Where to stay: the Autumn/Winter 2025 Edit

As the season turns, there’s something in the air — it’s you, on a flight to the Caribbean or Costa Rica to say, ‘See ya later, winter’. But it’s also the swirl of flame-hued foliage, the scent of warming glühwein amid Christmas market chalets, the whoosh of a skier zipping past you… We’re signposting where to stay in autumn and winter 2025 during this mixed-bag season of hocus pocus, ‘ho, ho, hos’ and equatorial heat.

COSTA RICA

Wild, spirited, rough-edged in places: Costa Rica is in its prime from November. Settle into a hypnotic loop of surf, swell and sunsets at Esh Hotel. The adults-only manse is on the outskirts of Nosara in one of the world’s five designated ‘Blue Zones’ — places where good food, close-knit communities and an abundance of nature are the secrets to living long. Head inland to Arenal and Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, a 900-acre estate in an abundant rainforest. There are over 20 hot-spring pools, spa treatments laced with local botanicals and an open-air yoga studio — but there are also four bars, because life is about balance. Or head way down south to eco-lodge Lapa Rios Lodge, whose luxurious cabins overlook the protected greenery of the Osa Peninsula.

URUGUAY

Whereas Fasano’s Rio outpost is in the thick of the action (opposite Ipanema beach), its Uruguayan sister stay eschews the glitzy harbourside buzz of Punta del Este in favour of the town’s more bohemian side — namely a secluded, design-forward retreat up in the hills. Just 25 minutes away by car, the family-run Estancia Santa Cruz is even more intimate, like staying with old friends for the weekend in the countryside, on the other side of the laguna from already-fairly-restful José Ignacio. If you’re after a second summer this year, this is the place.

AUSTRALIA

Right around the time Europeans reach for the scarves and sweaters, Australians are cruising into high summer, with beach barbecues and sunset surfs on the cards. If you find yourself pining for a last gasp of la dolce vita, you’ll get it at Il Delfino, a revived Forties inn that brings a taste of the Italian Riviera to Yamba on Australia’s east coast. Its five self-contained suites have a distinctly Mediterranean vibe, full of restored mid-century fittings and vintage furniture that wouldn’t look out of place on the Ligurian Coast. The Sanctuary at Alba, on the Mornington Peninsula, is another prime spot for beating the winter blues. This superlative spa stay has just seven rooms, from which you can gaze across the coastal Moonah Woodlands. Pick from an array of pools, indulge in Aussie-made Sodashi skincare and Vanessa Megan elixirs at the spa, and dine on Melburnian chef Karen Martini’s Japanese-leaning dishes on a terrace beneath the stars.

INDIA

From October onwards, Rajasthan’s desert heat softens into golden, temperate days and cool, starlit nights, making the region’s palaces and forts a more comfortable proposition. But while some of these have been turned into luxury hotels, it’s a humble patch of farmland that has most recently caught our eye. Mharo Khet exudes an earthlier warmth than those divine mansions thanks to its open-sky meditation courtyards, organic gardens and huge living spaces accented by locally inspired block prints and crafts. Its palm-bordered pool oasis helps, too. Over in Mumbai, The Kin Hotel goes similarly against the grain, drawing on Italian influences to create a sanctuary of cool and calm amid the city’s non-stop energy.

JAPAN

Japan‘s sakura-flushed spring is tempting, but it also might make Miranda Priestly mutter ‘groundbreaking’. We’re opting for autumn instead, when foliage rusts in shades of torii-gate orange and lucky-charm red. An hour’s drive from Kyoto, Hatago Wakatsu is a two-suite ryokan where shōji doors reveal vignettes of autumnal scenery, and its earthen-walled sauna and tea ceremonies kindle the cosiness we all crave in cooler months. Hibernation feels more modern at Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, where you can thaw out in your suite’s soaking tub or the spa’s communal onsen, before refuelling at kaiseki-style dinners. On crisp days, hide out in historic Higashiyama’s maple-hugged temples and ramen restaurants; you could also retreat to Six Senses Kyoto, where typical bath houses, bespoke treatments and craft workshops are as cockle-warming as they are cultural.

ANDORRA

The Alps might hoover up the lion’s share of ski bookings each winter, but hotels in the Andorran Pyrenees have been stirring up a quiet revolution of late. The resorts here aren’t as vast or opulent as their French or Swiss counterparts, but that’s kind of the point: what you get here is bang-for-buck rates, down-to-earth attitudes and novel takes on mountain cuisine. Among the upstarts is Les Pardines 1819, just outside Encamp, where there’s easy access to the Grandvalira ski area. The former farmstead has won hearts and minds with its stripped-back interiors and proudly Andorran restaurant. L’Ovella Negra (the black sheep) is another stay that goes its own way, with just four mountain-spying rooms, a cosy lounge and seasonal menu by an alumnus of Nerua at the Guggenheim Bilbao. The Blackpine, in Andorra la Vella, cuts a more meditative, contemporary figure, with bright, spacious suites clad in honey-hued pine.

