Want to get ahead of the travel pack? The hot travel trends and destinations are already forming for next year, from the safari scene to ultra-luxe hotel openings, active pursuits and top destinations. If you’re looking for the best luxury vacations to book, here’s your starter’s guide. Wild, unspoiled nature and low formality are two things that will set the tone, says the founder of trend forecasting website Globetrender, Jenny Southan. “Sometimes when people are investing a lot in a trip, it can create a lot of pressure,” she explains. “When everyone is in a relaxed state of mind then time together becomes more enjoyable.” From hotel merchandise to padel games, here are some of the top trip styles and places to travel in 2025.

1. The “it” hotel

One of the top trends Jenny has noticed is what Globetrender is calling “hotel hotlisting”. “High-net-worth travellers are chasing new hotel openings around the world to tick off, and in so doing may find themselves exploring places they hadn’t considered before,” she explains. Some of her top openings to watch in luxury vacation destinations for 2025 include the Corinthia Bucharest in Romania, Six Senses Papagayo in Costa Rica and One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana. Luxury Gold’s tours tick off many of the most sought-after hotels on the planet: your hotel hotlist might include Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, at Argentina’s Iguassu Falls (the Grand South America tour), South Africa’s striking Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa (Spectacular South Africa), and Ireland’s Ashford Castle (Castles & Kingdoms tour).

Brazil’s Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, by Iguassu Falls, might make your hotel hotlist

2. Accessible safaris

Safaris are for everyone – or they should be. Jenny points to a leader in this field – Ximuwu Lodge, in South Africa’s Klaserie Private Nature Reserve – as a pioneer of accessible safaris. Ximuwu’s vehicles are adapted for wheelchair users, as well as its lodge bedrooms, pool, corridors and communal areas; there are mobile ramps to access wildlife hide locations, strategically positioned for optimal lighting so all visitors can capture great images of the Big Five.

3. Nature for family bonding

Some of the best luxury vacations for the year ahead will be in naturally bountiful nations, says Jenny. “Nature-based retreats trump cities, for example. And less formality will enable everyone to feel more relaxed than white glove service,” she observes. “The emphasis will be on time together as a family – not leaving your children in a kids’ club all day, or with a nanny. In Italy, the Borgo Egnazia hotel is organising ‘Family Happiness Breaks’, for example.” Whether nature immersion means rugged National Parks or white sand beaches to you, think about getting the family out to an outdoors-focused destination such as Norway, Ireland or Australia.

National Parks like Banff in Alberta, Canada, could be the place for your next family vacation

4. Padel in paradise

Luxury vacation destinations are getting sporty with the latest fitness trends. “We have identified a trend for ‘Racketeering’, whereby people are seeking out hotels and resorts where they can play tennis and other popular racket sports, such as padel and pickleball,” says Jenny. Even the billionaires are at it. “Necker Island, Richard Branson’s resort in the British Virgin Islands, recently installed new padel and pickleball courts, while other high-end properties and cruise ships are following suit. Unlike tennis, padel courts are smaller and the games are easier to master. Plus they’re social,” says Jenny. 

5. The screen-inspired trip

“Nantucket on the US east coast and luxury Thailand will be big due to ‘jet setting'”, says Jenny – the two destinations feature in new Netflix show The Perfect Couple, starring Nicole Kidman, and the upcoming series of The White Lotus respectively. Other inspiration for 2025’s best luxury vacations will be the upcoming film Paddington in Peru and the Mediterranean island of Malta, which served as a location for both Jurassic World Rebirth and the highly anticipated Gladiator II. For southeast Asian serenity, White Lotus style, try Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Indochina itinerary; for Paddington worthy landscapes, book Treasures of the Incas.

6. Winter sun outside the box

New openings in classic locations such as the Seychelles will be big for next year, says Jenny, who cites the new Cheval Blanc in the islands as one of the most exciting openings on her radar. A Four Seasons is also coming to Belize, putting this less well-trodden Latin American destination on the luxury map. “I saw that Bahrain is promoting itself as a winter sun holiday destination,” she adds, “and there are a number of new luxury hotels opening on Saudi Arabia’s Red sea coast”. Get ahead of the high-end travel crowd by booking less obvious winter sun destinations before everyone else gets there.

