WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#barcelona–Historic Hotels Worldwide® represents more than 350 of the finest, most authentic historic hotels in more than 47 countries. In December and January, these historic hotels, inns, chateaus, castles, and haciendas are illuminated according to local customs for the holiday season, creating beautiful spaces for guests to celebrate one or more of the festive holidays and observances that take place during this time of the year. The historic hotels featured in The 2024 Top 25 Historic Hotels Worldwide Holiday Traditions and Spectacular Displays list host extraordinary parties, one-of-a-kind cultural performances, religious services, charitable campaigns, and festive Afternoon Teas for December holidays including the Winter Solstice, Hannukah, and Christmas, and/or January holidays, including New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. These hotels put up spectacular displays of Christmas or holiday trees, light exhibitions, magnificent gingerbread houses or chocolate sculptures, and greenery. Many historic hotels featured on the 2024 list incorporate charitable giving into their holiday programming: organizing food drives, collecting monetary donations and gifts for less fortunate children and families. Other historic hotels are featured for their festive activities and proximity to Europe’s finest Christmas markets in Barcelona, Helsinki, Prague, and Dresden. Wherever you are as 2024 ends, 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 (1014) Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland
Nollaig Shona Duit means “Happy Christmas to you” in Irish Gaelic, and guests of Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Ireland, hear it often between December 12 and January 6. In fact, Dromoland Castle offers a weekly Irish Language Class with their resident Sustainability Officer. The hotel celebrates a traditional Irish Christmas every year to share ancient customs and new holiday traditions with guests. The halls are decked with deep green holly, laden with crimson berries, traditionally hung to represent a wish for better luck in the coming year. Christmas trees are a relatively new holiday custom in Ireland. Mistletoe is another ancient tradition that can be spotted at Dromoland Castle. Ancient Celts believed that mistletoe possessed 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’s newer holiday traditions is also a spectacular display: the gingerbread house. Every year, on December 12, the hotel erects its gingerbread display, a beloved tradition led 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 dances and songs dressed in straw suits and other motley garb to raise money for charity. The tradition of the Wren Boys goes back centuries, if not more than a thousand years, and can be traced to both Pagan and Christian holiday traditions. Dromoland Castle was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2011 and dates to 1014, enhances sustainability around the holidays by incorporating greenery from its own 500-acre estate and is the recipient of the Sustainability Champion for the 2022 Historic Hotels Worldwide Annual Awards of Excellence.
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 it offers five-star luxury accommodations featuring French elegance and grandeur. The Festive Season at The Grand promises guests timeless holiday grandeur, including special dining opportunities and extravagant holiday trees. On December 25 and December 26, guests can indulge in the hotel’s Festive Brunch, while enjoying sparkling holiday decorations, live music, and colorful desserts. Guests can enjoy holiday meals at restaurant Bridges and discover the rich scents and flavors of the dishes and perfectly paired wines that put guests into the holiday spirit. Guests can also celebrate the holidays in Mediterranean-style by enjoying lunch or dinner at Oriole Garden Bistro. When the hustle and bustle become too much, guests can relax at the Sofitel SPA and relax in its truly tranquil atmosphere. Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018 and dates to 1578.
Hacienda de los Santos (1710) Álamos, Sonora, México
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 Álamos, Mexico, hosts one every Christmas Eve. An important part of any Las Posadas celebration is the dramatization of the Christian story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband, Joseph, arriving in Bethlehem, looking for lodging. At Hacienda de los Santos, La Posada features three guitarists, who lead a long procession from the hotel through a nearby neighborhood. The procession continues with Joseph leading the burro (donkey) carrying Mary, followed by Three Wise Men, and then around 75 hotel guests. The guests follow La Posada actors through Mary and Joseph’s journey until they arrive back at the hotel, where baby Jesus arrives. Hacienda de los Santos’s spectacular holiday display is a nativity scene. Each year, the hotel builds a structure for the live nativity scene, with palm sides and a roof, large enough for Joseph, Mary, and a baby to fit inside. The Las Posadas tradition can be traced back to the holiday planning during the season of Advent of early Catholic friars near Mexico City. Today, it is a custom in Mexico, with variations of the tradition celebrated among Catholics in the Philippines, the United States, and other Latin American countries. Hacienda de los Santos began this tradition 20 years ago. After La Posada, visitors celebrate with a toast and enjoy a four-course meal. Hacienda de los Santos was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2015 and dates to 1710.
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 of the modern comforts that guests require. Guests that stay at Hotel Claude Marbella on January 5 are perfectly situated to observe Los Reyes (“The Three Kings”) holiday celebrations taking place that afternoon and evening. Observed and celebrated across Spain, the Three Kings Day holiday honors the day when the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem to honor baby 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 Alicante in 1866, where the first formally organized Three Kings Day parade took place. In Marbella today, the festivities begin around midday, when the city’s mayor welcomes the Three Kings as they step off a boat at Puerto Deportivo. In the evening, there is a carnival-like processional in the Old Town neighborhood along Avenida Ricardo Soriano. Roads are closed on January 5 in Marbella, so guests should 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 from the hotel to the parade route. Hotel Claude Marbella provides a beautiful holiday display for its guests. The historic hotel is decorated with beautiful fairy lights and a Christmas tree, with holiday music playing throughout the holiday season. Hotel Claude Marbella was inducted into Historic Hotels worldwide in 2022 and dates to 1650.
Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden (1713) Dresden, Germany
Built in the 18th century by the Saxon King, Augustus the Strong, Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden is a beautiful combination of historic palace architecture and contemporary elegance. Faithfully restored in 1995, Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden is located in Dresden’s historic city center. It is only a few steps away from the city’s most renowned sights and a block from one of the world’s most historic Christmas markets: Striezelmarkt, whose origins as a market can be traced to 1434, and is celebrating 590 years of holiday shopping in 2024. The market is open through Christmas Eve, with 240 vendors, and features special cultural events throughout the Christmas season, such as daily puppet shows, live music, and history tours of the area around the historic square. For guests at Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden, their base for exploring Dresden is the perfect place to relax after a long day of shopping and exploring. One of the hotel’s most charming winter activities is the dining experience available in the impressive inner courtyard, transformed into an Alpine chalet between November 2024 and February 2025. Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2017 and dates to 1713.
Hotel Maximilian’s (1722) Augsburg, Germany
According to oral traditions, the first iteration of Hotel Maximilian’s in Augsburg, Germany, appeared in the 1490s, when an inn in the same neighborhood offered accommodations 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 the earliest recorded iteration of the hotel: the story of the four Abyssinian (Ethiopian) monks. In the winter of 1495, when the historic inn was located 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 men were immortalized in a blackboard sketch that then became the inn’s sign. Three terra cotta busts depicting the monks, original creations by sculptor Ehrgott Bernhard Bendl, hang in the hotel’s 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 Children’s Center in Augsburg are invited to write their wish for a certain gift on a letter, and to place their 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. Shortly before Christmas, the children are invited to a festive tea event at the hotel and are presented with their gifts. 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 and dates to 1722.
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (1780) Bagac, Philippines
Set on the sandy banks of Bagac Bay in the Philippines, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a prestigious collection of historic Spanish-Filipino, Colonial-style structures. Founded with the mission to celebrate and preserve Filipino cultural heritage, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar features a variety of magnificent holiday displays and traditions during the Christmas season. The lead-up to Filipino Christmas lasts for nine days, with the Catholic novena masses starting on December 16 and ending 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 staying at the resort and partake in the traditional Filipino foods 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 (a purple rice cake steamed in bamboo shoots, served with toppings like butter, sugar, and coconut shavings) will also be available all day at La Parilla for guests to try these signature Christmas snacks. Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2017 and dates to 1780.
Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad (1835) Fredrikstad, Norway
Ideally situated along the captivating cobblestone streets of historic Old Town 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 this. Established in 1835, Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad decorates for the holiday season in a traditional Norwegian style, using candles, pine trees, hay bales, and red bows. During the last weekend of November, the community gathers to decorate a tree on the town square, illuminate the village streets with fairy lights, and open 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 gingerbread creations or coming to admire the amazing gingerbread displays. Additionally, guests of the historic hotel can enjoy Christmas shows, indulge in a romantic dinner featuring both local and Norwegian 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 history. It was built during a time 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! Gamlebyen Hotell Fredrikstad was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2023 and dates to 1835.
Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern (1845) Lucerne, Switzerland
Owned and operated by the same family since the 19th century, Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern is among the most prestigious holiday destinations in Switzerland. It is located within the Old Town of Lucerne, a city center that has been settled for close to a millennium and is situated right on Lake Lucerne. The hotel is only steps away from countless cultural attractions, like the Chapel Bridge, Glacier Garden, the Lion Monument, and the Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre. From the hotel, guests can enjoy a 10-minute walk to the Lucerne Christmas Market on Franziskanerplatz. While taking this walk, guests will cross the Reuss on the historic, covered, wooden Chapel Bridge. The Christmas Market is held in a square near a medieval Franciscan Church, St. Maria zu Franziskanern, and is open from 11 a.m. through the evening, between December 5 and December 22, 2024. Approximately 70 vendors sell goods, foods, and mulled wine, and special events include yodeling and brass band performances. Back at the hotel, guests can enjoy live music and dancing. Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2011 and dates to 1845.
Hotel España (1859) Barcelona, Spain
In the historic heart of Barcelona, Spain, Hotel España is a historic gem with a long legacy of offering leisure and luxury to its guests. For travelers, it is a perfect place to stay while exploring one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities and is a perfect base for exploring Christmas markets during the holiday season. Spain is not known for its Christmas markets, so the Catalan city stands out this time of year, as Barcelona has many Christmas markets open between November and January each year. Well-known traditional Christmas markets are open through December 23. These include Fira de Santa Llúcia, which has been held at the city’s gothic cathedral for more than 225 years, and the Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Familia, another traditional holiday market located at the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia. This year, a new holiday fair will be open daily, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., through January 6: Port Vell Christmas Fair, located by the waterfront of the Moll de la Fusta. These holiday markets are a brisk walk or a short car ride from the hotel. For example, guests can enjoy a 10-minute walk between the hotel and the Cathedral of Barcelona to visit Fira de Santa Llúcia. Back at the hotel, guests can enjoy holiday specials at the Fonda España restaurant, and take in views of the city, all lit up for the holiday season, atop the Alaire Ramblas terrace. Hotel España was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2021 and dates to 1859.
