OVER-THE-TOP DESTINATION CHRISTMAS TREES

Decorations take things to the next levels. Whether it’s gilding lilies or trimming trees, it’s all about adding beauty. It’s one of the best things about the holidays. So, we set out to find the best of the  best -- the most beautiful Christmas trees you can visit now, in London, New York, and Paris.

Top hotels, like Claridge’s, go over the top on their Christmas tree decorations. Some commission artists and designers to create decoration masterpieces. Some designs, like this year’s Aqua Shard tree, are so complex, they require engineers. Sometimes chefs are involved, like when the Ritz Carlton commissioned a Christmas tree made entirely of macarons.

All of these extraordinary trees are big -- but some, like those at Galeries Lafayette are jaw-droppingly massive. Regardless of size, many of these super-trees are decorated with hand-crafted bespoke ornaments. Many have new concepts or themes each year.

The trees all stand in spectacular settings, in grand spaces, surrounded by more decoration artistry, with exceptionally creative, meticulously crafted wreaths, swags, fantasy gingerbread houses and more.

You can check out these glorious decorated trees in the hotel lobbies and public spaces on the fly or, for an over-the-top experience altogether, indulge in one of the Christmas of luxury packages, offered -- you can leave the decorating, cooking, entertaining and even shopping -- in the best hands, so can just relax and revel in the beauty.

Check out our picks below.

THE SHARD -- LONDON

The Shard skyscraper in London, home to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and a destination restaurant Aqua Shard, commissioned a Christmas tree that is doubly beautiful -- it’s a gorgeous sight to behold and it’s helping to bring relief to people in dire need.

Award-winning designer Lee Broom in collaboration with Nude Glass created a 32 foot-tall Christmas tree made of 245 hand-blown glass pendant lights, each of which will be sold, with proceeds donated to charity: the British Red Cross U.K. Solidarity Fund, and London Fire Relief Fund.

You can purchase your own pendant light here. It will be shipped sometime in February, after the tree is taken down.

CLARIDGE’S - LONDON

Claridge’s has been commissioning artists and designers, to create extraordinary Christmas trees for the past 8 years. Karl Lagerfeld created this year’s masterpiece, inspired by his childhood memories of the holidays.

The total installation includes a series of inverted spruce Christmas Trees placed around the hotel lobby.

The centrepiece is a 16 foot tall tree, hung upside-down, with its silver gilded roots forming its “crown,” topped with a multi-faceted mirrored star which reflects rays of magical light across the lobby. The main tree is hung with traditional silver lametta decorations, silver butter leather feathers, handcrafted snowflakes, and candles.

Hand-sewn white Icelandic sheepskin rugs sit softly, resembling a snow-drift beneath.

In past years, trees have been created by Dolce & Gabbana, Christopher Bailey, of Burberry, to name a few.

LANGHAM PLACE -- NEW YORK

Langham Place has a tradition of going way over top for Christmas. This year’s tree, created by Luxe Bloom, is comprised entirely of over 3,300 preserved roses in the hotel brand’s signature shade of Langham Pink.

If you want the full-on Christmas in NY experience, the Langham offers a fantasy package that includes:

• Luxurious accommodations in one of the newly designed Roche Bobois Penthouses, featuring unparalleled views of the Empire State Building,
• Use of a dedicated Rolls-Royce
• A specially-curated private shopping itinerary with personal shopper
• An eight-course tasting menu served in your suite by James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael White, proprietor of Langham Place’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Ai Fiori,  
• 4 premium seats at the New York show of your choice.
• It also comes with your own fully-decorated in-room Christmas tree, with gifts under the tree including:
• An edible chocolate box with Langham Pink diamond gifts inside
• Hand-selected items from Roche Bobois
• Two luxury cashmere blankets
• A complimentary basket of hand-selected made-in-New York items from Chelsea Market

If you don’t want to spring for that tab, you have the chance to win a $10,000 upgrade by purchasing special Langham chocolate bars. If you get the one that contains a Golden Ticket… you’re golden!

FAIRMONT HOTEL - SAN FRANCISCO

Christmas at the Fairmont Hotel, in San Francisco, is most notable for the life-size, elaborate gingerbread house that it builds ever year in its lobby.

The 2-story sweet structure employs both the Fairmont’s talented culinary and engineering teams. This year’s house will be the largest ever, standing at over 25’ tall, 35’ wide, and 10’ deep.

It features more than 10,250 homemade gingerbread bricks, 1,650 pounds of candy, and 3,300 pounds of royal icing. And it comes with its own sweet railroad track.

The beautifully decorated Gingerbread House now offers a private dining space for up to 12 guests! This space can be reserved in advance and is the ideal place for afternoon tea or dinner.

The 23-foot tall Christmas tree in the main lobby is also impressive in its own right.  

Learn more about the Fairmont Gingerbread House here.

GALERIES LAFAYETTE - PARIS

The Galeries Lafayette shopping emporium makes a spectacle of Christmas decorations. It has the clout, the space, and the architecture to do it. Each year it commissions a new magnificent tree to sit proudly under its ornate central dome.

This year, the theme ‘Spectacular Spectacular’ is expressed with an over the top tree surrounded by an abundance of balloons, giant candies made of mylar. And, wait for it…. There are 8 indoor roller coasters to add to thrill.

Read more about Beautiful Decorations all this week on BeautifulNow.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by David Cleveland. “The Tree of Glass,” by Lee Broom with Nude. Aqua Shard at The Shard. London, UK. Courtesy of Lee Broom.
2. Image: by David Cleveland. “The Tree of Glass,” by Lee Broom with Nude. Aqua Shard at The Shard. London, UK. Courtesy of Lee Broom.
3. Image: by David Cleveland. “The Tree of Glass,” by Lee Broom with Nude. Aqua Shard at The Shard. London, UK. Courtesy of Lee Broom.
4. Image: by David Cleveland. “The Tree of Glass,” by Lee Broom with Nude. Aqua Shard at The Shard. London, UK. Courtesy of Lee Broom.
5. Image: Claridge's Christmas Tree, by Karl Lagerfeld. Courtesy of Claridge’s. London, UK.
6. Image: Claridge's Christmas Tree, by Dolce & Gabbana. Courtesy of Claridge’s. London, UK.
7. Image: “Rose Christmas Tree.” Courtesy of Langham Place. New York, New York.
8. Image: Christmas Gift. Courtesy of Langham Place. New York, New York.
9. Image: Christmas Tree & Gingerbread House. Courtesy of Fairmont Hotel San Francisco. San Francisco, California.
10. Image: Christmas Tree & Gingerbread House. Courtesy of Fairmont Hotel San Francisco. San Francisco, California.
11. Image: Christmas Tree under the Dome at Galeries Lafayette. Courtesy of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Paris, France.
12. Image: Christmas Tree under the Dome at Galeries Lafayette. Courtesy of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Paris, France.
13. Image: “Macaron Tree.” Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton. Charlotte, North Carolina.
14. Image: Claridge's Christmas Tree, by Christopher Bailey, of Burberry. Courtesy of Claridge’s.  London, UK.