Ancient spa practices from Cambodia to India will inspire wellness trips

7. Wearable hotels

One huge travel trend in the hospitality world is luxury merchandise, says Jenny. “More and more luxury hotels are jumping on the ‘shoppable stays’ trend, where they launch highly covetable branded merchandise, fashion apparel, sports gear and homeware. These are often in partnership with couture brands such as Dior and Fendi, but also the likes of Lacoste and Superga,” she says. “Pioneers include the One&Only and Four Seasons groups, as well as Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Marbella’s Puente Romano Beach Resort, the Beverly Hills in LA, and Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua in Lake Como.” 

8. South America for digital nomads

South American countries including Argentina, Brazil and Colombia are emerging as the new digital nomad destinations, Globetrender has found. Good value living costs, sunshine, nature and vibrant communities are all thought to be draws for the world’s wealthy entrepreneurs -and where the working-from-abroad crowd goes, the luxury travellers will follow. Some of the best luxury vacations for 2025 can be found in magical Peru, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. See the best of the Latin American continent on Luxury Gold’s epic, 23-day Grand South America tour.

9. Authentic spa destinations

Tapping into historical spa and healing practices will be a big trend of 2024, say Jenny and Globetrender – they recently reported on the Skjol bathing ritual you can experience in Iceland. In terms of the best luxury vacations, the world’s top spa destinations will include India for Ayurvedic practices (the luxe hotels on the Imperial Rajasthan tour have you covered), Peru’s Inkaterra lodges for ancient medicinal treatments (Treasures of the Incas) and Cambodia and Laos for steam baths, meditation and massage (Inspiring Indochina).

10. Fabulous rail journeys

Taking the train will be a core part of the luxury experience in 2025, says Jenny – going on recent Globetrender reports of The Vietage train’s new experiences in Vietnam, and champagne catering on Belmond’s luxury trains in Singapore and Europe. Bucket-list rail experiences abound in Luxury Gold’s itineraries: from Switzerland’s mountain scenery aboard the Glacier Express to Norway’s Flam Railway and Japan’s iconic bullet trains, you can ride the rails in style on several continents.

Taking to the water is a supremely soothing and restorative experience – whether you’re gliding across Vietnam’s storied Halong Bay, traversing the neon-bright waters of the Great Barrier Reef, or simply plying the waters of the ancient Nile. River cruises, overnight “boatels” and adventurous day sailings should all be a part of your luxury travel itinerary. Here’s where Luxury Gold comes in – with our built-in days at sea or along the river, you’ll see your destination from a different perspective, stopping off for bucket-list swimming and sightseeing along the way. Here are the luxury cruise experiences to book for the year ahead.

Norway’s Fjords

The peaceful, rock-encircled fjords of western Norway are a must-see while in Scandinavia. On Luxury Gold’s 12-day Timeless Scandinavia tour – which traverses three countries in total – you’ll board a RIB boat to explore its Geiranger Fjord, gliding around this hook-shaped body of water surrounded by cathedrals of rock and skyscraper-tall waterfalls. You’ll feel dwarfed by the sheer scale of nature along this unspoiled body of water, counting the Seven Sisters waterfalls along with the lonely Suitor cascade while a guide tells you all about the local landscape – and lore. Afterwards, retreat to the nature-swathed Hotel Union Gerainger, where you’ll unwind in luxury surrounded by fjordland scenery.

Book Luxury Gold’s Timeless Scandinavia tour.

Egypt’s River Nile

One of the most important waterways in the history of civilization, the Nile still hums with ancient magic. You’ll spend seven nights sailing it on Luxury Gold’s Elegance of the Nile tour, embarking on one of the world’s best luxury cruise experiences aboard the deluxe, all-suite River Tosca vessel. Drifting along past riverbank palm trees, golden kasbahs, mountainside sunsets, wading birds and crocodiles, you’ll be living in style. A spacious outdoor sundeck has a swimming pool and lavishly cushioned sun loungers, a river-view restaurant lets you order with the breeze in your hair, and a smart library-lounge with books, views and a bar are the place to unwind. 

Book Luxury Gold’s Elegance of the Nile tour.

