Between the frantic grocery store runs, the hours spent toiling over the turkey and the mountain of dishes that follows, it can be hard to feel thankful by the time everyone sits down to Thanksgiving dinner. A proper hotel stay can change that. This November 26 holiday, trade the to-do list for a table that is already set and a day full of activities with the people who matter most.
Whether you want a reserved spot at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a morning turkey trot or a harvest-inspired keepsake workshop, these seven hotels give you plenty to be grateful for.
Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
At Four-Star Terranea Resort, Thanksgiving comes five ways, so guests can celebrate however suits them best. Turkey traditionalists have two afternoon seatings in the Palos Verdes Grand Ballroom for a buffet of chilled seafood, holiday favorites such as roasted turkey and honey-glazed ham, seasonal trimmings and a children’s spread sure to win over picky eaters. A dessert display delivers pumpkin mousse parfait, sweet potato cheesecake and more.
Gourmands will find the three-course dinner at Four-Star mar’sel to suit their refined taste. Executive chef Fabio Ugoletti’s seasonal menu — featuring diver scallop with beluga lentils, roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing and a family-style dessert spread — accompanies striking Pacific views.
Those after a leisurely holiday can linger at Catalina Kitchen during the brunch and dinner buffets. The former features smoked salmon on mini bagels, pancakes and other breakfast staples, plus clam chowder, a seafood bar and a carving station. Dinner shifts to heartier fare: Boursin mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing and marshmallow-topped yams alongside herb-crusted prime rib and snow crab legs. Two specialty cocktails, the Apple-Rol Spritz and Pumpkin Spice Martini, work at any hour.
For those who prefer something more casual, Nelson’s cooks up Thanksgiving-inspired turkey enchiladas on its relaxed oceanfront patio as well.
The Little Nell, Aspen
Count your blessings at Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Little Nell, where Four-Star Element 47 elevates Thanksgiving in every sense. On November 26, seatings run from 2:30 to 9 p.m. on tables filled with truffle-infused wagyu prime rib, a raw bar, ocean trout and pumpkin cornbread, all in the restaurant’s signature seasonal style. Like Aspen itself, the dining room pairs elegance with out-West ease, making it a natural gathering place for families.
Aspen Mountain opens for the season on the same day, so skiers craving something low-key can coast from the last run to Ajax Tavern, steps from the Silver Queen Gondola, for a special plat du jour alongside the regular menu (the juicy wagyu double cheeseburger is always a winning choice).
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Red and gold autumn leaves give way to sparkling turquoise water and a pristine white beach. At Five-Star Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla, Thanksgiving traditions get a change of scenery.
The activity calendar also swaps the familiar for the unexpected. Instead of the usual backyard football game, the week before Thanksgiving brings a tennis and pickleball clinic with former ATP Tour professionals Nick Monroe and Donald Young for players of all levels. And if you’re feeling puffy after seconds on turkey, make an appointment to see lymphatic drainage specialist Miss Lymph, who is in residence from November 26 through December 1.
At SALT, the Thanksgiving buffet serves up holiday classics and locally inspired specialties, with ocean views to match.
Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco
Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco, serves a holiday spread fit for royalty. The landmark Garden Court, crowned by a glass dome and lit by Austrian crystal chandeliers, hosts brunch in three seatings on November 26. Expect the lavish buffet to pair global flavors such as Cantonese-style dim sum and fresh sushi with raw oysters and roasted turkey at the carving station. The three dinner buffet seatings add a Peking duck station and touches of caviar. Flowing sparkling wine and craft mimosas complete the scene.
For something more intimate, Pied Piper, a San Francisco institution in its own right, offers a four-course prix fixe menu built on seasonal ingredients, all in view of the space’s namesake Maxfield Parrish mural, painted for the hotel in 1909.
The Wall Street Hotel, New York City
No tradition says Thanksgiving quite like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this year it celebrates its 100th birthday. Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Wall Street Hotel marks the milestone in style with a three-night stay in a guest room or suite, a seasonal welcome gift and a commemorative parade keepsake.
The adventure begins on Thanksgiving Eve with a behind-the-scenes look at the parade’s famed balloons being inflated. The next morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then skip the sidewalk scramble: a private ride takes you uptown to a reserved viewing spot for two. A special holiday dinner at La Marchande, Wall Street Hotel’s contemporary French brasserie, wraps up the day.
The fun doesn’t stop there. On November 28, resident historian Kevin Draper leads a walking tour through Lower Manhattan’s historic streets, waterfront and landmarks, painting a picture of New York a century ago. The hotel’s complimentary Polaroid camera will capture it all.
The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort, Dominican Republic
Forbes Travel Guide Recommended The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort goes hands-on for Thanksgiving. With Cassava Restaurant handling the cooking, the day is wide open for a lineup of activities catering to guests of all ages.
The whole family can get crafty thanks to an artisan-led keepsake workshop inspired by autumn’s colors (November 25), turkey puppet making and harvest-themed tote bag decorating (November 26) and hat customizing (November 27). Anyone who prefers breaking a sweat to getting artsy can start Thanksgiving with the 5K Turkey Trot at 8 a.m., then take on a themed sack race later that day. Teens can join the action with a beachside volleyball tournament.
Throughout the big day, guests can also add a leaf of thanks to the resort’s Gratitude Tree, watching it fill with messages from fellow guests.
11 Cadogan Gardens, London
Who says Thanksgiving is just an American holiday? At Forbes Travel Guide Recommended 11 Cadogan Gardens, the feast gets a British makeover. This quintessentially London boutique hotel makes a gracious host, with warm rooms in four converted Victorian townhouses, plus an inviting library and a secret garden.
Savor Thanksgiving dinner at the hotel’s Hans’ Bar & Grill, beside Chelsea’s artisan-lined Pavilion Road and close to Sloane Square. The set menu opens with starters such as roasted butternut squash soup with vanilla oil and croutons or heritage beetroot with blood orange and a mulled wine reduction. Mains include a classic turkey with golden roasted potatoes, honey-glazed root vegetables and all the fixings, a less traditional grilled monkfish tail and a wild mushroom risotto for anyone skipping the bird.
Dessert brings a very British finish: Christmas pudding with macerated plums and brandy custard, joined by caramelized brioche and chocolate fondant.
If you’re hosting a crowd, Hans’ Bar & Grill can set aside a private room while the hotel and its sister property The Chelsea Townhouse can arrange group stays.
