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?
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.
Here are the chicest spruces and other light-wrapped spectacles on display for 2024.
The Goring
The theatrical one
Belgravia-based The Goring looked to A Christmas Carol to inspire its 2024 tree. Adorned with red velvet bows, top hats, candles, and scrolls, it’s a homage to the festive fable. And the night it was unveiled saw a mini performance of the Dickensian drama staged as well as an appearance from adorable shetland pony, Teddy. All in a night’s work for this British institution.
The tree is on display for guests at 15 Beeston Pl, London SW1W 0JW. thegoring.com
Shangri-La, The Shard
The travel-themed one
This year’s spectacular tree from Shangri-La The Shard is inspired by the golden age of air travel for its international visitors to fawn over. Designed in collaboration with floral studio Raw Bloom, it features steampunk-inspired airships, gold gears and red blooms. If that’s not festive enough for you, a life-sized advent calendar will be offering seriously luxe surprises all the way up from Jo Loves and Albourne Estate Winery gifts to ski trips.
The tree is on display for guests at 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9QU. shangri-la.com
The Dorchester
The super traditional one
Floral designer Philip Hammond and the Dorchester team put up the iconic hotel’s 15ft Nordmann spruce in the lobby, dozens of mini versions and huge urns of flowers overnight, acting like Christmas elves in mid November, so that guests can wake up to the displays. There’s also an adorable grotto where children can write to Santa and use The Dorchester’s post box to send them to the North Pole. This year’s centre-piece tree matches the hotel’s Art Deco scheme, with giant pastel hued baubles and a traditional gold star. Marie Antionette would be in awe.
The tree is on display for guests at 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA. dorchestercollection.com
Read our review of The Dorchester’s Christmas experience
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 snow globe design containing a majestic peacock, created by Birley Club’s Creative Director Tatiana Kharchylava. Scaling above the exclusive entrance to the club, the snow globe was designed to transport viewers “to a place of innocence and delight”.
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.
Broadwick Soho
The pick ‘n’ mix installation
On the corner of Broadwick Street — which serves as its namesake — this relative newcomer to the luxury hotel scene has put on a seriously festive front this season. While there are traditional Murano bauble-decorated trees to match its eclectic interiors, the facade is where the hotel has gone big. Two dapper elephants. bursting out of crackers make for a glowing entrance to the Soho hotel, surrounded by light-up selection box sweeties.
20 Broadwick St, London W1F 8TH. broadwicksoho.com
The Ned
The biggest one in a London hotel?
Former banking hall The Ned has gone BIG with its Christmas tree. The 21-foot whopper — a Premier Nordmann Fir no less — is decked out in a traditional colour palette on the ground floor, adorned with almost 6,000 traditional fairy lights and over 2,000 bespoke decorations. It was designed by in-house florists Grandirosa and is accompanied by a halo wreath, which is also claimed to be the largest in the City. It will serve as the backdrop for daily live music on the hotel’s Nickel Stage.
27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ. thened.com
Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park
The Bavarian one
Mandarin Oriental’s Knightsbridge outpost is known for its decadent marble interiors, and right now the lobby has added festive appeal as it has been transformed into a cosy alpine ‘Winterhaus’, inspired by a traditional Bavarian chalet. It will serve up German delights daily, and gingerbread decorating for kids will take place every Saturday in the lead up to Christmas. Plus, a sculpted cuckoo clock will be there to surprise guests with a range of gifts, from drinks and tasty treats to experiences at the hotel. Let’s
You can see the tree until 5 January at 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA. mandarinoriental.com
Claridge's
The fashion one
Drumroll, please... the designer commissioned to create Claridge’s much-anticipated Christmas Tree this year is... Paul Smith. The 14th major name tasked with dressing the 20ft spruce for its lobby was inspired by bird houses with over 100 playful version added to the tree alongside numerous baubles and ribbons. Playful animals created by Studiomama made from off-cuts sit at the base of the tree. “When designing this year’s tree, I automatically thought of a bird house, friendly and optimistic, a symbol of home which reflects the welcoming spirit of Claridge’s,” said Sir Paul.
The tree will be on display at Brook Street, London W1K 4HR for guests until January. claridges.co.uk
45 Park Lane
The one for movie-lovers
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Is there a more iconic Christmas movie than It’s A Wonderful Life? 45 Park Lane’s tree designer, contemporary artist Maria Rivans doesn’t think so. Created with in-house designer florist, the design was inspired by the timeless movie as well Zeigfeld Follies and the golden age of Hollywood. You’ll see dancing figurines, diamond-shaped baubles and some of the greatest actors of the past hanging in frames in its branches.
The tree will be on display to guests at 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA until January. dorchestercollection.com
The London EDITION
The kitsch one
Another cool collab at The London EDITION, this time with fashion designer Ashish Gupta, sees the hotel lobby host a tree which plays on the theme of kitschness and joy with a tinsel-covered tree, collected over the years. The creation draws inspiration from Gupta’s childhood memories in India of assembling a tree covered in tinsel, which is ubiquitously used during the period.Adding to the kaleidoscope of colours and textures are hundreds of fairy lights shaped like chilis, bunches of grapes, and stars.life.
The tree will be on display to guests until the New Year at 10 Berners St, London W1T 3NP. editionhotels.com
The Ritz
The extra one
25 ft tall and full to bursting with ribbons, stars, and gilded baubles, the Ritz’s tree is classic in style, with a red and gold colour scheme created by Paul Thomas Flowers. We wouldn't expect anything less from the landmark London hotel.
The tree is on display to guests until January at 150 Piccadilly, St. James's, London W1J 9BR. theritzlondon.com
One Aldwych
The one that’s part of an enchanted forest
If your idea of festive decor is more Narnia than It’s A Wonderful Life, then One Aldwych will be right up your street. The contemporary Covent Garden hotel decked out a nature-themed birch tree, designed in collaboration with resident florist Mark Siredzuk, as the centre piece of its Indigo restaurant. The space will also play host to a festive edit from pre-loved site The Cirkel, which shoppers can browse while sipping a festive cocktail.
1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BZ. onealdwych.com
