Leavenworth is a very small town, and at Christmas the main action is centered around Front Street Park, where the Village of Lights and most of the downtown Christmas activity happens.
The area around Front Street Park is only about two miles long, so this isn’t really a destination where you need to overthink neighborhoods or spend a ton of time figuring out which part of town to stay in.
For me, the biggest thing I would prioritize is location.
There also aren’t a ton of luxury hotel options in Leavenworth. The nicest property I found when we were planning our trip was Posthotel, but it’s adults-only, so that obviously wasn’t going to work for a family trip with the girls.
Because of that, we chose to prioritize walkability + useful amenities instead.
We stayed at Obertal Inn, which put us right in the middle of town and included breakfast — and honestly, the breakfast was actually pretty good.
When you’re traveling with kids at Christmas, being able to walk out of your hotel and immediately be near the lights, shops, restaurants, and Front Street Park is worth a lot.
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Quick Picks
- Where We Stayed / Best for Location With Kids: Obertal Inn
- Where I’d Stay With Corey: Posthotel Leavenworth
- Best Classic Downtown Stay: Bavarian Lodge
- Best for Family Amenities: Enzian Inn
- Best for More On-Site Amenities: Icicle Village Resort
1. Obertal Inn — Where We Stayed
Best for: Families who want to stay close to Front Street Park and walk almost everywhere.
We stayed in a Double Queen room at Obertal Inn with the girls. It wasn’t a luxury resort, but that really wasn’t what we needed for this trip. What mattered more was that we were right in town, could walk to the Christmas lights, restaurants, shops, and Front Street Park, and didn’t need to keep getting everyone bundled up just to get back in the car.
Our stay also included complimentary Wi-Fi and breakfast, which was actually pretty good. We also added two of their handmade snowflake-design apple strudels because apparently we needed to fully commit to the Bavarian Christmas-town experience. 😂
If I were planning another Christmas trip with the girls, I would absolutely prioritize this same combination again: good location, breakfast included, and easy walking access to town.
2. Posthotel Leavenworth — Where I’d Stay for a Couples Trip
Best for: An adults-only romantic Christmas trip.
When I was originally researching where to stay in Leavenworth, this was my first pick. I saw some videos of the heated pool overlooking the river where you can be inside or walk outside, with the steam, and was SOLD.
I went to book it and quickly realized that it was adults-only.
So… not happening with the girls.
But if Corey and I came back to Leavenworth alone, this would easily be my first choice. It’s one of the few properties in town that really has that luxury-resort feel, with a strong wellness focus, beautiful rooms, spa amenities, and a riverfront setting.
When we went for a little walk along the river one day after playing in a snow-covered playground, we came across this hotel and saw it in real life, and yes. Confirmed everything.
If me and Corey ever come back for an adults-only trip — or if we could come for Oktoberfest by ourselves — we are TOTALLY staying at this resort. No question. And if we come during the winter, the Winter Igloo Wine Tasting Experience sounds like a very romantic activity to add to the trip.
For a family trip, this won’t work unless your kids are 18+.
For a couples trip? I’m picking the spa hotel.
3. Bavarian Lodge — Best Classic Downtown Stay
Best for: Travelers who want the full Bavarian feel and to be steps from the center of town.
Bavarian Lodge is one of the options I would compare if I were booking another family trip and wanted to stay right downtown.
It sits directly across from the main downtown core, so you’re still in that sweet spot where you can park the car and walk to Front Street Park, shops, restaurants, and Christmas activities.
It also includes a full hot breakfast, free parking, and complimentary Wi-Fi. There’s a heated outdoor pool and two hot tubs that stay open year-round, which honestly sounds pretty cute when you picture sitting out there while it’s snowing.
We haven’t personally stayed here, but based on the location and amenities, this would absolutely be one I’d compare with Obertal when looking at rates.
4. Enzian Inn — Best for Family Amenities
Best for: Families who want to stay close to town but also have more to do at the hotel.
If your kids need a little more entertainment built into the hotel itself, Enzian Inn is probably the strongest family option on this list.
It’s only about half a block from the downtown shops and activities, so you still get the convenience of being close to everything without giving up hotel amenities.
They have an indoor pool, a heated outdoor family pool and spas, a family game room with billiards, shuffleboard, skeeball, table tennis and board games, plus family movie nights with popcorn.
Breakfast is also included, which is always a huge plus when you’re traveling with kids.
We haven’t stayed here personally, but if I were choosing based on what would keep the girls happiest during downtime, this one would be high on my list.
5. Icicle Village Resort — Best for More On-Site Amenities
Best for: Families who want more of a resort feel and don’t mind being slightly farther from the center of town.
