An Epicurean Adventure Awaits: Laila Gohar Reimagines the Advent Calendar with The Luxury Collection through 24 Global Destinations

Featuring bespoke chocolates by Casa Bosques and original illustrations by Joana Avillez, the limited-edition festive collaboration extends to immersive retail pop-ups at select Luxury Collection hotels and resorts, bringing the brand's festive universe to life through food, art, and design.

BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 3, 2026 — The Luxury Collection today unveils a limited-edition advent calendar created in partnership with acclaimed artist, designer, and the brand's Epicurean Global Explorer Laila Gohar, inviting travelers to discover a selection of the brand's iconic hotels and resorts through the art of festive gifting. Inspired by 24 locations across the brand's global portfolio, the calendar pairs original illustrations by Joana Avillez with bespoke chocolates by Casa Bosques, revealing a destination-inspired flavor and window into The Luxury Collection's portfolio with each drawer, while evoking the character, culinary traditions, and seasonal spirit of its destination. From the warm notes of Dubai-inspired saffron to black sesame from Kyoto and toasted coconut reminiscent of South Caicos, the chocolates turn a beloved festive ritual into a journey through tastes, traditions, and stories that define each place.

Through its World In Season platform, The Luxury Collection invites travelers to experience destinations through the seasonal traditions, flavors, and celebrations that are deeply rooted in culture and place. From festive tables shaped by generations of culinary heritage to local gatherings that bring communities together, these moments offer a unique window into the identity of a destination. Inspired by the spirit of The World In Season and the rich traditions found across its global portfolio, The Luxury Collection brings the platform to life through this collaboration, encouraging travelers to discover the world through the customs and cultural expressions that define each place at its most meaningful time of year.

As The Luxury Collection's Epicurean Global Explorer, Gohar continues to bring her distinctive approach to food, art, and design to the brand's global destinations. As the creative force behind this year's festive collaboration, she reimagines the portfolio through a whimsical and unexpected lens, creating an artful world that extends from the illustrated calendar to immersive retail experiences at select hotels.

"Each of our hotels offers a unique expression of its destination, and Laila has an extraordinary ability to translate that sense of place through food and design," said Bruce Rohr, Vice President and Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection. "This imaginative collaboration celebrates the destination-inspired flavors and culinary traditions found across our global portfolio, offering a transportive journey through the cultures and stories that make each place distinct."

"I love the anticipation of opening an advent calendar, especially during the holidays," said Laila Gohar, Artist and Epicurean Global Explorer of The Luxury Collection. "Each drawer is a small world of its own, inspired by the flavors, traditions, and details that make destinations so special at this time of year. I hope each discovery sparks curiosity and joy."

A Collectible Journey Through 24 Destinations

Illustrated by Joana Avillez, the calendar takes the form of a fantastical grand hotel-inspired façade animated by playful scenes of travel, gathering, and celebration. Behind its 24 numbered drawers lies a tour of renowned hotels and resorts across The Luxury Collection's global portfolio. Each unveiling reveals a bespoke chocolate created by Casa Bosques founder Rafael Prieto in collaboration with culinarians from The Luxury Collection hotels, resulting in 24 distinct flavors inspired by local ingredients, regional traditions, and the unique character of each destination. Together, they offer an edible expression of place, from banana and sea salt evoking the shores of Waikiki to hazelnut praline inspired by Paris and smoked mesquite reflecting the vibrant flavors of Los Cabos.

Immersive Festive Experiences Across the Globe

Extending the collaboration beyond the calendar itself, Gohar has envisioned a series of immersive retail pop-ups inspired by old-world Parisian chocolate shops and Milanese apothecaries. Designed as a "chocolaterie in miniature," the installations spark curiosity and discovery through an interplay of modern and old-world design, inviting guests to step inside The Luxury Collection and its festive world. Display windows and banks of drawers create an intimate, theatrical setting, inviting guests to step inside her imaginative world and discover the calendar firsthand. The vitrines found at Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris were specially conceived by artist and set designer Alix Bortoli, transforming the chocolates' raw materials into an imaginative festive landscape.

Available throughout the festive season, the retail pop-ups will bring the collaboration to key destinations including Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Paris (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.); The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville (8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.); Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.); and The Laurus, a Luxury Collection Resort, Singapore (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Each pop-up will offer a localized expression of the collaboration, inviting guests to discover and purchase the calendar in a festive setting shaped through Gohar's distinctive creative lens. Throughout the season, select hotels will also host festive programming, including seasonal interpretations of The Luxury Collection's signature Epicurean Moment and design-led experiences inspired by the collaboration.

Available for $218, the limited-edition advent calendar can be purchased through The Luxury Collection Boutique in the United States, Gohar World in select countries internationally, and at select hotel pop-ups.

For more information, visit theluxurycollection.com.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.