Top Christmas cheer hotels

- Clarion Hotel Santa Claus, Rovaniemi, Finland: Finland offers a picturesque white Christmas that dreams are made of. The Arctic Circle, close to Rovaniemi has long been thought to be the home of Santa Claus. The Clarion Hotel Santa Claus is decorated with Christmas decorations to ensure that guests embrace the Christmas spirit. You can even book the Santa Claus suite. (Sadly Santa doesn’t come with the room!)

- The Plaza Hotel, New York, USA: Made famous by the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York provides a perfect location to experience all the glitz and glamour that New York is known for at Christmas. The iconic Rockefeller Tree (some people believe that the festive season hasn’t begun until it is lit) and ice-skating rink in Central Park is at your doorstep.

-The Goring, London, England: Described as a quintessential English propert, the Goring provides plenty of festive cheer. This year, the hotel will be celebrating its 100th Christmas. There is even a Christmas Champagne Party on Christmas Eve. Guests are invited to attend the evening mass at the nearby St Peters at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve with mince pies and hot chocolate to end the night.

- The Bellagio, Las Vegas, USA: Located on the iconic strip of Las Vegas, the famous Bellagio hotel is known for its extravagance and elegance. During Christmas, Las Vegas hotels try to outperform each other with hotel decorations. Last Year at Christmas, The Bellagio transformed its conservatory into an extravagant holiday display with giant gift-wrapped boxes, a wreath walkway, a nine metre high Christmas tree with glittering decorations, oversized ornaments and more than 50,000 carnations. They can be expected to do something similar if not more extravagant, this year.

- The Merrion, Dublin, Ireland: With fires burning in traditional 18th century fireplaces and rooms filled with antiques, the Merrion will give guests a genuine old-fashioned Christmas holiday. The hotel starts their Christmas celebrations from December 1 offering Christmas lunches and dinners.

- Gaylord Palms, Orlando, Florida, USA: As a part of the ‘Best of Florida Christmas Celebration’, the Gaylord Palms Resort will transform their 4.5 acre atrium into a magical Christmas winter wonderland filled with traditional decorations and a 16 metre high Christmas tree.

- Hotel Vannucci, Citta della Pieve, Italy: Set in a charming medieval town, this hotel is one of the best to experience a traditional Italian Christmas and re-discover its true meaning. The hotel holds a live re-enactment of the nativity scene for guests. Less traditionally, you can even join in with the Christmas bingo with chestnuts as you wait for Santa Claus to arrive.

(For hotel deals visit www.hotels.co.in)