The festive season is one of the most compelling times to travel through Europe, precisely because there is no single way to celebrate it.

The holiday season transforms each city and countryside setting, bringing certain rituals into sharper focus: Christmas markets and charming concert halls in Vienna, bustling West End theatres and themed afternoon tea in London, Bavarian traditions and glühwein in Munich, illuminated shopping boulevards in Paris, long lunches and Brunello in Tuscany, and dinners in Madrid.

Rosewood’s approach to these European destinations is grounded in the brand’s signature approach to place, with each hotel in its growing portfolio reflecting the culture, design, cuisine and character of its setting. The result is not a standardized festive experience copied and pasted from one city to another. Each destination stands alone as a distinct long weekend or longer festive home base.

Rosewood Vienna: The City of Markets, Music and Imperial Grandeur

Start your guided Christmas market experience as the sun begins to set in the early evening…

Rosewood Vienna sits on Petersplatz, one of the most recognizable squares in Vienna’s Old Town, in a historic nineteenth-century building. During your holiday stay, your SmartFlyer travel advisor will match you with a local guide for private tours through Vienna’s holiday markets—with a few shortcuts and hidden gems to avoid the masses at the most popular ones. Start your guided Christmas market experience as the sun begins to set in the early evening with Glühwein (mulled wine), Schokolade mit Schlag (a rich Viennese take on hot cocoa), and krapfen (a sweet fried pastry filled with jam). As the sky darkens, your hands will be warm as the city starts to twinkle with that singular festive spirit of this former seat of empire.

An unforgettable version of your December holidays includes an after-hours viewing of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss at the Belvedere Museum, followed by a walk through Schönbrunn Palace with the added benefits that come without other visitors. Consider an evening with the Vienna State Orchestra in a VIP box if you’re looking to sink into Vienna’s longstanding concert culture. For those interested in the highest levels of Viennese craftsmanship, the Rosewood Vienna concierge can arrange a private appointment with renowned shoemaker Markus Scheer. Building on more than 200 years of family experience, Scheer’s expertise results in bespoke shoes defined by excellence. There’s a special Rosewood connection, too: the Vienna team was trained by Scheer in the art of shoe polishing.

Putting you in the center of it all, Rosewood Vienna’s 103 accommodations include sixty-four guest rooms, thirty-three suites, and six houses. You can even bring Fido, as pets are welcome, too. Peer out your window to soak up views of Vienna’s historic architecture, which takes on another dimension during the holidays when decorations and lights transform the city below.

Make time for a tasting at Rosewood Vienna’s gathering space, Salon Aurelie, for its Guglhupf, the traditional Austrian sweet served up during the holiday season. Austrian artist Marie Hartig spent more than 400 hours hand-painting its walls. The authentic Viennese dining experience continues at Neue Hoheit Restaurant, on the sixth floor, with views across Old Town rooftops toward St. Peter’s Church and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Upstairs, the rooftop cocktail bar takes a more intimate approach. Inspired by a classic speakeasy, it features handcrafted cabinetry, rare vintages and international spirits, with nine “Austrian Signatures” cocktails representing the country’s nine states.

Rosewood London: A Very British December

Rosewood London occupies an Edwardian Belle Époque building on High Holborn, combining the scale of a grand hotel with the more intimate atmosphere of a London residence. Within walking distance of some of London’s most cherished landmarks including the British Museum and Covent Garden, a festive stay here can include an evening devoted to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Settle into a principal box for an evening performance, then continue to a private dinner in the Crush Room with members of the cast, arranged through the House’s hospitality director and your SmartFlyer travel advisor. It’s a fitting way to experience London’s theatrical tradition during the holidays, particularly when paired with an afternoon exploring the streets around Covent Garden, which will be thoroughly decorated in holiday regalia.

Wander beneath the glittering lights of Regent Street and Carnaby Street before continuing to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland.

