Waldorf serves up sneak Christmas party peek

August 2, 2010

Christmas came early for the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando, Florida, as they hosted their annual 'Christmas in July' event. In a bid to create holiday cheer in the dead heat of summer, the hotel hired carolers to greet guests in the grand lobby.

The grand ballroom was decked out in winter white, blue and silver, while other rooms were decorated to showcase other aspects of the festive season, such as the Christmas dinner. There was even a floating 'dessert station,' which descended from the ceiling, laden with festive sweet treats.

The event, which was to showcase how the hotel could be decorated in order to host an office Christmas party, was aimed at party planners from law firms, banks, offices and social groups.

Janine Boylan, director of catering for the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and its sister hotel Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek said, "We're showcasing our best cuisine and service. We're going to let them see a little bit of everything that they could potentially have in mind,” she added.

Everyone is looking for something different for their office Christmas party, be it an intimate sit-down dinner on a budget or a huge party with a price tag to match. "A lot of companies are faced with having to be a little more thoughtful and prudent with their budget at the moment, but still want to hold an event," Ms Boylan added.