Enjoy a Classic Christmas at The Stafford London by Kempinski

Holiday spirit abounds at The Stafford London by Kempinski this season. Hundreds of Christmas trees and sparkling lights delicately incorporated into the décor accent the hotel’s recently redesigned lobby, lounge, and the new Lyttelton restaurant making it the ideal place to become immersed in festive cheer. Mixing age-old, seasonal traditions with new holiday offerings, The Stafford promises a Christmas to remember.

• Christmas Feasting – Executive Chef Brendan Fyldes brings a rustic touch to this year’s traditional 5-course Christmas Eve Dinner at The Lyttelton serving dishes including: Roast Scallops, Suckling Pig, Celeriac & Apple and the Roast Duck with Mulled Winter Fruits. Revellers will also take pleasure in the encore meal on Christmas Day with a menu featuring: Ballotine of Scottish Salmon; Officer’s Mulligatawny, Crab & Coconut Rice; Roast Goosnargh Turkey, Quince, Walnut & Fois Gras Stuffing with Seasonal Vegetables, Potatoes and Cranberry Relish. A Home Made Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce tops off the delicious experience. Christmas Eve Dinner priced at £95 per person; Christmas Day Lunch priced at £140 per person. Reservations required; guests staying at The Stafford will receive priority seating.

• An Eve of Tradition – An annual, highly-anticipated event, guests can join the beloved Stafford team and a local church choir in yuletide carolling in the hotel’s historic wine cellar to celebrate the eve of Christmas. Mix and mingle with fellow carollers while enjoying complimentary roasted chestnuts and the American Bar’s famous mulled wine between songs. The evening festivities will then conclude with the long-standing hotel tradition of walking by torch light to the first mass of Christmas held at midnight at the nearby Guard’s Chapel.

• There Really is a St. Nick – And he visits The Stafford every year to deliver a special gift to each room on Christmas morning. Guests can place the surprise under their own festively decorated tree, which is set-up in the room prior to arrival by the hotel’s team of “elves,” along with special amenities of holiday favourites such as: citrus fruits, nuts and mince pies.

The Stafford is offering special “presents” for those seeking a holiday getaway.

• Christmas Feast Package – Designed for those coveting a traditional Christmas celebration, this package offers two guests the opportunity to enjoy a three night stay from December 24 to 27, full English breakfast each morning plus a four-course Boxing Day dinner on December 26 in The Lyttelton. Rates starting at £910 GBP inclusive of VAT ; package available 24 December to 27 December 2011 only; to book, contact the hotel directly at: +44 20 7493 0111

• Wonder-Full Stafford Package – And for those who prefer to be home for the holidays but fancy a bit of British festive cheer prior, The Stafford has crafted the ultimate experience featuring an overnight stay in a double room and full English breakfast, a glass of delicious home-made mulled wine to warm up after exploring London and a gingerbread Christmas tree treat upon arrival. Guests who book online and opt to enjoy a holiday lunch in The Lyttelton during their stay will also receive an additional gift: a £20 credit towards their food bill. Rates begin at £398.32 per night, exclusive of VAT; package is available 1 December to 23 December 2011.

To book, +44 (0)207 4930111  or reservation.london@kempinski.com, http://www.kempinski.com.

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Celebrate the Holiday Season with Woodstock’s Winter Wassail Weekend, Dec. 9-11

Woodstock, Vermont celebrates the holiday season with its annual town-wide Wassail Weekend held December 9-11, 2011. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is offering a special package for guests to enjoy this enchanting holiday celebration including tickets to see the highly acclaimed Vienna Boys’ Choir.

Woodstock, Vermont celebrates the holiday season with its annual town-wide Wassail Weekend held December 9-11, 2011. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is offering a special package for guests to enjoy this enchanting holiday celebration including tickets to see the highly acclaimed Vienna Boys’ Choir in one of their only New England performances this year, indulge in a traditional holiday feast celebrating Charles Dickens and enjoy a performance of the play Scrooge! based on Charles Dickens’s, A Christmas Carol.

The resort’s Wassail Weekend package is available December 9-11, starting at $940 per couple for a two-night stay based on double occupancy. The package includes:

• Accommodations (two night minimum stay required; tax and gratuities extra; other restrictins may apply).
• Admission to Vienna Boys’ Choir at The Town Hall on Friday night
• Wassail Feast on Saturday night at The Woodstock Inn & Resort
• Tickets to Scrooge!, a play to be held at The Yoh Theater (follows the feast)
• The Holiday Homes Tour on Saturday sponsored by Pentangle

The Woodstock Inn & Resort will be hosting a Charles Dickens-themed Wassail Feast Saturday evening followed by a play called Scrooge! by Leslie Bricusse based on Charles Dickens’s, A Christmas Carol. The Wassail Feast will feature traditional English fare with a local Vermont flavoring including Roasted Mutton (garlic studded leg of lamb with rosemary and caper sauce), Dicken’s Chicken (curry chicken and rice casserole), Tatties & Neeps (mashed turnips and potatoes with ginger) and Chocolate Bread Pudding.

With a history spanning over 500 years, the Vienna Boys’ Choir is one of the oldest and most renowned boys’ choirs in the world. On Friday, December 9, they will be performing contemporary and classic holiday favorites. Billings Farm & Museum, which is free to guests of The Woodstock Inn & Resort, will be showcasing Vermont life as it was during the 19^th Century including an authentically decorated 1890 Farm House tour, traditional music and sleigh or wagon rides. Festival highlights also include a town-wide Wassail Parade on Saturday with more than fifty horses and riders dressed in holiday costumes and period dress from the early 19^th Century. Woodstock’s most charming and historic houses open their doors for guests to experience their New England hospitality and holiday decorations during the Holiday Homes Tour on Saturday. Shops in the Village of Woodstock are often open late, providing guests’ ample opportunity to wrap up any last-minute holiday shopping.

Along with the Wassail Weekend activities, The Woodstock Inn & Resort provides guests with a number of recreational and dining options to enhance their stay. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is now home to a new 10,000 square-foot LEED-designed spa, offering a nature-inspired ambiance and featuring nourishing treatments and organic products. In celebration of Winter, guests can experience the 100-minute Deep Forest treatment which begins with an exfoliating body scrub and hydrating wrap and ends with a full-body massage. Guests can dine at The Red Rooster, the resort’s award-winning fine dining restaurant which emphasizes fresh, local ingredients sourced from the best purveyors in New England. Guests can also enjoy downtown Woodstock filled with antique shops, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, specialty food markets and more.

Located in idyllic Woodstock, Vermont, The Woodstock Inn & Resort defines country sophistication in one of New England’s most charming and popular year-round vacation destinations. The 142-room, AAA Four Diamond Resort and member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, offers award-winning dining in three restaurants, ranked among the finest in New England. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation, Inc. Proceeds from Resort operations support The Woodstock Foundation and Billings Farm & Museum education and conservation programs.

For more information, visit www.woodstockinn.com or call (888) 481-8802.

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