Luxury Hotels Deck the Halls for Christmas in London

The Langham London, gingerbread houseTraveling to London for Christmas? The British capital-- covered in glittering lights-- promises a jolly good time during the festive season. There’s ice skating, the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, fabulous theatre in the West End (how about the Nutcracker?), and not to mention some of the best shopping on the planet. The city’s luxury hotels are also doing their part to celebrate in style. Here's a round-up of some buzzworthy happenings.

The Langham, London has a giant, 4.3 foot-tall gingerbread house on display in the Palm Court. Beautifully decorated, it took 200 man hours to make! Stop by for Festive Afternoon Tea, priced at £42 per person, and take a gander at the culinary creation before indulging in Roast Norfolk turkey breast with violet mustard sandwiches, eggnog cream, your very own mini gingerbread house, and homemade mince pies. Guess the weight of the gingerbread (to the nearest kilogram) used in the construction of the house, and you’ll win complimentary Afternoon Tea for two in Palm Court. (See the hotel’s Facebook page for details.)

Montague on the Gardens has created a veritable Alpine Lodge on their outside deck, complete with roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, mugs of steaming hot chocolate and woolly rugs. Claridge’s enlisted Alber Elbaz, Lanvin’s creative director, to envision their famous Christmas Tree. (For the past two years, it was designer John Galliano-- another long-time guest-- who festooned the fashionable tree). Standing proud in the lobby, the tree is flanked by Elbaz’s “trademark marionettes adorned in Lanvin-designed Claridge's hotel uniforms.” The Dorchester offers a Christmas Carol Afternoon Tea, plus bespoke festive menus for Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Lunch, and New Year’s Eve Dinner at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.