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From Diwali afternoon tea and Victorian-style carolers to lavish Thanksgiving feasts, Santa visits and a glamorous New Year’s Eve, the landmark hotel is giving travelers another reason to experience San Francisco during the festive season.
SAN FRANCISCO —The holidays are set to sparkle in San Francisco as the historic Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco unveils an extensive calendar of festive experiences for 2026, transforming one of the city’s most storied landmarks into a destination for seasonal dining, afternoon tea, live music and family celebrations.
Following its milestone 150th anniversary in 2025, the Palace Hotel is continuing a holiday tradition that combines the grandeur of its celebrated architecture with experiences designed for San Franciscans as well as domestic and international visitors. The program stretches from Halloween through New Year’s Day, with Spooky Tea, Diwali Tea, Thanksgiving celebrations, Carolers Tea, Santa Afternoon Tea, Christmas dining and New Year festivities among the highlights.
For travelers planning a winter city break, the hotel also puts San Francisco itself firmly in the picture. Located at 2 New Montgomery Street, the Palace sits in the heart of the city, making it a convenient base for exploring some of San Francisco’s best-known neighborhoods, cultural attractions, restaurants and waterfront experiences.
A Holiday Season That Begins With Tea
The celebrations start on October 31with Spooky Tea, a Halloween interpretation of the Palace Hotel’s afternoon tea tradition. Held from noon to 2 p.m. in the spectacular Garden Court, the experience combines premium teas, savory bites, and seasonal sweets with playful Halloween touches. Prices start at $70 per person, and the event is designed for guests of all ages.
The calendar then turns to the Festival of Lightswith Diwali Tea on November 7. Priced at $130 per person, the celebration pairs the hotel’s afternoon tea ritual with South Asian-inspired finger sandwiches and petit fours, chai and Harney & Sons teas, freshly baked scones and a glass of Piper Sonoma Brut. Live music adds to the occasion, creating a colorful celebration centered on light, renewal and new beginnings.
Thanksgiving Goes Grand
Travelers spending Thanksgiving in San Francisco can make the holiday an occasion in its own right at the Palace.
On November 27, Thanksgiving brunch in the Garden Court will feature a wide-ranging buffet of antipasti, composed salads, fresh seafood and carving stations, including whole roasted turkey with traditional accompaniments. Piper Sonoma Brut mimosas, Palace Bloody Marys and Martinelli’s Apple Cider will accompany the feast, while a Viennese Sweet Table provides the finale. A jazz duo will perform during the afternoon. Brunch is priced at $250 for adults and $95 for children.
Dinner raises the indulgence further with additions including a Tsar Nicoulai caviar cart, Peking duck station and barista coffee station, accompanied by a jazz trio. Thanksgiving prix fixe dinner is $295 for adults and $95 for children.
Victorian Nostalgia and a Visit From Santa
December brings some of the Palace Hotel’s most atmospheric traditions.
On December 18, the Garden Court will evoke the spirit of a Victorian Christmas for Carolers Tea. Costumed singers and live piano music will fill the landmark space with seasonal melodies while guests enjoy Piper Sonoma Brut, Harney & Sons teas, holiday finger sandwiches, petit fours and freshly baked scones. The one-day experience is priced at $200 per person.
Families can also make the hotel part of a San Francisco holiday getaway with Santa Afternoon Tea. Set beneath the Garden Court’s elaborate surroundings and festive decorations, the experience includes finger sandwiches, pastries and sweet treats, along with a visit from Santa Claus. A professional keepsake photograph is included. Pricing is $230 for adults and $135 for children ages 5–12.
Christmas in the Garden Court
On Christmas Eve, December 24, the Palace will serve a four-course prix fixe dinner featuring soup, salad, entrée and dessert, beginning with a Piper Sonoma Brut toast. Dinner runs from 4 to 8 p.m., with live music continuing until 9 p.m. The experience is priced at $125 per person.
Christmas Day brings an even larger celebration. Christmas Brunch, priced at $250 for adults and $95 for children, will feature seafood, carving stations, antipasti, salads, festive beverages and a Viennese Sweet Table, accompanied by live jazz. Santa will also make appearances during the day.
Christmas Dinner follows in the evening at $295 for adults and $95 for children, with caviar, Peking duck, fresh seafood, carving stations, a barista coffee station and an array of Christmas desserts. A jazz trio will provide the soundtrack.
Ringing in 2027 in San Francisco
For travelers considering San Francisco for New Year’s Eve, the Palace will close out 2026 with a four-course prix fixe dinner on December 31.
The $145-per-personcelebration includes soup, salad, entrée, dessert and a Piper Sonoma Brut toast, with dinner served from 5 to 9 p.m. Live music will continue until 12:30 a.m., carrying guests through the arrival of 2027.
The celebrations continue on New Year’s Day with a brunch buffet in the Garden Court, with seatings at 12:30 and 1 p.m. Brunch is priced at $130 for adults and $65 for children ages 5–12.
Make It a San Francisco Holiday
For out-of-town visitors, the Palace’s festive calendar can easily become the centerpiece of a longer San Francisco stay.
The hotel offers 556 renovated guest rooms, while its central location provides walking access to Union Square, Chinatown, the Financial District and Moscone Convention Center. Travelers interested in art, food, sports and culture can venture to attractions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Gardens, Ferry Building Marketplace, Oracle Park and Chase Center, while the city’s famous cable cars offer a quintessential San Francisco experience.
That combination gives domestic travelers the ingredients for a festive long weekend while offering international visitors an opportunity to pair distinctly American Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year traditions with sightseeing in one of the United States’ most recognizable destinations.
Inside the hotel, the experience remains rooted in history. The Garden Court provides the dramatic setting for many of the season’s signature events, while the Palace’s restaurants and gathering spaces allow visitors to move from afternoon tea and live music to elaborate holiday dinners without leaving the landmark property.
From Halloween sweets and Diwali flavors to carolers, Santa, Champagne toasts and New Year celebrations, the Palace Hotel’s 2026 calendar turns the festive season into more than a series of meals. For travelers, it offers an invitation to make the holidays themselves part of the San Francisco experience.
Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco is located at 2 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco. Holiday experiences are individually priced and advance reservations are recommended.
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