From classic colours and nature motifs to arty baubles and bird-inspired trees, glean some ideas from hospitality to take your Christmas décor to the next level …
Ashford Castle, Mayo
Each year, the tree at Ashford Castle is sourced from the Ashford Estate grounds and is picked out months in advance by staff members Catherine Kenny, Rooms Division Manager, and Martin Slattery, Head Gardener. The tree is cut down in early December and brought inside the Oak Hall where it is decorated. To keep the tradition alive in the years ahead, a new tree is always planted in its place.
At 20 feet tall, there is a distinct nature theme with decorations including owls, deer and butterflies; one of the most unique being a glass bauble with a yellow feather inside, once the plumage of Big Bird from Sesame Street! The tree is spritzed and watered daily to ensure it stays as fresh as possible; however, on December 20, it’s swapped for a new one for guests staying over the Christmas period and into the New Year. On Christmas Day, the hotel organises a photographer who takes guest portraits in the Oak Hall with the Christmas tree as the idyllic backdrop.
The Shelbourne, Dublin
Mary O’Reilly, Head Florist of The Shelbourne, says the theme of this year’s tree is jewel tones. “We used lots of rich hues, derived from precious gemstones such as amethyst, emerald, ruby and sapphire. We created this look using handmade Italian glass baubles and oversized tassels. We added lots of gold, most noticeably in our life-sized gold reindeer as a nod to the 200 year anniversary of the hotel. We made our entrance extra welcoming with the addition of over 60 new twinkling wreaths.”
Park Hotel Kenmare, Kerry
This Christmas “Art Tree” features decorations made by local and international artists. These were specially commissioned and could be in any medium from a painted bauble to a wooden decoration or a framed image. Artists who participated include locals such as Begley & Bowie, Fiachra Crowley, Annabel Langrish and Mango to name a few, as well as internationally renowned artists whose work form part of the hotel’s impressive contemporary collection. Sean Scully, Guggi, Dorothy Cross, Idris Khan and Domino Whisker all made unique decorations which may mean this is the most valuable tree in Ireland. The hotel also has a Blue Bottle Tree and Wish Tree – three more reasons to pop in for a look.
The Connaught, London
Another arty tree is The Connaught Christmas Tree in London; the ninth year it has been designed by a celebrated artist. Past tree designers include Dame Rachel Whiteread, Suzy Murphy, Damien Hirst, Sir Antony Gormley, Dame Tracey Emin DBE, Michael Craig-Martin, Sean Scully, Idris Khan and Annie Morris. This year’s Nordmann Fir tree has been designed by influential British artist Conrad Shawcross RA and is bedecked with 90 bespoke lanterns, each made from aluminium and handpainted. The star illuminates the streets of Mayfair, representing a symbol of hope this year. Shawcross is known for incorporating mathematical ideas and geometrical patterns of interference within his designs, which are also echoed across the tree’s design.
Adare Manor, Limerick
In total, there are 65 Christmas trees on display throughout the resort. Adare Manor‘s event florist Bronagh Wilkinson gathers inspiration by attending fairs in Europe and starts planning the décor from February. The main tree in the Great Hall is 21 feet tall, which takes twelve people to carry in and another eight to decorate through the night so as not to interrupt guests. On December 16, the team replace it with a fresh tree at night!
The Montenotte, Cork
Each Christmas, O’Farrells of Bandon in West Cork decorate this buzzy urban resort and work on themes for the trees in each area. In the lobby, guests will find an opulent tree dressed in gold baubles. In the Panorama restaurant, trees are dressed in silver and pink baubles while in The Glasshouse the theme is theatrical and complements the bar’s vibe, where live jazz plays at weekends. The Gallery Suite takes a Nordic theme, while the new Woodland Suite Experience is more minimalist with a focus on natural pieces that blend with the surroundings, where the location and facilities speak for themselves.
Clontarf Castle, Dublin
Guests are welcomed by ten Christmas trees at Clontarf Castle – the main tree is handpicked from the Wicklow mountains each year. Decorating the hotel starts in early October, with about 8,000 LED lights outside the Castle alone! It usually takes a team of eight to decorate the trees and each year they invite children from charity partner CRC Central Remedial Clinic to share in the joy of switching on the lights in November.
Claridge’s, London
The most fashion-forward tree is Claridge’s, which has long been a seasonal London landmark symbolising the start of the festive season in the capital. This year’s 20 foot tree was created by designer Sir Paul Smith, who decorated it with baubles, ribbons and over 100 bespoke birdhouses created by artist Nik Ramage. These mechanical birdhouses all have a playful Smith twist with roofs decorated in playing cards, postage stamps and dice. In his office, a miniature cable cart hovers overhead which inspired Ramage to engineer a flying bird to frame reception, with a chorus of birdsong projected from the tree throughout the day to welcome guests. Design studio Studiomama also created a series of their whimsical ‘Off Cut Creatures’ to sit at the base of the tree, featuring Smith’s signature stripes. His holiday Merrymaker fragrance scents the lobby and a pick ’n’ mix trolley is available for guests, stocking a selection of his confectionary favourites.
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