The 8 Best Hotels for a New Year’s Eve Celebration

Wherever you are on the planet, New Year’s Eve is a party. Whether you’re looking for a classic New Year’s experience with champagne and ball drops, or you want a restful respite away from the hustle and bustle, there are plenty of great hotels out there that make traveling during the New Year actually worth it. Here are eight of our favorites.

A real bummer with New Year’s Eve is, for many of us in the northern hemisphere, it means cold weather. So swap your parka for a bikini at the Caribe Hilton in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico, and do so with a piña colada in hand at the birthplace of the famous coconut cocktail. 

This luxurious property was a favorite of Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Lauren, and other notable figures, and this year, they’re throwing a New Year’s Eve bash to celebrate their 75th anniversary. At Caribar, the hotel’s bar and grill, join “Legacy of Decades,” where you can dance to salsa, live music, and a DJ, all amidst festive decor. And at midnight, skip the bubbly and indulge in asopao, a traditional Puerto Rican chicken stew. For something on the higher end, head to the San Geronimo Ballroom for the “Timeless Elegance” gala, where you can indulge in a signature midnight toast to the sounds of a live jazz band.

New Year’s Eve isn’t all about partying in big cities. For something a little quieter, head to the Deer Path Inn, a 40-minute drive from Chicago. The inn’s remote location offers a quiet respite to destress, with plenty of sleep and wellness amenities to boot. 

The Good Book & A Spot of Tea experience features a calming bedtime tea service with British-inspired snacks, a lavender mocktail, and a “Sleepy Sips” playlist to set the mood for a solid night of REM. Cozy up in the hotel’s robes with a juicy novel from the nearby Lake Forest Book Store. And if you want a libation or two, the Inn’s Chief Spirits Officer offers a selection of cocktails inspired by English authors including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and William Shakespeare.

If you want to be one of the first in the world to ring in the New Year, you’ll have to head to the other side of the globe. While the region isn’t the first to ring in the New Year (that title goes to Kiribati), Thailand is 12 hours ahead of EST, meaning you can ring in the New Year well before your friends and family back home. Do so in style at The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon.

The Michelin Key-awarded hotel hosts a wide range of New Year’s celebrations. Begin the festivities at Ojo, a Michelin-recommended Mexican restaurant on the 76th floor with 360-degree views of the city, that’s also the highest restaurant in the country. Here, you can enjoy ceviche, tacos, and a champagne toast at midnight. The Standard is also home to the highest rooftop in Bangkok, Sky Beach. Party into 2025 with an open bar and a live DJ. To soak up some of the indulgence, start January 1 with a traditional Thai feast at Mott 32, with soup, fresh seafood, and rice dishes.

Nestled in the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia. Foodies rejoice: for New Year’s Eve, you can indulge in an elevated Southern four-course dinner at the Rice House, which is naturally better with wine pairings. Speaking of wine, don’t skip out on the midnight champagne toast, which is extra photogenic with the array of holiday lights throughout the historic Manor House ruins.

Tucked away in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is the picturesque mountain town of Mammoth Lakes. Nature lovers will get their fix at Outbound Mammoth, an alpine retreat featuring chalets, guestrooms, and villas. If you want a place to breathe in the brisk mountain air, and you don’t want to leave your furry best friend at home, Outbound Mammoth is the perfect place to ring in 2025 with your pup by your side.

If you want more of a traditional New Year’s Eve celebration, you can have that at Outbound Mammoth’s Night Shift at Bar Sierra. Party the night away with Canyon Après DJ WLDCT, and enjoy a champagne toast as 2025 arrives. Then, you can start your first day of the new year by hiking one of the town’s most popular trails, Crystal Lake Trailhead, which is located just 10 minutes away from Outbound Mammoth via car. A stay here for the new year gives you the best of both worlds.

As one of the biggest cities in the Lone Star State, you might be surprised to discover that Houston can actually be quite the peaceful respite. The Marriott Marquis Houston has the solution for that typical city hustle and bustle and the general stress that comes with the holidays. Catch up on some proper shuteye with the hotel’s Sweet Dream Stay Package, which includes a curated selection of sleep-enhancing amenities like a Somo Sleep Fitness Mask, Juna Nightcap Sleep Gummies, and Juna Nightcap Deep Rollerball. You can also rent a sound machine and enjoy a 30-minute sauna appointment, meaning you can end 2024 on a restful note instead of a booze-fueled bender. If you are looking to imbibe, the onsite Spanish-inspired bar Cueva has an extensive wine list, and will have a champagne toast at midnight with tapas.

One of the most iconic cities in the world to ring in the New Year is New York, but don’t join the herds waiting outside of Times Square all day in diapers. Instead, head to the Meatpacking District, one of the best party neighborhoods in the city, and ring in the new year in style at Dream Downtown, by Hyatt. The rooms are unusually spacious with super-comfy beds, and the hotel is home to three happenings as we kiss 2024 goodbye.

Both The Electric Room and The Gallery will have an open bar from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. with passed hors d’oeuvres. But for the ultimate party, the PHD Rooftop Lounge will host a party with some of the most epic views of the city accompanied with sounds by DJ Space. A general-admission ticket will run you slightly over $200 and includes a four-hour open bar, but you can also opt for a VIP Table to meet your party size, or to save a little cash, an “after 1 a.m.” ticket for around $60.

Cape Cod isn’t the first place we think of when it comes to winter travel, but an off-season visit means lower prices and fewer crowds. Wequassett Resort & Golf Club in Harwich is throwing an intimate New Year’s Eve bash that’s a tasteful way to ring in 2025. Twenty-Eight Atlantic, the property’s fine-dining eatery, will serve a four-course, prix-fixe menu designed by Executive Chef James Hackney. To liven things up, check out the New Year’s Eve Gala, featuring live entertainment by Ray Green & The Allnighters Band with an open bar and midnight toast. Soak it all up the next day by booking ​​Wequassett Resort & Golf Club’s “Overnight Package” which includes the New Year’s Eve Gala, one night’s accommodation, and a next day New Year’s Brunch (prices start at $1,000). Alternatively, you can purchase the Dinner & Party ticket for $375 a person, which includes taxes and gratuity.