The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America® Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays List Is Announced.
WASHINGTON, D.C. —December 9, 2025 ----- Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America, is pleased to announce The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays list. The fresh-baked holiday displays described below were unveiled in historic hotels in November and early December 2025 and will be available for the public to see and enjoy through the end of the month or the first week of January 2026.
The displays featured on The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays list are the result of thousands of hours of culinary, pastry, confectionary, engineering, and carpentry teams or amateur gingerbread contest contributors working for weeks, and even months, to design, create, mix, bake, build, and, of course, decorate. Collectively, the ingredients of these displays add up to thousands of pounds of sugar, eggs, and flour; hundreds of pounds of spices; more than 10,000 individual candies; and hundreds of gallons of molasses and honey. The program determined these displays to be “magnificent” for their large size, creativity, or artistic detail and they are presented in order of the date the hotel was established.
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The Red Lion Inn (1773) Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Weighing 120 pounds, The Red Lion Inn’s gingerbread and candy replica inn has returned for this year’s holiday season. Measuring 62 inches long, 21.5 inches wide, and 31 inches tall, this sweet display of gingerbread and royal icing packs on the candy (which is listed below). Transportation of the gingerbread inn from the staging area to the historic Main Dining Room—where it is on display behind the famous Rockwell Table— required six team members. They had to temporarily remove a door from its hinges, roll the gingerbread display on an industrial cart to the Main Dining Room, and then ask two more team members to help direct the placement of the gingerbread display. But long before then, more than 40 team members at The Red Lion Inn spent 40 hours planning, designing, and shopping for ingredients. Construction and decoration required 128 hours of work, and it involved the creative minds and time of more than 40 members of the inn’s team to put on the finishing touches. The gingerbread display has been a tradition at the inn, which dates to 1773, for many years. The Red Lion Inn was inducted as a Charter Member of Historic Hotels of America in 1989 and, famously, is featured in Norman Rockwell’s iconic work, Home for Christmas (Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas) (1967). Among the inn’s many holiday events is a gingerbread house decorating activity, which visitors can participate in on December 20, 2025, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The gingerbread inn will be on display through January 3, 2026, and guests and visitors are invited to gather around it for an authentic, heartwarming Berkshires holiday experience.
Ingredient Spotlight:
- 8 pounds of Royal Icing
- 4.75 feet of Ribbon Candy
- 5 pounds of Victorian Glass Candies
- 4 pounds of Licorice Bites
- 2.65 pounds of Sprinkles
- 226 Gumdrops
- 202 Peppermint Candies
- 124 Vanilla Barrels
- 112 Peppermint Sticks
- 2 Chocolate Lions
Woodstock Inn & Resort (1793) Woodstock, Vermont
The Woodstock Inn & Resort gingerbread house has been a beloved tradition at the historic inn for at least 10 years and is a well-known holiday landmark in the village of Woodstock, Vermont. Every holiday season, the life-size gingerbread house created by the Woodstock Inn & Resort's pastry team is a truly magnificent feat. This year, the pastry team held a design contest among the inn’s staff to choose a winning idea for the gingerbread display, and selected a woodland cottage theme, submitted by Marketing Brand Manager Mollie Faccio. This sweet tableau depicts a gingerbread cottage as a treehouse, intertwined with an iced Rice Krispies Treats birch tree. Among the decorations, holiday creatures and woodland animals are nestled in the branches and nooks of the display. The gingerbread woodland cottage required 220 pounds of flour, 120 pounds of sugar, 3,000 eggs, 10 pounds of ginger, and a plethora of candy. The holiday display was completed during the first week of December and will be up through January 1, 2026. Guests and visitors alike can enjoy it throughout the holiday season. The inn’s other holiday activities include live music, games, and meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus during Wassail Weekend and Christmas Day. Woodstock Inn & Resort was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2016 and dates to 1793.
