booking a hotel for xmas

I have done it several times in the past, and loved every minute of it. You can be as friendly or separate as you wish. I just wish we could afford it - and of course DD loves coming here every year with her children and DS is still at home. But I would love to at least go out to a good restaurant for a meal rather than have all that food clogging up my fridges for weeks afterwards and in advance.

We came back yesterday from our Christmas stay in Ballater. The hotel was perfect. No television other than in the bedroom, lounges cosy with wide log fires and tweed throws and plump cushions on the sofas - and the food was very, very good! It wasn't dull - anything but! After all the hustle and bustle of making sure that everything was ready present-wise for the family's Christmas before we left, all I had to do was just sit back - and forget it!!

Our DD and SIL invited us to christmas dinner but they had booked the hotel for the meal we stayed at the hotel and had an upgrade to a beautiful suite. The other GPs stayed at a different hotel and it worked very well. The dinner was booked for an early time as we didn't want crotchety overexcited children. So it wasn't naff and over the top with Santa Claus hats but civilized and rather elegant. It can work if you pick the right hotel for you.

My brother and wife went to the Isle of Wight and due to the weather the journey was 12 hours each way. The hotel was partially flooded and they had no hot water or lift for 4 days. Maybe they should have gone to see their Daughter and DGCs who live 5 minutes away!

We cant face a hotel but we do book a cottage for Xmas. Each year we go to a different part of the country. We buy ready meals (no cooking) and just relax. We also get to see some other places. We see the family for a day when we get back.
Owners seem to like letting over Xmas and they always decorate the properties. Some leave us crackers, wine, mince pies!

I'm looking forward to it even more now!

Bliss Marelli

Little inn, nice food, log fires, near Balmoral, 4 days over Xmas, lovely walks, books, with DH .... and it's 'nothing special' ...

Sounds very special to me Marelli

Idyllic, Marelli.

DH and I are going to stay in a hotel near Balmoral. It's just a little inn with nothing special about it, just nice food and log fires. We'll be there for 4 days over Christmas and I'm really looking forward to it. There'll be lovely walks if the weather permits and books to read if it doesn't.

Seconded Galen

You go !!

I've loved the ones I've been on and am regretting having cancelled this years.
Guess what I'm doing next year?

Some friends decided to go on a Christmas cruise/ New year .
They hated every minute of the Christmas Day part she really missed doing her Christmas Dinner !

I think I would hate the enforced jollity. Would rather just hire a lovely cottage somewhere in the wilderness and take lots of M and S food and drink! Like Mishap I would grudge playing hotel prices at Christmas as I am not a "joiner" and don't like manufactured jollity. We have all the family round and it is lovely but when the day comes when they want to do their own thing it will be a seaside or country luxury cottage for us - with no phone reception. I am not a scrooge, just like tranquillity.

I have done it. One year when DS and family were at the in-laws I booked an overnight stay in a boutique hotel for DD, SIL and us. It is the ultimate luxury and even when we are all in one place I book a restaurant rather than spend several days in the kitchen.

I think I would book a say in a hotel at anther time to save money - I am to stingy to pay Christmas hotel rates!

not cross but very definitely

Our DS1 is disabled since he had a stroke 6 years ago and his wife wouldn't come back from Japan with him, [tchcross], but lives independently. His siblings would invite him to them but, as he can't drive, collecting him etc is an issue for them and the others are all having their year with the 'other side' so he wouldn't be terribly comfortable. At least I've felt justified in buying Christmas from M&S if we are not spending a fortune in a hotel.

Same here kitty DD has her in-laws over from Germany so won't see her family apart from an hour for present exchange Christmas morning.
DH and I would have loved to go to an hotel and be waited on and be entertained but DS is still living at home and would be alone.

We were going to do that as our grandchildren are overseas at the moment. However, when it came to it I rather relished a quiet day for a change. Might do it next year though - they are gone for four years!

We were going to do that this year but realised that, although all the others were going to their in laws, it would mean DS1 being on his own so dropped the idea.

Perhaps their escaping the mayhem and madness. I know it can be lovely. I know the grandchildren's faces are a joy to behold, I know the thought of all our own children being together makes us glow with motherly pride... But there are times when I secretly wish they'd all b---er off

Sounds an excellent idea!