Eight Hotels and Resorts for your Second Life Christmas
The Strasbourg themed Chéri Noël
Why let the pandemic stop you from staying somewhere amazing this Christmas? Second Life has several dozen hotels, resorts and campsites that do an excellent job of recreating the RL vacation experience.
Here are my eight suggestions for Christmas. Each is connected to amazing sims, and each allows you to rent rooms, suites or whole houses on a nightly basis.
1 - Christmas in Strasbourg
Jasmine Kiyori, known for her Korea / Japan themed city sims, as well as Little Santorini, has created Chéri Noël. The inspiration is the city of Strasbourg in Alsace, a region of France which also has a strong German influence.
As a result, there’s both a French and a German themed area, complete with little lanes, Christmas themed shops and markets, snow covered parks and even a gingerbread village. It’s beautifully built and put together, with incredible detail.
Rentals range from 995L a night all the way up to 4495L a night for the massive “Chateau de Noel”, which looks like something from Hogwarts, and could easily accommodate a large party..
We stayed in the “Maison de Chaleur” (2695 a night), and we’ve found that it’s definitely worth paying more for a bigger property.
The ballroom of the Maison Noel
Another bonus of staying for a few nights is that you get access to the ‘Maison Noel’, which is a kind of private clubhouse for tenants, complete with a restaurant / bar, a games room, a spa, and a ballroom.
Chéri Noël is only up until January 4th, so be sure to go and see it now.
Check out Camille (Muti) Milos’ post on Chéri Noël
2 - Christmas in New York
Winter in New York comes from the team behind Timor Isles, which is now closed until the Spring.
The Statue of Liberty Boardwalk, Winter in New York
A series of hotel rooms are dotted around a pretty true to life New York cityscape, complete with attractions such as Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and the skating rink at the Rockefeller Center.
As well as being able to stay in “New York” you can stay in a series of Winter cabins and lodges in the “Poconos Mountains.”
Prices range from 2500-3500L a night. Note that Winter in New York is a restricted sim, you get a group tag when you check-in.
Read the Christmas in New York review here.
Winter in New York Website (for bookings)
3 - Christmas in Vancouver
The recently opened Aurora Ski Retreat, seeks to create a Vancouver - British Columbia themed feel.
Activities include ice fishing, skiing, hover snowboarding and even “polar bear swimming.”
Prices range from 2600-6500L a night. The Aurora Ski Retreat is a restricted sim, you need a group tag to get in.
Look out for a more in-depth review of the Aurora Ski Retreat in the New Year.
4 - Christmas on the beach
Created by Lana Milos, Rizzi on the Beach is a pretty true to life five star beach resort hotel, that reminds me of many places I have been to in RL. The hotel has an amazing bar, that makes for a good meeting point, as well as my favourite hotel pool in SL.
As well as good sized junior suites and suites, the Rizzi now features a brand new split level Penthouse suite with three bedrooms and a private swimming pool.
Rizzi on the Beach bar
Asian Dreams: A taste of Bali and Japan, is a new resort from Rosie Helendales and Guy Bagshawe, which includes a Bali themed beach area and a Japanese themed hill area.
It’s worth staying in the Honeymoon suite, as you get access to a private yacht, from which you can explore 200 different sims in the Fruit Islands.
Standard beach villas cost 197 and the honeymoon suite 597 a night.
Read the Asian Dreams review here
6 - Christmas on Safari
How about waking up on Christmas morning to see giraffes and elephants walking around outside?
The Kidaka Resort comes from the owners of the Indian themed Lotus Palace Hotel and includes a hotel with a pool, spa, and beach. Then there’s a safari area, with wild animals where you can stay either in a lodge or a luxury tent.
Parts of the hotel are only for guests, but the safari area is open for all (except the accommodation of course).
For what you get, the Kidaka Resort has some of the best value resort accommodation in SL, with prices ranging from 100L to 300L a night.
Kidaka Resort website and SLURL
7 - Christmas on the Blake Sea
Ocean View camping spot
For as little as 20L a night you could rent a camping space at the Ocean View Motel and Campsite (with the sims connected to the Kroken Airport Hotel and campground), moor a boat and explore the different sims connected to the Blake Sea.
The Kroken Airport Hotel is also connected by underground passage to the Second Norway Airport, probably the most realistic and expansive airport in Second Life.
Alternatively, rez a Mini Cooper for free, at the Ocean View Motel and drive around and explore Second Norway. Good luck in navigating the maze of roads and roundabouts under the airport!
Prices - Camping spots come at 20-30L a night
Read the Ocean View review here.
Ocean View SLURL
8 - Christmas in Mexico
Photo credit - Camille Milos
Another Christmas in the sun option is Lush Tulum.
This is an amazingly detailed and well designed Yucatan-Mexico themed sim with beautiful villas (some of which can house larger groups), a restaurant, a cafe / bar, Mayan ruins, and a cave swimming / diving area. It also has one of the best resort beaches in SL
Stay for three nights and you get a spa treatment and dinner included. Lush Tulum is currently running specials with rates starting at 1000L a night.
Lush Tulum is another closed sim, where access is given via a group tag on check-in.
Read the Lush Tulum review, as well as Camille (Muti) Milos’ feature on the resort.
For more hotels and resorts in Second Life, take a look at the directory.
