So we've been profiling the wonderful, wild and wacky holiday hotel decorations and we think that this holiday display at the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Hotel is all three. That's because they've just unveiled a 1,200-pound life-sized CHOCOLATE Santa Claus accompanied by an armchair, fireplace and Christmas tree, all made out of chocolate!

The sculpture is the creation of the hotel's executive pastry chef and only two-time world champion pastry chef, Laurent Branlard. Here are some stats on the work that went into this:

· Man Hours: 300 hours
· Dark Chocolate: 880 lbs.
· Milk Chocolate: 132 lbs.
· White Chocolate: 154 lbs.
· Cocoa Butter: 120 lbs.

]]> juliana 2010-12-10T16:00:05-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/12/8/161656/849 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/Giveaway_1.JPG" class="top"><p><b> THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you for all your submissions and Orlando vacation plans! We will notify the winner shortly.</b><p>Still trying to come up with a holiday gift idea that will wow someone special in your life? Or are you making it all about you this year? Either way, <b>HotelChatter has partnered up with the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/ihg hotels">InterContinental Hotel Group</a> to offer one lucky winner an awesome vacation</b>. Imagine getting <i>this</i> under your Christmas tree this year: <p><b>A three-night stay at the <a href="http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/kissimmee/discv/hoteldetail?sicreative=4360387911&sicontent=0&sitrackingid=130311112&cm_mmc=Google-PS-USANPromotions-_-G+B-AmericasEast-_-Phrase-_-holiday+club+vacations+at+orange+lake+resort&siclientid=2975">Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake</a>, located next to the Walt Disney World Parks and Animal Kingdom.</b> All guest rooms at this resort come with either two queen beds or a king juliana 2010-12-09T14:50:50-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/9/23/232953/973 <![CDATA[<p><p><i>You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/hotelchatter/">HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool</a>, or by <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">sending the photo along to us</a>. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.</i><p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/disneydolphinbusstop.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>When superstar athletes win big championship games, the TV cameras always (infamously) juliana 2009-09-24T14:56:16-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/2/3/11158/98791 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/17697/disney.jpg" class="top"></p> <p>The happiest place on earth is doing its part to share the recession-deal cheer. Families in need of a little <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Walt%20Disney%20World%20Hotels"><strong>Walt Disney World</strong></a> magic can save $400 on a seven-night stay between now and the end of June, resort spokesman Rick Sylvan <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D963M0GO0.htm">told the AP</a>.</p> <p>Specifically, guests who purchase four nights and days of a full-price Walt Disney Travel Company <a href="http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=111609">&#147;Magic Your Way&#148; package</a> earn three free nights and days. (Bonus: That includes tickets.) Plus, spring break travelers who book the package from March 1-9 and 17-29 get a $200 Disney gift card.</p> <p>The deal means a family of four can stay for seven nights starting at $1,375, which includes tickets as well as KatieK 2009-02-03T11:51:00-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/