Unforgettable Cities to Ring
in the New Year

You wouldn’t expect New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas to be a subtle affair, now, would you? The entire Strip is closed to traffic starting at 6:00 pm, creating a party zone 4 miles (6 kilometres) long for up to 375,000 people. Come midnight, you can watch an astonishing 80,000 fireworks hit the sky within 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 one of the largest digital screens in the world beaming in images from Times Square, New York, as the clock ticks to midnight and the new year begins.

For a look back, try Atomic Liqueurs, one of the oldest bars in the city, offering retro New Year’s cocktails, a laid-back crowd and décor that the Rat Pack would commend – plus a rooftop area that’s ideal for watching the lights scatter in the sky.

Inside Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, get ready for a party in PRESS Lounge in partnership with Moët Hennessy, complete with oysters, fresh shrimp, an ice sculpture and DJs.

“For elevated cuisine and views to match, Rivea is a great spot,” says Chef Concierge Denise Della Rocca. “After dinner, have drinks at Skyfall 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 Chief Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, referring to a popular maze of streets in the city’s centre. “Sevva has stunning views of the skyline; Coa and Quinary are award-winning bars in close proximity. And with the opening of ARGO at the Hotel, people have one more cool venue to consider for parties.”

Chan also suggests making reservations at 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana for Michelin-starred Italian cuisine; Shikigiku at ifc 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 tandoori and samosa; or neo-Parisian restaurant Belon for their signature whole-roasted “three-yellow chicken.”.

To ring in the New Year, you can also indulge in a once-in-a-lifetime gourmet experience, rotating between Lung King Heen, Caprice and Sushi Saito, totalling eight Michelin stars in a day.

Set in the heart of the city, Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square 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 cosy fireside pubs easily make the city one of Europe’s most charming holiday settings.

Start your celebration with a stroll along St Katharine’s 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 mulled wine at 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 Lounge before watching the queen’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,” says Akhil Tiwari, Chief Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. “Personally, I really enjoy Cotton Club, a short walk from the Hotel, for its live jazz in the evenings.” Tiwari also suggests taking a trip to the Sensō-ji temple for hatsumōde, the first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year.

To welcome 2022, the Hotel will be offering an ultra-luxury rooms package that includes Champagne and caviar, dinner at MAISON MARUNOUCHI and an elegant breakfast with Truffle Scramble Eggs at SEZANNE.

Home to the world’s tallest building until 2020 and a shopping mall in the top five for size, Dubai doesn’t hold back on its impressive New Year’s celebration. In 2014 it 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 here,” says Peter Wharmby, Chief Concierge at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. “We now have our own fireworks at the Resort from our private beach.” Anyone celebrating at Mercury Lounge has views of both the Resort’s show and the city’s spectacular display.

Guests can also explore Expo 2020, showcasing innovative technology from around the globe shaping the future through sustainability, mobility and opportunity.

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

Buenos Aires presents visitors with a “big three”: See a tango show at Esquina Carlos Gardel; 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 bridge is ideal for sweeping views of the fireworks over the Puerto Madero Waterfront, while the while the Palermo Soho neighbourhood is a hotspot for nightclubs and dance parties.

“On New Year’s Day, we have walking tours of Buenos Aires as well as day trips to San Antonio de Areco, a charming countryside town 75 miles from the city,” says Maria José Iturralde, Chief Concierge at Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires. “Here, we can arrange a traditional asado (barbecue) and a gaucho-led horseback tour around the area’s estancias (cattle ranches).”