Why you should skip holiday planning and go to a hotel

Here are a few things you should know about me. I like spending time with my friends and family. I like cooking. But me Are not Likes to celebrate holidays.

I know that some people really enjoy preparing a big turkey dinner with all the fixings and inviting loved ones over to their home for the holidays. I’m just not one of them. I don’t like having to cook, clean, and hang around making sure everyone is having a good time.

Related: 12 festive hotels for true holiday lovers

I found a great alternative to throwing a holiday party: Skip it completely and go to a hotel. I just returned from a Thanksgiving visit to Orlando and it was the perfect way to start the holiday season.

Here’s why I think you should forego hosting duties and spend your vacation at a hotel.

You don’t have to cook, clean or play host

My husband and I have three children – all boys – and although we try to do otherwise, the cleanliness of our house is questionable. The amount of work we had to do to make it nice was more than we could manage other than making sure the boys were fed, clean and clothed.

This year, we flew to Orlando, where a pristine room awaited us at the Gaylord Palms Resort near Walt Disney World.

We returned to our room every afternoon to find the bed made, the trash removed, and the room tidied. I still do my best to control the kids’ mess between cleaning sessions, but this alone relieves a lot of my vacation stress.

I strongly support tipping hotel staff and restaurant staffAnd I recommend tipping more on holidays if you can afford it. A small tip is an easy way to say “thank you.” Plus, it’s reassuring to know that I can spend more time with my family instead of having to clean endlessly during the holidays.

Although we tried to save money by stocking our hotel room with essential breakfast items and snacks, we also ate dinner during our visit. Most hotels I visited during the holidays served celebratory meals on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

I enjoyed a Thanksgiving lunch poolside at Gaylord Palms Cypress Springs Waterpark. I’m not sure that tuna poke bowl is a historically accurate Thanksgiving meal, but it certainly makes me feel grateful that I’m sitting in sunny Florida, sitting by the pool instead of cold cooking in southern Indiana.

Most hotels plan special meals and activities

Lest you think we avoided turkey and stuffing altogether, we had a more traditional turkey dinner at the Rainforest Cafe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that night. The park is less than 15 minutes from Gaylord Palms and the animatronic animals created lots of laughter during Thanksgiving.

In many cases, you don’t even have to leave the hotel to enjoy a traditional holiday meal. Get off the road at Universal OrlandoSome on-site hotels serve holiday meals. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort And Loews Sapphire Falls Resort all serve festive buffets on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Outside of Florida, there are several other hotels that serve special meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cypress Grand Lodge in Memphis serves a classic Southern-inspired meal during Thanksgiving, while the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman serves a traditional turkey dinner or a “Thanksgiving to-go” feast for guests who want Dine in the privacy of your suite. Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts in Riviera Maya And Punta Cana serves a special Christmas brunch so you can fill your stomach before heading to the beach or water park.

Related: Not your average sleigh ride: 9 can’t-miss theme parks during the holiday season

In addition to delicious meals, hotels across the globe also mark the holiday season with special events and activities. Over the years, we’ve sung along with carolers and met Santa in the Loews Portofino Bay hotel lobby at Universal Orlando. Every Universal hotel is in the holiday spirit.

This year, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal Orlando held a tree lighting ceremony the day after Thanksgiving. It comes complete with free hot cocoa and cookies as well as surprise character meet-and-greets.

In addition to specialty meals, Santa also stops by both Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts locations on Christmas, and kids can participate in special holiday-themed activities like cookie decorating.

Or, if you’re a fan of holiday turkey trot races, Big Cedar Motel near Branson, Missouri, holds its annual “Gobble Wobble 5K” the day after Thanksgiving.

You’ll create new holiday traditions and memories

The above activities are just some examples offered at fun, festive hotels you can visit during the holiday season. You can find similar services in destinations around the world. No matter where you travel on vacation, unique experiences you can’t have at home will help create memorable vacation memories.

Related: 13 destinations for a fun family holiday

My family has a tradition of visiting the Gaylord Hotel during the holidays for the experience annual holiday event called Ice! This was the first year we were there for Thanksgiving, and the festive atmosphere really made it feel like a perfectly appropriate way to spend the holiday.

We may not participate in the typical traditions but we still have fun and spend quality time together. In the spirit of the holidays, we sit around the table on Thanksgiving night and share the things we are thankful for.

Breaking out of our usual routine and filling the day with fun activities means I don’t have to wrestle the iPads out of my kids’ hands or think of ways to keep us busy.

You can earn last-minute status nights or use up expired certificates

I don’t know about you, but this year I’m grateful for all the ways points and miles have improved my travels. I’ve earned things like room upgrades, late check-outs, and free hotel nights thanks Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card And American Express Platinum® Card.

Amex Platinum automatically granted me Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (registration required), which comes with perks like room upgrades, late check-out, and earning bonus points on stays. My Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card comes with an annual free night certificate (up to 35,000 points; some hotels may charge a resort fee) for my card membership anniversary.

Related: Don’t let your credit go to waste: Your 2024 year-end credit card checklist

I almost forgot to use it last year, which resulted Another funny story. But this is not the time to take our dog on vacation to avoid losing a free hotel night. This is to remind you that the holiday season is the perfect time to check for any free night certificates or other money-saving credit card benefits that may be expiring soon.

For example, my Amex Platinum comes with it up to $200 annual prepaid hotel statement credit every calendar year. And as the old saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Related: Last-minute tips for securing your hotel’s elite status before the end of the year

You can also justify throwing holiday traditions out the window and creating your own if you need to spend a few final nights moving up to a new elite status level. You will enjoy a special vacation with your family And Capture higher hotel benefits next year. Now that’s something to be grateful for.

Bottom line

Don’t get me wrong – I love throwing a party. But I’m more of a hostess who serves appetizers, drinks, and board games.

Instead of painting myself into a corner trying to plan the perfect Thanksgiving (and pulling the innards out of the turkey, which is not something I want to do), I found an alternative. It allows my family to celebrate all the things we love during the holidays without any of the stress.

However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a very happy holiday season.

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