Omni Bedford Springs Resort (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
The 2025 gingerbread display at Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, Pennsylvania, is a heartwarming, life-size gingerbread house inspired by the magic of Christmas morning. Designed by Executive Pastry Chef Harshal Naik and his pastry team, the 14-foot-wide, 9-foot-deep, 11-foot-tall edible house is surrounded by a whimsical gingerbread family: Mr. Gingerbread Omni, his wife, Mrs. Honey, and their four excited children discovering Santa’s gifts. Santa can be spotted humorously stuck in the chimney as he makes his exit. The theme celebrates family, joy, and the wonder of holiday traditions. Every element—from fondant clothing to marshmallow snow—is edible, bringing a playful, immersive charm to the resort’s entrance. The all-female pastry team built the structure from scratch, learning carpentry skills as they went along. Notable ingredients include 5,100 gingerbread bricks, 48 gallons of melted marshmallows to create the snowy exterior, and 400–500 miniature gingerbread men. Prominently displayed inside the main entrance of the resort, visitors and guests are welcome to admire the gingerbread creation and take photos at any time throughout the holiday season. What happens to the display in January? Once dismantled, the gingerbread and icing are fed to the resort’s honeybees, helping create naturally ginger-infused honey. Combined with the resort’s festive lineup of December events, the annual gingerbread display transforms Omni Bedford Springs Resort into a destination where holiday memories are made year after year. Designated a National Historic Landmark, Omni Bedford Springs Resort dates to 1806 and was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007.
Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C. (1818) Washington, District of Columbia
Gingerbread displays are a time-honored tradition at Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C., an iconic Grande Dame located across the street from the White House. The 2025 display was crafted in collaboration with Chef Gianpier Flores, Executive Pastry Chef of The Occidental, the adjacent restaurant originally established in 1906 and reopened under Stephen Starr in 2025. Unveiled on December 3, the display reimagines the historic Willard Center, home to both Willard InterContinental and The Occidental. The gingerbread display features the hotel lobby’s iconic marble columns cast in chocolate and finished with edible gold, more than 100 hand-cut gelatin windowpanes glowing from the interior light, and rooflines crafted from embossed fondant to emulate tiles. The tallest tower reaches 30 inches, while the full structure spans more than 6 feet, stretching from The Occidental’s patio to the edge of the hotel’s main entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue. To achieve the perfect balance of structure and flavor, Chef Flores tested four distinct recipes for this year’s creation. The final dough is richly spiced with ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and is sweetened with molasses and muscovado dark brown sugar, filling the air with the nostalgic aromas of the holidays. The 2025 gingerbread display at Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C. is located within the ante-lobby and will remain on display through New Year’s Day. Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C. was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2010 and dates to 1818.
French Lick Springs Hotel (1845) French Lick, Indiana
At French Lick Springs Hotel, this is one of the telling sights (and scents) that the holidays have officially arrived. And this year, the hotel’s magnificent gingerbread house is sweeter than ever. Bakery chefs Brittany Fisher and Tiffany Dampier, along with several helper elves, crafted a “Santa’s Sweet Shoppe” theme with all things sugary and decadent. Frosted cupcakes and towering layer cakes. Colorful “fruit pies” (filled with M&M’s candies) and swirly cinnamon rolls. There’s even a shelf of mini pretzels, bagels and baguettes to cut the sweetness, but make no mistake — all the edible accents on the house are made from fondant, gum paste and sugary goodness. The colorful lollipops (made from sugar cookies) and watermelon slices might take guests back to “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” or Candy Landy board game from your childhood. And that’s why this time-honored tradition at French Lick Springs Hotel speaks not just to the young, but the young at heart. This 8-foot-tall house is made from sugar (a whopping 450+ pounds go into the gingerbread and icing) and spice (6 pounds of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg) and everything nice. It comes together bit by bit throughout the year as the hotel’s bakery chefs began on it back in January. Visitors can find the display on the upper level of the Event Center where it connects to the hotel. (Your nose can also lead you right to it, as the hotel halls are filled with the aroma of warm gingerbread throughout the holidays.) The gingerbread house is on display into the first week of January, and families can even build their own gingerbread house December 6 and 13 to make some more sweet memories during their visit to French Lick Springs Hotel. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, French Lick Springs Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2000 and dates to 1845.
Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (1847) Point Clear, Alabama
Situated on 550 acres on Mobile Bay in Point Clear, Alabama, Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa has been known as The Queen of Southern Resorts for over 175 years, and has provided a magnificent gingerbread replica of the resort for guests to enjoy during the holidays for nearly two decades. The sweet replica resort recreates the historic Main Building, Bucky’s Lounge, Bayside Grill, the games lawn, and other charming features of the resort with delectable icing, candy, and spice cake. Because of the many resort-specific details that appear in the display, it doubles as an “I spy” game, and the pastry team provides guests with a list of hidden references for them to discover. A few of the hidden features this year are a unicorn pool float, Waldo from Where’s Waldo, a ghost in the window, a raccoon, and an elephant. Plus, Chef Kimberly hides her dog, Nitro, somewhere in the display every year. Along with hundreds of pounds of flour and sugar, the team used over 1,500 gumdrops, 50 candy canes, 200 KitKat bars, 8 pounds of shredded coconut, 10 pounds of chocolate, 60 waffle cones, and more assorted candies. The display is located in the front of the main lobby, where visitors cannot miss it, and will remain through New Year’s Eve. Along with gingerbread, other holiday activities at the resort this year include gingerbread house decorating and breakfast with Santa held the first three Saturdays in December. Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2011 and dates to 1847.
Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
The annual gingerbread display at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, consists of a whimsical and delicious collection of displays selected from the annual Hudson Valley Gingerbread Competition, hosted by the resort and in its 10th year in 2025. Competition Day is a festive, busy day every year, and includes a Public Viewing as well as an Awards Ceremony. This year, the competition was held on December 7. From over 40 entries, judges selected 20 gingerbread displays as winners in various categories, and these entries were installed throughout Mohonk Mountain House the next day. Creativity is a key metric for the judges, and entries range from fairy houses and cottages to scenes from favorite holiday movies, landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, and even replicas of Mohonk Mountain House. Each entry, combined with a base, must not be larger than 24 inches high, 24 inches wide, and 24 inches long. The historic resort also hosts in-person voting on Competition Day for a Viewers’ Choice Award, selected by resort guests and visitors. Visitors who want to visit and see the displays but not stay at the resort can purchase a Gingerbread Pass for $15, fully donated to The Hudson Valley Food Bank. This pass allows guest access to view the winning displays and to enjoy the full magic of the holidays at Mohonk Mountain House, including the festive Victorian Holidays décor and Winter Lights display. Last year’s Gingerbread Pass sales raised over $30,000 for the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Established in 1869, Mohonk Mountain House was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in December 1986 inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1991.
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, California
For over three decades, The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa has illuminated Riverside, California, during the holidays with the Festival of Lights, renowned for its breathtaking display of over 10 million dazzling lights that has earned it the recognition as the Best Public Holiday Lights Display by USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. This year, while the 33rd Annual Festival of Lights hosted by Kelly and the late Duane Roberts shines outside, the delectable gingerbread house in the lobby of The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa offers visitors a warm, cozy setting to regroup and relax. Standing at 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide, the gingerbread house was created with 1,500 real gingerbread pieces and 85 pounds of candy, including giant lollipops, gumdrops, candy canes, and colorful cookies. Visitors coming to the annual Festival of Lights can participate in their own gingerbread house decorating on Saturdays and Sundays through December 21, with festive drinks and Casey's Cupcakes included. In addition to a gingerbread display, this year’s Festival of Lights features holiday rides for families and children, including the Fantasy Carousel, Balloon Ferris Wheel, Santa Cub Swing, Christmas Inflatable Bounce House, and Christmas-themed children’s games. The celebration runs through January 6, 2026. Designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1996 and dates to 1876.
Hotel Colorado (1893) Glenwood Springs, Colorado
The life-size, interactive holiday gingerbread display at Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, wraps around the hotel’s Legends Coffee & Gift Shop, and invites guests to enjoy a seriously sweet shopping experience. The gingerbread house is 16 feet tall, 12 feet long, and 14 feet wide, and was built using 311 pounds of gingerbread and 8 gallons of frosting. Four team members worked together for over a week to bake, build, and decorate the sweet and spiced gingerbread display. The gingerbread display at Hotel Colorado is a time-honored tradition and has been a major part of the hotel’s holiday displays for the past 16 years. Although it has moved locations a few times, it is now a tradition to build the gingerbread display around the exterior of Legends Coffee & Gift Shop. Naturally, with over 300 pounds of gingerbread displayed, the halls of this historic hotel are filled with the aroma of molasses and ginger. The gingerbread house is on display as part of the hotel’s large-scale holiday decorations. The hotel is open to anyone to visit, take photos, and enjoy the beautiful gingerbread display. Located in the Rocky Mountains, Hotel Colorado is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007 and dates to 1893.
