From Italian winter feasts and Southern flavours to drag carols, ITC Maurya and The LaLiT New Delhi give a snapshot of Christmas celebration at five-star hotels has become a well-planned, experiential experience
Hotels across India usher in Christmas in style. Across major cities, the season often begins with tree-lighting ceremonies — Sheraton Grand Bangalore, for instance, marked it with cocktails, music, and a Santa walkabout — while lobbies turn immersive with grand ornamentation, gingerbread houses, wreaths, and light installations. The idea of décor has evolved beyond the generic: a Srinagar property built a 30-foot tree out of Chinar leaves; Leela Ambience Convention Hotel in Delhi used reclaimed wood and reused glass bottles for a nine-foot installation sourced from craft collectives; and at voco Jim Corbett, an IHG hotel, Tharu women built a festive tree from wild grass.
Food remains the season’s major attraction, planned weeks in advance, with roast turkey, plum cake, pumpkin pies, and gingerbread desserts now standard on festive brunches and Christmas Eve dinners. Cake-mixing ceremonies — seen in Delhi’s Le Meridien and Crowne Plaza — ropes in guests, chefs, and hotel teams for a shared ritual. What’s more, properties build multi-sensory experiences: carols and live gigs, kids’ workshops, Santa photo-ops, themed cocktails, and seasonal stay packages that bundle décor with treats. Increasingly, hotels position Christmas as an inclusive cultural moment.
Curated dining experiences
The mood starts building somewhere in early December — when lobbies begin to be decked up, new items are added to the menus, bakers disappear into kitchens, and the city’s five-star hotels start preparing for their annual festivity. In Delhi, ITC Maurya and The LaLiT New Delhi offer a snapshot of how they plan to make Christmas special for their guests. ITC Maurya’s festive philosophy this year revolves around curated dining experiences across Avartana, Ottimo and The Pavilion, with each restaurant interpreting the season through its own culinary language. It’s not a one-size-fits-all buffet situation. Instead, guests are invited to move through flavours — progressive Southern Indian, classic Italian winter comfort, and other festive classics — depending on their mood and appetite.
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This idea of choice is key. Christmas celebration is spread across experiences, spaces and tastes. Whether you want an elegant sit-down meal, a lavish spread that makes you spoilt for a choice, or something deeply nostalgic, the five-star hotels in Delhi have you covered.
Nutmeg classic plum cake at ITC Maurya
Ottimo, ITC Maurya’s much-loved Italian restaurant, does Christmas the way Italians might approve of: slowly, generously, and with respect for tradition. The festive menu here reads like a love letter to winter indulgence. A beautifully roasted turkey, lamb Wellington, glazed baked ham with onion, and a Brie tarte Tatin anchor the savoury side, while desserts go all-in on the classics — gingerbread cake, plum cake, mince pies and the timeless Christmas pudding.
What makes Ottimo’s Christmas offering stand out is balance. The flavours are familiar enough to trigger nostalgia, but the execution carries the polish of Italian craftsmanship. It’s comfort food, yes — but dressed up just enough to feel special, occasion-worthy, and indulgent without being overwhelming.
At The Pavilion, the mood shifts from intimate to expansive. Designed for variety and indulgence, the festive spread here is where Christmas becomes a global affair. Think traditional roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and cranberry sauce, dill and honey–infused roasted leg of lamb, king fish cooked in a salt crust, and hazelnut-crusted basa with kaffir lime butter.
The hotel’s Wellbeing and Leisure Escapes package pairs its signature hospitality with renewal at Kaya Kalp – The Spa, where guests unwind through therapeutic sessions designed for balance and reset — a contrast to the frenetic year-end pace. Artisanal festive hampers, thoughtfully curated stay experiences for families and couples, and the sheer indulgence position the property as a retreat within the city.
Live music, drag carols
But the buffet doesn’t stop at Western classics. There’s Singaporean chilli crab, Kashmiri Wazwan favourites like Rogan Josh, flavour-packed kebabs, artisan pasta and gnocchi with house-made sauces, and festive Indian mains such as tandoori ananas ki chaat. Prices for these experiences range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,250 plus taxes per person, depending on the venue and offering.
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The LaLiT New Delhi turns December into a calendar packed with dining, music, performance, and large-scale gatherings. Christmas Eve at 24/7, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, has an elaborate buffet featuring global classics, handcrafted desserts, premium beverages, and a strong entertainment lineup, including live Christmas carols and a Duo band performance by Sagar & Daisies.
Prices start at Rs 5,500 + taxes (solo), Rs 10,000 + taxes (twosome), and Rs 4,000 + taxes (solo non-alcoholic). The Christmas Brunch at 24/7 keeps the energy going, offering festive favourites, live counters, and music from 12 PM to 4 PM, priced at Rs 6,000 + taxes (solo) and Rs 11,000 + taxes (twosome).
During the night, 24/7 Bar becomes one of The LaLiT’s most interesting festive spaces. From 9 PM onwards, the bar hosts live performances by The Christmas Queens — Betta Nonstop, Seventeen Sins, Lush Monsoon, and Hash-Brownie. This commitment to inclusion is tied to The LaLiT’s brand philosophy of “We Care,” which foregrounds diversity, equity and inclusion. On New Year’s Eve, lavish buffets at 24/7 and OKO, and a Pan-Indian celebration at Baluchi, let guests ring in the New Year with live DJs.