Halong Bay & the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Southeast Asia is famous for its waters: glittering jade bays hugging white-sand beaches, snorkel-friendly lagoons, placid lily-ponds reflecting crumbling temples, jungle waterfalls with cooling pools. But nothing beats the two bucket-list experiences the region holds: Vietnam’s luminous Halong Bay and the mighty Mekong Delta. On Luxury Gold’s 16-day Inspiring Indochina tour, you’ll first take to the Mekong for a guided boat tour close from Ho Chi Minh City, stopping for lunch at the authentic Mango Home thatched restaurants and learning about life along the waterway. On day 11 of the tour, you’ll board a traditional Junk boat for one of the planet’s best luxury cruise experiences: sailing Halong Bay. A dazzling spot for a water-based adventure thanks to its bright emerald waters and vast limestone karsts (island mountains), it has floating villages, complex caves and white-sand beaches to spy from the comfort of your vessel. Sunset over this otherworldly setting is something to experience in your lifetime.

Book Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Indochina tour.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Crowned one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, the expansive Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s northeast coast, can be seen from outer space. On Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Australia tour, you’ll get up close and personal with its lurid turquoise waters, containing some 2,500 individual reefs and 400 types of coral, not to mention turtles, sharks, manta rays, clownfish and colourful Maori wrasse fish. On day three of your 13-day tour, you can opt to cruise the Barrier Reef, getting to know one of the world’s most complex eco-systems from the comfort of a captained boat. Borrow masks and snorkels to see the world beneath the surface, and speed past idyllic castaway islands on a sun-soaked day at sea.

Book Luxury Gold’s Inspiring Australia tour.

Matsushima Bay, Japan

Matsushima Bay, Japan (Tohoku Tourism/JNTO)

The world’s finest luxury cruise experiences take you to the still and quiet of nature, often found a stone’s throw from the most bustling metropolis. So it is in Sendai, northeast Japan, where futuristic Japanese architecture and innovation meets the wildness of the sea and craggy coastline. While here, a cruise through Sendai’s contemplative Matsushima Bay is a must; revered as one of Japan’s top three views, it’s factored into day seven of Luxury Gold’s 11-day Majestic Japan tour. Your private sailing will give unparalleled views of the hundreds of pine-covered islands, and you’ll hear about the cultural significance of Matsushima, which has had countless Haiku poems written about its beauty. Along with a serene tea ceremony, this luxury cruise experience will cement your love of Japanese culture while in underrated Sendai.

Book Luxury Gold’s Majestic Japan tour.

More luxury cruise experiences: Beauty Beyond Words: Past Guest Sal On Cruising Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.

One of the most prestigious hotels in Europe, Ashford Castle offers unrivalled service, warm Irish hospitality and five-star luxury. An amazing stay at any time of year, an Ashford Castle Christmas goes above and beyond. Think Santa, giant trees, sumptuous cuisine and a festive cruise. Read on to see why Ashford Castle is one of the best hotels for Christmas and find out how they celebrate the holiday season.

Ashford Castle – An Iconic Stay

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The Ashford Castle hotel is situated in a spectacular 350-acre estate. Over 800 years old, the castle is a grand, historic structure of great national significance. The former home of the Guinness family, it has hosted countless notables over the years, including The Prince of Wales (who later became King George V) and President Ronald Reagan. Sumptuous rooms and suites combine with divine interiors brimming with antique furniture, fine fabrics and unique features.

Stay in luxury at Ashford Castle on: Ultimate Ireland & Castles & Kingdoms

A Time to Make Guests Feel Special

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“At Ashford Castle we’re an extended family for our guests and it is viewed as a home,” Catherine, Ashford Castle’s Rooms Division Manager tells us. “It is important that when guests arrive, either on Christmas Eve or before, they feel they are coming home, and that they know someone. Everybody at Ashford understands the importance of our guests coming for Christmas. They all go above and beyond and there is a lovely excitement in the house.”

“We reach out to guests in advance and keep in touch with them in the months leading up to their arrival. This way we build a relationship with them and learn about their preferences, which we try to incorporate into their stay in some discreet way.”

Of course, the most VIP festive guest to visit the castle is Santa. Arriving on Christmas Eve, he presents all of the guests with a gift.

You may also enjoy reading: Ashford Castle: A beloved icon magnificently restored

Christmas Trees, Grown on the Estate

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Taking pride of place in the magnificent Oak Hall is a 20-foot-high Christmas tree, which Catherine tells us proudly “is grown and matured on the estate.” A palatial space, the Oak Hall with its storied interior veneered in rich oak paneling and draped in deep scarlets, makes a magnificent setting for the tree.

