London, England — Already known for its fantastical afternoon tea menu inspired by the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this Covent Garden hotel looked to another theatre production for this year’s holiday inspiration: the Royal Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The 25-foot-tall tree will be adorned with pale blue tulle and sparkly silver fern garlands, and hundreds of silver pots, fabric cupcakes, vintage teacups, and giant playing cards, taking cues from the iconic Mad Hatter’s Tea Party scene.

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Paris, France — Chic is a style that the Parisians are born with, so it’s no surprise that holiday decorations in this city often are luxurious but understated. At Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, for example, the renowned decorator Julien Septanil dresses a fresh pine tree with simple, yet dazzling golden tassels and ornaments for the lobby. The smell of warm cinnamon wafts through from the bar’s special mulled wine, and the rest of the place sparkles with lights, fitting for the hotel located pretty much in the heart of the Ville-Lumière.

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Montreal, Canada — Compact but oozing with sensuous ambience, the 28-room Petit Hôtel knows how to express its character in holiday decorations as well. The modestly sized tree in the lobby is decorated with LED lights and black and silver ornaments, resulting in an urbane festive look. Local fashion designer Denis Gagnon will have an army of his original nutcrackers lining up in his storefront next to the hotel. Dressed sleek and all in black, these wooden soldiers will be looking out for guests’ stylish arrival.

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San Francisco, CA — This Nob Hill legend spares no effort in creating a stunning array of holiday displays year after year. In addition to the glittering tree planted atop the Tower Building, which is actually visible from all over the city, the massive two-story Gingerbread House will be back again in the lobby. The edible Victorian house stands 22 feet tall and 23 feet wide, and is made with 7,750 pieces of gingerbread, 700 pounds of candy, and even more icing. When the sweet smell tempts you to bite into the structure, head to the hotel’s restaurant instead, for the Gingerbread Holiday Tea.

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Auckland, New Zealand — Traditional holiday décor gets a local twist at this warm-hued Kiwi hotel. Everything from the fresh, four-meter-tall pine in the lobby to the various other trees throughout the hotel get spruced up by the hands of Michelle Deery, the hotel’s co-owner and interior designer, who brings out sequined ornaments in the shapes of local flora, fauna and Maori tikis. In the airy atrium, make sure to look up and admire the giant wreath, made from the dried grape vines sourced from the hotel’s favorite vineyards.

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Copenhagen, Denmark — The classic Hotel D’Angleterre triumphantly reopened last year, after a meticulous two-year renovation. Back with the immaculate service and guest rooms is the annual Christmas-light display, which transforms the stately façade into a fantastic tableau that inspires the holiday spirit even in the heart of a scrooge. The theme changes every two years, which means this year’s the last time you can admire the multi-story display depicting scenes from The Nutcracker – at least for a few years.

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