From a 20th-anniversary season on Seven Mile Beach to Mexican posadas and a New Year’s Eve beneath Costa Rican skies, 11 luxury resorts reimagine holiday traditions by the sea

PLANTATION, Fla., Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott International Caribbean & Latin America is welcoming the 2026 festive season with holiday programming across 11 luxury hotels and resorts in the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Cayman Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil. From Thanksgiving through Three Kings Day, properties across The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection and W Hotels pair time-honored celebrations with the traditions of each destination, from open-fire conch cookouts on private cays to ancestral Mayan cooking workshops and posadas set to mariachi.

This year’s calendars give discerning travelers every reason to trade snow for sand, with family days built around turkey trots, tree lightings and Santa’s arrival by sea, and evenings reserved for chef-led dinners, fireworks and countdowns on the beach.

Caribbean Celebrations

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman | Images | Brochure

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman marks its 20th festive season on Seven Mile Beach with a calendar celebrating its Emerald Anniversary. Thanksgiving on Nov. 26 brings a traditional buffet in the Cayman Islands Royal Ballroom and a four-course prix fixe dinner at Seven. The holidays continue with the unveiling of a life-size gingerbread house in the lobby on Dec. 9, Gingerbread Man Tea hosted by Santa at Silver Palm Lounge from Dec. 19-24 and a Christmas Day brunch with carving and seafood stations. On Dec. 31, Blue by Eric Ripert, the Caribbean’s only Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant, presents a New Year’s Eve tasting menu showcasing seasonal creations, before overnight guests ring in 2027 on the beach with a DJ and a midnight fireworks display. Throughout December, young explorers can join Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment for sea turtle lessons, night snorkels and mangrove kayaking.

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas | Images | Brochure

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas invites guests to embrace “the art of the Caribbean holiday” on Great Bay. Thanksgiving begins with the resort’s annual 5K Turkey Trot, followed by a seaside painting class with local artist Mitch Gibbs and a Thanksgiving Day luncheon at Bleuwater, where golden roasted turkey meets vibrant Caribbean favorites. December brings Hanukkah-inspired dishes across the resort’s restaurants from Dec. 4-12, a Santa 5K Run and a Christmas Eve pirate treasure hunt on Dec. 24 and a Christmas Day luncheon at Bleuwater, while the Caribbean Holiday Glow Lounge offers express spa rituals for the whole family from Nov. 14 through Jan. 9. The year closes with a New Year’s Eve Countdown Party at Sails and Great Bay Beach with live music and festive fare, followed by a Ritz Kids Glow Party on New Year’s Day.

Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, South Caicos | Images | Brochure

Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, South Caicos, in the Turks & Caicos Islands, celebrates 15 days of festivities from Dec. 19 through Jan. 2. The resort’s signature Island Cookout Experience sails guests to a secluded cay for open-fire conch grilling and communal tables, followed by a beachside afterglow of fire pits and s’mores. On Christmas Eve, children craft lanterns for a parade through the resort ahead of a buffet of live cooking stations at Cobo, and on Christmas morning, Santa arrives beachside on a floating sleigh before the evening’s Christmas Gala Dinner. New Year’s Eve takes on a “Silver Night” theme with dinner, dancing and fireworks on the pool deck at 8 p.m. and midnight, before the celebration carries on with a signature martini hour at Cobo.

The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort | Images | Brochure

The St. Regis Cap Cana Resort, the first St. Regis resort in the Dominican Republic, brings Dominican tradition to the season with a Turkey Trot 5K along Cap Cana’s palm-lined paths, an Autumn Harvest Workshop led by local artisans and a Thanksgiving dinner at Cassava Restaurant on Nov. 26. A lobby tree lighting with live music follows on Dec. 4. On Christmas Eve, NINA Restaurant, conceived by International Partner Chef Diego Muñoz, serves a family-style dinner of freshly shucked oysters with yuzu ponzu, chicken ballotine with morel and tarragon jus and a festive Bûche de Noël. On Dec. 31, a New Year’s Eve buffet at Cassava, complete with Dominican cocoa tiramisu, culminates in a countdown to 2027.

Mexico’s Festive Traditions

Zadún Los Cabos, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve | Images | Brochure

Zadún Los Cabos, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve presents “Ignite the Stars,” a festive season inspired by Baja’s night skies, fire and meaningful connection. A Christmas fair and tree lighting with carols and piñatas opens the celebrations on the Event Lawn on Dec. 22, followed by a Christmas Eve Posada at Barrio, the resort’s cantina, with mariachi and traditional Mexican flavors, and an intimate Christmas dinner at Humo, its fire-driven restaurant. On Dec. 31, “New Year’s Eve: Ignite the Stars” at Humo draws on the constellations for an evening of authentic flavors and celebratory toasts, while wellness offerings such as Loving-Kindness Meditation and a Map Your Year vision board workshop help guests begin 2027 with intention.

Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos | Images | Brochure

Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos frames the season as “The Art of Holidays,” built around themes of giving, hope and joy along the Sea of Cortez. Highlights include a Thanksgiving table overlooking the water on Nov. 26, a Holiday Boutique Bazaar featuring local artisans on Nov. 27, a tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 4 and Santa’s arrival on Christmas morning. New Year’s Eve brings live music, a DJ, fireworks, a Champagne toast and an open bar, followed by a restorative “Renew & Rise” experience on Jan. 1. The season closes on Jan. 6 with a Día de Reyes breakfast of rosca de reyes and galette des rois, and guests can also join immersive workshops such as a New Year ceremony of reflection, fire and ceremonial cacao.

The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort | Images | Brochure

At The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, the season begins on Nov. 26 with a complimentary 5K Turkey Trot finishing at Sea Breeze Beach Club and a Gratitude Sunset Ceremony inspired by Wixárika tradition, complete with copal cleansing and an honoring of the four cardinal directions over the Pacific. Celebrations continue with a Mexican Culinary Journey from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3, spotlighting a different region each day, from Central Mexico, the Huasteca and Oaxaca to the Western Pacific, the Southeast, Northern Mexico and Mexico City. Santa arrives on Dec. 25 for the resort’s youngest guests, known as Little Luminaries, amid a scene inspired by a traditional Mexican village, and an oceanfront New Year’s Eve celebration features a big band, a DJ, an open bar, fireworks and a midnight toast.

The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya | Images | Brochure

The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya invites families to “The Wonder of Sharing” from Nov. 26 through Jan. 6, with experiences rooted in the mangroves, wildlife and turquoise coastline of the Kanai community. Culinary moments include tuna carving demonstrations and workshops on sikil p’ak, an ancestral Mayan dish, building toward a Thanksgiving gathering, a Christmas Eve reunion dinner and “A Celestial Soirée” on New Year’s Eve, which moves to the beach at midnight with live music, Champagne and a toast to the year ahead. Families can also gather for open-air cinema and bonfires on the sand, while wellness journeys draw on ancient Mayan wisdom and the celestial rhythm of the Pleiades. For multigenerational stays, the 12 three- and four-bedroom St. Regis Kanai Residences offer a private retreat above the mangrove canopy.

The St. Regis Costa Mujeres Resort, Cancún | Images

The St. Regis Costa Mujeres Resort, Cancún celebrates its first festive season since opening in 2026 with “The Golden Legacy,” a holiday program that unfolds in four chapters inspired by a golden age of innovation, craft and the art of the gathering. Guests can look forward to a new collection of seasonal traditions on the shores of Costa Mujeres, from tables set beside the Caribbean and toasts raised as the sky turns amber to celebrations honoring Mexico’s beloved holiday customs, all attended to by the resort’s signature St. Regis Butler Service.

Central and South America

Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve | Images | Brochure

Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve celebrates the holidays amid the forest and sea of Costa Rica’s Peninsula Papagayo. Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26 begins with Roots of Gratitude, during which families plant a native tree, and ends with a family-style dinner with live carving at Brisa, while a Four Hands Dinner at Puna on Nov. 28 pairs Chef Diego Muñoz with a guest chef. A Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 8 features carols by local children’s choir Creciendo Juntos and a gift collection for children in the community, followed by the Neon Klaus Fest on Dec. 20 and Santa’s arrival on Christmas morning with treats inspired by Costa Rican holiday traditions. On New Year’s Eve, “Under One Sky” on the Casona Lawn pairs cocktails, live culinary stations and performances with an after-party until 2 a.m., while Paruro offers an intimate, adults-only tasting menu.

W São Paulo | Images | Brochure

W São Paulo brings its signature energy to the season in Brazil’s largest city. On Christmas Eve, Baio, the hotel’s Southern Brazilian restaurant, serves a festive buffet, while L40 Cozinha de Latitude, its 40th-floor rooftop restaurant and bar, hosts a family-style dinner with sweeping city views. New Year’s Eve continues at Baio with a buffet and action stations, while L40 Cozinha de Latitude pairs dinner stations with a signature cocktail reception and a rooftop party that carries on until 4 a.m.

Planning a Festive Escape

Festive calendars and reservations are available through each property’s website, and advance reservations are recommended for signature dinners and celebrations. Travelers planning a holiday escape can also take advantage of Marriott’s Grand Getaways offer at participating resorts across the Caribbean and Latin America.

ABOUT LUXURY GROUP BY MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

With an unrivaled portfolio of dynamic luxury brands, Marriott International is creating authentic, rare, and enriching experiences sought by today’s global luxurian. Spanning all corners of the world, Marriott International’s Luxury Group offers a boundless network of more than 565 landmark hotels, resorts, and yachts in over 70 countries and territories through The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, and W Hotels. From the world’s most iconic destinations to the ultimate undiscovered gems, the international hospitality leader’s collection of luxury brands is focused on elevating travel with highly contextualized, nuanced brand experiences that signal the future of luxury by allowing guests to indulge their passions while sparking personal growth. For more information, please visit Luxury.Marriott.com.

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SOURCE Marriott International Caribbean & Latin America