HELLO!'s ultimate guide to the best holiday destinations of 2025 - month by month

WHY NOW?

Because there’s a brand new way to do it – and it looks nothing like you’ve seen before.

This is the year of the “boutique hotel at sea”, when luxury brands collaborated with cruise lines to redesign their ships, changing the face of cruising forever. Imagine a ship where the pool is a sleek infinity number, water cascading off the edge into the ocean; where there are stylish private cabanas; and enough designer sun loungers for you, your beau and your stack of novels. No towel bagsy here, Captain.

This is what cruising looks like on brand new ships Explora I and II, from Explora Journeys. Every vast cabin or “suite” has a breezy terrace – claustrophobics, welcome aboard – and the interiors are curated by the same designers who are kitting out New York and Rio’s coolest new five-star hotels.

The ships’ chic, intimate restaurants – serving everything from wagyu beef to bottomless champagne – need no reservation and look as Instagrammable as Paris’s latest Michelin-starred opening.

Better still, in January, as it drizzles in the UK, the Caribbean sunshine dazzles. From now until April, the islands are looking their best: dry and bright, and basking in highs of 28°C. The image on this page is from Tobago, where crystalline waters and soft white sands await. It’s just one of seven extraordinary destinations you’ll cram into seven days on board Explora II, as it sails from Barbados to Puerto Rico via St Lucia, Martinique, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. No unpacking, no airports, no stress. If you want the beauty of a boutique hotel plus the ever-changing adventure of a cruise, this needs to be your next trip.

OR TRY... Iconic hotel brands are also dipping their toe in the cruise waters. Ritz-Carlton has just cut the ribbon on two new superyachts at sea. Meanwhile, Four Seasons will launch its first yacht next year, as will Aman at Sea soon afterwards, redefining cruising all the way.

WHY NOW?

Because we’re sun-seeking like the stars on snowy US slopes.

Ever since Gwyneth Paltrow and her cashmere knits evoked America’s snow-capped Rocky Mountains when she arrived in court in 2023 following a skiing accident in Deer Valley, we’ve been tempted to book a sporty escapade in the States and February is the best month to travel. Unlike European resorts, which are oversubscribed and over-priced during British half-term holidays, US ski destinations don’t follow the same pattern – and their vast landscapes mean crowd-free slopes. There are authentic wild-west towns to discover, quieter pistes, light powder snow and more than 300 days of sunshine.

Colorado boasts the finest resorts, with Vail, Beaver Creek and long-time celebrity favourite Aspen offering runs for newbies, experts and snowboarders. Amid the majestic mountain scenery in Beaver Creek, there’s an adventure ski zone for children, and everyone stops skiing at 3pm each day, when free cookies are handed out at the foot of the slopes. This is what skiing looks like in the movies – but it’s real. Contact Crystal Ski for US ski trips that include stays at luxury bolt holes Park Hyatt Beaver Creek and The Sebastian, often frequented by A-listers, in Vail.

OR TRY... Sweden – it’s as postcard-pretty as Colorado, but closer to home. Just take a look at actress Lily Collins’s holiday snaps from last season, when she waxed lyrical about “snow, saunas and sleigh rides in Swedish winter wonderland”.

WHY NOW?

Because it’s more reasonable to visit this tropical TV fantasy than you think.

First, we sat rapt as visions of Hawaii filled our front rooms via the first series of The White Lotus, the TV drama about VIP hotel guests behaving badly. Then, we booked flights to Sicily, having watched the Italian island smoulder on our screens in season two.

Next stop? Thailand. Season three of the hit show, due to air early next year, is shot on location on Thai islands including Koh Samui and Phuket. So now’s the time to book your trip, before hordes of jet-setting TV fans get the same idea… Fortunately, reaching Thailand is easier than you might think.

The affordable airline and holiday package company Tui flies non-stop to Phuket from Manchester, Birmingham and London Gatwick: no layover, no fuss.

And because Tui owns its aircraft, there are brilliant deals to be had as the firm endeavours to fill every seat; last spring, we saw flights to Phuket for under £700pp, and holiday deals including a week’s accommodation for under £900pp. While filming series three, the cast and crew of The White Lotus chose to stay at the Four Seasons in Koh Samui and at Anantara hotels in Koh Samui and Phuket – five-star, natch. Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger said it best on social media when filming wrapped: “Thank you Thailand for some of the most delicious foods. The beautiful beaches! The massages!”

OR TRY... Tui flies direct to other exotic locations you might assume are difficult to reach, such as Costa Rica and India. We just hope that those involved in planning season four of The White Lotus got the memo...

WHY NOW?

Because honeymooners will want to dodge the monsoons that coincide with the British summer wedding season.