The Jefferson Hotel (1895) Richmond, Virginia
Each year’s gingerbread display at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, is life-size and spectacular—and visitors will not be disappointed in 2025. Now through January 4, guests can enjoy a 180-degree view of the hotel’s fragrant Christmas Village, located in the Palm Court lobby. Inspired by memories of the charming ceramic houses that her grandmother displayed every holiday season, Executive Pastry Chef Sara Ayyash designed the display with four gingerbread structures, an 8-foot-tall candy-trimmed gingerbread tree, and two lampposts that are a nod to those beloved Christmas village collectibles. A team of nine, including Chef Ayyash, began making the dough on November 3, and spent over a week rolling, shaping, and baking the gingerbread materials, unwrapping candies, and mixing fondant. Every year, the team tries to outdo what was done previously. With over 120 pounds of candy decorations and over 30 pounds of homemade fondant, this display is one to remember—and not only for the sheer amount of edible materials but the precision, detailing, and symmetry of the display. Along with its decorations, The Jefferson Hotel offers guests a variety of signature holiday dining events throughout the season, including brunch and Afternoon Tea with Santa. The Jefferson Hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and was inducted as a Charter Member of Historic Hotels of America in 1989 and dates to 1895.
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa (1901) Honolulu, Hawaii
As the first hotel in Waikiki, Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, has enchanted guests every holiday season with its joyful ambiance and festivities for 124 years. Gingerbread displays are a tradition at this hotel, and usually the theme is a playful homage to pop culture holiday icons like the Grinch, but this year, the historic hotel leans into its heritage with a gingerbread hotel replica. Specifically, the display depicts the Historic Banyan Wing of the hotel, which celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2026. The planning, baking, construction, and decorating required a team of four working for over 250 hours, as well as 60 pounds of flour, 80 pounds of sugar, and 10 pounds of candy. Displayed in the lobby near the bell desk, the gingerbread hotel will be up through Monday, December 29, and the hotel welcomes visitors to pose for photos with the gingerbread hotel replica. Along with the holiday décor, the oceanfront resort offers Afternoon Tea at the Veranda on Thursdays through Sundays in December. Guests staying over the holiday can enjoy cookies delivered to their guestroom on Christmas Eve and live music on Christmas Day. Known as the First Lady of Waikiki, Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and was inducted as a Charter Member of Historic Hotels of America in 1989 and dates to 1901.
Fairmont San Francisco (1907) San Francisco, California
For more than a century, Fairmont San Francisco has enchanted guests with its joyful holiday festivities and seasonal ambiance in “The City by the Bay.” One of the hotel’s most spectacular annual traditions is its stunning gingerbread house. At the end of November each year, the hotel lobby transforms into one of the world’s most beloved holiday destinations, where cherished memories are made by locals and visitors alike. The highlight of this awe-inspiring exhibit is the glowing two-story, Victorian-style gingerbread house, adorned with more than 1,900 pounds of sweets, and located in the hotel’s grand lobby. The gingerbread house was lovingly crafted by Fairmont San Francisco’s talented culinary and engineering professionals under the direction of Executive Chef Kevin Tanaka. When they finished in November, the 2025 gingerbread house stood at more than 22 feet tall and 23 feet wide, and included thousands of homemade gingerbread bricks, and more than a ton of royal icing and candy decorations. If guests want to fully experience the holiday magic, visitors can book breakfast, Holiday Tea, dinner, or other celebrations for up to 10 guests at a table inside the gingerbread structure, or up to 4 guests on the veranda. Guests and visitors are invited to experience this year’s gingerbread display now through New Year’s Day. Then, the edible portions of the display will be composted, and the frame will be disassembled and stored until it is brought out for the 2026 holiday season. A Beaux-Arts-style masterpiece designed by Julia Morgan, Fairmont San Francisco was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2001 and dates to 1907.
