Our Top Five Luxury Winter Sun Resorts
If you want to beat the winter blues and escape the madness of Christmas not to mention the icy weather, why not jet off on a luxury winter sun getaway instead. You can pretend it’s summer all over again and shun the festivities or you can embrace the season and have your turkey dinner on the beach! So, if you’re dreaming of a white Christmas but you had sand in mind rather than snow, let us take you to some of our hottest picks for this winter and you could be having a magical Christmas complete with margaritas!
It’s becoming quite common for couples, groups of friends and families to take proper winter holidays. If you think about, it makes sense. We all tend to go away to sunnier climes during the summer when actually the best time to treat yourself to some decent sunshine (and Vitamin D!) is when it’s freezing back home.
The big question is where to go. Well, we’ve done some of the spadework for you and we’ve been checking out the best of the weather and the dreamiest places to enjoy it.
Take a look and just imagine the warm sunshine beating down on you as everyone back home shivers.
Dubai
December is the ideal time to visit Dubai as the temperatures sit nicely in the mid-20s as opposed to the sweltering heat of the summer months which can be unbearable. Warm, sunny days are practically a given but it won’t be too hot that you can’t get out and about to enjoy all this glittering resort has to offer. As Dubai is four hours ahead of the UK, you can celebrate the arrival of Christmas early – great if you’ve been on the countdown since October! Dubai’s shopping malls are a joy to behold at any time of the year but they are even more spectacular when they’ve got their Christmas sparkle on. You can treat yourself to all manner of goodies which of course you can say came from Santa 😉 Many of Dubai’s luxury hotels are bedecked in Christmas decorations so despite the sunshine, you can still get into the Christmas spirit. Our editor’s choice for your trip is the Atlantis, The Palm which is transformed into a magical winter wonderland for the holidays.
Tenerife
Despite being the coolest month in the calendar, the temperatures still hover around the 17-20c mark so still a very pleasant heat for the time of year. Tenerife is a great choice of bolthole for the winter as the attractions stay open all year round and likely to be less crowded than the summer months. During December the towns, hotels and bars get spruced up for the festive season and the atmosphere is generally pretty jolly. Christmas Eve is celebrated among families in Tenerife and everyone gets together for a hearty dinner with loved ones followed by customary midnight Mass. Wouldn’t it be lovely to spend the afternoon soaking up the sun with a stroll on the beach followed by traditional celebrations in the evening? The pubs and bars of Playa las Americas and Costa Adeje usually put special Christmas events on too so that you can still get into the party mood of the season. Our editor’s choice for some winter luxury is the 5-star Dream Hotel Gran Tacande.
Barbados
Who wouldn’t fancy trading your winter woollies for your swimsuit to laze around under swaying palm trees, soaking up the Caribbean sunshine? This is exactly what you can do if you opt for a winter getaway to Barbados. You can have a totally tropical Christmas on this beautiful and friendly island and with average daily temperatures in the 80s, you won’t be feeling any winter chill here. Our editor’s pick for your holiday is Sandals Barbados for authentic Caribbean charm in opulent surroundings.
Orlando, Florida
Florida has so much to offer all year round that it has really become a big hitter when it comes to choosing a typical sunshine break – it’s not known as the ‘Sunshine State’ for nothing. Florida sizzles in the summer months but even in winter you can pretty much count on good weather. In December, the average temperature is around 23 degrees, pleasant and mainly dry. However, it can get a little cooler in the evenings so you might need to pack a cardigan or a wrap but that’s a small price to pay for lovely sunny days.
I can’t think of anywhere more magical to spend Christmas, especially if you have kids in tow. Disney World Florida is particularly special (and twinkly) in December as the parks are transformed into winter wonderlands with a full-on schedule of events that are sure to add a little festive joy to your holiday. Our editor’s pick for Orlando this winter is the Waldorf Astoria. Take a look at the wonderful programme for the holidays at this stunning hotel.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is still a relative newcomer to the package holiday scene but it may not be for long. Lying just two hours south of the Canaries, off the coast of Africa, this ten-island archipelago in the Atlantic is a proper hidden gem and with fabulous year-round weather, this just might be your dream winter destination.
Average daily temperatures in December are around 24/25 degrees – you can’t fall out with that. Our editor’s choice is the gorgeous Melia Dunas Resort in the cosmopolitan island of Sal, where you can enjoy strolling through quaint little towns with rainbow coloured restaurants as well as taking advantage of the spectacular beach.
We hope we’ve given you some inspiration to take that longed-for Christmas holiday on dreamy, distant shores. Just think; you could be hanging your stocking from a palm tree this Christmas Eve… Ho Ho Ho!