The 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide® Holiday Traditions and Spectacular Displays List Is Announced

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#cultural–Historic Hotels Worldwide® represents over 300 of the finest, most authentic historic hotels in over 40 countries. In December and January, these historic hotels, inns, chateaus, castles, and haciendas are illuminated in the local fashion for the season, creating beautiful spaces for guests to celebrate one or more of the festive holidays and observances that fall in this time of the year. The historic hotels featured in the 2023 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Holiday Traditions and Spectacular Displays host extraordinary parties, family activities, winter sports competitions, one-of-a-kind cultural performances, religious services, charitable campaigns, and festive afternoon teas for the Winter Solstice, Hannukah, Christmas season, and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Many put up spectacular displays of Christmas or holiday trees, light exhibitions, magnificent gingerbread houses and hotel replicas, and greenery. Many historic hotels featured on the 2023 list incorporate charitable giving into their holiday programming: organizing food drives, directing monetary donations, and collecting gifts for less fortunate children and families. The cultural diversity found around the world means booking a stay or visit at a Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel guarantees a diversity of opportunities to carry on personal traditions or to discover new ones. As 2023 comes to a close, Historic Hotels Worldwide wishes travelers and explorers Bonne Année! Frohes neues Jahr! Veselý Silvestr! Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! Srećna Nova godina! Happy New Year!

Dromoland Castle Hotel (1014) Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland

“Nollaig Shona Duit” means “Happy Christmas” in Irish Gaelic, and guests of Dromoland Castle Hotel in County Clare, Ireland, do hear it often between December 12 and January 6. The hotel embraces a traditional Irish Christmas every year to share ancient customs and new traditions with guests. The halls are decked with deep green holly laden with crimson berries, traditionally hung to represent a wish for better luck for the coming year. Christmas trees are a relatively new custom in Ireland. Mistletoe is another ancient tradition that can be spotted at Dromoland Castle Hotel. Ancient Celts believed mistletoe possessed magnificent healing powers. It was banned for centuries by Christians, as it was seen as a symbol of Paganism. Now incorporated into the Christian holiday, it symbolizes peace and goodwill–or somewhere to steal a kiss! One of Dromoland Castle Hotel’s newer traditions is also a spectacular display: the gingerbread house. Every year, on December 12, the hotel erects its gingerbread display, a beloved tradition executed this year by Head Pastry Chef Chandima Gamage. On St. Stephen’s Day (December 26, also called Boxing Day), the Wren Boys visit the castle to perform traditional dancing and singing, dressed up in straw suits and motley garb to raise money for charity. The tradition of the Wren Boys is centuries, if not over a thousand years in age, and can be traced to both Pagan and Christian traditions. Dromoland Castle Hotel, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide since 2011, enhances sustainability around the holidays by incorporating greenery from its own 500-acre estate and was awarded the Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Historic Hotels Worldwide Sustainability Champion in 2022.

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam (1578) Amsterdam, Netherlands

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is located between two historic canals in the heart of Amsterdam, and offers five-star luxury furnished with French elegance and grandeur. The Festive Season at The Grand comes with timeless grandeur, including special dining opportunities and extravagant holiday trees. In December, guests can indulge in the hotel’s Festive Brunch, while delighting in scenes of glistening decorations, live music, and colorful desserts. Enjoy holiday meals at restaurant Bridges, discovering the rich scents and flavors of the dishes and wines that remind you of the holiday spirit. Or come celebrate the holidays in Mediterranean style with a lunch or dinner at Oriole Garden Bistro. When the hustle and bustle become too much, guests can relax at the Sofitel SPA and wind-down in a truly tranquil atmosphere. To close out the old and ring in the new, the most spectacular New Year’s Eve event of Amsterdam, The Grand Ball, has returned. For one dazzling night on December 31, the historic hotel’s beautiful Council Chamber will be transformed into an extravagant The Grand Circus for a spectacle like no other and promises to be a night of elegance and entertainment. Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam possesses a rich history that dates back to the 1500s and was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018.