The Otesaga Hotel (1909) Cooperstown, New York
Located within the Cooperstown Historic District in Cooperstown, New York, The Otesaga Hotel has a long tradition of celebrating the holidays in grand fashion, but this year's gingerbread village display was notably elevated and expanded from previous iterations. The 2025 gingerbread village depicts recognizable Cooperstown landmarks in edible form, making it both a local tribute and a stunning seasonal attraction. It is a handcrafted gingerbread recreation of The Otesaga Hotel and Cooperstown’s historic Main Street, complete with the iconic flagpole intersection, Lake Street homes, winter trees, and a fully functioning Lionel O-Scale holiday train circulating through the village. LED tea lights are embedded within the buildings to make their windows glow. Located in the hotel’s main lobby, the display is built on a 7-foot by 4-foot platform, and features hundreds of individual gingerbread pieces, glowing gelatin windows, snow-covered roofs, and an immersive landscape designed to feel like a real-life Christmas postcard. The gingerbread display brings the history of the iconic resort to life, offering guests another way to experience the holiday season with a visit to Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and affectionately known as “America’s Most Perfect Village.” The display is designed to reflect Cooperstown’s warm, small-town holiday spirit on a miniature stage. In addition to the display, the resort offers gingerbread house decorating, as well as cookie decorating activities, for guests both young and young at heart. The Otesaga Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1994 and dates to 1909.
JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (1912) Savannah, Georgia
Located in a repurposed historic power plant that dates to 1912, the stylish JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District in Savannah, Georgia, is a contemporary waterfront retreat. In December, visitors can get into the holiday spirit while taking in the hotel's magnificent gingerbread display, as well as the Savannah Christmas Market, holiday dinners, and cookie decorating. Gingerbread is an annual tradition, with a fresh design selected each year. This year’s edible display required over 300 pounds of gingerbread and over 250 pounds of candy, and it was inspired by the festive spirit of the city’s Christmas market and the hotel’s own holiday traditions. Crafted as a whimsical window into Santa’s sweetest workshop, it invites guests to step into a world where cheerful elves mix ingredients, shape treats, and prepare for the holiday rush. Special animated touches bring the scene to life: a fridge door that gently opens and closes as elves gather chilled ingredients, and a dough mixer that churns butter in a steady, magical rhythm—just the way that the elves like it. A playful gelato cart offers frosty North Pole flavors, and a charming miniature cash register nod to the Christmas Market setting. Located on the Amethyst Landing in the grand lobby of the former power plant, the gingerbread display will be available for viewing until December 31. Every inch of this display is handcrafted, thoughtfully designed, and brought to life by a community of talented individuals from across different departments at the hotel. JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2022.
The Gasparilla Inn & Club (1913) Boca Grande, Florida
During the holiday season, The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande, Florida, transforms into a festive haven, offering a variety of activities perfect for corporate groups and families alike. Gingerbread displays have been a tradition at the inn for many years. Last year, the inn erected an impressive candy lighthouse; this year’s gingerbread display is an edible Santa’s Sleigh, filled with stacks of presents made from chocolate. Eighteen team members contributed to the creation of the sweet sleigh, which required over 15 pounds of gingerbread, 100 pounds of candy, 60 pounds of chocolate, 800 macarons, 500 profiteroles, 350 butter cookies, and 750 meringues, and took three days to decorate. Through January 2, guests can find the gingerbread display in the lobby, tucked next to the stairs, and experience other festive activities, including a Christmas Walk for Gasparilla Island, and twelve days of cookies, featuring a different cookie for guests to try each day at the front desk. The Gasparilla Inn & Club was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2007 and dates to 1913.
