Where to stay during cherry blossom season

Spring is just around the corner, and with the season comes more daylight, warmth and cherry blossoms. Native to East Asia and cherished all over the world, these positively pretty but fragile flowers symbolize hope and new beginnings.

Washington, D.C., is the most popular destination to witness the pink blooms in North America. (The National Park Service just announced peak blooms will occur in the city between March 28 and 31.) Regardless of where you are in the world, though, cherry blossom season takes place during a brief window between March and April.

From Washington, D.C., to South Korea’s Jeju Island, the hotels below ensure a memorable stay and a front-row seat to one of the most beloved spring phenomena.

North America

Washington, DC

Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC

Few properties celebrate cherry blossom season more lavishly than Georgetown’s Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC. From the moment you enter, you’ll be enchanted by celebrity floral designer Jeff Leatham’s floor-to-ceiling installations channeling the magic of the spring blooms.

If your idea of a dreamy afternoon is lunching outdoors under a canopy of pink, request a picnic package and a curated walking map from the concierge; they’ve put together some of the best places in town to bask in the ethereal blooms. When it’s time to decompress after hitting the town, the spa has you covered with a Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Treatment. End the day with the innovative Augmented Reality Cocktail at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Bourbon Steak; the drink is presented with various cherry blossom animations to enhance the drinking experience.

The hotel is a member of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, and rates start at $985 per night in March.

Salamander Washington DC

The Tidal Basin is a hot spot for cherry blossoms, so it’s no wonder that the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 to April 13) takes place there. If you want to be in the heart of it all, consider booking Salamander Washington DC. The stately property in Southwest D.C. offers 373 posh guest rooms and suites, a newly renovated spa (where you can get the Cherry Blossom Body Ritual), an elevated club lounge called The Monument Club and several restaurants, including chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Afro-Caribbean hot spot Dogon.

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To make the most of your spring visit, Salamander Washington DC has a special package available between March 20 and April 13 that includes two nights in accommodations with views of the Tidal Basin and an in-room, cherry blossom-themed afternoon tea. The package rate starts from $790 per night based on a two-night stay; regular room rates start from $476 per night.

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC

The grand, 263-key hotel occupying the historic Old Post Office Building just announced its Cherry Blossom Suite: a 1,500-square-foot retreat kitted out with petal-pink decor, a floral canopy bed and a private massage area. When you reserve the Full Bloom Suite Retreat package — valued at $12,750 and available between March 1 and May 4 — you’ll get a two-night stay in these dazzling accommodations. You’ll also receive a 45-minute in-suite massage, exclusive after-hours access to the Clock Tower, a personal chauffeur, a chef-made picnic lunch and a curated list of lesser-known cherry blossom spots.

The festivities extend to the hotel’s soaring atrium restaurant and bar, Peacock Alley, where you can enjoy the Cherry Cotton Candy Kiss cocktail and Cherry Blossom Afternoon Tea with cherry-infused treats like Chocolate Cherry Financiers. Nightly rates start at $856 or 110,000 Hilton Honors points.

Alexandria, Virginia

Hotel AKA Alexandria

Though it’s mere miles from Washington, D.C., and right across the Potomac River, Alexandria feels worlds away. It’s a charming city where you’ll be welcomed by old cobblestone streets, historic 18th- and 19th-century architecture and independently owned restaurants and shops. Alexandria is also home to less-crowded places for viewing the iconic spring blooms, such as Old Town, Founders Park and River Farm.

Opened in 2023 and designed by famed Italian architect Piero Lissoni, Hotel AKA Alexandria is the most stylish place to stay in town. It’s also where you can book the over-the-top Cherry Blossom Bliss package. Starting at $2,500, this one-of-a-kind collaboration between the hotel and private yacht charter company Nautiste guides you and a guest along the Potomac River on a stylish 1985 vintage yacht. They’ll set you up with a captain, crew and a picnic lunch; upon your return to the hotel, two cherry blossom-themed cocktails will await you. Regular room rates are available from $185.

