Europe's Hotels Let You Save Big on Your Holiday Vacation

PHOTO: Rome's most illustrious hotel, The Hassler is making the holidays special. (All photos courtesy those pictured)

October's apples have been picked, its pumpkins carved and the pageant of its fall colored hills have been ogled and oohed over. Now, people are turning their attention to Thanksgiving and the launch of the holiday season that ends in the fallen confetti of New Year's Day. Though most Americans think of these holidays as hearth and home celebrations, the Advent Season in Europe is an extremely beautiful time to be there.

The Christmas markets, the festivals and the intimacy of towns and cities when most of the tourists are gone give it real advantages over pea- season travel. Hotels across Europe are setting up the milk and cookies hoping that American visitors will follow Santa Claus down the chimney or even hoping they'll try an exotic Thanksgiving abroad.

Luxury in the city and luxury in the countryside come together in a joint package by two Red Carnation properties, London's Milestone Hotel and Ireland's Ashford Castle. The Palace To Castle package features three nights in each hotel. It all begins with a bottle of champagne on arrival at the Milestone with full English breakfast daily, a tour of Kensington Palace followed by Afternoon Tea and private roundtrip transfers from Heathrow or London City Airport.

From there, participants head to Ashford Castle on the West Coast of Ireland. A welcome cocktail awaits them, full Irish breakfast daily, an hour-long full body massage for two, a choice of a one-hour Falconry lesson or golf for two with club rental at Ashford Castle and private roundtrip transfers from Knock Airport or Shannon. The package can also begin in Ireland and end in London. Priced from €5,000 ($6,366) per person double, the package is valid until Dec. 22.

PHOTO: Ireland's K Club is offering some very merry activities this Christmas.

You can get a little more Ireland with a package being offered by County Kildare's K Club and its elegant Straffan House. Straffan House is a 34,000-square foot country manor on the K Club's grounds. It's ideal for groups or multigenerational family stays with its 10 ensuite rooms, its crackling fireplaces and Christmas decorations all surrounded by the Irish countryside.

Straffan House guests get the VIP treatment including a private gourmet Christmas dinner; a personal car and driver for shopping in Dublin or nearby Kildare Village designer shopping outlets; a Christmas tree and decorations throughout the residence, and a visit from an Irish Santa Claus on Christmas Morning with gifts for all. Straffan House has its own wine cellar, a cinema and an indoor pool with swim-up bar. Reservations for Straffan House require a five night minimum stay, beginning Dec. 23 at a rate of $20,000 per night.

The K Club hotel is offering a two- or three-night Christmas Experience (interconnecting family rooms are available) with a full Irish breakfast daily, Christmas Eve dinner, Carol Singing with Mulled wine and Mince Pies on Christmas Eve by the fire and a Christmas tree in each guestroom.

Rates begin at $990 per adult. All K Club guests, whether at Straffan House or The K Club, can participate in Afternoon Tea and a Christmas Eve mass in the hotel. Santa Claus comes in a horse-drawn carriage on Christmas morning with gifts for all. A holiday treasure hunt and duck races on the River Liffey follow after. For adults, there are daily wine cellar tours, art and history walks, and expert-led garden walks. After a day of traditional country pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting, horse riding and falconry, guest can warm their bones with an Irish Hot Toddy in the hotel's cozy Vintage Crop bar.

Roman Holidays

Christmas and New Years on the Spanish Steps in what's arguably the best hotel in Rome just might get your sleigh bells ringing. The Hotel Hassler Roma has assembled several Christmas and New Years' packages that feature its Michelin-starred Imágo and Salone Eva restaurants. All packages include Deluxe Double or Grand Deluxe Double room and daily buffet breakfast for two. The three-night Enchanting Christmas Dream Package also features a six-course Christmas Eve dinner for two at Imágo, afternoon Christmas tea for two at Salone Eva with live harp music performance, and a Christmas surprise in room upon arrival. The package is priced from €1,696 to €1,996 ($2,162 to $2,544); the package is valid for arrivals from Dec. 22 to 24.

The three-night Sparking New Year's in Rome Package features a bottle of the Hassler Roma's Franciacorta Storica 61 sparkling wine, afternoon tea for two at Salone Eva, a New Year's Eve gala dinner for two at Imágo and dancing at Salone Medici. The package, valid from Dec. 29 to 31, is priced from €3,330 to €3,630 ($4,244 to $4,627). The three-night New Year's Celebration Package at Salone Eva features a bottle of the Hassler Roma's Franciacorta Storica 61 sparkling wine, afternoon tea for two at Salone Eva and a New Year's Eve dinner at the Salone Eva, followed by dancing at Salone Medici. The package is valid from De. 29 to 31 and is priced from €2,460 to €2,760 ($3,135 to $3,518).

