Two festive packages at the five-star, car-free family resort pair Alpine skiing with wreath-making, cookie baking, a torchlight hike and the Großarl Mountain Advent market, with childcare from babies just 30 days old.
Luxury travel destinations
6 last-minute October half-term stays in the UK: from a Hebridean hideaway to a Victorian railway station
Still no plans for half-term? These six Coolstays homes were still free to book this week, from a sea-view house on Harris to a Whitstable beach house and a station master’s house with a hot tub on the platform.
A festive weekend in Antwerp: the new direct Eurostar, a monastery hotel and Ruinart champagne on the terrace
From 14 December, Eurostar runs straight from St Pancras to Antwerp in under three hours. Here’s how to turn it into a Christmas escape, from a champagne lodge in a 13th-century monastery to Flanders’ biggest market, plus the catch on the way home.
Gothic stays for Halloween: 5 spooky UK hideaways to book if you dare
A ruin wrapped in metal, a church with its stained glass intact and a dovecot with glowing nesting boxes. These are the most atmospheric places to spend Halloween in Britain, from Herefordshire to the Cairngorms.
5 luxury ski chalets for private après-ski in winter 2026/27
A gold-leaf pool, a private fromagerie and a new Méribel residence with its own wellness floor: these Consensio chalets offer plenty to tempt you indoors. Here’s how their spaces, sleeping arrangements and catering compare.
7 Traitors-inspired castle and mansion stays from Oliver’s Travels
A moated Norfolk castle, a turreted Somerset keep and Scottish mansions set the scene for a wonderfully suspicious group escape. Optional hosts can organise the game, while private dining brings everyone together for the final reveal.
Oceania Cruises’ 2027–28 Europe voyages: six sailings and a winter Mediterranean
From Bordeaux wine country to Iceland’s coastal landscapes, Oceania’s European selection spans the seasons. Allura’s winter programme adds December island-hopping, January art trails and longer journeys through the Mediterranean.
Luxury set-jetting stays for autumn and winter 2026, from Bath to the Alps
Fred Sirieix’s Alpine hotel offers a direct television connection, while Bath pairs Austen history with a six-day literary celebration. In Edinburgh, a rooftop garden and whisky bar make a comfortable base for exploring Harry Potter’s literary roots.
5 UK group houses with Christmas 2026 availability, from a castle to a Cornish manor
From a Cumbrian castle with a cinema to a Cornish manor with its own bar, these houses have space for a big Christmas gathering. Here are the stay lengths and sleeping arrangements to check before you book.
6 Christmas cottages for a cosy The Holiday-inspired UK escape
From a thatched Devon hideaway for two to a Forest of Dean retreat sleeping 20, these characterful UK stays pair crackling fires and rural scenery with space for a festive escape.
5 of the best Caribbean hotels for a Christmas holiday in 2026
From Grenadian spice rituals and secluded beach stays to Jamaican villas and Anguilla’s New Year fireworks, these five luxury Caribbean hotels offer distinctive ways to celebrate the 2026 festive season.
5 festive staycations across the UK and Channel Islands for Christmas 2026
Hand over the cooking, escape the wrapping chaos or spend Christmas beside the coast with these hosted hotel breaks in Essex, Hertfordshire, the New Forest and Jersey.
4 reasons to visit Greece in autumn, from creative retreats to the grape harvest
New openings on Paros and Mykonos join sculpture-filled stays in Zakynthos and vineyard experiences in Halkidiki, offering a quieter alternative to Greece’s August rush.
No1 Lounges will open a flagship Heathrow Terminal 5 lounge in spring 2027
The expanded lounge will bring more personal space, dedicated solo seating and a country house-inspired interior to one of Heathrow’s busiest terminals.
5 new and renewed Alpine ski stays for winter 2026–27
From a richly designed Courchevel opening to family-focused Austrian luxury and apartment stays in quieter Swiss resorts, these are the Alpine addresses to consider for the coming ski season.
