The 11 Best Places to Visit in 2025, According to ELLE
Instead of focusing on New Year’s resolutions that inevitably fall by the wayside come February, why not ring in 2025 with some travel plans to mentally carry you through the next 365 days?
Indeed, this year is already shaping up to be a memorable one for globetrotters worldwide—with iconic hotels like the Waldorf Astoria New York reopening its doors after extensive multi-year closures and boutique hidden gems inspiring wanderlust in familiar and exotic destinations, the world is truly your oyster. If you’re looking to be on the forefront of travel this year (and perhaps inspire a little envy amongst your friends back home), here are the destinations to have on your radar.
Marrakech, Morocco
The fashion crowd has long held a fascination with Morocco’s bohemian enclave, and a new direct flight on United Airlines from Newark Liberty International Airport brings Marrakech closer than ever. There are grandiose hotels to explore, like a recently refurbished Four Seasons and a new Park Hyatt that offer a decidedly opulent take. But if you really want to immerse yourself in the city’s contemporary arts and culture communities, check out one of the relatively new, smaller-scale riads: Farasha Farmhouse, located on the city’s outskirts, often has visiting speakers and DJs; Rosemary offers a chance to live amongst the wares and works of buzzy contemporary artist Laurence Leenaert; and the decadent Izza offers one of the most magical rooftops in the city.
Greenland
Call it the new Iceland. Getting to this rugged land of fjords and icebergs once required flying all the way to Iceland or Denmark and then flying halfway back across the Atlantic; but thanks to (another) United Airlines flight launching in 2025, travelers will soon be able to hop on an effortless direct flight from Newark, New Jersey to Nuuk International Airport, whittling down your travel time to about four and a half hours—which, let’s face it, is about how long it takes to get to the Hamptons from New York City on a summer weekend. If you’re in search of dramatic glaciers and northern lights, Greenland offers an Alaska-esque journey that can soon be accomplished in just a few days. For the perfect Greenland itinerary, the experts at Jacada Travel are pros at coordinating flights, transfers, hotels, and excursions, so you won’t have to lift a finger.
Pantanal, Brazil
Most visitors usually limit their time in Brazil to the major cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (where the Hotel Fasano Rio de Janeiro and Rosewood São Paolo are, as always, the places to stay), but 2025 will be a year to set your sights somewhere a little more wild. Catch a flight to the country’s interior and head to the Pantanal, a.k.a. the world’s largest subtropical wetlands and the best place to go on safari for endangered jaguars. Luxury lodge Caiman supports several conservation projects in the area, and after record wildfires in 2024, there’s never been a better time to support responsible ecotourism in the region. Logistics can be tricky in this part of the world, so it’s best to enlist professional help—and the advisors at Journeysmiths can sort airfare, transfers, and the ideal itinerary for a magical Brazil experience.
The Seychelles
Part Maldives, part Hawaii, part Zanzibar—the Seychelles offer a unique blend of topography and culture that appeals to every type of traveler. If it’s Maldives-style seclusion you’re after, there are private island resorts like the new ultra-sustainable, ultra-luxurious Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, located 90 miles south of the main island of Mahé. In the 45 minutes it takes to circumnavigate the island, you’re unlikely to bump into a single other hotel guest. Back on Mahé, there are hidden gems to be found, like Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts, the former holiday home of famed Italian fashion photographer Gian Paolo Barbieri. It’s ideally situated for hiking, shopping the island’s artisanal markets, or simply watching a perfect Seychellois sunset from an infinity pool casually perched atop a cliff.
New York City
A veritable flurry of hotel activity in New York is making a serious case for a staycation this year. If you’re a downtown denizen, there’s no place more dreamy these days than The Manner on Thompson Street in Soho. In just a few short months, the new opening has become the hideaway of choice for the style set. Uptown, historic hotel The Surrey just reopened as part of global luxury brand Corinthia Hotels, complete with a Sisley spa and Casa Tua restaurant. Speaking of historic—after an astonishing eight-year closure and gut renovation, the Waldorf Astoria New York is back and better than ever with a new vision of 21st-century luxury. The hotel downsized from over 1,400 rooms to just 375—making them some of the more spacious and opulent you’ll find in Manhattan. And over in West Chelsea, energetic Argentine hotel brand Faena is slated to open its first U.S. location come spring—and is guaranteed to make a splash with a party or two.