Thanksgiving in France or Italy

The first Thanksgiving was a cold and windy affair that observed a Puritan's sense of simplicity and restraint. Thanksgiving at The BAUERs in Venice will be created by Chef Hiraki Masakazu at De Pisis Restaurant. Forget puritan restraint, this meal is centered by baked glazed ham with apricots and mustard, and roast turkey stuffed with dried fruits, red peppercorn, roasted sweet potatoes, and blueberry sauce. The chestnut soup flavored with brandy is designed to gives it an autumnal touch. Desert comes with a pecan cake served with ginger ice cream and petit fours. The cost is €90 per person (VAT included), beverages excluded.

If given the choice, maybe the pilgrim fathers would have indulged on the menu that will be served on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré at Paris. There's still time to book some Thanksgiving turkey with the Oetker Collection. Le Bristol Paris' Thanksgiving package starts at $1,722 and is available throughout November. The offer comes with two connecting rooms with two American breakfasts. Breakfast for children age 12 and younger and all kids' meals for children under the age of six are complimentary (up to two children). Young guests will be entertained with a special treasure hunt and their very own "Le Bristol" surprise gift.

PHOTO:Thanksgiving dinner at Le Bristol Paris will likely surpass what the pilgrim fathers had in Plymouth.

Le Bristol's four o'clock menu includes chestnut flavored desserts, pecan and pumpkin pies along with a traditional hot chocolate drink. The menu at $33 per person also includes Chef Laurent Jeannin's pumpkin-inspired cotton candy which will be offered complimentary to all children.

Le Bristol Paris is just one of the Oetker Collection hotels that are celebrating the holidays. L'Apogee Courchevel in the French Alps is hosting a Christmas Eve party with cocktails, dinner and dancing at Le Comptoir de L'Apogée, the hotel's gastronomic restaurant with picture windows overlooking the ski slopes.

Santa Claus arrives early the following morning to spread Christmas cheer aboard his horse-drawn sleigh. To ring in the New Year, the resort will have a special menu starting at $1,000 per guest. The evening will commence with cocktails and dinner accompanied by a French jazz band. The party continues into the night with singer G-star and his band.

Spa haven Baden Baden's Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, another Oetker property, will take guests on an exploration of the Black Forest on Dec. 30's "winter wonderland stroll." The group will depart the hotel at 11 a.m., walk along wooded mountain trails and take refreshments at the Scherrhof Woodland Inn. The following day, the hotel hosts the New Year at the Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa Gala Dinner Dance. For $485, attendees are invited for dinner and dancing at the hotel's Orangerie to ring in the New Year in style. Entertainment for the evening will include music by the band "French Acoustic", magical tricks by Stephan Kirschbaum and a firework display as the clock strikes midnight.

The Annual Amsterdam Light Festival runs from Nov. 27 to Jan. 18. Light sculptures, projections and installations, designed by artists give the city a roaring holiday look. Amsterdam's The Dylan is offering a one-night Serendipity Winter package, Dec. 1 through Feb. 25, for €325 ($415) per person double. The package comes with a one night stay in a Serendipity Junior Canal View Suite; a 1.5 hour private morning cruise in a classic wooden salon boat on the canals; customized breakfast plate to be served on board; entrance to the Canal House Museum; and a High Wine experience featuring a selection of wines paired with savory dishes from the kitchen of Executive Chef Dennis Kuipers.

Discounted Dates from Hotels4u

If you'd like to catch the early dates in Europe's Advent Season, Hotels4u has assembled a range of discounted hotel offers that are connected to notable Christmas Markets. The catch is that the discounts are only available in early to mid-December and in very short windows of availability.

In Edinburgh, for instance, the Scotsman Hotel and the Fountain Court apartments are offering 15 percent off if you stay between Dec. 1 and 3. The Scotsman Hotel resides in the former offices of the Scotsman Newspaper. The 1905 edifice features grand views of Edinburgh Castle, The Firth of Forth, Leith, Princes Street and Calton Hill. In addition, this 5 Star luxury Boutique Hotel offers a range of unique guestrooms with modern amenities, access to the Scotsman SPA and Health Club.

Traveling to London in the first week of December? You can stay at the four-star Cranley Hotel in South Kensington with a 10 percent discount and receive both bed and breakfast. Rome's four-star Hotel Delle Province, between Dec. 18 and 20 is available with a 20 percent discount and comes with continental breakfast. A 35 percent discount is available at Amsterdam's Wyndham Apollo Hotel between Dec. 12 and 16.

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