Quinta Real Puebla (1593) Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla, Mexico

Originally constructed as the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, Quinta Real Puebla is a magnificent historic hotel today that sits in the heart of Puebla, Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in Spanish Colonial style, Quinta Real Puebla features vibrant courtyards, original religious architectural details from its past, and a staff who are passionate about celebrating the hotel’s heritage to this day. During December, Quinta Real Puebla hangs strings of lights and decks the halls to create a magical holiday environment for its guests. In addition to a magnificent Christmas tree in the main courtyard, the hotel also decorates with a spectacular display of a Christmas star-shaped, seven-point piñata, which was made in the town of Chignahuapan, Puebla. Popular around the world today and appearing in many forms, the piñata is an indigenous Mesoamerican tradition that merged with European Christianity after the Spanish conquest. The spectacular red and cream-colored piñata at Quinta Real Puebla is for decoration, but they are an important part of Christian Las Posadas celebrations, a Mexican tradition commemorating the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey as they searched for lodging before Jesus’ birth. At a Posada celebration, children will gather in a circle and take turns to try to hit it. When it breaks, candy falls. A traditional piñata shape, like the one at the historic hotel, has seven peaks. This shape represents the “seven deadly sins,” which celebrants seek to destroy by whacking it with sticks. The candies represent the gifts of overcoming evil.

Hacienda de Los Santos (1600s) Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

Hotels are perhaps one of the most appropriate places to celebrate the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas (“the inns,” in Spanish) and the historic Hacienda de Los Santos in Alamos, Mexico, hosts one every Christmas Eve. An important part of Las Posadas celebration is a dramatization of the Christian story of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem, looking for lodging. At Hacienda de Los Santos, the Posada features three guitarists who lead a long procession from the hotel through a nearby neighborhood. The procession is Joseph leading the burro (donkey) carrying Mary, followed by Three Wise Men, and then around 75 hotel guests. The guests follow the Posada actors through Mary and Joseph’s journey until they arrive back at the hotel, where baby Jesus arrives. Hacienda de Los Santos’ spectacular holiday display is a nativity scene. Each year, the hotel builds a manger with palm sides and a roof, large enough for Joseph, Mary, and a baby to fit inside. The tradition can be traced back to the holiday planning of early Catholic friars near Mexico City and today it is a custom in Mexico, with variations of the tradition in among Catholics in the Philippines, the United States, and some other Latin American countries. The hotel embraced this tradition 20 years ago. After Posada, visitors have a toast and enjoy a four-course meal.

Pulitzer Amsterdam (17th Century) Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Dutch capital is beautiful year-round, but winter is one of the most magical times to visit, as the city glistens with lights and is often covered in snow. It is the perfect place for a winter escape. The Pulitzer Amsterdam (1600s) hotel is set within a row of 17th and 18th-century canal houses in one of Amsterdam’s finest neighborhoods, making an ideal base for exploring the city’s Christmas markets or spending an afternoon ice-skating on Museum Square with views of Rijksmuseum. Each year, Pulitzer’s impressive courtyard garden at the center of the hotel is transformed into a winter wonderland. Known as Pulitzer’s Winter Garden, it is decorated with twinkly fairy lights and a spectacular Christmas tree, and it is best enjoyed under warm cozy blankets on the heated terrace. Pulitzer’s Winter Garden is a tradition dating to the time when the hotel reopened in 2016 with new inner gardens and glass corridors, inspired by Amsterdam’s hidden inner gardens tucked away behind the famous canal houses. This winter, the historic hotel collaborated with the esteemed fashion designer ROKSANDA to decorate the tree. Inspired by the vibrant spirit of Amsterdam and its modern artistic community, alongside the hotel’s iconic interiors, this year’s tree is a symphony of bold colors and carefully considered textures. Guests are invited to step into the enchanting Pulitzer Garden and experience the sophisticated charm of the 2023 ROKSANDA x Pulitzer Amsterdam Christmas Tree.