Britannia Hotel (1870) Trondheim, Norway
Set in the historic and culturally significant metropolis of Trondheim, Norway, Britannia Hotel is a Neoclassical-style hotel dating to 1870, with historic connections to polar expeditions, Norway’s independence, and royal receptions. During the holidays, it celebrates the season with special musical and dining events, as well as unique and charming holiday décor. This year, the hotel’s talented pastry team crafted a beautiful holiday showpiece—almost completely edible—dedicated to the new Nye Hjorten Teater, which will open across the street from the hotel on January 15, 2025. As a welcome to its new neighbor, the sculpture is made from 25 kg of chocolate and 6 kg of marzipan. It features a tableau that combines the magic of theater with the magic of Christmas. The display depicts a theater, complete with seating, a stage, and bright-red curtains. Performers sing and fly around the stage. Atop the stage are edible sculptures of Santa Claus in a chocolate sleigh pulled by reindeer, complemented with marzipan trees and a shining gold star. This work of art can be seen during the holiday season in the hotel lobby. In 2025, guests of the Britannia Hotel can enjoy dinner at Palmehaven and a show across the road. Britannia Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2024 and dates to 1870.
Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin (1885) Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Located an equal distance from both Amsterdam and The Hague, Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin is located in Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands, and 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 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. After a music and light show, the Christmas tree is officially lit, and the Christmas season starts at Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. Ambassadors are chosen for different reasons during different years, but most of them have a background in sports, politics, cultural influence, or entrepreneurial success. This year’s ambassador was astronaut André Kuipers. Regular guests and staff and their 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. Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2011 and dates to 1885.
Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, A Fairmont Managed Hotel (1885) Hamilton, Bermuda
Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, A Fairmont Managed Hotel 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 an ideal 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 traditions and spectacular displays for guests and visitors to enjoy. The annual Christmas tree and gingerbread displays can be found in the hotel lobby, as well as holiday decorations spread across the resort, including the popular and Instagram-worthy Tunnel of Lights in the hotel courtyard. This year, the hotel’s gingerbread house—standing at over six feet tall—is joined by a true-to-size gingerbread moongate, one of Bermuda’s most iconic symbols. One Hamilton Princess tradition that is unique to the island hotel is the Boxing Day dance performed by a troupe of masked Bermuda Gombey dancers. Although 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 holiday season, the Gombey dancers perform both on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, as well as during other important events and festivals on the island. From its records, the hotel knows that its Boxing Day Gombey dance performances dates to at least the 1970s. Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, A Fairmont Managed Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2018 and dates to 1885.
The Hotel Maria (1885) Helsinki, Finland
The Hotel Maria stands proudly in the heart of historic Helsinki, Finland. Located in the residential area of Kruununhaka, lovingly referred to by locals as Krunikka, this neighborhood has been the educational and governmental epicenter of the city since its growth in the early-19th century. The hotel was originally constructed in 1885 as Russian military barracks prior to Finnish independence from Russia, restored as a luxury hotel in 2023, and inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide in 2024. The Helsinki Christmas Market is a 10-minute walk from The Hotel Maria, notably one of Europe’s most walkable cities. In addition to over 100 vendors, the market has an extensive musical and cultural program. Santa Claus visits on Saturday afternoons and the Sunday before Christmas, and traditional Finnish music plays through speakers throughout the market. Ahead of Christmas, the market embraces two additional holidays: on December 6, Finland celebrates its independence, and on December 13, a St. Lucia’s Day procession is held at Helsinki Cathedral next to the holiday market. The historic Christmas Market has been a local tradition since vendors gathered around the holiday season in smaller numbers to sell their wares in the 1800s and has been organized in its current form since the 1990s. At The Hotel Maria, guests can enjoy the market and return for Christmas programming at the hotel, including dining, music, and festive amenities.
The Savoy London (1889) London, England, United Kingdom
On November 25, 1882, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe premiered at the Savoy Theatre. The theater was the world’s first fully electric public building, thanks to Sir Joseph Swan, the inventor of the incandescent lightbulb, who was hired to illuminate the theater. The show’s designers took advantage of the rare, new technology; they adorned the lead fairy characters in Iolanthe with small electric lights—named “fairy lights”—and delighted the audience. A year later, Edward H. Johnson, Vice President of the Edison Electric Light Company, took the new string light technology and used it to decorate the Christmas tree at his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Contacts
Katherine Orr
Director, Marketing Strategy and Communications
Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide
Tel.: +1-202-772-8337
korr@historichotels.org