“Pass Go” with Four Seasons Hotel Austin 2017 Gingerbread Village

Locals and guests will be able to “pass go” and maybe even collect $200 this winter as part of the annual Gingerbread Village display at Four Seasons Hotel Austin, debuting November 21, 2017 with a nostalgic Monopoly-inspired theme.

“I remember playing many a game with my family during my childhood,” says Amanda Pallagi Naim, the Hotel’s Executive Pastry Chef. “Let’s just say there were some spirited matches, but that’s exactly what makes this such a fun theme and one that I think will connect with multiple generations.”

Upon entering the Lobby, this year’s holiday visitors will be able to take a turn around a giant frosting-filled table, custom-made to resemble a Monopoly board and topped with 10 edible gingerbread houses depicting well-known Austin-area businesses and sights celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2017.

For example, taking the place of Marvin Gardens and Virginia Avenue are Zilker Park and Esther’s Follies, Austin’s premiere park and legendary vaudeville show marking 100 years and 40 years, respectively, in 2017. Gingerbread accessories such as a cowboy boot, Formula 1 race car and a Scottie dog – housed in its own Austin Humane Society dog house to mark the shelter’s 65th anniversary – will act as the game’s tokens. And one can’t forget Four Seasons Hotel Austin, which turns 30 this year and takes the place of tony Park Place.

Adding to the fun, guests who visit the Gingerbread Village will have a “Chance” to win one of two USD 200 gift certificates to Four Seasons Hotel Austin. There are two ways to enter, both starting November 21, 2017: visitors can fill out an entry card available next to the gingerbread display, or snap a selfie in front of the Gingerbread Village and post it to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #FSGingerbread. Both winners will be randomly selected from all collected entries on December 22, 2017. For full details, read the official rules.

And of course, no Monopoly game would be complete without a “Community Chest.” In exchange for a donation, which benefits a local Austin charity, businesses and individuals can sponsor a house complete with a sign listing their name and a short message of their choice in front of the house throughout the holiday season. Since 2005, fundraising efforts surrounding the annual Gingerbread Village have raised more than USD 70,000.

Locals and visitors interested in seeing the 2017 Gingerbread Village will be able to view the festive display 24 hours per day from November 21 through December 28, 2017. For those who’d like a more intimate look, the Hotel will also host two Holiday Open Houses on December 4 and 5, 2017 from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, featuring hot apple cider, cookies, photos with Santa and the opportunity to meet the talented pastry chefs behind the Village. Both events take place in the Lobby and are complimentary.

In addition to the Gingerbread Village and Open Houses, Four Seasons Hotel Austin plays host to a variety of annual holiday dining and special events, ranging from expansive buffet brunches on Thanksgiving and Christmas to Teddy Bear Teas in the Lobby Lounge, a long-standing tradition that sells out each year.