Our love affair with the Maldives shows no sign of fizzling out, as proven by the wave of new hotels opening on these paradise islands. Ideal for the most private of lovebirds, Soneva Secret opened this spring; its 14 exclusive hideaways include the Crusoe Villa, which can only be reached by boat. Each comes with a Barefoot Guardian and assistant, and access to a team of 14 private chefs means you can eat something different every night of your stay.

This summer, five-star resort Raaya by Atmosphere scattered its four posters with petals and threw open its doors. Then came the launch of NH Maldives Kuda Rah, each of its 51 suites boasting its own private pool. And Six Senses Kanuhura welcomed its first guests, lured by a sensational spa where 24K gold facials and yogic intestinal cleanses are the norm.

This winter and into 2025, another batch of bolt holes will open, from private islands to party pads. New concept here will span two islands – named Somewhere and Nowhere – and offer just nine villas, promising the ultimate in privacy.

The W Maldives will also welcome holidaymakers next year after some seriously stylish tweaks; the trailblazing brand has long been a favourite of party people and this glow-up will not disappoint. Or consider Veligandu Maldives Resort Island and its excellent diving centre, just a ten-minute boat ride from Big Blue Point, which offers the islands’ best chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Elegant Resorts are the people to contact if you want to moon over each other in the Maldives. As an example, seven nights at Soneva Secret start from £20,185pp full board, including flights and seaplane transfers.

OR TRY... If you’re equally happy with Mauritius or the Seychelles, go for those if you’re shopping for a honeymoon in June, July or August; the British summer is their dry season. Turquoise Holidays can help.

WHY NOW?

Spring is the new summer when it comes to Spanish escapes – go now, while the temperatures are blissful, the festival season is getting going and the crowds have yet to arrive.

Like a film star emerging from her trailer post-make-up, Majorca has been reborn. What was once considered a hub of hedonism is now an island idyll for low-key luxury and the best dining in the Balearics.

Insiders have always known of Majorca’s charms: in 1981, Jane Birkin and Diana Rigg wafted around various stunning locations in Evil Under the Sun, while Michael Douglas and Peter Ustinov had homes here for decades. Then The Night Manager hit our screens, followed by the final season of The Crown – both filmed on the island – and its party image was banished for good.

So intent is it on retaining this five-star profile, only luxury hotel brands have been invited to set up recently – including Four Seasons Mallorca at Formentor, which opened this summer, and Mandarin Oriental, due to open next year. And former palace Grand Hotel Son Net is more ravishing than ever following refurbishment.

You may have seen headlines of “over-tourism” in the Balearic Islands – prompting a ban on illegal holiday rentals and the promotion of off-season attractions. This is exactly why you should visit in May, when there’s a fabulous festival of flowers in Costitx village, a paella picnic to celebrate Fira de la Creu (and everyone’s invited) and a wine festival in Estellencs. Salut!

OR TRY... Formentera. With no airport – you reach the tiny island by boat from Ibiza – and tough laws on construction, sleepy Formentera has never suffered overtourism. Dunas de Formentera and Teranka are luxury retreats that owe their existence to the restoration and re-use of former hotels.

WHY NOW?

In just a few weeks' time the heat and the hordes will descend. So June is your chance to get ahead of the pack and go where the Italians go.

Instagram has a lot to answer for. Yes, the grid of images can reveal beautiful destinations we never knew existed, but equally, when we get there ourselves, we find these places packed with influencers and selfie sticks.

So where do the Italians go on holiday? Which secret beaches can you visit and be sure you won’t hear another British accent on the lounger next door? Starting on the Riviera, just a pebble’s throw from Portofino, you should choose tiny San Fruttuoso bay, accessible only by boat or hike. Onwards to the Tuscan coast, Cala Violina is your best bet, within a nature reserve where visitor numbers are capped.

Going south to Calabria, Capo Vaticano is the place for excellent snorkelling and empty sands for miles.

And how about this place, pictured? This is Polignano a Mare in Puglia. Its legendary cliffside restaurants draw visitors in their droves, understandably. But is there a corner of Puglia you can be sure to have to yourself? Cala dell’Acquaviva is the answer. It’s pristine and peaceful thanks to the fact that access involves a steep hike and facilities are non-existent. But who cares? You don’t need a gelato kiosk when the views are this good.

OR TRY... Sovareto. Another part of Italy that’s fallen prey to the Insta curse is Sicily. While TikTokers go to photogenic Cefalu beach, go instead to Sovareto on the untouched southwest coast. A sandy bay with striking rock formations, it works brilliantly for families and serious snorkellers alike.

WHY NOW?

