Destinations: Four Seasons Hotel New York

Where will you ring in the new year? From Las Vegas to Dubai to New York, we’re taking a look at the best places to be on New Year’s Eve, along with what to do before and after the big event.

You wouldn’t expect New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas to be a subtle affair, now, would you? The entire Las Vegas Strip is closed to vehicle traffic starting at 6:00 pm, creating a party zone 4 miles (6 kilometres) long for more than 300,000 people. Come midnight, you can watch an astonishing 80,000 fireworks hit the sky in less than 10 minutes.

Over on Fremont Street, the iconic America’s Party is a slightly less frenzied carnival. Expect live music; pyrotechnics displays; and digital fireworks displayed on Viva Vision, the world’s largest LED canopy screen, as the clock ticks to midnight and the new year begins. For a look back, pop into Atomic Liquors, the oldest freestanding bar in the city, offering cocktails and beers on tap, a laid-back crowd and décor that the Rat Pack would commend.

“For elevated cuisine and views to match, Rivea is a great spot,” says Denise Della Rocca, Chef Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. “After dinner, have drinks at Skyfall Panoramic Barr & Lounge and take in the drama of the Strip at night, lit by fireworks. Skyfall offers a great lounge atmosphere that is a bit more relaxed than a traditional club setting.”

With its soaring skyscrapers, majestic junk boats and aerial island views, the undeniable magic of Hong Kong makes it the perfect place for an unforgettable New Year’s Eve. For drinking and dining out, “the best New Year’s Eve parties are in Central,” says Cissie Chan, Assistant Chef Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, referring to a popular maze of streets in the city’s centre. “Coa and Quinary are award-winning bars in close proximity. And our own award-winning bar, ARGO, at the Hotel gives people another amazing venue to consider for parties.”

Chan also suggests making reservations at nearby 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana for Michelin-starred Italian cuisine; Shikigiku Japanese Restaurant at IFC Mall for kaiseki, sashimi and teppanyaki; New Punjab Club – the first Punjabi restaurant in the world to be awarded a Michelin star – for flavourful dishes like malai tikka, tandoori jhinga and samosa chaat; or neo-Parisian restaurant Belon for their signature whole-roasted chicken.

To ring in the new year, you can also indulge in an eight-course tasting dinner at the Hotel’s Lung King Heen, the world’s first Cantonese restaurant to be awarded the coveted Michelin three-star rating.

Set in the heart of the city, Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge is steps away from some of London’s most historic sites, such as Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It’s also in the heart of the action during festive season, when twinkling Christmas markets and cozy fireside pubs easily make the city one of Europe’s most charming holiday settings.

Start your celebration with a stroll along St. Katharine Docks, a historic 1828 marina that is now home to restaurants and stores, before browsing the high-end boutiques at The Royal Exchange. Sit down for a meal at The Ivy Tower Bridge restaurant, a British brasserie overlooking the River Thames, or gather with friends for some seasonal mulled wine at iconic pub The Blackfriar. For New Year’s Eve, toast your time together with champagne and a decadent dinner at the Hotel’s Michelin-starred French restaurant, La Dame de Pic London, before a fireworks display lights up landmarks like the London Eye and Big Ben. “It’s quite a time to come together,” says Stephanie Raimbault, General Manager at La Dame de Pic London.

The party continues the next morning, when guests can greet the new year with breakfast in the elegant Rotunda Bar and Lounge before watching the king’s horses, floats, bands and dancers file through the capital in London’s New Year’s Day Parade.

With its ornate temples, eclectic art galleries and world-class food scene, Tokyo has earned its spot as one of the world’s top culture capitals. Although New Year’s is a quieter time in the city, with some museums and restaurants closed for the holiday, there is still much to discover.

Areas like Roppongi and Shibuya, where there are a lot of Japanese pubs, will be crowded with young people, notes the Concierge team at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Cotton Club, just a short walk from the Hotel, is known for hosting live jazz in the evenings. The team also suggests taking a trip to the Sensō-ji temple for hatsumōde, the first visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple of the Japanese New Year.

To welcome 2025, the Hotel will be offering an exclusive menu curated by Executive Chef Daniel Calvert at SÉZANNE to ring in the new year. Or book yourself a Winter Retreat at the Spa to start the year refreshed and renewed.

Home to one of the world’s tallest buildings and a shopping mall in the top five for size, Dubai doesn’t hold back on its impressive New Year’s Eve celebration. In 2014, it even broke the Guinness World Record for the biggest fireworks display.

New Year’s is a great opportunity to celebrate the mix of cultures and people in Dubai, and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach offers a versatile home base for your celebrations. Reserve your spot at Mercury Rooftop and enjoy incredible views of both the Resort’s own fireworks display as well as the show at Burj Khalifa.

Further down the Arabian Gulf, you’ll find the Dubai Marina’s glamorous waterfront promenade as well as Souk Madinat Jumeirah, an Arabic-style bazaar that sells eclectic jewellery and textiles. For views of the Burj Khalifa, take a tour around the lagoon bordering the souk aboard a traditional abra, a low-riding wooden ferryboat.

Buenos Aires presents visitors with a “big three”: See a tango show at Salón Marabú, see works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera at MALBA: The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires, and see a ballet or opera performance at Teatro Colón.

On New Year’s Eve, the Puente de la Mujer is ideal for sweeping views of the fireworks over the Puerto Madero waterfront, while the while the Palermo Soho neighbourhood is a hot spot for nightclubs and dance parties.

Once the revelry subsides, start the new year off with an expert-led tour of Buenos Aires or set out on a day trip to San Antonio de Areco, a charming countryside town 75 miles from the city, both of which can be arranged for you by the team at Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires. For a deliciously local experience, learn how to make your own Argentinian empanada during a chef-led lesson.

All eyes are on New York come New Year’s Eve. Stay at the recently re-opened Four Seasons Hotel New York in Midtown, putting you just a 20-minute walk from Times Square – close, but not too close to all the festivities. Or opt for Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown for an ultra-chic stay in one of the Hotel’s recently renovated specialty suites.

Times Square is of course not the only thing happening in the city on the big night. For something a bit more subdued, meet up with friends for a celebratory dinner at CUT by Wolfgang Puck before heading to Holywater for an after-dinner spot to ring in the new year. This cozy, nautical-style speakeasy serves draft beer and cocktails along with classic comfort food and small plates with a focus on seafood.

If fireworks are what you’re after, stroll over to the Brooklyn Bridge to see the display going off at midnight over New York Harbor near Liberty Island – not to mention incredible nighttime city views.

Come morning, let the Concierge book you a table for brunch at a nearby restaurant, then pay a visit to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or go ice skating at Bryant Park for a fun and relaxing start to 2025.