SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – Every holiday season, the Fairmont San Francisco lobby is transformed by a life-size gingerbread house that fills the space with the scent of Christmas and hundreds of pounds of candy. Standing 22 feet tall and 23 feet wide, the two-story structure is crafted from nearly 8,000 pounds of gingerbread and 1,500 pounds of icing, with additional candy adorning every wall, window, and ledge. The tradition began over a decade ago as a way to bring the festive spirit of downtown San Francisco up to Nob Hill, and the creation has grown larger and more elaborate each year.
Construction begins in the summer when the hotel’s pastry team starts baking gingerbread bricks, a months-long process that continues through October. In October, the engineering team assembles the wooden framework in the lobby, and the pastry staff carefully lays each gingerbread brick, securing them with icing. This year’s house features life-sized nutcrackers, a Christmas village, a fireplace, a Fairmont-branded selfie spot, and a rooftop scene with Santa’s sleigh and reindeer. Visitors often marvel at the scale and realism, with children sometimes sneaking a piece of candy despite efforts to preserve the structure. After the holidays, the wooden frame is recycled, and the gingerbread and candy are composted, keeping the festive tradition sustainable while allowing guests to enjoy the largest gingerbread house on the West Coast until New Year’s Day.