For an even more quintessentially festive day, wander beneath the glittering lights of Regent Street and Carnaby Street before continuing to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland, London’s largest Christmas market and funfair. You’ll have the option to partner with a private guide to help you navigate artisan gift stalls among ice sculptures and shop the festive stalls, all anchored by the scent of gingerbread in the winter air. Then make your way to Buckingham Palace, where seasonal wreaths and lights dress the gates and railings. In the afternoon, continue to Fortnum & Mason, London’s legendary department store, to see its elaborate Christmas window displays and browse festive hampers, chocolates and teas. Round out the evening with a performance of The Nutcracker or a classic Christmas pantomime at a historic West End theatre.

Putting you in the center of it all, Rosewood London’s 262 guestrooms include forty-four suites, many of which offer the space and privacy that make them particularly well suited to families. Suites include personalized butler service, while younger guests receive age-specific amenities and access to activities tailored to their interests. Without ever leaving the property, you can indulge in one of London’s most enduring rituals with afternoon tea in Rosewood London’s Mirror Room. The award-winning tea service offers special themed menus—like one dedicated to the Festive season. For something distinctly British, stop at the Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room, where you can enjoy intricate savory pastry creations to warm up against the winter chill. For true savory pie-lovers, you can also book a pie-making masterclass.

For the adults, Holborn Dining Room is home to London’s largest gin bar, with more than 500 varieties available and a Ginologist on hand to guide you through the collection. Then, as evening settles over High Holborn, take a seat at Scarfe’s Bar, named for British illustrator Gerald Scarfe. The room feels closer to a private club than a conventional hotel bar, with plush velvet chairs, antique books, a roaring fireplace, and jazz. Scarfe’s commissioned artwork lines the walls, and the bar has been recognized among the World’s Top 50.

Rosewood Munich: Winter in the Bavarian Capital

The Old Town’s fairytale charm becomes even more captivating under a fresh blanket of snow and twinkling festive lights.

Rosewood Munich sits in the heart of Munich’s Old Town, within walking distance of the Frauenkirche and historic squares. The Old Town’s fairytale charm becomes even more captivating under a fresh blanket of snow and twinkling festive lights. As in London and Vienna, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can match you with a local guide to navigate the famous Münchner Christkindlmarkt, as well as smaller markets like the Weihnachtsdorf im Kaiserhof der Residenz, a Christmas Village inside the courtyard of a former palace. Here, the sweet to try as you’re exploring the Winter Wonderland is the lebkuchen—a soft spiced honey cake and distant cousin of the gingerbread you might be more familiar with.

Dive into Munich’s deep history—and that snow-globe feeling—with a privately led tour of the Residenz München. It’s the largest city palace in Germany and served as the home for Bavarian kings and the seat of government for more than 300 years. For a real taste of local flavor, head over to Schloss Nymphenburg where the royal canal freezes during the winter, creating the perfect landscape for Bavarian curling. You don’t have to participate—but a local guide can take you to admire the singular sight.

Rosewood Munich balances all that heritage with a contemporary sensibility, making it an ideal landing pad for festive fun in this buzzing German city. With seventy-three guest rooms and fifty-nine suites, custom furnishings, and delicate works of art that give each space a residential feel, the coziness is especially valuable when you’re spending the holidays away. An additional five houses offer the property’s most private and expansive accommodation options, while connecting rooms make the hotel well suited to multigenerational stays. The property’s signature dining option, Brasserie Cuvilliés, traces Munich’s culinary history through Bavarian dishes given a contemporary treatment.

At Bar Montez, the atmosphere shifts to feeling like you’ve been dropped into a moody jazz bar. Named after Lola Montez, the nineteenth-century performer associated with King Ludwig I of Bavaria, the bar serves up a mix of classic and inventive cocktails, paired with live jazz every evening. The Wintergarden is the place for a quieter moment, especially for those interested in the pastry chef’s creations—where you’ll find wonderful space for intimate afternoon tea, fireside treats, or even a cooking class for the whole family.

Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel: A Holiday Defined by Parisian Glamour

Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, has occupied its landmark position overlooking Place de la Concorde since 1758. Its neoclassical setting gives a stay here an immediate sense of connection to Parisian history, made more special during the festive season. The property transforms so completely during the holidays that it would be easy to spend your winter trip in Paris without leaving the halls of Hotel de Crillon. The property’s accolades further support this: among such tough competition in the City of Lights, Hotel Crillon is the top Paris hotel on the 2026 World’s 50 Best list.

