With the world’s doors largely flung open, so many destinations will be ripe for the travel picking next year. And now, with no shortage of gems to visit, travelers have the luxury of not only choosing where they want to travel next, but also to ask themselves, “Why?”
Planning trips with meaning will be top of mind for travelers, though what’s meaningful to one might look quite different to another. Some people might hope to rekindle connections with loved ones, others might crave learning something about themselves and the world, while still others will want to disconnect and recharge their bodies and minds.
And so, with these intents in mind, our editors curated a list of five places to travel next year — whether your hope is to expand cultural knowledge on a city adventure, reconnect with family during a beach escapade, or reset at an actual oasis.
WHERE TO EXPAND
Paris: Where Everything Old Is New — and Dazzling
The City of Light is a classic — and really, it’s always ideal to visit — so why plan your trip next year? Even in Paris, where the sights are well-established, there’s always something new and dazzling to learn from and explore — whether you hope to expand your understanding of art, fashion, food or performance.
The Belle Epoque, multitiered mall, Samaritaine, has been reborn, now unveiled and welcoming shoppers with big wallets to peruse luxury goods amid art nouveau and art deco design. Art lovers have found a trending hot spot with La Fab gallery, and foodies can devour delightful dishes at the rooftop Les Ombres restaurant — savoring Eiffel Tower views along with their meals.
Speaking of France’s most photogenic monument, if you stay at the Paris Marriott Champs Elysees Hotel, a sumptuous five-star hotel tucked along the famous avenue, you may be able to get a photograph of yourself with this beauty in the distance from the privacy of your very own balcony — preferably while enjoying breakfast in a plush robe. Even if a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower is not in the cards, the hotel’s soaring seven-story atrium makes for a dizzying geometric image.
WHERE TO RESET
The Maldives: Disconnect and Let Your Worries Dissolve
When you’re ready to place the worries of the world far behind you and embrace a sense of ease after a few long years, whisk yourself away to paradise in the Maldives. Placid turquoise seas beckon in every direction at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, built on a tiny atoll in the Indian Ocean that’s part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Most of the resort’s villas, its spa and one of its restaurants dangle enticingly over water.
When you aren’t looking for manta rays swimming below your private deck, or lounging on a massage bed set atop a glass floor, you’ll want to grab a waterproof camera and snorkel or scuba dive, capturing underwater images to compete with the neverending aquamarine views above.
Put phones on airplane mode, leave laptops behind and basically go off the grid. The resort is a far cry from the concrete and 24/7 tech we come into contact with daily. It’s surrounded by infinite blue hues and palm trees, with 70 individual villas floating on the pristine island reef inside the Baa Atoll.
Doha: The Ultimate Escape Awaits
An honest-to-goodness oasis awaits in Doha — a city that has recently grown top of mind for travelers and will continue to sit high on must-see lists.
Pamper yourself at the five-star Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Doha where guests are immediately wowed by the Grand Pool, a respite surrounded by evenly planted palm trees and cabanas, studded with square and rectangle outcrops, and marked by a long, narrow island at its center, populated with the same carefully spaced palm trees.
Pictureworthy design can also be found in the 150,000-square-foot Al Messila Spa, one of the most extensive spa facilities in the Middle East. A star among the facility’s many treatments and services, the Al Messila Ladies Wellness Retreat is exclusively reserved for women, offering a sanctuary in the heart of the resort.
Grab a group and dedicate a day to indulging in extensive facilities that include flotation tanks, oxygen rooms, Kneipp walks, hammams and salt rooms; then treat yourselves to one of the spa’s holistic treatments.
WHERE TO CONNECT
Puerto Rico: Experience the Island’s Natural Wonders with Family
Make memories that last a lifetime on a vacation to remember in Puerto Rico, where you’ll find something to entertain everyone, from kiddos to grandparents. Whether your crew likes to build sandcastles, hike through rainforests, kayak in a bioluminescent bay or trek through a historic fort, Puerto Rico is an equal-opportunity vacation spot.
Up the ante on your quality time together at The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. With views of the Atlantic Ocean, two miles of secluded beach and a sprawling landscape tucked between El Yunque National Forest and Espíritu Santo River State Preserve, there’s never a dull moment. The firelit porte-cochere, palm trees swaying amid the lush landscape, infinity-edge pools and soothing decor make for a trip to remember.
Miami: Bring Your Party-People to the 305
If your peeps are scattered far and wide and haven’t been together in a minute, a trip to whoop it up is long overdue. And the perfect place to party? Miami, natch.
With a dramatic turquoise Atlantic Ocean backdrop beckoning through floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll be tempted to transform your spacious, light-filled guest room at the W South Beach into a pseudo photo studio to snap pics for the ‘Gram.
Downstairs in the lobby, the Living Room Bar’s sleek decor sets a scene, while outside, the palm-tree-lined WET Pool awaits, complete with cabanas for a chic setting.
If there are early risers in your gang, they can catch the sunrise from an oceanside chaise lounge underneath a candy-striped umbrella.
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