It’s high time for some holiday cheer. Think hot tea or hot toddies, skiing or snorkeling and loads of twinkling Christmas lights. Luxury hotels serve up a glamorous way to brighten up the Christmas season , whether for an overnight stay or an elegant afternoon tea.

These lavish properties are worth a closer look for a few hours of soaking up their glittering decorations, a spur-of-the-moment escape or a future holiday splurge. The Fife Arms: Braemar, Scotland Fishing, foraging and hiking are just outside at The Fife Arms, an antiques-packed, 19th-century retreat within Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. The hotel is 14.

5 kilometers (nine miles) from Balmoral, the Royal Family’s residence in Scotland. A three-day holiday package, subject to availability, offers guests a true Scottish Victorian Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Cairngorm reindeer parade through the village after afternoon tea is served at the hotel.

Feasting and entertainment carry through Christmas and into Boxing Day, when outdoor pursuits are added to the mix. Rates for the three-night package start at about $4,455 for a Nature & Poetry room. The Fife Arms , Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland One&Only Reethi Rah: Maldives In the Maldives, Santa cruises in on the Indian Ocean, of course.

At One&Only Reethi Rah, guests are invited to wait for Mr. Claus on Christmas morning on the beach, with the surf lapping at their feet. The festivities are followed by a Champagne brunch.

In the days leading u.