The Best Hotels to Celebrate New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is one of those holidays with immense anticipation. Whether you’re wrangling friends for a night out or hosting a get-together, planning it all can be quite stressful. Too many times, I’ve ultimately decided that the least-anxious option is to keep it low-key. But a vacation? That’s a New Year’s plan I can get behind. Hotels all over the world even organize special festivities, easing the pressure of making your own arrangements, from rooftop parties to elaborate dinners and fireworks.

These are some of the most exciting hotels to ring in 2027, including extravagant parties, quieter resets to prepare for the new year and recommendations from my Lonely Planet colleagues.

1. Park Lane New York 

New York, NY

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If the Times Square ball drop madness sounds a bit overwhelming, Park Lane New York has the perfect alternative: the Darling Rooftop NYE Party. The hotel’s rooftop transforms into a chic venue with sublime panoramic views of the fireworks in Central Park. The event is ticketed (general admission starts at 150 US dollars), and you don’t have to stay at the hotel to attend. Between 9pm and 1am, attendees can enjoy an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, a live DJ and a champagne toast at midnight. At the end of the night, hotel guests can crawl right into bed without navigating the city’s post-celebration streets.

2. Westin Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman
Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for the Western USA and Canada

Lots of Marriotts do New Year’s Eve celebrations, but this one is special because it is right on the beach. The ticket is a bit spendy, but you get a buffet and all your alcohol included. Then at midnight, the countdown overlooks fireworks on the beach. What I loved was that I didn’t have to wait for a rideshare to get home. I just rolled back up to my room. 

3. Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

Bangkok, Thailand

Renowned for its high-octane nightlife, the Thai capital doesn’t disappoint on December 31. The center of it all is the fireworks and drone display over the Chao Phraya River. Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort is the ultimate luxurious waterfront spot to take it all in, whether you’re a hotel guest or looking to reserve a special experience at the Tropical Spark & River Lights Grand Celebration. Festivities will include an international and BBQ buffet, a band, cultural performances and, of course, prime views of the fireworks illuminating the Bangkok skyline at midnight.

4. Sé Boutique Hotel

Funchal, Madeira
Akanksha Singh, Destination Editor for Central and South Asia, and Southern and East Africa

Sé Boutique Hotel is a great spot for New Year’s. The hotel does an annual sit-down dinner, followed by drinks on the terrace for 360-degree views of the fireworks. (Then there’s also the Portuguese tradition of 12 raisins.) The hotel is well-situated in the historic part of the city, and the staff is impossibly warm, which is mainly why my family goes back once a year (mostly without me now). Tip: NYE in Madeira is super popular, so book a few months in advance.

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5. Marine North Berwick

North Berwick, Scotland

I stayed at Marine North Berwick in 2023 and have always said I’d love to return to this legendary, design-forward seaside hotel. There’s no time like New Year’s, with the Scottish property hosting its own Hogmanay Gala Ball. The night kicks off with a drinks reception, followed by four courses, live entertainment and a champagne toast at midnight. Non-hotel guests are welcome to book tickets directly through the hotel. On New Year’s Day, Marine serves a more laid-back dinner at its seasonal restaurant, The Lawn. When you’re not taking in the festivities, curling up with a book in the cozy lobby, or looking out on the golf course and out to sea, is always a nice idea.

6. Brown Palace Hotel & Spa 

Denver, CO
Bridget FitzGibbons, Brand Marketing Director

I love a hotel with some history, and Brown Palace has seen so much worth talking about: It has hosted nearly every US president since 1905, the Beatles and Titanic survivor Molly Brown. The eight-story atrium sprinkled with holiday decor just makes it all the more dreamy, and the afternoon tea is such a treat.

7. Hemingways Watamu 

Watamu Marine National Park, Kenya

Overlooking the Indian Ocean, Hemingways Watamu promises a tranquil holiday and New Year’s experience – though if you’d like to go on adventures during the day, the hotel can arrange that too. Ring in the new year relaxing by the pool, taking a sunset cruise on Mida Creek and snorkeling, kayaking and diving in the ocean. Guests may also join guided excursions in the Arabuko Sokoke Forest to see elephants in their natural habitat. Expect themed dinners with live music, wrapping up the year with a New Year’s Eve party and fireworks over the ocean.

8. La Mission Hôtel & Spa

L’Île d’Yeu, France

If you’re looking for a quiet escape for New Year’s (a time many of us are feeling introspective), I can’t recommend La Mission Hôtel & Spa enough, as well as the gorgeous island where it’s located. As in many places in France with fishing-centric economies, Île d’Yeu’s whitewashed homes with colorful shutters have never gone out of style. While it’s definitely not beach weather around New Year’s, this time of year makes for peaceful, dramatic scenery and moody coastal hiking. La Mission is a stylish four-star property whose structure was formerly a school, church and military barracks, set on one of the island’s highest points in the St-Sauveur neighborhood. The property closes each year beginning in early January until March, so this is the last opportunity for a winter stay; New Year’s Eve typically features a celebratory gourmet dinner at its restaurant, La Missionaire.

9. Glen Falls House

Roundtop, New York
Rhia Hylton, Photo Editor

Glen Falls House is one of my favorite hotels. In the summer, it feels like an adult summer camp, and it’s safe to stay; that remains true in the winter. It loves a good party, as it was opened by the owners of Good Room in Brooklyn, so your nights will be filled with disco (my favorite) and lots of dancing. The property is gorgeous, the rooms are cozy, the people are lovely, and it has a delicious on-site restaurant.

10. Bahía del Duque

Tenerife, Spain

For more sunshine and ocean views, Bahía del Duque celebrates the holidays with festive dining and wellness offerings. The star of the show is its Carnaval-inspired New Year’s Eve gala, with an elegant dinner, a live orchestra, performers and fireworks. Additionally, each of the hotel’s restaurants serves a different special menu for the occasion. Arrive a few days early to book a treatment at Bahía Wellness Retreat as part of its 10 Days to Glow series, which ends on December 31 – just in time for the gala.

11. Carlton Hotel St Moritz 

St Moritz, Switzerland

A ski vacation during the week between Christmas and New Year’s (called Twixmas by some) is always a good idea, and the snow-blanketed peaks of St Moritz are a fabulous, luxurious option. The Carlton Hotel St Moritz holds festive events throughout the holiday season, and this year, guests at the five-star, all-suite hotel can take their pick of two glamorous New Year’s celebrations: the Bohemian Gala Dinner and Party in the grand ballroom or dinner at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Da Vittorio, followed by drinks at the Bel Etage bar. Come daytime, guests can, of course, go skiing, but there’s also husky sledding and ice skating.

12. The Fontenay Hamburg 

Hamburg, Germany

This stylish five-star property on the banks of the Alster Lakes throws an unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration, both culinary- and entertainment-wise. Book a table at Osteria Due, the property’s Italian restaurant, which has planned a special menu for the evening (beef tartare, caviar and carbonara); score a coveted seat at Restaurant Parkview, which has direct views of the water; or head to the Fontenay Bar for a lively party with an exquisite dinner, champagne, a live band, DJ and spectacular rooftop and fireworks views.