The Great House Antigua (1670) Saint Peter, Antigua and Barbuda

The historic hotel at The Great House Antigua is located on the island of Antigua, which is part of the independent nation of two islands: Antigua and Barbuda, one of the most culturally diverse places to visit in the Caribbean. The island’s indigenous Amerindians, believed to be primarily Caribs, resisted colonization by the French and Spanish for over a century before the English settled the islands in 1632, bringing British traditions and religion with them. The Great House Antigua was built in 1670 to be the manor of a sugarcane plantation. Enslaved Africans became the main source of forced agricultural labor in the next century, but some of the earliest 17th century settlers and agricultural workers were Irish emigres shipped over from St. Kitt’s. It is believed to be from this early group that the traditional hotel’s Old Years Night was introduced to the island and the hotel. Old Years Night–December 31–is a major celebration of the year past across Antigua. At The Great House Antigua, guests are welcome to join the staff as they walk through the estate on Old Year’s Night and hit bread on the doors around the hotel estate. According to Irish tradition and superstition, striking at or throwing cake or bread on a door keeps away bad luck and hunger in the new year. The tradition at The Great House can be traced back to the 1960s, when it was a private manor. Guests staying at the estate for Old Years Night are also given a pamphlet in their suite that encourages them to reflect on the past year, and may take the opportunities of the festive socializing to reflect together on 2023 while sharing their joys, hopes, and dreams for the coming years. The Old Years Night celebration ends with fireworks and live music.

Hotel Claude Marbella (1650) Marbella, Spain

Located in the luxurious resort city of Marbella, Hotel Claude Marbella occupies the former summer residence of Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of France and wife of Napoleon III. The 17th-century manor house, built in 1650, has been fully converted to provide all the comforts contemporary guests require. Guests that stay at Hotel Claude Marbella on January 5 are perfectly situated to observe the Los Reyes (“The Three Kings”) holiday celebrations that afternoon and evening. Observed and celebrated across Spain, the holiday honors the day when the “Three Kings” arrived in Bethlehem to honor young Jesus. Celebrants observe the day through gift-giving, parades, and sweets for children. The modern celebrations of an ancient observance can be traced back to the town of Alicante in 1876. In 21st-century Marbella, the festivities begin around midday, when the city’s mayor welcomes the Three Kings as they step off a boat at the Puerto Deportivo. In the evening, there is a carnival-like processional in the Old Town along Avenida Ricardo Soriano. Roads are closed on January 5 in Marbella, so plan accordingly. The hotel is about a 20-minute walk from Puerto Deportivo, where guests can wait for the Three Kings to arrive. Avenida Ricardo Soriano is half the distance, only a 10-minute walk between the hotel and the parade route. Hotel Claude Marbella puts on a display for its guests, too: inside, the historic hotel is adorned with beautiful fairy lights and a Christmas tree, with holiday music playing throughout the holiday season.

Hotel Maximilian’s (1722) Augsburg, Germany

According to oral tradition, the first iteration of the Hotel Maximillian’s in Augsburg, Germany, appeared in the 1490s, when an inn of that neighborhood offered accommodation to overnight travelers from across Europe. When asked about its time-honored holiday traditions, the staff are quick to tell a story that dates to its earliest recorded existence: the story of the Four Abyssinian (Ethiopian) Monks. In the winter of 1495, when the historic inn was diagonally opposite to where its current building stands today, four holy men of the Abyssinian Church were traveling through Germany during a harsh winter. According to legend, they sought shelter but were turned away at every door. On the outskirts of Augsburg, one of the men lost his life to the merciless conditions, but the other three continued to search for help. The historic hotel’s innkeeper Konrad Minner brought the three survivors back to his inn and aided in their recovery through the remainder of winter. Before their departure the following spring, the three were immortalized in a blackboard sketch that then became the inn’s sign. Three terracotta busts depicting the monks, original creations by sculptor Ehrgott Bernhard, hang in the lobby today. Carrying on this spirit of charity over the centuries, one contemporary tradition at the hotel is its Christmas wishing tree. Children from the Frère-Roger Augsburg Children’s Centre are invited to write a wish for a certain gift on a letter and place the letter on the tree. Staff and guests of the hotel are encouraged to take one of these letters and fulfill the wish of a child. On Christmas Eve, every child receives their Christmas present. The tradition began in 2016, and the hotel considers it part of its investment in the happiness and future of the city. Hotel Maximilian’s was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2019.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (1780) Bagac, Philippines