Omni Grove Park Inn (1913) Asheville, North Carolina
For more than three decades, the annual National Gingerbread House Competition at the Omni Grove Park Inn has brought joy, artistry, and wonder to all who gather to experience it. The gingerbread competition began with a small group of gingerbread houses built by Asheville, North Carolina community members as another way to celebrate the holiday season, with no plans to continue the following year. Over 30 years later, the Omni Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition is one of the nation's most celebrated and competitive holiday events. This year, following the unforeseen impact of Hurricane Helene and cancellation of the 2024 National Gingerbread House Competition, Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, welcomed an extraordinary display of creativity, artistry, and craftsmanship from 235 entries representing 25 states across the country. This year’s winning displays in the adult and teen categories depict scenes of whimsy, including edible tableaus showing gnomes building a village in the forest (the grand prize), mice relaxing in a hobbit home or playing on a stack of board games, and Santa teeing off in his green Masters Tournament jacket. Guests not staying at the resort are invited to view the display after 6 p.m. on Sundays, or any time Monday through Thursday, based on parking availability and excluding holidays and select dates. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Omni Grove Park Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2000 and dates to 1913.
The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
From life-size trains and boats to cars and golf carts, The Broadmoor’s annual gingerbread display is a tradition like no other. The tradition began with little gingerbread house displays, then a larger gingerbread village, until The Broadmoor’s gingerbread displays became extravagant celebrations of the season. In celebration of the winter athletes competing in Italy in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the 2025 gingerbread display depicts Santa on a candy-covered gingerbread bobsled. Chocolate elves compete in curling, figure skating, skiing, snowboarding, and hockey inside arenas made from fondant, macarons, and peppermint candies. Brought to life with motorized, moving elements, the scene transports viewers to the Olympic Games’ grandstands from the comfort of the resort. Spearheaded by The Broadmoor’s Executive Pastry Chef Franck Labasse, he tapped his team of more than 42 pastry chefs to assist in the creation of this life-size display. The team takes about a month to make the pastry components, including macarons, meringue, and gingerbread cookies. The display is located in the main building’s mezzanine and can be viewed during the holiday season through the New Year. Overnight guests and club members at The Broadmoor are invited to view the display until January 1, 2026. Non-overnight visitors are invited to view the display Monday through Thursday until December 18, 2025. The Broadmoor was inducted as a Charter Member of Historic Hotels of America in 1989 and dates to 1918.
Ingredient Spotlight:
- 1,235 pounds of Flour
- 833 pounds of Powdered Sugar
- 658 pounds of Dark Chocolate
- 602 pounds of Granulated Sugar
- 184 pounds of Milk Chocolate
- 4,800 Gingerbread Rectangles
- 2,533 Macarons
- 800 Meringues
- 160 Chocolate Bars
- 76 pounds of Fondant
The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis (1922) St. Louis, Missouri
For the first time since the pandemic, The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri, has unveiled a holiday gingerbread replica of the historic hotel and surrounding neighborhood. The display also includes an ode to St. Louis, with the Gateway Arch standing as its impressive focal point. Located in the sparkling, tree-lined lobby, construction required approximately 100 pounds of gingerbread, 80 pounds of royal icing, and 25 pounds of assorted candies. The hotel's pastry team and executive chef worked on the display for a month ahead of its debut on November 26. Through the first week of January, the hotel invites guests to look for the display in the lobby when they check in. Locals are also invited to visit the lobby when they are in the area, whether they are dining at the hotel’s restaurants, participating in the festive Central West End Window Walk, exploring the nearby Saint Louis Zoo’s Wild Lights, or seeing a classic holiday film at the Chase Park Plaza Cinema this season. The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2025 and dates to 1922.
La Fonda on the Plaza (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
Every year in mid-December, the decorating maestros at La Fonda on the Plaza roll out a majestic 2.5-foot-long, 2.5-foot-wide gingerbread replica of the adobe hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to display in the hotel’s lobby. For decades, the masterpiece was spearheaded by the hotel’s former purchasing manager, Gil Mesa. La Fonda on the Plaza continues the tradition of honoring Mr. Mesa’s legacy during the holiday season. Now, Executive Chef Lane Warner carries on Mr. Mesa’s legacy with a detailed stucco structure, featuring traditional décor and details inspired by the hotel’s past. With artistic nods to famous railway hotelier Fred Harvey, pioneering designer and architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, architect John Gaw Meem, and the famous Harvey Girls, the sweet gingerbread scene harkens back to the early days of La Fonda hospitality. After assembly, the culinary crew spends hours crafting powdered-sugar-tipped pine trees, glazed sugar-painted windows (a tribute to artist Ernest Martinez, best known for his whimsical paintings on the windowpanes in La Plazuela restaurant), and finishing with stiff royal icing, depicting the frosty, high-desert snow of New Mexico. Finally, the display is complete with traditional farolitos illuminated with LED lights to celebrate the holiday season. The gingerbread hotel debuts at the hotel every year in mid-December for both guests and locals alike to enjoy. La Fonda on the Plaza was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1991 and dates to 1922.
