Swap the sweater for a suitcase instead – here’s where to find the globe’s nine best winter sun getaways for when the cold weather strikes

1 Colombo, Sri Lanka

When to go: November – December

Where to stay: Shangri-La Colombo

Why you’ll love it: November – December is one of the best months of the year to visit Sri Lanka, especially places in the south of the island. Ipostcard perfect. The weather’s in-between monsoon seasons, which means you’ll miss the downpours and enjoy picture perfect scenery instead.

Check into Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo for a stylish city stay. The modern rooms and suites make this gleaming 35-floor oceanfront high-rise the perfect base for explorers. Ideal for the foodies, it’s also home to a number of fantastic restaurants.

2 Nevis, Caribbean

When to go: December – April

Where to stay: Montpelier Plantation

Why you’ll love it: Nevis offers sweeping island scenery conjured from stuff of dreams. It’s paradise – from the gorgeous mountain hikes to the beach reclining opportunities. Book a room at Montpelier Plantation & Beach, a petite Relais & Chateaux boutique hotel in a unique location. Princess Diana herself was a fan – but if you need more persuading, the fine wine and award-winning cuisine will certainly twist your arm.

3 The Maldives

When to go: Good news, sun seekers. The Maldives offers sunshine throughout the entire year, but the best months to catch it are December – April.

Where to stay: JA Manafaru

Why you’ll love it: Nestled on a private island, JA Manafaru is one of the very finest resorts in the Maldives. Reached via private seaplane, it’s a secluded foodie sanctuary, with the rooms and suites offering luxury splendour galore.

Choose from ocean villas for the ultimate Maldives experience, or opt for one of the spacious suites on the main island for palatial feel. Snorkelling, volleyball, chef dinners and more – there’s plenty to keep you entertained during a stay at this gorgeous island hideaway.

Click here to make a booking.

4 Miami, Florida

When to go: November – April

Where to stay: East, Miami

Why you’ll love it: Cool and contemporary, EAST, Miami is a lavish and ultra-modern design hotel with a prime location, located within Brickell City Centre. Designed by award-winning architecture firm Arquitectonica, with interiors by New York-based Clodagh Design, EAST, Miami has 255 rooms, eight suites and 89 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, which are essentially long-stay hotel rooms with all you could need.

For the foodies, dig in at signature restaurant Quinto La Huella; a poolside bar & lounge and sip away at the rooftop destination bar aptly named Sugar.

Surf’s up – winter’s one of the best times to grab a board before the spring flatness hits. A stylish, sleek city, Miami never goes out of fashionable – and it remains comfortably warm even throughout the typically colder months. It’s also peak opera season – lungs at the ready!

Click here to make a booking.

5 Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

When to go: December – March

Where to stay: Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real

Why you’ll love it: The weather is the number one reason why most people flock to Fuerteventura’s shores, to enjoy almost guaranteed sunshine all year. A swift four-hour flight away, it is consistently one of Britain’s top winter sun destinations.

Amazing rocky scenery, volcano hiking opportunities and endless sand – if it’s a winter tan top up you’re after, here’s where to find it.

Resembling a sultan’s palace, Fuerteventura’s striking hotel bridges the gap between Corralejo and nearby North Africa. With a coveted five-star rating, Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahía Real is the only superior luxury hotel on the island – boasting almost as many restaurants as it has sun loungers.

Rooms from £178 per night. Click here to make a reservation.

6 Dubai, UAE

When to go: November – March

Where to stay: One&Only The Palm



If it’s exclusivity you want, look no further than One&Only The Palm. One of Dubai’s most secluded beachside resorts, a stay here offers everything from Michelin-starred cuisine and stunning interiors to the UAE’s only Guerlain Spa and a spectacular pool.

Location is everything here – the hotel is perched on the westernmost tip of the The Palm’s crescent with unrivalled views of Dubai Marina and endless serenity away from the city – which is still only 30 minutes away by car.

With a petite (for Dubai) 90 rooms and suites and four riad-like villas, the resort has a boutique hotel vibe. Interiors come with Moorish and Andalusian architectural themes, designed with horseshoe arches, geometric pattern and pools with an enchanting feel.

Rooms from £810 per night. Click here to make a booking.

7 Bodrum, Turkey

Where to stay: Il Riccio Beach House, part of Mytha Hotel Anthology

When to go: November – March

Why you’ll love it: Life’s a beach, especially at this Turkish hotel. An exclusive retreat nestled in the picturesque Paradise Bay in Göltürkbüku, Il Riccio Beach House overlooks the Aegean’s most enchanting coves and beaches. Blanketed in the blue hues of the sea and with just ten luxurious rooms and suites overlooking the bay, the mood here is far more home than hotel.

Indulge at Il Riccio Restaurant, offering exceptional Mediterranean cuisine, which champions high quality regional ingredients. When not feasting, partake in exciting canoe experiences, as well as plenty of rejuvenating spa treatments.

Rooms start from £374 per night. Click here to make a booking.

8 Cape Town, South Africa

When to go: November – February

Where to stay: Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel

Why you’ll love it: Break away from a mainstream stay and try this chic hideaway. Founded in the early 1930s, the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel boasts a history edge, with its original structure dating back to the beginning of the 19th Century.

Complete with bay windows, stained glasses in doorways and windows along with patterns in the brickwork made from coloured bricks, it’s a piece of old school Victorian art. What’s more, no two rooms are alike – offering a unique

The hotel offers you a unique experience, with no two rooms being alike, thus prompting returns time and time again, in a quest to experience them all. Each room is air-conditioned, with satellite television, minibar, direct-dial telephone, hairdryer and a range of luxury amenities, including WiFi being available throughout the hotel.

Rooms from $100 per night. Click here to make a booking.

9 Portugal

When to go: September – November

Where to stay: Tivoli Palácio de Seteais

Why you’ll love it: Fewer crowds, beautiful scenery and delectable dining – catch a flight to Portugal this winter for a epicurean getaway.Tivoli Palácio de Seteais, a five-star boutique hotel in a XVIII century palace has launched a new foodie offering, allowing guests the opportunity to discover local wines and authentic Portuguese delicacies in its new Colares Wine Room.

Sip charismatic vintages from Sintra’s neighbouring wine region of Colares to your heart’s content, before retiring to your luxurious abode for a night of enchanted slumber.

Click here to make a booking.