All the Trimmings, None of the Work: Thanksgiving in a Hotel

06.11.2023 - 11:21 / nytimes.com / Thomas Jefferson

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and while many Americans will be staying at home or with family and friends, others will be checking into hotels where guests can participate in turkey trots and try Thanksgiving-themed spa treatments — all while letting someone else worry about cooking.

Here are five options from coast to coast, including a renovated national historic landmark by the Pacific Ocean, a reimagined hot springs getaway in Virginia, a redesigned luxury hotel amid Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and a New York City mainstay with views of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Wherever you go, book soon because hotels are likely to fill up long before you get a craving for pumpkin pie.

This storied resort in the Allegheny Mountains — which has been visited by 23 U.S. presidents, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Martin Van Buren — announced in late October the completion of a more than $150 million property-wide renovation. Its 483 rooms and suites are on more than 2,300 acres with a spa, two golf courses and plenty to do outdoors, including horseback riding, archery, ax throwing, hiking, mountain biking and falconry lessons. Another major draw is the Warm Springs Pools (about five miles from the Omni Homestead Resort, which runs them), where you can go for a soak in the newly rehabilitated bathhouses, which also have a long history — the stone basin in the Gentlemen’s Bathhouse, for instance, dates to 1761, according to the resort.

Places to tuck into a meal include the resort’s new Pioneer Picnic, a casual spot where you can enjoy the food and mountain views from a wraparound porch, and the renovated Martha’s Market, a grab-and-go cafe where you’ll find snacks, sandwiches, Homestead Creamery ice cream and coffee. For something stronger, stop in at the Presidential Lounge, the renovated lobby bar, for a drink and a game of pool. The guest rooms have been spruced up, too, nodding to nature with floral patterns and shades of green, pink, blue and lavender.

While a lot has changed, certain traditions remain, including the annual tree-lighting ceremony, which will feature live music by the Colonial Singers of Williamsburg the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Burn a few calories on Thanksgiving morning with a turkey trot, an approximately three-mile run with prizes for the fastest man, woman and child. If running isn’t your speed, consider the “turkey waddle,” a mile-and-a-half group walk on Friday morning. Of course, there will also be a Thanksgiving feast, with entrees such as roasted turkey and glazed ham as well as sides like cornbread stuffing, green beans and whipped potatoes. Save room for dessert, including cookies and pumpkin and pecan pies ($86 for adults; $43 ages 15