Every year, Omni embraces the holiday season – and its guests – with open arms. That’s evident in many of the destinations where guests have made Omni a part of their holiday tradition. Here are seven hotels & resorts that really do the holidays right by offering a warm and festive home-away-from-home atmosphere.
Omni Bedford Springs Resort
Officially kick off the holiday season with the Grand Illumination.
With Thanksgiving behind you, it’s time to kick off the Christmas season, and Omni Bedford Springs Resort does it in grand style. The annual holiday tradition begins with the lighting of the holiday tree in the front of the resort. Gather the family and listen to the beautiful music of nearby carolers as Santa makes his first appearance of the year.
There’s plenty of entertainment you won’t want to miss, including a special performance of Allegheny Ballet’s Nutcracker. Other notables include face painting, local merchant booths and a gingerbread house display.
Learn more about the holiday season at Omni Bedford Springs Resort.
The Omni Homestead Resort
Experience tradition, memories and the magic of the season.
A very big tree, a very small door and the Christmas miracle of somehow making it fit.
The holidays always kick off the Monday before Thanksgiving when the tree is brought into the Great Hall to the reception of guests who have eagerly awaited its arrival. Join the jam-packed crowd as everyone cheers on the efforts of the staff in the noble struggle to squeeze a 23-foot long, 15-foot wide tree through a 4-foot wide door.
After the tree has been decorated with approximately 2,000 ornaments and 1,250 LED lights, The Christmas Tree Lighting takes place. As a special guest pushes the big red button that turns on the tree’s lights, everyone sings “O Christmas Tree.” It’s a century-old tradition that never gets old.
The tree along with the festive décor and magical atmosphere will remain present throughout the holidays. In fact, The Omni Homestead Resort is the perfect family escape to experience the tradition, memories and magic of Christmas festivities, which begin each year shortly before Christmas and last through New Year’s Day.
Learn more about the holiday season at The Omni Homestead Resort.
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a parachuting Santa Claus?
Omni partners with the Carlsbad Education Foundation to feature Carols of Carlsbad, performed by local schoolchildren. There’s hot chocolate and cider for refreshments and family-friendly activities like cookie decorating and crafts at holiday craft stations. Local vendors are also on-site, creating a holiday market, while Omni’s culinary team is hard at work creating the incredible gingerbread display in the lobby.
But the highlight is Santa’s dramatic arrival, joining the celebration by skydiving in over the resort. Once on solid ground, he’ll be available in the Plaza for photos with children. Also on-site will be a professional photographer for lasting souvenirs of this truly memorable event.
Learn more about the holiday season at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
The Omni Grove Park Inn
A gingerbread house competition you have to see to believe.
What began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by community members in 1992 has become one of the country’s most celebrated and competitive holiday events: The Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition™. As the event grew, so did the caliber of judges and competitors.
Today, the panel of judges represents nationally renowned food, arts and media professionals, while the level of competition has attracted the highest quality of design, artistry and pastry expertise. The competition has merited broadcast coverage by ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the Travel Channel, and the Food Network.
The gingerbread display has grown in more than just reputation; it has become a true family holiday tradition. From the very young to the very young at heart, the reaction to this magical experience is one of wonder, awe and delight.
Most entries are situated on the main lobby floor in both wings. To help you get around, just ask for a map at the information desk in the lobby. As you walk to the various display areas, you’ll also see some of the 80 decorated trees in the historic, grand hotel.
Celebrate the gingerbread tradition at The Omni Grove Park Inn. See hundreds of remarkable works of edible art, plus dozens of themed trees, a myriad of twinkling lights and a dazzling array of holiday decorations throughout The Inn.
Learn more about the holiday season at The Omni Grove Park Inn.
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Christmas trees so beautiful, you’ll want to take one home. And you can!
Washington D.C. is a beautiful place to visit during the holiday season. And at the heart of it all is the Omni Shoreham Hotel, the proud sponsor of the Special Olympics Night of Trees Auction Gala. The trees are decorated by more than 20 volunteers and auctioned off as part of the fundraiser.
The atmosphere is magical and perfect for family photos by professional photographers for a suggested donation to benefit the Special Olympics. If you’re interested in one of these beautiful trees, you can bid on them for ten days, starting on Thanksgiving Eve. It’s truly a memorable time, and all for such a great cause.
Learn more about the holiday season at Omni Shoreham Hotel.
Omni La Mansión del Rio
Omni La Mansión del Rio is right on the River Walk, the perfect location to see the holiday lights.
San Antonio is a festive city any time of year, but there’s something truly spectacular about the holiday season. Maybe it has something to do with the chill in the air or the anticipation of a grand Thanksgiving feast. Of course, it could be the countless decorative lights transforming the famous River Walk into a brilliant holiday wonderland. Whatever it is, Omni La Mansión del Rio puts you right in the center of all the holiday festivities.
Treat yourself and your family to warmth, delightful dining and dazzling views of the River Walk at the AAA Four Diamond Las Canarias, known not only for its relaxing atmosphere but also for a unique local dining experience. Built on three levels, the restaurant descends to the River Walk. Sitting under the graceful palms and watching the flow of the river and the crowds of people strolling by, you’ll feel yourself carried away to another place and time.
But it’s on the day after Thanksgiving that the holiday season truly begins in earnest with the Ford Holiday River Parade and Lighting Ceremony. This annual river parade is a spectacle to behold as thousands of lights illuminate the River Walk and decorated floats wind through the river in one of the country’s only nighttime river parades.
The River Walk remains a magically illuminated setting throughout the holiday season. So even if you miss the Lighting Ceremony, you can still enjoy the River Walk in all its lighted glory through Christmas and New Year’s.
Learn more about the holiday season at Omni La Mansión del Rio.
Omni William Penn Hotel
A lot goes into making the perfect gingerbread house – including a choo-choo train.
It takes 60 hours to construct the resort’s annual gingerbread house, a replica of the historic hotel. It’s made of 200 Hershey bars, 40 pounds of sugar, 75 pounds of piped royal icing, over 3,500 individual pieces of candy, 2 pounds of edible gold glitter, 3,000 nonpareils and 250 candy canes. Oh yes, and one choo-choo train to circle it throughout the holiday season.
The holiday décor continues throughout the hotel, including the lobby and halls, ballrooms and corridors, all festooned in lights and garland. The lobby features a 20-foot tree and, to kick off the holiday season, is the center of the annual “Light-Up Night” celebration, which is coordinated with the City of Pittsburgh’s activities and parade.
Learn more about the holiday season at Omni William Penn Hotel.