But leave the hotel you must. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor can arrange a private tour of the city’s most festive displays, beginning along Avenue Montaigne and Place Vendôme where a private fashion historian can lead you through the season’s haute couture windows. This guided experience offers a closer look at the houses and designers behind them, without you having to navigate the crowds. You can continue the tour at La Samaritaine and Printemps Haussmann, two other renowned Parisian department stores with equally artful approaches to holiday shopping. And of course, we recommend breaking up the festive window-display viewing with a bit of shopping to round out the experience. For even more grandeur, visit Sainte-Chapelle, the thirteenth-century royal chapel built to house the Crown of Thorns. Its fifteen stained glass windows are certainly one reason to visit, but during the holidays, it becomes even more special with a classical concert inside the Gothic-era chapel; be sure to chat with your SmartFlyer travel advisor to secure availability.

Ample opportunities to continue the festivities without facing the cold.

Back at Hôtel de Crillon, the rooms and suites have a warm, residential Parisian character, with high ceilings, marble bathrooms, antiques and individual works of art. The hotel uses fifty-five different types of marble throughout the property, a detail that speaks to the level of craftsmanship found throughout. Ten Signature Suites take the idea of Parisian grandeur further, each with its own mark and a scale suited to a longer stay, or to multiple generations of a family. Of particular note are Les Grands Appartements, the two signature suites designed by Karl Lagerfeld, located on the fourth floor and complete with custom design details and impeccable views of Place de la Concorde. Dedicated butler service is available across rooms, suites and Signature Suites, adding another layer of personalization.

The dining program on property creates ample opportunities to continue the festivities without facing the cold. Nonos par Paul Pairet brings a contemporary take on traditional French cuisine, while Comestibles par Paul Pairet offers premium seafood, charcuterie, smoked fish, and cheeses. Jardin d’Hiver serves throughout the day and for tea, while Butterfly Pâtisserie channels the atmosphere of a high-jewelry atelier. Here, Pastry Chef Matthieu Carlin’s exquisite seasonal creations include a white chocolate tree-adorned Bûche de Noël. Enjoy it with a cup of tea or thick hot chocolate in the boutique and tearoom. For a more formal occasion, Michelin-starred L’Écrin focuses on delicate flavors and thoughtful pairings. The restaurant is considered the crown jewel of Hôtel de Crillon, and as a SmartFlyer guest, your advisor and the concierge will work to secure one of only nine exclusive tables. And a stay at Hôtel de Crillon isn’t complete without a nightcap at Les Ambassadeurs, the hotel’s iconic bar overlooking Place de la Concorde. With live music nightly and a frescoed ceiling that creates an otherworldly setting, it offers an appropriately glamorous final stop after a winter day spent exploring Paris.

Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco: A Tuscan Holiday Measured in Landscapes

 An especially idyllic setting for those looking to connect with nature and each other.

Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco changes the scale with which you can spread out to celebrate the festive holiday entirely. Set within the UNESCO-protected Val d’Orcia and the Brunello di Montalcino region, the 5,000-acre estate is defined by vineyards, rolling hills, restored farmhouses, and the gentle serenity of the Tuscan countryside. During the holidays, the landscape’s quieter character makes this an especially idyllic setting for those looking to connect with nature and each other in an intimate yet richly festive environment.

Plenty fills your days in the quiet hills of Tuscany, where Rosewood spent years crafting a detailed, intimate retreat. Explore the countryside by bike, horseback, or Ferrari, learn Tuscan cooking at La Canonica Cooking School, or go truffle hunting with a dedicated guide. For those still wanting a bit more of Tuscan culture, the concierge can partner with your SmartFlyer travel advisor to arrange trips into the nearby Tuscan cities of Siena, Florence, San Gimignano, Montalcino, and into the Val d’Orcia and the Chianti region, further fleshing out a holiday itinerary with festive experiences in some of Italy’s most iconic destinations.

