Hotel Dining

Alma Resort festive 2024 news: A giant gingerbread house, life-sized advent calendar display, a Christmas market showcasing local artisans, and family mini golf tournaments will be among the merriment on offer when Alma Resort Cam Ranh ushers in Christmas and the New Year.

The 30-hectare beachfront resort will host events including Christmas-themed afternoon tea, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve set menus and buffets, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day breakfast buffets, wine tasting and more from Dec. 1, 2024 until Jan. 5, 2025. The festive season program’s activities for children will range from Santa’s Corner where Santa will feature in photos with families to gingerbread house decoration classes.

“As we reflect on 2024 and look to 2025, this year has been phenomenal with Alma named the No.1 resort in Southeast Asia, the No. 2 resort in Asia and the No. 9 resort globally in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards,” said Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “We can’t wait to share the merriment of the festive season with our guests and community, and we look forward to ringing in an incredible 2025.”

From Dec. 1 – 24, surprises such as sweets and small gifts will be unveiled daily at the life-sized advent calendar at the lobby. The giant gingerbread house will open at Alma Food Court on Dec. 8 and sell desserts such as stollen, cakes, cookies and, of course, gingerbread until Jan 5. Adjacent to Santa’s Corner, the gingerbread house will be crafted using 232 kilograms of gingerbread – 800 wall tiles that each weigh 155 grams and 1200 roof tiles each 90 grams – and decorated in 40 kilograms of merengue.

Executive assistant manager Ingo Stöneberg’s team started baking the gingerbread for the house from the first week of October. It takes roughly two months to prepare the dough, and shape, bake and dry all the bricks before the house is assembled in about 48 hours.

“In meaningful holiday greetings, the children at a local orphanage have lovingly crafted unique Christmas cards that will be available for purchase at our Kids Club from December 15-24 and each card comes with a special message and supports these children,” said Laubichler-Pichler.

Families are also encouraged to transform their pavilion or suite into a Christmas wonderland from Dec. 15, with specially decorated Christmas trees from Alma Mart. From Dec. 23-25, Santa will spread jolly good cheer around the resort, handing out balloons and other treats. Santa will also bring gifts purchased from Alma Mart to children’s rooms on Dec. 24 and 25 as part of a special delivery service.

Alma Food Court will transform into the “Holiday Makers’ Market” from Dec. 24-26, a Christmas market displaying crafts and wares from local artisans and vendors.

From Dec. 20-31, Glühwein, a traditional aromatic mulled wine popular at European Christmas markets, will be poured in the lobby and Alma Food Court, as bartenders at American Bar mix, match, and experiment with bases, syrups, and garnishes to create personalized festive drinks. American Bar will also host wine tasting from 3-5pm on Dec. 23 and 30, with participants sampling reds, whites and sparkling varieties complemented with traditional holiday fare.

Alma Lounge will stage a Christmas-themed Afternoon Tea for two with savoury and sweet treats from 2-5pm daily from Dec 23-25. On Dec. 24 and 25, gingerbread decoration classes for the young and the young at heart will be held at the Pastry Kitchen from 2-3pm, followed by the Kids Club’s Christmas treasure hunts from 3-4pm. At the 18-hole putting green, mini tournaments for all ages will be held from 3.45-.4.45pm on Dec. 23-25.

Alma’s Italian fine dining trattoria La Casa will host exquisite dinners on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve to an accompaniment of the resident pianist Ben’s live piano and singing. Lavish buffet spreads of international delicacies will mark Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve at Alma Garden, which beats at the heart of the resort, from 6-9pm. Alma Garden will also put on exciting international buffet breakfasts from 6.30-10am on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

At Alma’s Countdown Bash revellers will gather at Alma Lounge from 8.30pm onwards to dance to live music and, as the clock strikes midnight, champagne toast to the new year.

Alma’s Le Spa’s promotions during the festive season include a 180-minute ‘Festive Bliss’ package with a steam and sauna with fresh herbal aroma, 30-minute Le Spa body exfoliation, 60-minute Le Spa signature treatment, 30 minutes of foot hot stone therapy and a 60-minute fundamental skin and body treatment. Spa journeys for couples, and mother-daughter duos and father-son pairs are also available.

Starting from USD 146 per night for a minimum stay of five nights between Dec. 1, 2024 and Jan. 15, 2025, Alma’s “Festive Magic” package includes a lavish Christmas breakfast for two adults and two children under seven years of age, a 15% discount on food and beverages (excluding Alma Mart) and access to a range of special holiday dining events. Events include pre-dinner cocktails on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinners at Alma Garden, La Casa’s Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve set menus, New Year’s Eve Countdown Party and the wine tasting at The American Bar. Meet and greet with Santa, photo opportunities in the giant gingerbread house, daily treats from the lobby advent calendar and Christmas movie screenings at the cinema are also included in the package.

With a booking period from now until Dec. 31, the Festive Magic package also entails a 15% discount on all Le Spa treatments and unlimited access to resort amenities: Splash Waterpark, Kids’ Club and Youth Club, Science Museum, and sports courts.

For further information or to book, contact Alma on +84 258 399 1666, or email info@alma-resort.com