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Possibly the most American of holidays, Thanksgiving has also become a huge export. Wherever in the world you are this November 23, you’re likely to find a hotel where Norman Rockwell–like tableaus of turkey and trimmings take over dining tables. Others spice up traditional Thanksgiving offerings with local twists. Here are some of our top picks for a home-away-from-home holiday:
Cliveden House, Berkshire, UK
Thanksgiving at Downtown Abbey might have looked like the five-course feast (about $76 per person) at this stately Italianate pile in the British countryside, now a Relais & Chateaux property set on 376 acres of protected parkland. In the rococo French dining room, you’ll sup on roasted game consommé, Norfolk Bronze turkey — a local traditional breed — and a Venezuelan chocolate dessert (hopefully in better shape than the country that inspired it). From about $585/night.
Grace Cafayate, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina
A “barbecue butler” cuts you another slice of clay-oven baked turkey under a moonlit sky: Do you need anything else to feel grateful? Grace Cafayate, a gorgeous luxury property about 870 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, will host its annual Thanksgiving Barbecue Under The Stars in one of its lush vineyards. Food almost outdoes the setting at this holiday-themed asado, with accompaniments like blueberry gravy, vegetables off the parrilla, mashed potatoes and apple pie. Naturally, there’s superb local wine. About $330 per person/per night, including Thanksgiving dinner.
The Curtain Hotel and Members Club, London
In London and homesick? Superchef Marcus Samuelsson has the cure. His Red Rooster Shoreditch — the UK outpost of his hopping Harlem hotspot at the new Curtain hotel — will sling up a Thanksgiving meal (55 GBP per person) that sounds more homemade than what you’d eat at home. You’ll start with cornbread, deviled eggs and Helga’s meatballs (named for Samuelsson’s grandmother) before the main event: roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, mashed potatoes and green beans. Save room for cinnamon-baked apple pie and vanilla ice cream — and, yes, a pumpkin spice espresso martini. About $200/night.
Regent Taipei, Taiwan
Thanksgiving gets a smart Asian twist at this superb luxury property — and the indulgent meal’s complimentary with your stay. For its Turkey Feast, from November 18-23, the Regent will throw in one roast turkey, two chef-made sauces and pesto bamboo shoots, mushroom chestnut with celery garlic sauce, coconut pumpkin mash, and seasonal vegetables. The package is aimed at families, but if you’re on your own, let’s not forget that turkey makes for great leftovers. From about $272/night.
Bluefields Bay Villas, Bluefields Bay, Jamaica
Possibly the poshest Thanksgiving dinner on offer, this repast is limited to guests of the six luxury villas — one on a private island — that make up this indulgent haven on Jamaica’s placid south coast. The “New Jamaican Cuisine” meal includes chunky lobster bisque, avocado and mint salad with feta, roast stuffed turkey with gravy, glazed roasted ham in sorrel sauce and chocolate mousse with rum cream. Bonus: Each villa includes its own full staff. From $287 per person/per night.
Costa Rica Marriott San Jose
Take-out’s always an option for Thanksgiving — especially when it’s the over-the-top meal for 10 at this stunning Marriott property, which is set on a lush 30-acre coffee plantation. The “Turkey To-Go” dinner ($275) includes roasted turkey marinated in achiote and citrus, a salad bar, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy, house-made bread, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and a choice of pecan, apple or berry dessert. From $228/night.
Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa
Try not to get sand in your turkey at the newly spiffed-up Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa. At the property’s lively Tortuga Beach Bar & Grill, Thanksgiving Dinner on the Beach includes salad, roasted turkey with traditional trimmings and pumpkin pie. Meanwhile, a massive buffet (about $89/person) at Ferdinand’s Caribbean Cafe, the hotel’s relaxed indoor eatery, will showcase holiday food with a local twist; think roasted Cayman pumpkin bisque, sweet potato/plantain mash, organic turkey and island snapper. Cap the evening with an after-dinner screening of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on the beach. From $436/night.
Auberge St.-Antoine, Quebec City
It’s Thanksgiving a la Quebecois at this characterful Relais & Chateaux property, built on a centuries-old historic site near Quebec City’s Old Port. Sur la carte — on the menu — for “Thanksgiving Americain”: pan-seared duck foie gras, sautéed cabbage, chestnuts and apples to start; Québec wild turkey, cranberry juice, potatoes and corn from île d’Orléans; and house-made pumpkin pie to top it off. Afterwards, burn off those calories by teetering along Quebec City’s cobblestoned streets. PS: It’s “Action de graces.” Thanksgiving package: $703 USD based on double occupancy.
Four Seasons Tokyo Maranouchi, Tokyo
This exceptional property, situated in Tokyo’s humming Maranouchi business district, offers a storybook Thanksgiving feast (about $80 per person) just like Grandma used to make — if Grandma she sourced impeccable ingredients from Japanese farms and purveyors, that is. Among the highlights: Koshihikari rice-fed turkey breast sourced from Agishi in Ishikawa Prefecture, a coastal region 260 miles west of Tokyo. That’s served with homemade cranberry chutney, preceded by pumpkin soup and smoked salmon and followed by house-made apple pie. Doesn’t get more down-home than that. From about $640/night.
ITC Maurya, New Delhi
Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Carter have all stayed at the ITC Maurya, a sleek Luxury Collection property in New Delhi’s tony Diplomatic Enclave. No guarantee you’ll see an ex–leader of the free world, but at least one American classic will surface at the hotel’s Pavilion restaurant this Thanksgiving: roast turkey ($38 per person) accompanied by candied maple pumpkin and tons — tons! — of trimmings. Craving a late-night gobble? The Pavilion, which overlooks the Maurya’s sparkling pool, is open 24/7. From about $330/night.
Source: thepointsguy.com