Twinkling lights, a royal encounter, and the magic of surprise snowfall are all synonymous with Hallmark Channel’s holiday movie lineup. Instead of small towns with a jam-packed schedule of holiday activities, these five festive global getaways put you in luxurious locales with enchanting experiences capturing the spirit of a Hallmark Christmas.
Click here for five hotels for experiencing a Hallmark Christmas.
Vienna, Austria
Two recent Hallmark Christmas movies have showcased Vienna’s gorgeous markets, delicious food, and stunning architecture. Hotel Imperial, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna, previously a palace, makes every guest feel like royalty with soaring ceilings, vintage decor, and butler service. Request the Imperial Suite featuring festively striped red-and-cream chairs with accents of bright red and gold in the double door master bedroom. The hotel is adorned in spectacular festive finery and offers packages for celebrating an Imperial Christmas Eve with Champagne and a five-course Christmas Eve dinner. A Christmas choir serenades before the feast, and a violin and zither provide an elegant soundtrack during the dinner, which ends with traditional Christmas cookies.
Learn to bake holiday treats from a local grandma or grandpa at the BakAcademy at cafe Vollpension. The Viennese cafe culture has been listed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Vollpension makes guests feel right at home. Wander the many Vienna Christmas markets for handmade gifts. Have a Vienna Hallmark moment at the opulent New Year’s Eve Vienna Ball or ice skating at the Vienna Ice World, with the ornate City Hall building glowing against a twinkling winter sky.
European Christmas Market River Cruise
Enchanting Christmas markets can be found in many European cities. One way to visit multiple is on a Christmas Market River Cruise down the Rhine or Danube rivers. One of the most elegant cruises is the 15-day Christmas and New Year’s Eve sailing on Scenic Jasper. This festive option travels both the Rhine and Danube rivers and stops in The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Experience Hallmark Christmas movie moments baking gingerbread in Nuremberg, ice skating at the Vienna Christmas Market, or sipping hot chocolate while floating by the twinkling lights of quaint towns and medieval villages.
Splurge for the Royal Panorama Suite complete with a large verandah, full bathtub, and a personal butler who handles the worst task on a cruise – packing. The Jasper has five dining options serving festive and regional favorites. Royal Panorama Suite guests have the option to dine at the exclusive Table La Rive where only 10 guests enjoy a six-course dinner with wine pairing. Scenic offers an exclusive concert experience in Vienna at the elegant Palais Liechtenstein with classical music accompanied by vocalists and ballet dancers in an ornate baroque hall. Feel the Christmas spirit at all 11 stops on the cruise – touring ancient cathedrals, gliding down the canals of Amsterdam, and walking in a winter wonderland at the enchanting Christmas markets.
Quebec City, Canada
A Christmas chateau, a Christmas market, and an ice castle can all be found in one place: Quebec City. This picturesque city becomes a winter wonderland with the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, offering holiday magic at its best. The hotel has decked the halls in the Churchill and Van Horne Suites with a Christmas tree, wreaths, and a dining table set for a Christmas feast. Enjoy holiday high tea, a classy Christmas in the English-manor-inspired Frontenac Room, or be in a festive fairytale in the Ballroom, which is only open to the public a few times a year.
Outside the castle, the Christmas festivities continue at the Quebec City German Christmas Market. Find unique gifts and gourmet treats, and enjoy wandering Old Quebec transformed into an enchanted Christmas village. Savor a festive feast from a local farm while dining under the snow-filled sky in a private sunroom at Chez Muffy. Celebrate with Champagne and Caviar at Bar Artefact, duck and foie gras ravioli from the holiday menu, or the yule log during holiday brunch. Bundle up for an experience at a Hallmark movie location and the only ice palace in North America, Hotel dê Glace. Sip a cocktail at the Ice Bar, or brave a night in a themed suite featuring intricate ice and snow sculptures.
Edinburgh, Scotland
It wouldn’t be a Hallmark Christmas season without a few royals falling in love. In Edinburgh, find out how real royals celebrate Christmas at the Holyrood House Exclusive Christmas Evening Tour. The palace is the official Scotland residence of the King, and this tour goes behind the velvet ropes into the State Apartments and stunning West Drawing Room. Admire the majestic Nordmann fir Christmas Tree while enjoying Champagne and mince pies. Perched high up on an inactive volcano at the end of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle shines brightly during the holidays with Castle Lights. Stay through New Year’s and celebrate Hogmanay on the Royal Yacht Britannia. Dine where princesses and presidents were entertained by the royal family with a four-course dinner in the State Dining Room. End the year on the Royal Deck, drinking bubbly and singing “Auld Lang Syne.”
Stay away from the hustle and bustle at Kimpton Charlotte Square. The hotel’s Georgian-style entrance twinkles with festive garlands. A Christmas tree and tasteful decorations dot the lobby, multiple restaurants, and a lush turquoise-walled Library cocktail bar. The Spend Christmas with Us package includes two days of celebrations including the main event, Christmas lunch. Relax and unwind in the spa or the Sound Wellness Room. There’s even a pawfect stay package for the furry members of the family.
Disneyland Paris
Wish on a star for a Hallmark movie moment – snow falling during a Christmas parade. Holidays at Disneyland Paris are more than just festive; they’re magical and luxurious. Sleep in a festive fairy tale at the five-star Disneyland Hotel. Inspired by Elsa’s ice palace, the Frozen Royal Suite features sumptuous velvet furnishings in icy tones with a crystal chandelier resembling dripping icicles. Stained glass windows shine cool hues on the canopied bed. There’s even a pillow menu and a private elevator to Disneyland Park. Enjoy expansive views of decorated Sleeping Beauty Castle from the balcony or sitting room. Splurge and customize a VIP Tour for Disney Enchanted Christmas favorites. Get the magical secrets of a Disneyland Paris holiday and unlimited attraction access. Be enchanted by VIP viewing areas of Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade and Electrical Sky Parade. Soothe sore feet at the Disneyland Hotel Deep Nature Spa. Try the festive candle message with warm wax dripped and then massaged into the skin. End the day at La Table de Lumière, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. This elegant meal serves up dishes like European lobster, roast lamb with black truffle foam, and an extensive cocktail and Champagne menu. Vanilla bavarois, red berry mousse, and almond biscuit provide a sweet ending in the photo-worthy dessert, The Enchanted Rose.