7 Destinations For 2024 To Suit Every Type Of Travel Style

The West Indies island of Grenada is a wondrous destination if you love to marvel at the great outdoors. Few places boast such a dreamy combination of towering mountains, glittering reefs and silk-sand coastlines – all set amidst the warm, pulsating rhythm of Caribbean island life. Six Senses La Sagesse enjoys an especially magnificent corner to the south between two different beaches – one, a protected cove, and the other, an expanse of sand facing the rolling ocean waves. Suites and villas with private terraces and infinity pools give visitors a front-row seat to the picture-perfect panorama, while experiences that get even closer to nature span underwater activities and hikes that take in cascading waterfalls and dense rainforest.

For those who feel the call of the wild when planning a getaway, Kotiyagala is a captivating retreat that offers untamed beauty within Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park – the country’s second largest – on the edge of the Indian Ocean. The elevated villas, which stand 12 feet above the forest floor, put guests right in the heart of the incredible surroundings, with private pool decks in the forest canopy from which to enjoy the panoramas. Tearing yourself away from this perch gives way to pursuits that include safari drives, photography tours and explorations of the nearby tea plantations, mountains and waterfalls.

If broadening your horizons with a culture trip is on your travel card for 2024, then a city break in Athens should be high on the list; the Greek capital is rich with historic landmarks and a vibrant arts and culture scene. In the heart of Athens’ lively Psyrri neighborhood, the recently opened Monument hotel has just nine bedrooms, making it an elegant boutique sanctuary from which to soak up the surrounding wonders of the ancient city – particularly from the rooms with a balcony or veranda. Monument is a truly unique neoclassical mansion that immerses guests in the old-meets-new vibe of its fascinating Athenian setting, and is as captivating and enthralling as the storied city itself.

When a vacation requires total rejuvenation and escape from reality, a private tropical island is a pretty spectacular solution. At Madagascar’s Miavana by Time + Tide, where the wellness mantra is that “the entire island is our spa”, the switch-off starts at your helicopter arrival – which takes in the breathtaking landscape of mountains and baobab trees on its journey. This paradisal, unspoilt place off the north-east Madagascan coast boasts just 14 ocean-front villas, capacious open-plan sanctuaries that lead directly to the sea and provide guests with the height of luxurious tranquility. True to its motto, spa treatments can be enjoyed anywhere on Miavana, soundtracked by the sound of the ocean and the island’s ubiquitous fauna, while the gym and private yoga classes also provide a restorative vista of white shores and turquoise waters.

If your perfect vacation is all about sun, sea and sand in abundance, then new opening OKU Andalusia, on Spain’s Costa del Sol, where lush hills roll into the gleaming coastline, will check every box. The accommodation comprises a luxurious selection of rooms, suites and a four-bedroom villa, all offering serenely minimalist indoor-outdoor spaces decked in cool light wood. There will be a glorious centerpiece swimming pool (with views of the Spanish coast and north Africa beyond), an adults-only beach club, an expansive spa with an indoor pool, hammam and meditation courtyard, and also a kids’ club for families.

It is hard to rival Italy for a getaway of gastronomic excellence, and Tuscany – with its wild woodlands (for foraging), groves and vineyards (for olive-oil and wine tastings) – is renowned among foodies for good reason. Set within one of the oldest estates in the region, the Unesco World Heritage Site of Val d’Orcia, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is a beacon of Italian heritage and tradition in the midst of this sprawling landscape of natural beauty. Guests can taste wines at the historic Castiglion del Bosco winery and its Brunello di Montalcino vineyards, and hunt for truffles in the rolling countryside. The restaurants – Michelin-starred Ristorante Campo del Drago and trattoria-style Osteria La Canonica – and the cooking school boast authentic Tuscan cuisine, using hyper-local produce from the hotel’s organic kitchen garden.

A vacation can provide the perfect opportunity to soak up some creative inspiration, so if it is an artistic escapade that you are imagining for your next vacation, then look to the Vermelho in Portugal’s captivating Alentejo region. This was a hotel opening that caused particular excitement last year – not only for its delightful setting in the picturesque, cobbled village of Melides, which exudes rural Portuguese charm, but because it is the first hotel designed by Christian Louboutin. The shoe designer has imbued the boutique hotel with his daring, maximalist spirit while paying homage to local creativity and traditions across the collection of artwork and exquisite furnishings. Outside, guests will discover colorful landscaped gardens and a heated natural swimming pool.

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