The festive tunes are being blasted in shops, the wreaths are starting to hang from doors and the Black Friday sales have signalled that it's time to start checking off that gift list. Which can only mean one thing: Christmas is coming.
So why not throw yourself headlong into the cheer and visit some of London's most impressive trees courtesy of the chicest hotels in town? You might just get some inspiration on how to decorate your own.
As is tradition, the city's landmark stays have pulled out all the stops with stylish tree collaborations with art and fashion folk, custom scents — or in the case of Annabel's and Claridge's — a totally alternative approach, with trees that don't even resemble a tree.
Scroll for the chicest spruces and other light-wrapped spectacles on display for 2023.
Shangri-La, The Shard
The sensory one
If the smell of pine isn't your thing, then Shangri-La The Shard, London has just the thing for its guests: a scent-inspired Christmas tree in collaboration with fragrance aficionados Jo Loves and homeware brand Warner House.
Yes, there's the typical twinkling lights, and some pretty red and white bows, but the pièce de résistance is the mini bottles of Jo by Jo Loves. If that's not enough fragrance for you, then step inside the XL perfume bottle installation beside it for a sensory journey featuring clouds of scent.
The tree is on display for guests at 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9QU. shangri-la.com
Annabel's
The one that's nothing like a tree
Annabel’s latest festive facade features not a bauble, fairy light or angel in sight. The Mayfair members club has chosen a hot air balloon design, created by Birley Club’s Creative Director Tatiana Kharchylava. Scaling above the exclusive entrance to the club, the balloon represents hope of rising above difficult times. A message we can all get on board with after 2023.
For another year, it is in collaboration with The Caring Family Foundation’s Food from the Heart campaign, encouraging guests and passers by to donate to help the charity's work against food poverty.
The fascade will be at 46 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AT until January. annabels.co.uk
Find more information on how to donate to the Food From the Heart campaign here.
The Connaught
On display since mid November (The Connaught is nothing if not an early adopter, clearly), the hotel's tree was designed by British artist and sculptor Dame Rachel Whiteread — adding some serious sparkle to the Carlos Place location. Standing at 31ft tall, it's a whopper, adorned with precisely 102 circular neon white hoops, a recurring symbol in Whiteread's work, which she says are to encourage Londoners to celebrate a feeling of togetherness and hope.
You can see the tree until the first week of January at 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL. the-connaught.co.uk
Claridge's
The fashion one
Drumroll, please... the designer commissioned to create Claridge’s much-anticipated Christmas Tree this year is... Louis Vuitton. The 13th major name tasked with making a Christmassy sculpture (no spruce or fir here) for its lobby has chosen the theme of travel, riffing of its iconic luggage range.
The art deco installation is a tree of sorts made up of stacked LV-monogrammed Malles Vestiaire (‘wardrobe trunks’), piled 5.2 metres high and displayed open, to reveal a mirrored structure made of 15 chrome repurposed trunks. Twenty-one colourful Vuitton flower-headed mascots are nestled inside, including one of Saint Nick, who sits in a jewellery box — why not? A model of the Louis Vuitton family home, Asnières, takes pride of place at the top of the tree.
The luggage tree will be on display at Brook Street, London W1K 4HR for guests until January. claridges.co.uk
The Londoner
The floral one
This quintessentially London hotel in the city's centre has collaborated with whimsy-loving designer Huisan Zhang on a cheery floral adorned take on the traditional Christmas tree. Having hosted his eponymous show here for September's fashion week, the designer is continuing the thread by designing a tree featuring large black and white roses which were first seen in his Resort collection, and draw inspiration from essayist Eileen Chang’s 1944 novella Red Rose, White Rose. A high-brow tree if there ever was one.
The tree will be on show to guests at 38 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7DX until January. thelondoner.com
Carlton Tower Jumeirah
The full-on fairytale
Florists Moyses Stevens have turned the lobby of this usually sleek Knightsbridge hotel into a winter wonderland, with a fairytale themed installation named 'The Season for Dreams'. Yes, there are two traditional twinkling trees, but there's also an icy willow, ice-like decorations, crystalised ornaments all around, a frosty Victorian street light (for the Narnia fans) and a 'frozen' fountain. We challenge you not to feel the magic if you're staying here during the most wonderful time of the year.
The Season for Dreams will be on display at 1 Cadogan Pl, London SW1X 9PY to guests until January. jumeirah.com
45 Park Lane
The Icons one
Who doesn't love a brilliant bauble or fun figurine on their tree? The huge spruce a 45 Park Lane definitely delivers. As well as jewel-toned classic adornments, it is decorated with hand-crafted miniatures of British musical icons created by artist Hormazd Narielwalla. Spot the likeness of David Bowie, The Beatles and a host of other bejewelled beauties hanging out. If you want to take one home, you'll have the opportunity to buy them in January 2024, with proceeds going to charity.
The tree will be on display to guests at 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA until January. dorchestercollection.com
The London EDITION
The majestic one
Another cool design collab at The London EDITION with designers Campbell-Rey sees the hotel lobby host to a tree which plays with proportion and perspectives, with oversized hand-blown Murano glass baubles hanging from its branches. The hand-painted decorations are made to look like precious stones. Culture vultures take note: it's a nod to Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s 1816 Romantic set design for Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). To top it all off is a hand-gilded star.
The tree will be on display to guests until the New Year at 10 Berners St, London W1T 3NP. editionhotels.com
Native Bankside
Keeping it local with its theme, Native Bankside's tree is themed 'A Nostalgic Tapestry of the Thames' and was created in partnership with the artist Christopher Mills. It's a homage to Southbank's history and neighbouring landmarks like Shakespeare's Globe and the Tate Modern. It's also sustainable, featuring antiques relating to the area and Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. Instead of a star or angel, the topper is a Victorian street lamp. The tree is on display to guests until January at Empire Warehouse, 1 Bear Gdns, London SE1 9ED. nativeplaces.com
The Ritz
The traditional one
25 ft tall and full to bursting with ribbons, stars, and gilded baubles, in a classic red and gold colour scheme created by Paul Thomas Flowers, this is the kind of tree you'd conjure if you imagining being the star of your very own Christmas movie. And it has main character energy of its own in spades. We wouldn't expect anything less from The Ritz.
The tree is on display to guests until January at 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR. theritzlondon.com
