San Francisco’s historic Palace Hotel is positioning its 2026 holiday calendar as a destination in itself, offering a string of themed teas, feasts and New Year’s celebrations that aim to draw both local guests and travelers from abroad.
Holiday Tea Events Kick Off the Season
The program opens on October 31 with a “Spooky Tea” in the iconic Garden Court, blending the hotel’s classic afternoon-tea service with seasonal sweets and playful Halloween touches. Prices start at $70 per person, and the two-hour event runs from noon to 2 p.m., welcoming guests of all ages.
A week later, on November 7, the Palace marks Diwali with a $130 “Diwali Tea.” South-Asian-inspired finger sandwiches, chai, Harney & Sons teas, freshly baked scones and a glass of Piper Sonoma Brut are served alongside live music, celebrating light and renewal.
These teas set the tone for a festive season that runs through New Year’s Day, and they highlight the Palace’s strategy of pairing its historic architecture with contemporary cultural moments.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Feasts
Thanksgiving brunch arrives on November 27 in the Garden Court, featuring a buffet of antipasti, composed salads, fresh seafood and carving stations, including whole roasted turkey with traditional accompaniments. Adult tickets cost $250, children $95, and the spread includes Piper Sonoma Brut mimosas, Palace Bloody Marys and a Viennese Sweet Table, with a jazz duo providing background music.
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That evening the hotel offers a prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner at $295 for adults and $95 for children, with additions including a Tsar Nicoulai caviar cart, Peking duck station and barista coffee station. Highlights include a Tsar Nicoulai caviar cart, a Peking duck station and a barista coffee station, complemented by a jazz trio.
December brings Victorian-era nostalgia with a one-day “Carolers Tea” on the 18th, priced at $200. Costumed singers and live piano fill the Garden Court while guests sip Piper Sonoma Brut and enjoy holiday finger sandwiches, petit fours and scones.
Families can also book a “Santa Afternoon Tea” for $230 adults and $135 children (ages 5-12). The experience includes festive pastries, a visit from Santa and a professional keepsake photograph, all set beneath the elaborately decorated Garden Court.
Christmas Eve features a four-course prix fixe dinner from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., beginning with a Piper Sonoma Brut toast, with live music continuing until 9 p.m. The $125 price includes soup, salad, entrée and dessert.
On Christmas Day, the Palace offers a brunch priced at $250 for adults and $95 for children, featuring seafood, carving stations, antipasti, salads, festive beverages and a Viennese Sweet Table, accompanied by live jazz. The menu offers seafood, carving stations, antipasti, salads and a Viennese Sweet Table, and Santa will make appearances throughout the day.
That evening, Christmas Dinner is priced at $295 for adults and $95 for children, with caviar, Peking duck, fresh seafood, carving stations, a barista coffee station and an array of Christmas desserts, accompanied by a jazz trio.
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Compared with the 2025 lineup, the 2026 schedule adds more culturally specific events—most notably the Diwali Tea—reflecting a broader push to attract international guests while retaining the hotel’s traditional British-style tea service.
Rounding out the year, the Palace will host a New Year’s Eve dinner on December 31. The four-course menu, priced at $145 per person, includes soup, salad, entrée, dessert and a Piper Sonoma Brut toast, with dinner served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and live music continuing until 12:30 a.m., carrying guests through the arrival of 2027.
New Year’s Day Brunch and Final Festivities
Following the midnight celebrations, the Palace welcomes guests to a New Year’s Day brunch buffet in the Garden Court, with seatings at 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Brunch is priced at $130 for adults and $65 for children ages 5–12.
Location, Accommodations and Visitor Experience
Situated at 2 New Montgomery Street, the Palace Hotel serves as a convenient base for travelers wishing to explore San Francisco’s iconic neighborhoods and attractions. Walking distance connects guests to Union Square, Chinatown, the Financial District and the Moscone Convention Center, while short transit rides reach the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Gardens, the Ferry Building Marketplace, Oracle Park and the Chase Center.
The property offers 556 renovated guest rooms, each reflecting the historic charm of the landmark while providing modern comforts. Inside, the Garden Court functions as the central venue for many of the season’s signature events, and the hotel’s restaurants and gathering spaces enable seamless transitions from afternoon teas and live music to elaborate holiday dinners without leaving the premises.