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Designer Christmas Trees at Hotels - A Festive, Artistic Tour of Luxury Hospitality

  //travel-leisure.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. festive-artistic-tour-of-luxury-hospitality.html
  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, December 5th 2025 at 9:31 GMT by Travel + Leisure
      Locale: New York, UNITED STATES

Designer Christmas Trees at Hotels – A Festive, Artistic Tour of Luxury Hospitality

When the holiday season rolls around, most people think of twinkling lights, sugared pine needles and a cozy fireplace. In the world of luxury hospitality, however, the “decor” is taken to a whole new level: designer Christmas trees that are as much works of art as they are seasonal ornaments. Travel + Leisure’s recent roundup of “designer Christmas trees at hotels” dives deep into this phenomenon, taking readers on a globetrotting tour of some of the most stunning, unconventional holiday displays you’ll ever see in a hotel lobby, atrium or balcony.

The Concept: From Ornament to Statement Piece

The article starts by explaining the idea behind the designer tree. Rather than simply selecting a standard, pre‑cut fir and decking it with ornaments, hotels commission architects, interior designers, or even famous artists to create a centerpiece that reflects the property’s brand, the local culture, and the current design zeitgeist. The result is a tree that can be a sculptural element, a statement of sustainable luxury, or a nod to the region’s history and architecture.

Travel + Leisure notes that the trend grew during the 2010s, as hotels increasingly viewed the holiday season as a marketing opportunity. A striking tree can become a social‑media icon, encouraging guests to post selfies, boosting the hotel’s visibility, and reinforcing the brand’s commitment to design excellence.

How the Trees Were Chosen

The article explains the selection process that the editors followed. They searched for hotels that:

1. Have a reputation for design – The Ritz‑Carlton, The Peninsula, and The Arts Hotel Barcelona all have award‑winning interiors.
2. Showcase a unique, sometimes avant‑garde tree – From minimalist glass cones to hand‑crafted recycled‑metal spirals.
3. Offer additional context – Many trees are accompanied by an explanation of the designer’s intent, the materials used, and the story behind the piece.

Travel + Leisure cross‑checked the information by visiting each hotel’s official website (linked within the article), reading press releases, and, in some cases, following the designer’s own portfolio pages.

Highlighted Trees – By Destination

The article is organized by city, providing a snapshot of each hotel’s approach:

1. New York City – The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza’s tree is a modern take on the classic evergreen. It’s a towering, slender glass structure that glows softly with embedded LED lights. The design was commissioned from a New York‑based interior firm that specializes in kinetic light installations. The tree’s reflective surface plays with the city’s skyline, creating a mirror of holiday lights above the bustle of Fifth Avenue.

2. Barcelona – Hotel Arts Barcelona

Hotel Arts goes full “Catalan modernisme” with a tree that mimics the city’s iconic Art Nouveau architecture. A series of twisted, organic branches made from recycled aluminum are arranged in a spiral, giving the impression of a living, breathing sculpture. The designers also incorporated native Spanish olive oil for a subtle, natural fragrance that permeates the atrium.

3. Tokyo – The Ritz‑Carlton, Tokyo

The Japanese flagship of the brand features a “minimalist” tree designed by a local architect famed for his use of negative space. The tree is essentially a set of clean, white, conical forms stacked on top of one another, each one illuminated from within by warm LED strips. The design reflects the Japanese aesthetic of “wabi‑sabi,” celebrating the understated beauty of imperfection.

4. Cape Town – The Peninsula, Cape Town

The Peninsula’s tree takes a “green” turn, built entirely from sustainably harvested spruce and integrated with an indoor vertical garden that offers real greenery rather than just plastic pine needles. The designers partnered with a local conservation group to ensure that the saplings were re‑planted once the tree was removed.

5. Paris – The Hôtel Plaza Athénée

The Parisian hotel’s tree is a nod to the Art Deco movement, made from mirrored panels and a chrome framework that reflects the Eiffel Tower in the background. The tree’s lights pulse in sync with the “Champagne Symphony,” a soundtrack played throughout the hotel’s lounge spaces. The designers also included a “light‑painting” area for guests to capture the shimmering effect with their phones.

6. Dubai – Atlantis, The Palm

Here, the tree is a fusion of luxury and technology. It’s a “holographic” sculpture that projects a 3‑dimensional pine onto a translucent screen. The design was curated by a Dubai-based tech start‑up that specializes in AR experiences. Guests can interact with the tree by scanning QR codes that change the tree’s colors in real time.

Sustainability and Storytelling

One of the recurring themes in the article is the importance of sustainability. Several hotels opted for trees made from reclaimed wood, recycled metal, or even biodegradable materials. Some designers incorporated living plants that could be transplanted back into the environment once the season ended. Others used digital displays that mimic the look of a tree without the need for a real one at all.

Travel + Leisure also highlights how each tree has a story. Whether it’s a local artist’s interpretation of the region’s natural beauty or a nod to the brand’s heritage, the designers use the tree as a platform to convey deeper meaning. The article includes quotes from designers who explain that the tree is “a visual narrative about community, resilience, and joy.”

Practical Tips for Guests

In addition to showcasing the trees, the article offers practical advice for travelers who want to see these installations. It points out the opening hours for each hotel’s public spaces, recommended booking times, and where to find the best photo spots. The editors also advise guests to look for nearby pop‑up markets or local artisans’ stalls that sometimes align with the hotel’s holiday theme.

Why This Matters

Beyond the obvious aesthetic pleasure, these designer Christmas trees demonstrate how luxury hospitality is evolving into a “design‑driven” industry. They’re not merely decorative; they’re experiential touchpoints that can influence a guest’s perception of a brand and become a shared cultural moment—especially when captured and shared on social media.

Travel + Leisure’s roundup invites readers to consider how a single element—an artfully curated tree—can transform a hotel’s lobby into a living gallery, a seasonal celebration, and a conversation starter. By blending architecture, sustainability, and storytelling, these trees elevate holiday décor from a seasonal gimmick to an immersive experience that guests will remember for years to come.