Every holiday season, thousands of visitors flock to San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel to see the famous 2-story gingerbread house. The 22-foot gingerbread house is on display now, along with the hotel’s stunning Christmas decorations, including a grand tree decked out with lights and ornaments. The famous gingerbread house opened at the end of November, and you can go see it through the rest of the year.
The 22-foot-tall structure has two levels and is decked out for the holiday season, covered in a rainbow of candy, including classic gumdrops, strands of Nerds Rope, and more sweet adornments, including iconic See’s Candies. And yes, the walls are actually real gingerbread glued together with icing.
Making this massive holiday decoration isn’t easy; the hotel typically starts planning way back in July. Each year, the life-size Victorian structure takes 520 hours to build, light, and outfit with thousands of pieces of candy. Over 8,000 baked gingerbread bricks are glued together with mountains of icing. An impressive 50 gallons of egg whites and 1,000 pounds of powdered sugar are needed just to make the icing alone, and we haven’t even gotten to the 2,000 pounds of candy used to decorate it. The gingerbread house is created by Larry Walton and a dedicated team that starts the project every October.
If you want to immerse yourself in the colorful candy world fully, the hotel offers a swanky option to dine inside the gingerbread house. The private dining room is available to rent for holiday tea, private dinners, and even breakfast. Dining at the holiday house is a luxurious experience, and a dinner inside has a minimum spend of 1,000.
You can see the house without the splurge; of course, the candy creation will be on display in the hotel’s lobby all season long. You can also expect to see a 23-foot-tall Christmas tree in the festive lobby.
The Fairmont Hotel will also continue its popular holiday events, including a champagne bar, Santa Suites, and a Holiday Tea. Santa Suites are decorated with festive flair for the holidays, and the tea offers classic pastries inside Laurel Court. The Fairmont’s gingerbread house is free to the public and is a great family-friendly display.
You can also explore a holiday market held on the hotel’s rooftop on December 19 through 21 from 12 to 5 pm. The open-air market will feature lights, festive music, and unique gifts. We also recommend grabbing a drink in the lobby bar, which is the perfect spot for taking in the lobby’s beautiful holiday decorations.
About the San Francisco Fairmont
The Fairmont is one of SF’s most iconic and historic hotels. Perched atop Nob Hill, the hotel boasts beautiful views and is home to the beloved bar Tonga Room. The tiki bar is in the basement of the hotel, utilizing a pool to float a boat often filled with live performers while guests dine and drink in the creative space.
📅 Dates: Opening Nov. 22, 2025
📍 Location: Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Written by Jamie Ferrell and Dana Flynn