Explore the Christmas markets with Macdonald Hotels & Resorts

Nothing signals the beginning of the festive season quite like the arrival of a Christmas market!

Article Source: Macdonald Hotels & Resorts
Last Updated: 1 November 2018 14:01

From mid-November onwards, thousands of festive stalls and cosy chalets will transform town and city centres across the country into magical winter wonderlands.

With more than 100 markets popping up in the UK each year, contributing an estimated £500 million to the country’s economy, * it’s shaping up to be a truly magical Christmas. And many of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts are perfectly placed to help guests experience these seasonal markets.

Whether guests are looking to pick up special gifts for family, or simply enjoy a mulled-wine with friends, the below Macdonald Hotels provide a cosy haven to rest after a day of festive fun.

Macdonald Crutherland House, Glasgow
Sitting in 37 acres of unspoiled countryside, Macdonald Crutherland House is the perfect venue for Scottish festive celebrations.

Traditional Christmas Day lunch priced at £79.95pp starts with a Champagne drinks reception as the hotel’s chefs deliver Christmas cheer in forkfuls. For evening celebrations, guests can take a seat in a private dining room for the Christmas Day ‘Host A Roast’ celebration and sample some succulent platters to carve and share. Prices for the Christmas Day Host A Roast starts from £79.95 per adult - £35.00 per child up to 12 years, children under five years dine free.

When it’s time to shop, guests are spoilt for choice with Glasgow’s glittering Style Mile boasting over 1,500 shops - just a short drive away. And, on top of all that, the popular Glasgow Christmas Market stretches across George and St Enoch Squares. Whether guests are after some warming street food, a glass of festive cheer or some family-focused fun, Glasgow has all the Christmas bases covered.

Prices for room only Macdonald Crutherland Hotel start from £80

Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh
There's no better place in Edinburgh to celebrate Christmas or Hogmanay than at Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, in the city’s beautiful Old Town. Situated just minutes from the Royal Mile and the Scottish Parliament building, the hotel's location makes it the ideal base for exploring the city. Edinburgh’s unique historic feel, top quality shopping and cosmopolitan atmosphere is further boosted by a terrific market stuffed with arts, crafts, unusual gifts and gastronomic delights.

After an afternoon of browsing the stalls at Edinburgh's Christmas Markets, guests can enjoy a festive dining experience at Paul Tamburrini at Macdonald Holyrood Hotel restaurant. With a signature blend of French cuisine coupled with the finest Scottish ingredients, guests can expect a Christmas feast like no other.

Prices for room only at Macdonald Holyrood Hotel start from £99

For those who want to escape to the idyllic surroundings of the Cairngorms National Park, Macdonald Aviemore Resort provides the perfect venue for a festive getaway.

Macdonald Aviemore Resort
The Resort’s talented team of Santa’s helpers have packaged up a fabulous collection of family treats to deliver everything needed for a memorable Christmas.

Special three or four-night stays kick off on Christmas Eve with a winter walk to Santa’s Grotto and an Aladdin family panto. On Christmas Day, guests will wave goodbye to Santa and his reindeer before settling down for a full Christmas lunch. And after a lazy start to Boxing Day to recharge batteries, guests can look forward to the Boxing Day Carvery and special entertainment and activities for the whole family.

Prices for Macdonald Aviemore Resort start from £245 per family per night with four-night and three-night breaks also available.

Lyn MacDonald, Group Marketing Director at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, said: “The festive season can be a really busy time for people – with all the cooking, cleaning and party planning, it can be easy to forget that we’re supposed to take time to enjoy ourselves!

“Taking a short break at Christmas is the ideal way to do that but it can mean different things to different people. Some guests want the full-on retail experience and our hotels are in the ideal location to provide everything even the most committed shopper could want. Christmas markets have enjoyed a real boom in popularity in recent years and more and more guests tell us that they really enjoy visiting them as part of their festive break.

“At the same time, some visitors want to chill out, enjoy some fabulous food, pamper themselves or just spend time in a relaxing atmosphere with family and friends.”

For more information please visit www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

Got a story to share? Send us an email at hello[@]whatsonnetwork.co.uk

Latest Renfrewshire News

Foodies Festival, the biggest touring celebrity food & music festival in the UK, returns to Scotland next month

The UK's biggest touring celebrity food & music festival celebrates its 20th year - announcing star-studded line-ups and exciting new features in Edinburgh and Glasgow!

Grow Your Own flowers, fruits, and veg at Dobbies Garden Centres

Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Grow Your Own workshop this August, where attendees will learn top tips for growing fruit, vegetables and flowers at home.