Because it’s strawberry season! And if that’s not a good enough reason, a clutch of new hotels in stunning locations with top-notch restaurants will help you turn your humble staycation into a seriously gourmet getaway

As the schools break up for summer and families pack their bags and flee to the Med, the English countryside is sunny and serene. Now is the time to stay local and discover new destinations – and some new dishes.

On Whitby’s windswept coast, Saltmoore welcomes not only foodies but also wellness fans. This vast North Yorkshire estate has a Sanctuary Spa – where Wildsmith treatments use British plants and botanicals – as well as seven restaurants and bars, all plundering Saltmoore’s gorgeous kitchen garden for fresh ingredients.

In the Cotswolds, the latest Pig hotel serves a “25 Mile Menu”, with all produce sourced in and around Barnsley village. If you want a beach break, food-centric Harbour House in Cornwall tempts you with Cornish lobster and scallops. Meanwhile, a new Gallivant hotel comes to Littlestone Beach next year with a restaurant that’ll make the most of its stunning Kent coast views.

Last but not least, the hip Another Place group adds the refurbished Brackenrigg pub to its offering in the Lake District. Guests can use the Another Place perks nearby – indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sports coaching, Kids Zone, library – while they stay in this intimate historic inn overlooking Ullswater.

Food is the star at Brackenrigg, with local supplier pop-ups, Cumbria-focused menus, and a microbrewery soon to come.

Then there’s the fact that World Chocolate Day, National Ice Cream Day and National Wine and Cheese Day all fall within July (7th, 21st and 25th respectively) – it’s enough to make you realise you’d be mad to travel anywhere other than England this month.

OR TRY... Wiltshire. Salisbury has not one but two new foodie stays: The Great Bustard pub is all about farm-to-table dining and Teffont House, a beautiful 17th-century manor house, is the first hotel from the trendy Beckford Group.

WHY NOW?

As privacy-hungry Harry and Meghan will tell you, with miles and miles of empty beaches, there’s nowhere as hushed in high summer as the Alentejo coast.

However hyped Portugal’s Atlantic coast gets, it never becomes crowded. While the rumours may be true of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex buying property in the Alentejo region near Princess Eugenie’s bolthole in Melides, the chances of spotting a relaxing royal are slim.

That’s because there’s simply so much of that coastline and seaside development is a big no-no. Starting in Troia and running to Sines, epic sand dunes unfurl for 50 miles, with no hotels or homes to be seen – the only construction allowed is well behind the seafront and in the main beach towns. This leaves miles and miles of empty coast, even in the middle of August. You may need to walk a while and pack a picnic, but the tranquillity is worth every step.

Stay the night in Vermelho, a heavenly country house hotel made with love by Christian Louboutin; adults only, or closer to the sand at Quinta da Comporta, with its stellar spa and see-through swimming pool.

Inland, foodies and wine connoisseurs will love São Lourenço do Barrocal a working estate that’s become a gourmet resort offering designer spaces to sleep in.

Somewhere in between the two, Sublime Comporta and Independente Comporta are two stylish options where you’ll find villas and bungalows sitting among pine forests and swimming lakes, with the hotel’s own beach clubs only a short shuttle-ride away.

OR TRY... The “secret” South of France. With the same bling beach clubs and rosé vineyards as the Côte d’Azur, the Côte Vermeille is a brilliant option for a French sojourn if you’re fed up with the St-Trop crowds. Fly with British Airways to Montpellier and head southwest.

WHY NOW?

Because spring has sprung in the southern hemisphere - and locals head for the beach.

Take it from this travel editor, who spent her honeymoon watching the rain fall on Copacabana Beach, Brazil is… wet. (They don’t call it “rainforest” for nothing.) Rio de Janeiro suffers more than twice the rainfall of London each year, so if you’re jetting off for a beach holiday, you need to choose the right month. August is one of the best times to see rain-free Rio, but since it’s still school holidays (here and in South America), we say pick September.

The same rule applies further up the coast, as the chic beach resorts of Jericoacoara, Itacare and Trancoso put away their umbrellas and get ready for months of blue skies. If you’re wondering where this phenomenal hotel is, it’s Hotel Emiliano in Rio de Janeiro, overlooking Copacabana. Abercrombie & Kent can put together a ten-day itinerary taking in Rio and Brazil’s Atlantic coast beaches, as well as Iguaçu Falls, thus ticking three sights off your bucketlist in just one trip.

OR TRY... Uruguay. If, like us, you got the Brazil bug when watching celebrities Race across the World in the BBC show of that name, then you’ll have seen how beautiful its neighbour Uruguay is, too. Smaller than Brazil and with buzzy beach towns closer to each other – including Punta del Este and Jose Ignacio – it’s a little wonder. ContactJourney Latin America.