Icicle Village Resort is another option I’d look at if having more amenities at the hotel matters more to you than being directly across from Front Street Park.
The resort includes complimentary breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi with no resort fee. It also has a game room, fitness center, playground and sports court, an on-site restaurant, and a spa.
This one feels a little more self-contained than Obertal or Bavarian Lodge, which could be nice if you’re staying longer or want some built-in downtime between Christmas activities.
We haven’t stayed here personally, but I’d consider it for a family trip where we wanted a little more to do at the hotel itself.
How to Choose Where to Stay in Leavenworth
Because Leavenworth is so compact, I wouldn’t overcomplicate this.
If you’re going at Christmas, I’d choose based on what matters most to your trip:
- Want to walk everywhere with kids? Obertal Inn or Bavarian Lodge.
- Want the most kid-friendly hotel amenities? Enzian Inn.
- Want more of a resort setup? Icicle Village Resort.
- Want a romantic adults-only trip? Posthotel.
- Want to be closest to Front Street Park and the Village of Lights? Prioritize one of the downtown properties.
There really wasn’t a five-star family hotel to choose from, so the decision became less about choosing between luxury and location and more about finding the property that gave us the best combination of location, comfort, and useful amenities.
What I’d Book Next Time
With the Girls
I would still prioritize staying very close to downtown.
Obertal worked really well for us, but I’d compare rates and availability between Obertal Inn, Bavarian Lodge, and Enzian Inn.
All three keep you close to the main Christmas activities, and then I’d let price, room setup, and amenities make the final decision.
Just Me + Corey
Posthotel. Easy choice.
If we ever came back for an adults-only Christmas trip — or Oktoberfest — I’d finally book the hotel I originally wanted in the first place.
Christmas Booking Tips
Leavenworth at Christmas gets busy, so this is not a trip where I’d wait until the last minute to figure out the hotel.
A few things I’d keep in mind:
- Book early. Christmas weekends can fill quickly.
- Prioritize walkability. Being able to leave the car parked was one of the best parts of our stay.
- Look at what’s actually included. Breakfast was genuinely useful for us with the girls.
- Check minimum-night stays and cancellation policies before booking.
- If you’re arriving by Amtrak at night, plan your transportation from Icicle Station to your hotel ahead of time.
We took the train from Seattle instead of driving through the mountain pass, and it turned the travel day into part of the experience.
Read my full Seattle to Leavenworth by Train guide here.
And if you’re planning the whole trip:
Read my complete Leavenworth at Christmas With Kids guide here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best area to stay in Leavenworth at Christmas?
For a Christmas trip, I’d stay as close to Front Street Park and the main downtown area as your budget allows.
Most of what we wanted to do was concentrated around the center of town, so being able to walk everywhere made the trip much easier.
Is it better to stay downtown in Leavenworth?
For us, yes.
Leavenworth is small, and during Christmas it gets very busy. Staying downtown meant we could walk to the lights, shops, restaurants and activities instead of dealing with the car every time we wanted to go somewhere.
Where should families stay in Leavenworth?
For families, I’d look at Obertal Inn, Bavarian Lodge or Enzian Inn first.
Obertal worked well for us because of the location and included breakfast. Enzian would be especially appealing if your kids care about pools, games and hotel activities.
What is the best Leavenworth hotel for couples?
Posthotel would be my pick.
It’s adults-only and much more of a luxury wellness experience than the other hotels we found in town.
Do you need a car if you stay downtown?
We didn’t need one for our main Leavenworth activities.
Once we were in town, most of what we wanted to do was within walking distance.
How early should you book a Leavenworth hotel for Christmas?
I’d book as soon as you know your dates.
Christmas is one of the busiest times to visit, and the best-located hotels have limited inventory.
Location Was Our Priority
For our family trip, location and amenities mattered most — mostly because there really wasn’t a true luxury family hotel option in town.
Posthotel was the one property that gave me that luxury-resort feel, but since it’s adults-only, it wasn’t an option for us with the girls.
So instead of trying to find a five-star family resort that basically didn’t exist, we focused on what would actually make the trip easier: staying close to Front Street Park, having breakfast included, and being able to walk almost everywhere.
Obertal gave us exactly that.
Would I stay there again with the girls? Absolutely.
Would I make a completely different choice if it were just me and Corey? Also absolutely.
Posthotel, I’m coming for you eventually.
More Leavenworth Travel Guides
Planning the rest of your Christmas trip? You may also want:
- Leavenworth at Christmas With Kids: Complete Guide
- Seattle to Leavenworth by Train: Amtrak Guide for Families
- Leavenworth Christmastown With Kids: What It’s Really Like