Gnoss release stirring new single Emily ahead of international festival run

Acclaimed Scottish folk four-piece Gnoss are back with a brand-new single ‘Emily’ set for release on Friday 25th July!

Local treasures revealed ahead of Archaeology Day at the National Museum of Rural Life

Treasure Trove Scotland are inviting members of the public to bring their finds to be assessed as part of a family-friendly Archaeology Day at the National Museum of Rural Life.

Renfrew set to welcome top Scottish pipers and drummers

Renfrew's Robertson Park will host Scotland's top piping talent once again as the Renfrew Pipe Band Competition returns to the town on Saturday 19th July.

Dinosaur Day at Dobbies

Children attending Dobbies Little Seedlings Club will get the chance to travel back hundreds of millions of years to learn about prehistoric plants and talk about their favourite dinosaurs!

Winter Connections programme boasts success for third year

Thousands of people across Renfrewshire have benefitted from Winter Connections running for a third year.

Summer long celebration of the 90s and britpop launched

PubLife, a UK-wide summer celebration of the '90s will take place in over 500 pubs, including 7 in Scotland.

Family days out just got better with free entry for kids at Scone Palace

This summer, as school holidays get underway, families are invited to enjoy a day out at Scone Palace with their Kids Go Free promotion.

Scone Palace International Horse Trials

The inaugural Scone Palace International Horse Trials will take place from 21st–24th August 2025 in the stunning grounds of Scone Palace and Perth Racecourse.

Major donation of Scottish artworks boosts Renfrewshire civic collection

A magnificent collection of artworks has been donated to Renfrewshire's civic collection by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, in memory of her late husband, John Shaw.

Renfrewshire launches Summer of Fun free activity programme

The new free summer activities programme for Renfrewshire children, young people and families is now available.

Countdown begins: The AJ Bell Great Scottish Run returns to Glasgow in October

Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow on Sunday 5th October and they want everyone to 'Be Your Greatest'.

Thousands turn out to celebrate Sma Shot Day 2025

Thousands turned out to enjoy a day of fantastic live entertainment at Paisley's annual Sma' Shot Day celebrations on Saturday!

BTS fans take the spotlight in latest K Pop documentary heading to Vue

BTS Army: Forever We Are Young, a brand-new documentary celebrating the fans that helped catapult 21st century pop icons BTS into global stardom comes to Vue.

Jason Manford to play Paisley Town Hall as part of tour

Comedian, actor, singer and presenter is latest big name to announce date at venue.

SAY Award opens submissions for eligible albums

Scotland’s national music prize – the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – has opened submissions for 2025’s £20,000 prize.

Set sail for Paisley and enjoy a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas!

Ahoy there mateys! The Pirates of Paisley is this year's must visit FREE summer brick adventure!

Paisley Town Hall bells mark Imagination Library becoming permanent

Much loved reading programme, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Renfrewshire, celebrated becoming permanent with bell chimes.

Great value summer holiday activities at Dobbies Garden Centres

This summer, gather the whole family and head to Dobbies Garden Centres for a day of fun-filled activities that will keep costs down.

Crowds celebrate the summer at Barshaw Gala Day

Thousands turned out to celebrate summer at Barshaw Park on Saturday for Barshaw Gala Day.

FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores returns on 5th and 6th July

Summerfest, the FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores, is back on the 5th and 6th of July with lots of things to see and do!

Grab your free reusable cup!

Fancy grabbing a free reusable takeaway cup and then getting a discount on your next drink from some of our local cafes?

Thorn Athletic and Inchinnan Development Trust to create brand new artificial pitches in Renfrewshire

Two major community sports projects in Renfrewshire are set to benefit from a significant funding boost.

Earlybird tickets drive buzz for 2026 Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show

The biggest show of its kind in Scotland returns with Earlybird tickets and a give-away with headline sponsor Border Caravans!

July events at Dobbies Garden Centres

Check out July at Dobbies with it's Little Seedlings Club on rainforests and Grow How on pest control and healthy gardens!

Refurbished play park is a big success with local pupils

Pupils from Auchenlodment Primary School in Johnstone gave their refurbished play park a big thumbs up after it underwent a major upgrade earlier this year.

Historic Environment Scotland calls for public stories for national wellbeing exhibition

Historic Environment Scotland is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.

Clan Wrestling returns to Braehead Arena with former WWE Champions

After their first event in March, Clash of the Clans, Clan Wrestling makes its return to Braehead Arena on Saturday 6th September for its second event!