Best hotels with views of New Year’s Eve fireworks

Looking up at the night sky from the comfort of a hotel room to watch the fireworks sparkle and dazzle might just be one of the most magical ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve while on holiday. 

So, where will you usher in 2026? From luxury suites overlooking Sydney Harbour and towering above the buzz of downtown New York to sky-high views of the Thames and the London Eye, we’ve curated a list of top hotels that offer front-row seats to some of the most iconic countdown celebration​s around the world.

One important tip to keep in mind: plan and book early, as the end of the year is one of the busiest times to travel.

1. Tempo by Hilton Times Square, New York

This modern and stylish hotel  is just four blocks from One Times Square, the billboard-plastered tower where the famous ball drops to kick off New Year’s Eve celebrations. Rooms and suites with Times Square views offer the perfect vantage point as crowds in festive costumes congregate in the streets below hours before the clock strikes twelve. You’ll be perched comfortably by floor-to-ceiling windows, taking in the spectacular view as the seconds tick down to zero and confetti rains over 7th Avenue.

2. Regent Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Located right on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, this hotel affords magnificent views of the New Year’s Eve fireworks, which are traditionally launched from boats out in the channel. The harbour view rooms , unsurprisingly, offer a sweeping panorama of the skyline framed by the undulating silhouette of Hong Kong Island’s mountains. If you’re celebrating with friends, the Presidential Suite promises an unrivalled experience – with a private balcony, infinity pool and wrap-around corner windows.

3. The Carlin Boutique Hotel Queenstown, Queenstown

This five-star luxury hotel  comprises seven terraced floors of suites, each with a private hot tub on the patio, overlooking Lake Wakatipu, where Queenstown’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are set off every year. Your stay includes complimentary airport pickup and an English breakfast, setting the tone for a fulfilling and rejuvenating escape. By day, gaze at gently rugged mountains; by night, enjoy front-row seats to the lakefront fireworks display. It’s ideal for a quiet, intimate celebration with just the right dose of year-end excitement.

4. London Hilton on Park Lane, London

This hotel  is located on a quiet corner between Hyde Park and Green Park. Rooms on the upper floors feature windows that face the Thames, offering an uninterrupted panorama of the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display as it blooms around the London Eye. It’s arguably the best place to take in the spectacle without the busy crowds and thunderous noise. What’s more, all rooms have been recently refurbished, and a noon check-out lets guests sleep in after a night of heady celebrations.

5. The Peninsula Paris, Paris

A stay in the opulent Rooftop Garden Suite  grants access to a private terrace above the hotel. From here, you can catch a glimpse of the Arc de Triomphe’s celebratory displays. Turn around and you’ll see the Eiffel Tower, sparkling from a distance above the Paris rooftops. The best part? After witnessing the fireworks erupting around the Arc de Triomphe, you can easily retreat to your suite downstairs – avoiding the throngs making their way home along the Champs-Elysees. 

6. Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, Sydney

Harbour view rooms in this all-suite apartment-style hotel  have the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its New Year’s Eve show in full view. Well before midnight, you’ll find yourself captivated by life on the water as cruise ships dock, ferries glide past the Sydney Opera House and daredevils scale the bridge. As the countdown approaches, get cosy with a bottle of bubbly and savoury bites from the all-night room service menu, and watch the iconic Harbour Bridge disappear behind smoke and glitter as the clock strikes midnight.   

7. Grand Hyatt Taipei, Taipei

This property is the closest hotel to Taipei 101 , with a great selection of rooms boasting unobstructed views of the skyscraper’s New Year’s Eve display. Before the countdown begins, hit the party playlist, snuggle onto the sofa by the windowsill and look up as the 101 bursts into a living beam of lasers and pyrotechnics that light up the sky for a full six minutes. No more phone-dodging or hopping on tiptoes for a clear view of the show – the large glass window is the only thing between you and the wild celebrations.

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