Charlotte

The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Marrying gracious Southern hospitality with contemporary comforts, The Ballantyne feels more like a sophisticated urban resort than a traditional hotel. The 208 guest rooms and suites skew classic, with their neutral palette and spacious marble bathrooms. Meanwhile, the 10,000-square-foot spa is a tranquil oasis popular for locally inspired treatments like the Lavender Haven Massage Ritual. Foodwise, Ballantyne’s signature Gallery Restaurant serves locally sourced, all-day American fare such as shrimp and grits and roasted Joyce Farms chicken.

It’s easy to access everything Charlotte has to offer from The Ballantyne. Though there are cherry trees sprinkled throughout town, you’ll find the most photogenic displays at Romare Bearden Park and Freedom Park. Rates start at $258 or 44,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

The city’s cherry blossom season also overlaps with Savor, a two-week event (March 12 to 25) filled with hands-on classes, exclusive dinners and discounts. It’s a unique opportunity to dig into Charlotte’s thriving culinary scene.

Columbus, Ohio

Hilton Columbus Downtown

Hilton Columbus Downtown is tough to miss: It’s a gleaming 28-story tower with a prime location in the lively Short North Arts District. Inside, you’ll find everything you need for a comfortable stay, from spotless accommodations to a spacious fitness center. Stories on High, the city’s tallest rooftop bar, serves up original cocktails and Japanese small plates. Nightly room rates start from $166 or 50,000 Hilton Honors points.

With over 5,000 cherry trees spread across Columbus’ neighborhoods and parks, there are plenty of places to admire the spring flowers. Check out Franklin Park, which is home to 20 cherry trees gifted from Japan for the 2012 Columbus Bicentennial Celebration. The season’s marquee event, the Greater Columbus Cherry Blossom Festival, takes place from March 24 to April 15 with the theme of “Love, Peace and Harmony.”

Macon, Georgia

Hotel Forty Five, Macon, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Taking up residence in the historic Willie C. Hill Annex building, this 95-room boutique hotel bridges the old and new. It features carefully preserved original details, like terrazzo tiling, but modern touches — such as in-room mini Smeg refrigerators — ensure complete comfort. Fuel up for a day out with Loom’s hearty Southern fare, and end the evening with a well-crafted drink and city views from Hightales Rooftop Bar. Room rates start at $199 or 23,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night during cherry blossom season.

Despite its small size, Macon celebrates cherry blossom season in spectacular style. With over 350,000 cherry trees — that’s more than 90 times the amount in Washington, D.C. — the city buzzes with events all month long, including the 10-day International Cherry Blossom Festival (March 21 to 30).

Portland, Oregon

Cascada

One of the city’s most exciting new openings, the LEED Platinum-certified Cascada champions health for people and for the planet. Every detail, even those invisible to the naked eye, has been considered. The accommodations feature toxin-free mattresses crafted with organic wool and cotton, while a cutting-edge filtration system ensures pristine air. Staff at Cascada’s cafe and restaurant prepare food with whole, mostly organic ingredients and no seed oils. Plus, the underground thermal springs help reset your body and mind in total peace. Rooms start at $318 per night.

Cherry trees abound in Portland, but prime viewing spots for the blooms (which typically peak from mid-March through early April) include the Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Portland Japanese Garden, which is famed for its stunning Yoshino and weeping cherry trees.

San Francisco

Kimpton Hotel Enso

This 130-room hotel is in the heart of San Francisco’s iconic Japantown neighborhood — the largest and oldest surviving Japantown of its kind in the U.S. It thoughtfully infuses Japanese style and culture into its crisp, minimalist design, and a stay includes complimentary perks like a daily sake social hour.

