There’s nothing quite like New York at Christmas. When I lived in the city with my family, December was always our favorite month. We’d bundle up to see the windows on Fifth Avenue, drink hot chocolate while watching the skaters at Bryant Park, and crane our necks at the tree in Rockefeller Center. The whole city feels magical this time of year, and kids pick up on it the second they step outside.
My family and I just moved to Barcelona, but we’re heading back to NYC for the holidays. And since we’ll be visitors this time, I started looking for hotels that would make the trip feel extra special for my kids. It turns out that many of the city’s most popular properties go big for Christmas—and plenty have kids in mind when it comes to programming. Some will set up a decorated tree in your room before you check in; others will bring Santa to the lobby, pour free hot cocoa, or hide candy canes around your room for a scavenger hunt.
After a cold afternoon of skating and window shopping, it’s nice to come back to a place that feels like Christmas too. Here are the seven hotels that make Christmas special in NYC, and what each one offers for families.
