By Mark Ellwood
Soak up the Blue Zone energy at Santa Teresa’s Hotel Nantipa.
How is it that there are so many places in the world to explore, yet social media would lead us to believe there are only a handful of luxury destinations to vacation this season? We’re pushing against the current to reveal four new hidden holiday spots to get ahead of the trend.
IF YOU LOVE: Gstaad, Switzerland
YOU NEED TO KNOW: Niseko, Hokkaido
Niseko’s microclimate provides abundant powdery snow. Photo courtesy of Higashiyama Niseko Village.
Why: Europe’s see-and-be-seen ski resorts struggle with climate change—last season, it didn’t snow in Gstaad until January—but the unique microclimate in this northernmost corner of Japan remains unaffected. Japow, Hokkaido’s signature powder snow, is as plentiful as ever, with more than 50 feet expected each year.
What: The island of Hokkaido is a winter sports playland, and the four ski zones in Niseko are a 60-mile drive from the main city, Sapporo (home of the namesake beer and the origin of miso ramen, so slurp down a bowl or two in tribute before leaving). The wide-open powder bowls and pistes are fairly split between all skill levels. Even better, there are several local hot springs, which feed the countless onsens, ideal for apres-ski muscle-soothing.
Where: Higashiyama Niseko Village is an outpost of the ultra-luxury Ritz-Carlton Reserve clique, and every element of the 50-room property has been designed around kachou fuugetsu—the concept of discovering yourself through nature. On-staff Higashiyama Reservists will assist in finding everything from superb powder to backcountry ski runs.
What to Pack:
IF YOU LOVE: Ibiza, Spain
YOU NEED TO KNOW: Menorca, Spain
Pool at Menorca Experimental.
Why: The easternmost Balearic Island has quietly emerged as the new upscale spot, siphoning off the chic set tired of Ibiza’s hedonistic hangover, and encouraged by a new wave of art tourists. Global powerhouse gallery Hauser & Wirth opened an outpost in Menorca three years ago, while contemporary art center LÔAC followed soon after.
What: This is an island to idle on the beach, with more than 100 scattered along its 125-mile coastline, many only accessible on foot, and all protected by Menorca’s designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The best way to sightsee is on horseback along the Camí de Cavalls, which snakes around the island for more than 100 miles, and dates to the 14th century. Opt for a sundowner at Cova d’en Xoroi, a bar built right into the cliffs on the coast.
Where: The 43-room Menorca Experimental, an upscale agriturismo with a cabana-lined pool, sits in a former finca and army barracks. Expect its French owners to lure regulars from their other buzzy sibling properties in Venice, London, and Verbier, Switzerland.
What to Pack:
IF YOU LOVE: The Maldives
YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique
Azura is located on Mozambique’s Benguerra Island, the most exclusive and beautiful island in the Bazaruto Archipelago.
Why: As a luxury honeymoon hub, The Maldives are maxed out, but if you still crave fringing reefs and crystalline turquoise water, head southwest in the Indian Ocean to the Bazaruto Archipelago off Mozambique.
What: Come to relax; snorkel among the thriving coral, home to thousands of fish species, or take a dhow, an Arabian-style wooden sloop, out for a sunset cruise. Head over to Santa Carolina to picnic among the ruins of an abandoned hotel. It’s the remainder, and a reminder, of a time when this island cluster was the colonial era’s answer to Havana—a jet-set party spot. Sandboard on the dunes, or in the evening, watch the fishermen haul their catches onto the beach.
Where: Skip the overrated Kisawa, a new resort built on the windy flank of Benguerra Island, and opt instead for one of the 20 villas at Azura. The longtime staple is owned by Christopher and Stella Bettany, British expats and former financiers who have lived and worked in Bazaruto for nearly 20 years.
What to Pack:
IF YOU LOVE: Tulum, Mexico
YOU NEED TO KNOW: Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
A private pool overlooking the ocean at Hotel Nantipa.
Why: Now that an airport has just opened in Tulum, the hipster hideaway will be even more overrun with tranquility-seeking visitors. Opt instead for its still-hard-to-reach counterpart on Costa Rica’s western coast; the journey there can be a bit arduous, but that may be what has kept this boho coastal enclave from being overdeveloped—for now. Book a shuttle flight from San Jose International Airport to Tambor, about 18 miles from Santa Teresa.
What: The waves are what first drew international tourists, among the best breaks in the region, and thankfully local laws prevent construction close to the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, keeping the white sand beaches pristine for the wellness-craving types that followed. Come to hit the water or practice yoga in the howler monkey–crammed jungle. Don’t leave without sampling the sushi at Koji’s, an al fresco restaurant that’s a holdover from the hippie days and run by an expat Japanese chef.
Where: Hotel Nantipa; book one of the 21 bungalows on the beach, which are refreshingly modern in design, complete with huge plate-glass sliding doors to let the outdoors in. Oh, and the name? It means “blue” in the native Chorotega language, a nod to the fact that the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five longevity-boosting Blue Zones.
What to Pack:
