The Best Holiday-Season Stays
12 Better-than-Hallmark Holiday Season Escapes
There’s no place like home for the holidays – but there might be someplace better. The platonic ideal of a December hotel, cruise, or tour doesn’t just take travelers from their ho-hum hangouts – it places them inside a faraway snow globe, perusing village markets and skating across frozen ponds. Or it transports them to the tropics, swapping brrrs for blankets of white sand. These holiday escapes take the stress out of Christmas travel: Gravy dinners are a given, Santa Claus is coming, and checking into a tinseled suite is just the start of the fun.
Five Things We Love: Fairmont Golden Prague
Fairmont Golden Prague reopened in April 2025 after a five-year-long renovation, but the 1974 Brutalist building’s past is intentionally kept in view. From its perch on the Vltava riverfront in Prague’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, the building still presents its sharp concrete profile; inside, though, the atmosphere shifts. Earthy color palettes soften the architecture, while handblown glass, sculpted wood, marble floors, and gilded detailing bring in warmth and texture.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: On Adventure and Aging
In a country as large as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, knowing where to start is key. Stretching 800,000 square miles across the Arabian Peninsula, with expansive direct access to both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia spans ancient wonders to modern marvels, encompassing archaeological sites, neo-Islamic architecture, sustainable coastal landscapes, and new design-forward hotels.
This Mexico Resort Is a Magnet for Multigenerational Families
On a balinese daybed on a morning graced with gentle breezes, I’m surrounded by the swish of rope, the clink of hardware, and Adriatic waves lapping against the idling hull of the Sea Cloud Spirit.
Twenty-two crew members run rigging across the decks and up the masts to unleash more than an acre of bright-white canvas over the tall ship. The intricate process unfolds with the Croatian coastline as a distant backdrop.
Meet the Riviera Maya Retreat that Connects Guests to the Real Mexico
Nestled between the jungle and a quiet Caribbean cove, the 349-room Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya doesn’t skimp on options for unwinding, from its soothing and sophisticated jungle-meets-ocean design and secluded white-sand beach to the private plunge pools in every suite and the cenote-inspired spa. But when it’s time to explore, the choices are just as expansive.
Christelle Hilpron, general manager of
, shares what she’s been loving lately.
Packing: The small leather envelope Cheval Blanc gifts to guests – it’s perfect for keeping all my travel documents in one place.
Reading:
by Alexandra Lapierre, a portrait of a brilliant, strong-willed woman ahead of her time.
Watching:
– I find it’s an echo of l’art de recevoir , which is so essential in the hospitality world.
Dreaming of: The Norwegian fjords, for a change of scenery from tropical Saint Bart’s.
for the Volvo driver in your life. At long last, the Grand Egyptian Museum
, with King Tutankhamun’s tomb as a centerpiece. If you’rx`e planning to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the U.S., keep an eye out for
Jewel on Holland America Line’s float
. Renoir’s sketches are now
at NYC’s Morgan Library & Museum. A must-have Golden State souvenir: Chocolatiers
andSons collaborated with Ed Ruscha
on a limited-edition Made in California bar.
