I’m a big sucker for Christmas lights. Not the simple ones hanging on family homes, mind you, nor the ostentatious ones the shove Christmas down your throat. No, I love the classy displays found so often at major hotels.
For whatever reason, high-end hotels in Southern California seem to go bonkers with lights at this time of year but they do it so tastefully and with so much class that I usually find myself visiting at least one local hotel every year to simply soak up the spirit.
For those that feel the same way I do, and plan to be in Southern California for the holidays, Valli Herman has penned a nice article for the LA Times detailing the very best light displays at local hotels and resorts.
I was very happy to see that my favorite, the Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena was included on her list. But don’t be intimated by these high-end, pricy resorts–you don’t have to check in and spend the night, just swing by the bar for a drink and enjoy.
Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa – Pasadena
The Mission Inn – Riverside
St. Regis Resort – Monarch Beach
Four Seasons Hotel – Westlake Village
Bacara Resort & Spa – Santa Barbara
Montage Resort & Spa – Laguna Beach