Set on the sandy banks of Bagac Bay, Philippines, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a prestige collection of historic Spanish-Filipino Colonial structures. Founded with the mission to celebrate and preserve cultural Filipino heritage, the resort at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar sponsors a variety of magnificent displays and traditions during the Christmas season. The lead up to Filipino Christmas lasts for nine days, the Roman Catholic novena that starts on December 16 and ends on December 24. The church within the resort, the Sanctuario de San Jose, also conducts an evening mass, Simbang Gabi (Filipino for “night mass”), every evening at 6 p.m. Guests can attend the mass while at the resort and partake on the Filipino traditional food at the food kiosks stationed near the church. Bibingka (a rice cake made with sugar and coconut milk, baked in an oven) and Puto Bumbong (purple rice steamed in bamboo shoots, served with toppings like butter, sugar, and coconut shavings) will also be available all day at the La Parilla for the guests to try signature Christmas snacks.

Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad (1835) Fredrikstad, Norway

Ideally situated along the captivating cobblestone streets of historic Old Fredrikstad, just an hour south of Oslo, Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad is a small gem of a hotel in one of Scandinavia’s most historic and best-preserved fortified towns. Fredrikstad takes pride in preserving the authentic Scandinavian character of the town and its holiday celebrations reflect that ambition. Established in 1835, Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad decorates for the season in a traditional Norwegian style, using candles, pine trees, hay balls, and red bows. During the last weekend of November, the community gathers to decorate a tree on the town square, illuminates the village streets with fairy lights, and opens its charming Christmas market. The hotel also kicks off an annual Gingerbread house competition, which is open to the public. Guests of the Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad can participate by entering their creations or simply come to admire the amazing displays. Additionally, guests of the historic hotel can enjoy Christmas shows, indulge in a romantic dinner featuring both local and national holiday cuisine, and cozy up with a cup of mulled wine in front of the fireplace in the town’s historic debtors’ prison. The fortified town has a strong military background. It was built during times of war, and for many years, it served as a training ground for mandatory army recruits. Fifteen years ago, the army moved out, but the town still retains a tiny nod to its military past. The local Santa Claus now drives around in his Christmas-themed army jeep!

Engø Gård (1845) Tjøme, Norway

Originally built in 1845 as a country inn for summertime holiday goers, Engø Gård Hotel and Restaurant is among Norway’s most historic destinations and now provides the same warm hospitality throughout the year. Starting the first week of November, Engø Gård’s gardens and guest buildings are decorated with lights and Christmas trees. The bonfire on the patio is lit every evening for the guests to enjoy the sight and a cozy aperitif outside. The holiday spirit is everywhere, especially in the kitchen. Each year, the head chef and pastry chef build a magnificent gingerbread display, as well as smaller versions that guests can purchase at the hotel’s Christmas shop as kits to build themselves. Every day during the holiday season, Engø Gård serves warm Norwegian gløgg to guests at reception. This is a classic Scandinavian Holiday tradition, similar to mulled wine, and guests can enjoy it by the fireplace in the Library. The hotel also takes great pride in its Afternoon Tea with a Christmas twist, and arranges for holiday parties and live music events. On Christmas Day, the hotel hosts a special Christmas Afternoon Tea and a big band concert performed by Tjøme Storband. For a heartier experience, guests are also invited to partake in sauna and ice baths, a holiday tradition at the hotel that dates to the 1920s.