London
Is there ever a bad time to go to London? The answer is no—but 2025 feels especially apropos thanks to two fabulous new hotel openings. Six Senses will bring its wellness-centric concept to Bayswater in the former Whiteleys building, an Art Deco gem nestled between Paddington and Notting Hill. It will be the room to book for some R&R after London Fashion Week. Over in Mayfair on Grosvenor Square, Rosewood will open its second location in the city, The Chancery Rosewood after an extensive renovation (the previous tenant was the United States Embassy). If the popularity of Rosewood London over in Holborn is any indication, travelers can expect buzzy and decadent food and beverage spaces, as well as elegant, residential-feeling rooms upstairs.
Vail, Colorado
The American West is filled with former mining towns that have expanded into ski resorts—but from its beginnings in 1962, Vail has been a town purpose-built for skiing. Here, you’ll find a charming, highly walkable European-style base village just steps from some of the biggest, most varied terrain in North America that’s suited for beginners and experts alike, and there’s no better place to experience it all than the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail. Not only does it sit on the edge of all the action (with a spacious outdoor pool and hot tub area that is wonderfully silent come nightfall), but the resort’s newly renovated “Chalet” with a ski valet and complimentary all-day snacks is literal feet from Gondola One. New for this ski season, the Four Seasons just updated both its spa and signature restaurant, opening an Italian-Alpine concept Tavernetta by Colorado’s award-winning Frasca Hospitality Group. Another honorable mention: The Hythe Vail, a picturesque property situated right in the Rocky Mountains.
San Diego
Gorgeous beaches, sun, and year-round pleasant weather—San Diego is a foolproof domestic escape. Foodies keep buzzing about the evolving culinary scene, too, thanks to new hotspots like Kinme Omakase, Ponyboy, and Finca. Hotels are also getting some fresh energy, with the big story here being the extensive renovation of the iconic Hotel del Coronado, perched on one of the city’s most iconic beaches. If you’re looking for something a little more boutique, there’s also the forthcoming The Bower, which will house Coronado’s only true rooftop bar and restaurant.
Palm Beach, Florida
It seems like everyone’s talking about Palm Beach these days—whether it’s because of the wave of New Yorkers who moved there during the pandemic, the popularity of hit Apple TV+ show Palm Royale, or the anniversary of its most iconic fashion and lifestyle brand, Lilly Pulitzer. Get your slice of Floridian sunshine with two fantastic new hotels opening: Palm House, a throwback to Palm Beach’s mid-century heyday; or The Vineta Hotel, the first U.S. location from Oetker Collection, renowned for its European-style service. (Hot tip: Palm House has a Nobu-inspired menu featuring chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature fare.)
Cape Town, South Africa
Whether it’s your first safari or you are a seasoned aficionado, South Africa is an unbeatable all-around destination. The industry is waiting with baited breath for the 2025 debut of Few & Far Luvhondo, a brand-new safari concept from Sarah Dusek, co-founder of the immensely popular glamping company Under Canvas. Few & Far promises to revolutionize the traditional safari model with community experiences, sustainable practices, and, in addition to game drives, a fascinating solar-powered cable car ride for game viewing from a bird’s-eye view. After a couple of days in the bush, you’ll need to unwind with some great food and wine—and in 2025, that means a couple of nights at the newly gut-renovated hotel at Spier Wine Farm. Located in the winelands a short distance from Cape Town, it’s owned and operated by one of the region’s most prominent families—and is one of the most scenic, serene places to rest your head in this part of the continent.
Rote Island, Indonesia
Each year, the gaze of in-the-know travelers seems to go further and further into the Indonesian archipelago. And in 2025, the island name to learn is Rote. It’s where the award-winning, legendary Nihi Sumba will make history by opening its second location, Nihi Rote. Out here, you’re closer to Australia than you are to Bali, and the resort makes a real difference in sustainable tourism in the region by training and supporting communities and educating guests about these unspoiled ecosystems. For the untouched tropical island experience, this is where the jet set will be posting from this winter.
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