rewrite this title 12 Hotels and Resorts Worth Visiting for Holiday Festivities – NerdWallet

Hotels take the holidays to another level: giant Christmas trees or menorahs in the lobby, extravagant gingerbread displays, lights lining the roof, maybe even a Santa sighting. Even for frequent travelers, visiting a festive hotel or resort during the holidays is a sight to behold.

And there is often something for everyone. Some displays might be free to visit, even if you’re not staying at the hotel. Other activities might have a price tag attached.

This popular Dana Point, California, resort with spectacular Pacific Ocean views has an entire season of activities planned for guests. December weekends include Nutcracker-themed afternoon teas and a champagne-and-caviar dinner in the wine cave. There is also breakfast with Santa, holiday takeout menus and a huge New Year’s Eve celebration. You can check what events are happening and whether you need reservations using their festive calendar.

This family resort in Miramar Beach, Florida, fresh from a $35 million renovation, is offering nonstop holiday programming starting Dec. 18, 2025. The calendar of events includes cookie decorating, Santa photo sessions, a Christmas movie marathon, photo ops with special sand sculptures on the beach and visiting carolers. Adults can book the festive cocktail-making class, which is followed by a sunset bonfire with s’mores.

Even if the ocean is too cold for a dip, the resort is home to a popular spa, swimming pools and the area’s only AAA Four Diamond steakhouse. Multigenerational families will find the selection of suites and rooms with bunk beds to be especially convenient.

Some travelers visiting family in other cities prefer to stay in hotels rather than cram into a spare bedroom. But this means kids can sometimes miss out on the holiday spirit in a hotel. Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia has a solution.

Its Presidential Suite transforms into the Santa Suite, complete with decorations, a live train track, ceramic nutcrackers, a do-it-yourself hot cocoa station, ornament-decorating kits, holiday movies with popcorn and candy, and special treats for adults, like warm apple pie with boozy ice cream and hot toddies. The package is available through Dec. 26, 2025, and like other eligible rates, it earns IHG One Rewards points.

The Holiday Hideaway package from this Manhattan hotel is designed to recreate the magic of an après ski chalet. Winter-themed amenities include plush slippers, luxurious winter blankets and pillows, classic board games, and the option to add a petit chalet pop-up tent for kids to sleep in. For turndown service, they’ll get their own pajama set and milk and cookies.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is another holiday package that includes an upgraded room, morning coffee and a croissant, a face mask, a keepsake porcelain tray from the hotel, and a map of iconic film locations in New York City. Both packages are eligible to earn IHG points during the stay.

Hotel Vin is located in Grapevine, Texas, dubbed the Christmas Capital of Texas. The hotel is probably best known for its Winter Wonderland bubbles, igloo-like tents that offer outdoor dining with seasonal menus, served by the fire.

Other activities in the town include holiday drone shows, a Christmas parade of lights, Santa’s North Pole Express on Grapevine Vintage Railroad and an ice skating rink underneath Grapevine’s 60-foot-tall live Christmas tree.

Puerto Rico is a great holiday destination because it brings that tropical island paradise vibe without the need to pack a passport. And the celebration goes well into the new year, often mid-January. The grand finale of the season is the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, a festival in San Juan on Jan. 15 to 18, 2026, that integrates the island’s Spanish, African and Caribbean traditions.

This popular Marriott Bonvoy resort in Wailea, Hawaii, offers all kinds of holiday fun during the festive season. This includes gingerbread house workshops led by Santa’s elves, night swims in the waterslide park, and holiday arts and crafts classes. You can decorate cookies and ornaments, or even take a swim with Santa at the NALU Adventure Pool. A tropical Christmas means ditching hot chocolate in favor of a frozen version, all while earning or redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points along the way.

If all you want for Christmas is to lie on the beach, this resort will do the trick. It was the first resort built in Wailea, before local restrictions prevented other hotels from springing up so close to the beaches, so it provides a true waterfront resort experience that guests won’t find at many other properties in Wailea. Holiday-themed luaus add to the fun.

It’s a Texan-themed holiday at Marriott Marquis Houston, where more than 100,000 lights have transformed the rooftop lounge deck and pool into a winter wonderland. The lazy river pool is shaped like the state of Texas and features poolside movies at night and musical concerts under the stars.

There are also virtual reality sleigh rides with Santa and private dining options in cozy igloos or wooden cabins.

Several St. Regis properties will celebrate the season in their own way. For example, the St. Regis Atlanta collaborated with the fashion brand MME.Mink to style a Christmas tree. The property is also offering afternoon teas with Santa, special Santa tuck-ins for families staying in suites, and (new for this year) a s’mores fireplace experience with Father Christmas.

At The St. Regis Chicago, each evening through Dec. 21, 2025, the famous St. Regis ritual of sabering a bottle of champagne — cutting the top of the bottle off with a saber — will take place with extra holiday flair. The tradition is called The 12 Days of Sabrage. There are also special hotel packages aimed at families that include breakfast for four, welcome amenities and monogrammed robes for the kids. The hotel is also hosting a winter coat drive for the nonprofit Cradles to Crayons, where guests and locals can drop off gently used or new coats for donation to those in need.

The Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa, in Carlsbad, California, hosts a Christmas event that guests and locals alike buy tickets to attend. Stocking Full of Christmas is an immersive experience, where an elf will take visitors through five different “lands” to meet characters, holiday characters, collect goodies in a stocking and participate in live performances and character meet-and-greets.

The resort offers a special package that includes overnight accommodations and tickets (plus the opportunity to earn World of Hyatt points).

This kid-friendly all-inclusive resort in Nayarit, Mexico, really knows how to throw a holiday celebration. Throughout December, there are seasonal decorations and menu items, and some special visitors on Christmas Eve. Families can meet the Grinch at the kids’ club to explain away any misbehavior. And on Christmas Day, Santa arrives by parachute to celebrate. Live music, special holiday dinners and New Year’s Eve fireworks round out the fun.

If that’s not enough, other activities for kids and adults include an onsite zipline, electric bikes, hanging bridges and even a free-fall jump (sounds scary!).

The Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán Golf & Spa Resort, in Mazatlán, Mexico, is the collection’s newest all-inclusive resort. On Christmas Day, Santa visits the resort with gifts for guests. There are also Christmas- and New Year’s-themed dinners, holiday decorations, and a fireworks display, all within the family-friendly Estrella del Mar gated community. Travelers can choose to earn or redeem World of Hyatt points at this new resort for their holiday visit.

When not enjoying holiday festivities or the oceanfront views, guests can explore the waterpark with a lazy river, turtle sanctuary, full spa, three swimming pools, kids or teen clubs, and a wide range of sporting activities (like yoga, spinning and pickleball).

Top photo courtesy of Dreams Estrella del Mar Mazatlán Golf & Spa Resort.