The Queensbury Hotel (1926) Glens Falls, New York
Since 2022, The Queensbury Hotel in the heart of downtown Glens Falls, New York, has featured a grand gingerbread display in its historic lobby. Embraced by locals and visitors alike, the gingerbread displays in recent years featured a reindeer stable, a replica of the hotel, and Santa’s house. This year, the gingerbread display is a magical, life-size interpretation of Mrs. Claus’s North Pole Kitchen, designed to encourage guests to feel that they have stepped straight into the heart of her home and her holiday baking world. The 12-foot-tall display is 10 feet wide and just as long, crafted with 1,392 pounds of house-made gingerbread to resemble a cottage, and trimmed with “snow” and 250 pounds of candy-colored details. Visitors can peek inside and discover a fully realized kitchen scene: Mrs. Claus’s old-fashioned oven, charming cupboards and shelves filled with whimsical canisters and ingredients, and trays of her “freshly baked” cookies, cakes, and goodies. Peppermint swirls, gumdrops, and candy galore add to the sweet display. Inspired by the nostalgia of classic holiday baking and the whimsy of North Pole lore, the display blends craftsmanship, imagination, and festive charm—celebrating the warmth, comfort, and magic that Mrs. Claus brings to the season. This year’s gingerbread cottage will remain on display, alongside the hotel’s festive garlands, toy soldiers, and poinsettias, until January 11, 2026. After enjoying the gingerbread display, guests and visitors are invited to dine in an outdoor igloo at Park 26, or have a winter cocktail in the cozy Fenimore’s Pub. The Queensbury Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2017 and dates to 1926.
Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
The stylish and stunning Hilton Chicago unveiled its gingerbread display depicting Chicago’s urban winterscape on November 17, alongside the hotel’s decorated Great Hall. The gingerbread display was lovingly crafted by Executive Pastry Chef Wing Au and pays homage to the city of Chicago, featuring a gingerbread replica of Hilton Chicago alongside other downtown landmarks like “The Bean” and Soldier Field, and more. Standing over 6 feet tall, it took a dedicated team of seven pastry chefs, led by Chef Au, and weeks of baking, building, and decorating this festive masterpiece. The sweet historic hotel is located on the lobby level near 720 South Grill & Bar, and is open 24/7, inviting hotel guests and visitors to experience its magic at any time. Hilton Chicago welcomes travelers and locals alike to make the gingerbread hotel and its Chicago skyline the ultimate backdrop for seasonal holiday photos and Instagram-worthy moments. The gingerbread tradition goes back years at the hotel, starting as a small village display and becoming more ambitious season after season. This year, Hilton Chicago expands on the tradition with eight interactive gingerbread activations, including gingerbread cookie decorating. These hands-on experiences will take place on Saturdays and Sundays beginning November 29 and 30. Hilton Chicago was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2015 and dates to 1927.
Skytop Lodge (1928) Skytop, Pennsylvania
The magnificent gingerbread hotel display at Skytop Lodge in Skytop, Pennsylvania, has been a holiday tradition since 2013, and each year, it has featured a replica of the Main Lodge, with its distinctive porte-cochère. Now in its fourteenth year of gingerbread displays, this year’s gingerbread display is located in the main lobby of the Main Lodge, and measures approximately 20 feet long, 12 feet wide, and reaches a height of about 12 feet from its base. Production began in August, when the staff started baking gingerbread bricks. The sweet-smelling exterior of the gingerbread house went up on November 1 around a wood frame, and the staff decorated the gingerbread display the week of Thanksgiving. Guests who were present that week were invited to help add candy to the gingerbread lodge. Typically, ingredients include 450 pounds of flour, 700 eggs, 13 pounds of spices, 150 pounds of honey, 150 pounds of molasses, 12 pounds of baking soda, 80 pounds of shortening, and 10 pounds of candy decorations. The icing used in the Skytop Lodge gingerbread display required 500 pounds of powdered sugar, pushing the display’s total weight to more than 2,300 pounds. This holiday season, Skytop Lodge guests are invited to enjoy holiday activities, including gingerbread cookie decorating. The gingerbread display will be up through the first week of 2026, and the public is welcome to stop by to see it. Skytop Lodge was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2000 and dates to 1928.
Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection (1939) Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, part of Colonial Williamsburg Resorts in Williamsburg, Virginia, has brought back gingerbread magic this year in a Santa’s Workshop-themed display. This year’s display features a landscape of frosted seasonal activity, where visitors can see the village miniatures caroling, skiing, and choosing their holiday tree. Elves and chefs are hard at work within frosted gingerbread walls, and, just like guests can do in Colonial Williamsburg’s Merchants Square, figurines skate on the gingerbread village ice rink. At least six gingerbread pastry experts worked over 300 hours, collectively, on this detailed gingerbread fantasy world. The display is over 5 feet wide and required 210 pounds of gingerbread, 30 pounds of candy, and 40 pounds of fondant and royal icing. The display is in the lobby of Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, and will be there through the end of December. Visiting this gingerbread display is one of many ways to celebrate the holiday season in Colonial Williamsburg. Visitors to Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection also can send letters to Santa and purchase tasty holiday treats from the bakeshop. Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2000 and dates to 1939.
Rancho Bernardo Inn (1963) San Diego, California
For the past 16 years, Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California, has made extravagant gingerbread displays part of the holiday guest experience and a local attraction. The luxury resort’s 2025 Gingerbread Village display is inspired by Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, with a color palette and design influenced by Victorian-era aesthetics. The resort’s culinary team began planning for The Nutcracker Village in August, and started working on materials in October. Ingredients include 1,000 pounds of flour, 1,000 pounds of sugar, 128 pounds of molasses, 240 pounds of eggs, and 400 pounds of candy. With assistance from the resort's engineering and facilities departments, construction finished the week after Thanksgiving. The Gingerbread Village is located in the lobby entrance of the hotel in December and is open for viewing by both guests and visitors alike. Guests are invited to walk through and around the display and to take advantage of this fantasy background for photo opportunities. Additionally, the resort offers treats inspired by the structure for sale in Café Granada, for guests who want to bring home a piece of the experience. Rancho Bernardo Inn, designed in the Mediterranean Revival-style, was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2021 and dates to 1963.
Hotel Captain Cook (1965) Anchorage, Alaska
Hotel Captain Cook’s gingerbread village has been an annual tradition at the historic Anchorage, Alaska, hotel for 47 years. It was a project spearheaded by Pastry Chef Joe Hickel between 1978 and 2023, but since Hickel retired, the hotel has invited culinary students at the University of Alaska Anchorage to design its gingerbread village with help from the hotel’s own pastry team. Their goal is to honor Hickel’s tradition while putting their own spin on the village’s design. The students and pastry team made this year’s gingerbread display twice as big as last year’s, and they are proud of the level of detail that they brought to their design this year. With assistance from Kellie Puff, a UAA Culinary Arts Associate Professor, the students designed, baked, constructed, and decorated the structures. The collaboration between the hotel and the university was a sweet deal, giving students a chance to showcase their talents, and hotel guests, as well as staff, the opportunity to enjoy another year of gingerbread. Hotel Captain Cook was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2016 and dates to 1965.
“The tradition of gingerbread fairytale houses reportedly started in the United States more than 200 years ago with German immigrants to Pennsylvania. Today, travelers can view life-size historic hotels, national monuments, historic buildings, and historic main streets made of gingerbread,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Both an art form for pastry chefs and a sweet treat for children, gingerbread decorating is a tradition to unite the generations. Congratulations to the hundreds of people that worked to create The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays.”
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation was chartered by U.S. Congress in 1949 and is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading the movement to save places where our history happened. To be nominated and selected for membership in this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historical significance. Of the more than 300 historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America from 41 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all historic hotels faithfully preserve their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org and sign up to receive future news, highlights, and advance notice of special offers from Historic Hotels of America.
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