Ashford Castle’s Head Gardener Martin keeps an eye out through the year for the best tree, so the hunt begins months ahead. The tree provides the perfect backdrop for the Christmas family photograph that all guests receive. Additional trees are also placed in the Staterooms and Suites.

For travel inspiration: Ireland destination guide

Festive Feasts and a Pudding Parade

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Decadent festive breakfasts, a flow of mulled wine, and quintessential afternoon tea pepper the festivities. On Christmas Eve a black-tie gala dinner provides a sumptuous feast. The centerpiece is, of course, the Christmas Day lunch. Dine on a thoughtfully chosen menu of traditional favorites. Or there are a wide range of alternatives to choose from.

The festive five-course menu includes decadent dishes such as beetroot-cured organic salmon with blinis and horseradish cream, spiced pumpkin and chestnut soup, and mulled wine sorbet. And of course, traditional roast turkey and ham, served with bread stuffing, goose-fat roast potato, turkey sausage roll, and rosemary gravy.

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Special wine-tasting sessions are offered over the festive days. Guests can also relax in the lounge and sip a signature Baileys Hot Chocolate, made with Valrhona chocolate.

A festive highlight is the Pudding Parade. “Christmas pudding is made here in the Castle,” Catherine says. “Our team of Chefs in full uniform parade the hot puddings into the restaurant, piped in by Benny the Piper. It’s quite a sight.”

Bookmark for later: Hives and honey: Meet Ashford Castle beekeeper Steve Watson Oughterard

Christmas Day Cruise on Lough Corrib

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“A highlight for guests on Christmas Day is a leisurely cruise on Lough Corrib, a truly beautiful setting,” shares Catherine. “We serve hot whiskeys and there is traditional music on board. Everyone gets into the festive spirit.”

The second largest freshwater lake in Ireland, the stunning Lough Corrib is around 35 miles in length and contains over 300 islands. It separates the fertile limestone plains of east Galway from the lake-strewn bogs and rugged mountains of Connemara in the west.

Music and Merriment

It wouldn’t be an Irish celebration without live music. And Ashford Castle has lined up some of the greats. This includes the legendary Irish singer Keith McDonald who will perform both with his Show Band and solo. One of Ireland’s leading male vocalists, expect a toe-tapping evening and a festive tune or two.

Discover a world of relaxation from an Ashford Castle expert: Skip The Jacuzzi and Brave the Ice Bath: Industry Insider Joanna Moran Reveals Her Top Spa Secrets

St Stephens Day Celebrations

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December 26th is known as St Stephen’s Day in Ireland, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen. On this day Ashford Castle invites guests to join them in the great outdoors.  The 350-acre castle estate boasts stunning parkland, woods and gardens. The magical setting on the edge of Lough Corrib with the Castle as the central feature is truly unique. The gardens combine a thoughtful balance of formal and informal areas, with a Walled Garden full of perennial borders, fruit and vegetables. The great woods are home to ancient trees, perfect to wander through at leisure and enjoy the wildlife.

Fly a Harris Hawk

Guests can try the ancient form of falconry, a fascination that has enthralled people for 5,000 years. Ashford Castle is home to the oldest established Falconry School in Ireland and flying hawks is an experience of a lifetime. You can also test your archery skills or even try your hand at sheep herding on the estate.

And to top off St Stephen’s Day, in the evening there is a visit from the Wren Boys offering a feast of traditional music. This celebration gives a nod to the age-old Irish Wren Boys custom that, in the past, saw people dress up and travel from door to door singing, dancing and playing traditional music.

Why is Ashford Castle Famous?

An icon of County Mayo since the 13th Century, Ashford Castle is now an exquisite 5-star hotel. Originally built in 1228 as a fortress, it has served as a noble residence for centuries. In 2013, the Tollman Family spent two years lovingly renovating the historic property, restoring it above and beyond its former glory. Today Ashford Castle is reconginsed as one of the best hotels in the world, and earning the accolade of Ireland’s only Forbes five-star rated hotel .

How Far is Ashford Castle From Dublin?

Ashford Castle is 240km (150 miles) from Dublin, roughly a three hour drive.

You can experience the delights and luxury of Ashford Castle for yourself on our Ultimate Ireland and Castles & Kingdoms limited-edition tours.