Top Six U.S. Hotels for Christmas & New Year 2025: Festive Escapes with Luxury, Snow, and City Charm

Published on December 6, 2025

Top u. S. Hotels for christmas and new year destinations

As the holiday season approaches, U.S. hoteliers are closely watching the impact of holiday timings on occupancy rates and revenue. While December 2024 showed resilience in hotel performance, particularly in early holiday weeks, the midweek timing of Christmas and New Year’s Eve posed challenges for hotel occupancy. The year 2025, with its own set of unique factors, is expected to bring both opportunities and challenges for hoteliers. Let’s compare the demand in the U.S. hotel market during the 2024 holiday season with the expectations for 2025 and the underlying factors that could influence performance.

Holiday Week Impact on Occupancy Rates

In 2024, hotel occupancy was affected by the placement of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve midweek. Historically, midweek holidays have a negative effect on demand, especially for leisure travelers. According to STR data, Christmas Eve, when it fell on a Wednesday in 2024, led to the lowest occupancy rate of the week at just 31.5%. Similarly, New Year’s Eve, also falling on a Wednesday, typically faces a significant dip in occupancy. This is because travelers tend to prefer long weekends for their holidays, and midweek holidays disrupt traditional travel patterns.

In comparison, weekends—specifically Saturdays—tend to see the highest occupancy, with rates reaching up to 39.3%. Similarly, Christmas Day falling on a Thursday also resulted in a softer performance for hoteliers, with occupancy rates reaching 37.2%.

For the entire holiday period from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, the projected occupancy in 2024 was 47.1%, down from 50.7% when Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday. This data reflects the general trend that midweek holidays result in weaker demand compared to the weekend.

Looking ahead to 2025, it is reasonable to expect that similar trends will occur. The exact impact will depend on how the calendar falls. However, as the demand for midweek stays remains weaker, hotel operators may need to adjust their expectations for occupancy, especially during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Performance and Recovery in December 2024

Despite the challenges posed by midweek holidays, December 2024 showed strong overall performance. According to STR data, the U.S. hotel industry recorded 53.2% occupancy in December 2024, a modest increase of 1.1 percentage points compared to December 2023. This indicates that the holiday season, though impacted by midweek dates, still attracted a steady stream of guests, especially for business travel, group events, and conferences. Additionally, the average daily rate (ADR) for hotels rose to $156.67, representing a 3.3% increase, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew by 4.4%, reaching $83.30.

The early part of December saw robust numbers, particularly the week ending 7 December, with occupancy at 59.0%, ADR at $159.77, and RevPAR at $94.31. These figures suggest that early December demand, fueled by corporate travel and events, was higher than in previous years. As a result, the industry was able to offset some of the losses from midweek holiday dates.

Looking ahead to 2025, the expectation is that early December 2025 will likely follow a similar pattern, with a stronger start to the month. However, the late December period may continue to face challenges from midweek holidays. Hoteliers will need to rely on business events, group bookings, and early holiday travelers to boost performance before the holiday lull.

Midweek Holiday Trends in 2025

For the U.S. hotel market, midweek holidays present an ongoing challenge. In 2024, occupancy was weakest when Christmas Eve fell on a Wednesday, and this trend is expected to continue into 2025. The holiday timing for Christmas and New Year’s is key in shaping occupancy rates. When these dates fall midweek, many leisure travelers are less likely to book short stays, leading to lower occupancy.

However, early indications for 2025 suggest that January 1, 2025 may see a similar trend to what occurred in 2024. The U.S. hotel market may struggle to capture the same volume of leisure visitors during the critical midweek days, as people tend to return home or resume work after New Year’s Day. Despite this, it’s worth noting that business travel could provide a buffer, particularly in metropolitan areas where hotels cater to corporate clients and events.

What’s Expected in 2025: Occupancy and RevPAR

For the holiday period from 24 December–31 December 2025, STR projections suggest a 50.4% occupancy, with muted ADR growth. The overall performance for 2025 is expected to show a slight downturn compared to peak holiday seasons, but the demand for business travel and group bookings will likely keep the market relatively strong. The uptick in corporate travel that was seen in 2024 is expected to continue into 2025, making up for some of the softer leisure demand during midweek holidays.

Additionally, holiday-specific promotions, events, and festivities will contribute to increased demand in certain markets, potentially mitigating losses from lower occupancy on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. However, the hospitality industry will need to closely monitor consumer spending behavior, as there is uncertainty around how broader economic conditions (e.g., inflation or changing travel patterns) could affect overall travel volume during peak periods.

Gaps in Holiday‑Specific Data

One major limitation when analyzing holiday hotel performance is the lack of publicly available data that breaks down occupancy by specific holiday dates such as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Most industry reports tend to aggregate data for full months or weeks, which masks the substantial variation in occupancy across specific days. This lack of granular data makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly how midweek holidays affect hotel demand in various markets, especially for luxury, resort, and budget hotels.

Given these gaps in publicly available data, it is difficult to determine precise holiday‑week occupancy trends across all regions in the U.S. For example, large metropolitan cities like New York or Los Angeles, with robust event schedules and year-round demand, may experience less significant dips in occupancy during midweek holidays than smaller towns or resort destinations.

Top 6 U.S. Hotels to Visit for Christmas & New Year 2025

As the holiday season approaches, finding the perfect hotel for your Christmas and New Year celebrations is key to making your trip unforgettable. Whether you’re dreaming of a snow-filled mountain retreat, a luxurious city escape, or a festive beachside holiday, the U.S. offers some of the best places to stay for this magical time of year. Here’s a list of six exceptional hotels across the country that combine festive atmosphere, stunning locations, and unparalleled holiday experiences for 2025.

1. Hotel Del Coronado — Sunny Beachside Holiday Escape

Location: Coronado, California

Hotel Del Coronado, a historic beachfront resort, stands as one of the most enchanting holiday hotels in the U.S. Located in Coronado, just across the bay from San Diego, this iconic hotel offers guests the chance to experience a unique blend of beachside charm and holiday magic. In 2025, the hotel will feature a special “Holiday in Oz” experience, transforming its interiors with whimsical decorations, light shows, and a festive atmosphere, perfect for those looking to embrace both nostalgia and coastal comfort.