The estate is a lovely escape for families and larger groups. Forty-two suites are housed within the Borgo, but during the winter season, only the eleven villas are open to guests, creating an incredibly intimate Tuscan experience. These spacious villas occupy restored seventeenth- and eighteenth-century farmhouses, ranging from three to six bedrooms. The villas have the character of private country houses. All include private heated pools, while some also have wood-burning pizza ovens, home theatres or private tennis courts. Villa Agresto and Biondi are two standouts—each has six bedrooms, a living room with a fireplace, heated pools, and the use of a Land Rover Defender for the length of your stay.

The food and wine program is the season’s natural focal point. Ristorante Campo del Drago holds two Michelin stars and uses produce from the estate’s organic garden, balancing Tuscan tradition with innovation. Osteria La Canonica is more informal, with the feel of a Tuscan trattoria and a shaded open veranda. The estate’s winery is another essential stop. A wine tour and tasting at the on-site Castiglion del Bosco winery introduces the estate’s Brunello di Montalcino. Your villa stay will also include a private chef-in-villa culinary experience, turning each meal into another reason to gather during the holiday season.

Rosewood Villa Magna: Madrid’s Warmer Take on the Season

A winter holiday in Madrid is not about trying to make the city feel like somewhere else. Its appeal is that it’s distinctly its own. Rosewood Villa Magna sits in Madrid’s Salamanca neighborhood in the heart of some of the city’s best shopping along with an abundance of fashionable restaurants and bars. For museum-goers, Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art is all in walking distance. The hotel’s already festive personality reflects the city itself: social, food-focused and more inclined towards late dinners than early nights. Given its night-owl status, Madrid is an ideal destination for families with older children, when everyone is old enough to enjoy the waning hours of the day over long meals.

More than 12 million LED bulbs decorate the streets, and you won’t be able to amble far before you encounter holiday markets, nativity scenes, and glowing window displays.

Madrid’s plazas and palaces are overtaken during the holidays with glimmering lights. More than 12 million LED bulbs decorate the streets, and you won’t be able to amble far before you encounter holiday markets, nativity scenes, and glowing window displays. For those looking to do some holiday shopping, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can match you with a private shopper to guide you through the renowned shopping streets Calle de Serrano and Calle de Ortega y Gasset, where well-known maisons sit between indie Spanish brands like Bimba y Lola and Yusty. For true cultural immersion, you can follow dinner with a private flamenco show, coordinated by your advisor. The dance spans centuries of history, and holiday shows add a unique texture to standard winter outings. If you’re looking for something more athletic for the holidays, or your family has any big soccer (football) fans, Real Madrid VIP tickets are a must and can be arranged through a SmartFlyer travel advisor.

Once back at Villa Magna, know that your every whim will be attended to by the hospitable team. The hotel offers 154 rooms and suites outfitted in a contemporary, deliberately understated style. For families or groups, two rooftop houses provide more than 1,000 square feet of space each, with one- and two-bedroom configurations, expansive balconies and views across Madrid. Their residential feel and privacy make them particularly suited to longer stays or holiday gatherings.

The hotel’s restaurants provide plenty of reasons to stay on property. At Amós Restaurant by Chef Jesús Sánchez, contemporary cooking draws on ingredients from the ocean, mountains and farmland. Las Brasas de Castellana serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in an indoor-outdoor setting, with grilled specialties at its center. Flor y Nata is the more casual stop for coffee, a light lunch or afternoon tea in between museum tours and casual strolls. Tarde.O is the hotel’s social bar, serving drinks and tapas—in winter, enjoy skating with chocolate con churros in the winter garden and vermouth tastings here.

Plan Around the Feeling You Want

The beauty of Rosewood’s approach to the festive season is that each property can be a standalone festive escape—or part of a longer, multi-layered itinerary. For those who want to combine destinations, London and Paris create an easy two-city holiday; Munich, Vienna and Rosewood Schloss Fuschl can form a Central European journey; and Madrid and Tuscany offer a route through two distinctly convivial interpretations of the season. A market-filled city weekend. A concert and afternoon tea. A long lunch in the Tuscan countryside. A winter walk beside an Alpine lake. A late Madrid dinner. A Parisian evening overlooking Place de la Concorde. Europe gives the festive season many voices. The pleasure is choosing which one you want to hear this year.