It’s also an ideal place to call your home away from home if you’re in town for the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (April 12 to 13 and April 19 to 20). Other memorable places to surround yourself with the pink blooms include Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden and San Francisco Botanical Garden. Rates start at $197 or 39,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Asia

Japan

The Tokyo Edition, Ginza

The Tokyo Edition, Ginza is perched in a quiet pocket of glitzy Ginza. The posh newcomer (opened last year) embraces a minimalist yet warm aesthetic throughout its 86 guest rooms and suites, as well as in its 14th-floor brasserie, Sophie, where guests can get a proper Japanese breakfast.

To herald one of the most cherished times of the year, the property is offering a special sakura (cherry blossom) package from March 15 through April 6. Good for up to two guests, it includes breakfast at Sophie, a sakura-themed cocktail, a sakura-themed in-room amenity and a special map illustrating the best places around Tokyo for hanami (flower viewing). Nightly rates start at $830 or 97,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Roku Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts

Nestled in the hills of northern Kyoto along the Tenjin River, Roku Kyoto is a tranquil retreat that makes you feel as though you’re deep in the rolling countryside. Even better? It places you in the heart of the transient blooms, far removed from the clamor of Kyoto’s tourists.

The resort invites you to slow down. You can embark on a meditation walk through the Japanese garden, participate in a traditional tea ceremony, unwind with the spa’s signature Tenjingawa stone massage and nourish yourself with a Japanese breakfast of fish, miso soup and rice. During sakura season, room prices start at $536 or 110,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

South Korea

JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa

Hugging a scenic cliff on the southern end of Jeju Island, JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa is a serene luxury resort envisioned by Bill Bensley (who designed places like Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle and Rosewood Luang Prabang). The hotel pays homage to local culture with its striking design — you’ll notice the prominent use of yellow, which symbolizes vitality and wealth — and its dinner-only restaurant, The Flying Hog — which cooks prized Jeju black pigs in a wood-fired grill. Nightly rates start at $717 or 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

The resort provides an elegant home base for scoping the island’s native king cherry blossoms. These flowers are fluffier and have a deeper hue than Japanese varietals, and you can spot them all over the island. Popular viewing spots include Halla Arboretum and Jeonnong-ro, a road that weaves through Jeju City.

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

If you want to see cherry blossoms in East Asia but want to steer clear of Tokyo’s and Kyoto’s tourists, Seoul is a smart alternative. There are plenty of places to view the delicate flowers around South Korea’s capital city, but Gyeongbokgung Palace — which is already a popular destination — becomes even more captivating when it transforms into a spectacular sea of pink.

For a luxurious stay in the neighborhood, look no further than the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. In addition to its convenient location in Gwanghwamun, the sophisticated property has every perk imaginable: a sleek design incorporating original pieces by Korean artists, a Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant, Yu Yuan, a contemporary Korean sauna and globe-trotting cocktails at the award-winning bar Charles H.

If you book your stay with American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, you’ll receive daily breakfast for two, late checkout and more. Room rates in March start at $424 per night.

Europe

London

The Prince Akatoki London

Immerse yourself in warm Japanese hospitality at this 82-room boutique property in posh Marylebone. The minimalist rooms feature fusuma panels and yukata (lightweight cotton kimonos), while Tokii and The Malt Lounge and Bar specialize in refined Japanese cuisine and spirits. (You can even book a sushi masterclass.) The hotel’s central address makes getting around a breeze; some of London’s most famed attractions, such as Hyde Park and Marble Arch, are just a stroll away.

Since The Prince Akatoki London is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, you can book a stay here with Hilton Honors points. Regular room rates are available from $325 per night.

Paris

Kimpton St Honore Paris

Marking the hospitality brand’s first foray into France, Kimpton St Honore combines convenience (it’s just steps from the Opera Garnier) with a bold look by Parisian designer Charles Zana in a historic art deco building and chic yet understated guest rooms. At the on-site Sequoia rooftop bar, you can pair a glass of rose with breathtaking sights of the petal-pink flowers cascading across the City of Light.

During cherry blossom season, room prices start at $472 or 88,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

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