Does Santa come to hotels?!?!

So later in the Summer we decided we wanted to go away this year for Christmas. Honestly, since we have been here in Europe we have lost so many family members and they all seem to be right around the holidays that we have started talking about making other plans to get away from the whole family Christmas thing. Ok I know that probably sounds like a bah humbug moment but really we have lived away from family for so long that it has really never been a part of our lives. However, it was always in the cards that one day we would be close to family and be able to have a big family Christmas again.
 This is just not looking like an option seeing as Mr. M is so close to retirement and yet our family seems to be dwindling smaller and smaller every year.  Yes it's sad and yes we are crushed but more then anything we are really trying to figure out a way to make the holidays really special for the girls despite all the their family being gone by the time they are able to enjoy it.
So the plans to go away began and the plane tickets were purchased and the hotel reserved. The questions to anyone who has been there began to find out the best things to do while there.  We were actually doing this and we were so excited.  The closer it gets to us leaving the more I think how this is the best thing we have done in years.  I was always one of those people who said "I want my kids to wake up in their own home on Christmas morning and be able to play all day with their toys and be left alone" and yet I am not the person that says "where can we go so we don't have to have another day filled with cooking and cleaning and picking up trash all day".  Nice right?!?!
Ok so everything planned out and reserved and mapped and then it hit me......Does Santa go to hotels?!?!  O.M.G.!!!!   How are we going to explain this to our youngest and how in the world will we fit all these presents into our bags without her seeing.  Oh well this is just great on my part!! Duhhh!!
So anywho, I began talking with friends and actually had a very dear friend offer to play Santa while were gone and so the plans began.  She would "watch the cats" for us and we would leave a note for Santa telling him that we were on vacation and sorry we missed him. 
My only worry right now is that something will go wrong and we will come home to an empty house because maybe the weather was too bad for my friend to come and put all the presents out. Maybe the cookies and milk will be accidentally left on the table.  I'm really really dying here and fear that Christmas secrets may have to be broken if this doesn't work out.
Sooooooooooooooooooooooo  what I really am saying folks is......any ideas on how to make sure that we don't burst the bubble for our little one?!?! 
Also, I am thinking about maybe letting the girls have one present each from us while we are gone. It wouldn't be too hard to pack just one present each.
Why is it that I always freak out right before a trip like I haven't spent hours figuring it out and thinking and planning and mapping.  Oyyyy I am not sure why I do but I need some help ya'll so please any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!
If I don't speak to you before Christmas then I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and I will update with pics of London when we get back. Ohhh yeahhh duhhh I forgot to tell you where we were going.  We are headed to London and super psyched about it.

Cheers!