These Jaw-Dropping Life-Sized Gingerbread Houses Are Now on Display at Hotels Around the West
Every winter, hotels in the West add extra holiday spirit with unique life-sized gingerbread houses inspired by Christmas movies, Disney characters, and even the desert
Please note that most of these gingerbread houses are on hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Please check back again in 2021, when hopefully the world will be a little bit sweeter.
Every year, hotels in the West add extra holiday spirit to their sparkling winter-themed lobbies with life-sized gingerbread houses. Some are classic with precise frosting technique and meticulous gingerbread bricks, while others opt for a Southwestern version inspired by the sandy Sonoran Desert (and yes, it includes a gingerbread four-wheel drive vehicle). Either way, the holiday spirit is on grand display with these over-the-top creations. Take your pick and let the holiday celebrations begin.
Fairmont San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco’s iconic Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill is known for the large-scale gingerbread house built by its pastry chefs every holiday season. The two-story, life-size gingerbread display stands more than 25 feet high and 35 feet wide and includes more than 6,000 gingerbread bricks, 1,650 pounds of candy, and 3,300 pounds of icing. While you’re there, consider making a reservation for the hotel’s Gingerbread Holiday Tea for an extra-special holiday outing.
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (Anaheim, CA)
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa—the lodge-style hotel connected to Disney California Adventure Park—dedicated this year’s massive, detail-oriented gingerbread house to Chip ‘n’ Dale, who are characteristically tangled up in candy canes in front of the house. Look closely and you’ll also spot edible stain glass windows, a mini fireplace, and fondant stockings adorned with classic characters such as Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto.
Sheraton Grand Seattle (Seattle, WA)
The 27th annual Gingerbread Village celebration takes place at Sheraton Grand Seattle, where a team of local architects and chefs collaborated to build an out-of-this-world “village” featuring 8-foot-tall houses and thousands of pounds in dough, icing, and candy. The month-long event is donation-based, with all proceeds benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.