, then head to sunny California and, more specifically, Petit Ermitage, an atmospheric boutique hotel in the heart of West Hollywood. Its celebrated rooftop restaurant is a characterful candlelit haven, perfect for celebrating the big day. petitermitage.com
Globe-Trotter recommends: GOLF le FLEUR* Suitcase
Cashel Palace, Tipperary, Ireland
Cashel Palace reopened earlier this year after an extensive makeover that turned the Palladian manor into Ireland’s most handsome hotel. Christmas is a great time to visit. The three-day package includes all the essentials: festive afternoon teas, carol singing and mulled wine, visits from Santa, board games aplenty, champagne receptions and gala dinners. cashelpalacehotel.ie
Globe-Trotter recommends: Centenary Messenger Case in Green/Brown
Nobis Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark
For the full chocolate-box experience, head to Copenhagen, where it will almost certainly be snowing and the city’s Tivoli Gardens hosts a charming Alpine-style Christmas market. To offset all the twinkly kitsch, stay at Nobis, an exemplar of understated mid-century Scandi Modernism. nobishotel.dk
Globe-Trotter recommends: St. Moritz Medium Check-In
Author and writer David Annand has worked as an editor at Condé Nast Traveller and GQ
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