Great Southern Killarney (1854) Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland

The Great Southern Killarney has been a focal point of the historic town of Killarney, Ireland, in County Kerry since it opened in 1854 to serve passengers of the new railway lines that passed through the town. One tradition that has carried through the centuries throughout the year is Afternoon Tea, which has been served in Great Southern Killarney since Victorian times and always receives a holly-jolly twist during the Christmas season. In December, the Festive Afternoon Tea is served beneath the gold-gilded ceiling of the hotel’s elegant Garden Room restaurant. Festive Afternoon Tea includes a complimentary glass of warming mulled wine along with festive treats including cranberry scones, gingerbread, and mince pies. On Christmas Eve, guests are invited to a traditional concert of Christmas carols in the historic Grand Foyer. The evening culminates with treats of warm mulled wine and mince pies, a traditional British Christmas dessert pastry containing a mixture of dried fruits, nuts, spices, and (sometimes) animal fat. On Christmas Day, the Great Southern Killarney provides more musical entertainment for grownups and hosts Father Christmas (Santa Claus), who arrives in costume with gifts for younger guests.

Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin (1885) Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands

Just a short distance between Amsterdam and The Hague, the Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin (1885) in Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands, is a historic seaside retreat that has been offering fantastic views of the North Sea for more than a century. Since 2009, the hotel has celebrated the December holidays with a massive Christmas tree in the hotel garden. At the beginning of the month, the hotel hosts a spectacular tree-lighting ceremony with a different ambassador visiting each year to illuminate the tree. According to tradition, the Christmas Tree Lighting Ambassador is kept secret until the last moment, and, during the ceremony, the anonymous ambassador is called forward to be revealed by the director of Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. The ambassador takes center stage, pronounces their wishes for the Christmas season, and then presses a big, red button. Brilliance erupts! After a music and light show, the Christmas tree is officially lit, and the Christmas season starts in Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. Ambassadors are chosen for different reasons at different years, but most of them have a background in sports, politics, cultural influence, or entrepreneurial success. Regular guests and staff families are invited to the ceremony. The tree, which stays up through the first week of January, is a popular place for holiday portraits and family photos throughout the holidays.

Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, A Fairmont Managed Hotel (1885) Hamilton, Bermuda

The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club opened in 1885 as an urban oasis in the Bermuda capital city of Hamilton. Built in honor of the British Empire’s Princess Louise after her 1883 visit to Bermuda, the hotel is still known as a getaway that promises to delight guests any time of the year. During December, the delights get kicked up a notch at “The Pink Palace,” and there is no shortage of holiday season traditions and spectacular displays for guests and visitors to enjoy. The annual Christmas Tree and gingerbread display can be found in the hotel lobby, as well as holiday decorations spread across the destination, including the popular and Instagram-worthy ‘Tunnel of Lights’ in the hotel courtyard. New to the hotel this year, the annual gingerbread display has been upgraded to an edible pop-up shop where guests can buy treats and souvenirs, and even make holiday dining reservations. The Gingerbread Shop was a collaboration between the hotel’s team of chefs, carpenters, and culinary retail. The wooden frame was built in three weeks, and two weeks were spent whipping up the gingerbread mixture using 533 eggs and 160 pounds of icing sugar. In the final two days of the installation, 900 pounds of gingerbread were affixed to the 20-foot house. One Hamilton Princess tradition that is unique to the island hotel among Historic Hotels Worldwide members is the Boxing Day dance performed by a troupe of masked Bermuda Gombeys. Though other islands share a similar tradition, Gombey dancing was recognized as a uniquely Bermudian art form at a UNESCO Cultural and Conservation Conference. During the holidays season, the Gombeys dance on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as well as other important events and festivals on the island. From records, the hotel knows its Boxing Day Gombeys performance dates at least to the 1970s.

The Savoy London (1889) London, United Kingdom

In the early 1880s, impressed by the grand American hotels he visited on his trip to the United States, entrepreneur and theatrical impresario Richard D’Oyly Carte decided to build his own magnificent hotel in the heart of London. The Savoy London, a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide since 2011, was completed in 1889 and Carte financed the entire project through the profits generated by the shows at the Savoy Theatre.

Contacts

Katherine Orr

Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide

Director, Marketing Strategy and Communications

Tel: +1-202-772-8337

korr@historichotels.org

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