Cambridge Beaches executive chef Keith DeShields crafted something extra special to wow hotel guests this holiday — a 7ft-tall gingerbread house.

“These past few years have been a strain on everyone and this Christmas I wanted to make it a grand one,” Mr DeShields said. “When I decided to build it, what I wanted most was impact!”

The house took seven staff members, including general manager, Clarence Hofheins, three weeks to build from start to finish, and included 150lb of flour, 360 eggs and 80lb of sugar, among other things.

The most labour and time-consuming part of the build was all the dough pressing, shaping and baking, and making stacks and stacks of cinnamon bricks and slates.

The building, baking and assembling was mostly handled by maintenance and the pastry team Depack Kumar and Kelly Simons-Muhammad.

“We had a lot of fun making this house and I know the staff loved smelling the gingerbread coming out of the kitchen,” Mr DeShields said. “It really brought the Christmas cheer.”

When the gingerbread house was finally done, the biggest challenge was just finding the space to display it for the Sandys hotel’s 150 guests.

Depending on how Mr DeShields’ creation holds up to the humidity, the hope is to have it on display until January 6.

Anyone visiting the hotel can see the gingerbread house in DeShield’s Bistro, Mr DeShield’s pop-up restaurant, located in the main house.

www.cambridgebeaches.com