WHY NOW?

At this time of year, everyone wants to know where to go to catch some rays. The answer is Morocco.

Autumn can be a tricky time to travel. Flights to many Mediterranean spots have stopped post-summer, and it’s hurricane season in the southern US and the Caribbean. Yet many families are still keen to escape for a week of half-term sun, as are sunseeking couples.

The solution is to head for Morocco – and especifically its Atlantic coast, where low-cost airlines touch down in Agadir, the gateway to surf hubs, souk shopping, mountain hikes and bustling ancient towns. In 2025, Jet2 will fly to Agadir from more airports than ever before – a list that includes Bristol, Birmingham and Newcastle – so you can feasibly find yourself haggling for a Moroccan rug just hours after leaving your home.

In surf town Taghazout, stay at Fairmont Taghazout Bay, where its sprawling spa and hammam will take care of your muscles after a day on the waves. In Agadir, Sofitel Royal Bay wows with amazing Arabian architecture and the best sunsets in Africa.

Inland, not far from walled city Taroudant, Le Domaine Limoune has been transformed from a family-owned farm into a luxury resort among orange groves and palm trees. Meanwhile, Inclusive Morocco can tailor your week’s stay, including unique experiences such as surf and cookery lessons and walking in the Anti-Atlas mountains.

OR TRY... Tunisia. Next year, Easyjet will add this other North African destination to its timetable, offering flights to Efidha from Glasgow (in addition to other UK airports) as well as Djerba – bringing the Saharan sunshine closer when we need it the most.

WHY NOW?

Guaranteed winter sun and some of the best shopping on the planet.

The United Arab Emirates used to mean one thing to travellers: Dubai. But as Abu Dhabi – biggest and richest of the Emirates, with a bewilderingly beautiful coastline – opens up to tourism, and hot new hotels open in Ras Al-Khaimah and Sharjah, Britons are broadening their horizons. Add to that November temperatures of 26˚C, white sand beaches, astonishing architecture, magnificent mosques (Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi has the world’s largest hand-knotted prayer carpet), souk shopping, Michelin-starred restaurants and brilliant theme parks, and the region is stiff competition for the Caribbean, Florida and South-East Asia.

Another trend seducing first-time visitors to the UAE is its no-holds-barred design. You probably know that Dubai has the world’s tallest tower in Burj Khalifa and that Abu Dhabi is home to a hotel atop an F1 racetrack, but did you know you can visit a lookalikey Maldives only six hours’ flight from the UK? The new Anantara Mina Al Arab resort in Ras al-Khaimah has over-water villas and a private beach, thus luring travellers who don’t have the time or money to make it to the Indian Ocean atolls. Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, Anantara Santorini is a dead ringer for the Greek island, with white domes, infinity pools… and even moussaka on the menu.

OR TRY... Oman. More rugged than the UAE, but with a good selection of its luxury hotel brands – including Alila, Shangri-La, The Chedi, and Jumeirah – Oman is an excellent next step for those who’ve done Dubai and are ready for more.

WHY NOW?

Because nowhere else does wintry quite like the Big Apple.

Let’s face it, New York City looks fabulous whatever the season. But there’s something about the twinkling tree at the Rockefeller Center, the ice rink in Central Park and the tail-end of Black Friday sales at Bergdorf Goodman that screams: “It’s Chriiiist-mas!”

No other city is as magical when the temperature drops below zero, and two new hotels – to suit two very different types of traveller – open in Manhattan this winter. On the Upper East Side, neighbourhood of Presidents, penthouses and Park Avenue princesses, The Surrey is taking reservations. This immaculate art deco block just off Central Park used to be home to President John F Kennedy and to Bette Davis, but has been transformed from a residential powerhouse to a five-star stay.

Meanwhile, just off Union Square, The TwentyTwo New York is open for business. This hotel and private members’ club proved so successful when it opened in London last year that an American outpost has already arrived. If you want to plan dinner, try Le Coin, soon to start serving up fine French food in the Meatpacking District, only a short cab ride from The TwentyTwo. Virgin Atlantic will get you there, as the airline celebrates its 40th birthday this year with more flights to the Big Apple than you can shake a bagel at.

January and February are the most affordable months to travel to New York and hotel rates are at their lowest, too. So if you can’t make it for the Christmas tree, how about some romantic ice-skating in Central Park on Valentine’s Day instead?

OR TRY... Hong Kong. It offers the same cutting-edge shopping, after-dark antics and design hotels as New York, but with warmer temperatures. Winter is also the time for HKWalls, the city’s annual street art festival, so you can do your sightseeing while you’re shopping. Fly with Cathay Pacific.