Find holiday magic at these cozy winter retreats
We’re not saying that cities can’t be magical around the holiday season, but try snowshoeing down Broadway or ice-skating with your family on a packed city rink. You might warm to the idea of escaping the hustle and bustle for a bit more serenity and a lot more festiveness.
These properties offer a place to wind down, soak in the magic of the moment and reconnect with what’s important — each other.
Transformative Tudor
Originally completed in 1912 as an estate home for heiress Kate Macy Ladd and formerly owned by the late king of Morocco, Pendry Natirar opened just in time for last year’s holiday season.
The magnificently reimagined Tudor mansion is set on 90 acres of rolling hills 50 miles west of Manhattan in Peapack, New Jersey. There’s a 20-foot Christmas tree in the lobby next to a roaring fire, where you sink into plush satin sofas as your hot toddies are served. Holiday cookie decorating is perfect for the kids, and the whole family can enjoy caroling by costumed singers.
An exquisite meal of locally sourced, seasonal fare at Ninety Acres restaurant gets you roly-poly full.
New Hampshire’s oldest inn
About 80 miles northwest of Boston is The Inn at Hancock, New Hampshire’s oldest continuously operating inn. The enchanting property reopened in May 2026 following an extensive and expensive three-year renovation.
Now with 15 playfully bespoke suites, the inn began in 1789 as a fashionable coach stop along the Northeastern commerce routes. It has been transformed into a whimsical, luxurious and modern interpretation of country life, and Hancock and surrounding towns, like Peterborough, offer an idyllic locale for playful wintertime excursions. Guests can participate in concierge-curated adventures like upland shooting, skiing, automotive touring, horseback riding, snowshoeing and distinguished antiquing.
A wealth of history
About 130 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina, and 200 miles north of Atlanta is a slice of Gilded Age splendor.
The Biltmore Estate, finished in 1895 by business tycoon George Vanderbilt in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, transforms into a twinkling holiday destination each November. The 250-room château is America’s largest home and is still run by Vanderbilt’s descendants with traditions lasting more than 130 years, like the raising of the 35-foot Fraser fir in the grand banquet hall.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings bring guests along on an exclusive tour illuminated by the warm glow of thousands of candles.
A taste of Bavaria
It’s no wonder Frankenmuth, Michigan, has the nickname Little Bavaria. Settled by Bavarian missionaries in 1845, the city continues to keep its Franconian traditions and history alive. This includes going big at Christmas.
The town, about 90 miles north of Detroit, transforms into a twinkling spectacle during the holiday season. It’s also home to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store. At Grandpa Tiny’s Heritage Farm you’ll get a crowd-free meet-and-greet with Santa along with Donner, Dasher and the rest of the reindeer.
Enjoy the town’s festive scenery aboard the heated Golden Ticket Trolley or relax during a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown, and don’t miss out on the local offerings of classic German fare like glühwein, bratwurst and fresh-baked stollen.
For a cozy night’s rest, tuck in at The Mill at Zehnder Park, Frankenmuth’s newly opened luxury boutique hotel that features just four themed suites. The historic former flour mill provides scenic views of Zehnder Park and the Cass River.