DORSET, UK

You never need a reason to visit dreamy Dorset, but the quieter autumnal months and their changing foliage are as good a prompt as any. Add into the mix new Smith launch Louma Farm and Retreat (set between Bridport and Lyme Regis on the Jurassic Coast), and you’ll be jumping on the Southwestern Railway in no time. In 2019, the current custodians took over the 100-acre Spence Farm as a family retreat, but just had to share it — and you’ll be glad they did. The land extends to a 30-acre coastal vineyard that was established almost 20 years ago.

Also enticing aspiring agrarians is Outbuildings, a 30-minute drive east, near Bridport. The namesake array of barns, cowsheds and huts have been reimagined to now feature a pig-truck cinema in the hay barn, and guestrooms in the old cider and apple stores.

ICELAND

When there are rainbow-haloed waterfalls, goth beaches and volcanoes that leave you speechless (not just because their names are nigh on unpronounceable) to explore, eating a hot dog by a dock or throwing back White Russians in a Big Lebowski-themed bar might seem underwhelming. But capital Reykjavik deserves more than a one-nighter due to its many stylish, modern stays. Take bakery-toting Exeter Hotel (Smith guests can enjoy a doughnut on arrival), poised for superlative seafood and whale-watching tours; Sandhotel, which has its own pâtisserie and sits right on buzzy, bar-lined main drag Laugevegur; and home-like, downtown stay Kvosin — it may not have buns but it sits right next door to Iceland’s parliament. A holy trinity all set for the city’s many festive celebrations.

SWITZERLAND

A new-to-Smith corner of Switzerland has our attention for winter 2025: the Graubünden canton. Soon-to-arrive Rocksresort is a family-friendly hotel beside Laaxersee (lake) and the gondola that takes you straight to the slopes of Laax. This powder-blessed resort is famed for its annual open — a freestyle event beloved of skiers and boarders — and shares 200 kilometres of runs with Flims. A 30-minute drive along the valley, you’ll find Vals and boutique retreat 7132 Hotel. This is where architectural eye candy meets snow-topped peaks, and the ski area is a blend of beginner-friendly slopes and high-altitude powder for freeride thrillseekers at around 3,000 metres. Both hotels are compelling, picturesque options for an autumnal fling in the Swiss mountains, too.

SLOVENIA

Fun facts: Slovenia is the only country with the word ‘love’ in its name and its capital Ljubljana means ‘the loved one’. It’s also known as ‘city of dragons’, but we like to think the flames being fanned here are of passion. We’ve fallen for its spate of exciting stays, from design-led city pad AS Boutique Hotel, a stay with such clout (and a legendary restaurant) that it’s booked and busy for photoshoots; to wood-lined Alpine cocoon Vila Planinka. And mod mountain resort Milka Boutique Hotel, where peak thrillrides, Christmas-card scenery and a chef who can make fine dining of dandelions, hay and snails (oh my!) await. At this time of year, Slovenes turn their heart eyes to challenging couloirs and ski jumps that turn into flights, so prepare for heart-racing fun.

MEXICO

Day of the Dead is celebrated across Mexico in the first week of November, when Oaxaca City, in fact, comes alive. Whether you’re looking for pre-parade mezcal shots or post-fiesta respite, Brutalist basecamp Otro Oaxaca delivers both with its rooftop pool and subterranean spa.

Our stays in surf-haven Puerto Escondido are spirited in alternative ways. Inspired by a Oaxacan temple, Casa TO is venerated for its one-of-a-kind design. Instead of sugar skulls and marigolds, this hotel’s offering is organic wines, mod-Mexican dining and plenty of photogenic corners. There’s another cause for celebration from November to February: the chance to marvel at migrating whales and dolphins. You might spot them from beachfront Casona Sforza, too, where hammock-adorned balconies, a cenote-like pool and architecture by Alberto Kalach make for tempting, water-watching hideouts.

THE CARIBBEAN

With its promise of talc-soft sands and all that soothing blue, the Caribbean practically screams ‘winter sun’. Or it would, if it wasn’t so chilled out. So quit all the noise and grab something swimming in rum (post-hurricane season, that is, around mid-November). Take clifftop stay Secret Bay on ‘nature isle’ Dominica, where villas and treehouses are discreetly tucked into the greenery and the beach is kept confidential. Explore sea caves and snorkel after dark, with bonfire-lit gatherings and tropical eats in-between. Or enjoy clubby seclusion at Soho Beach House Canouan, a steps-from-the-sand stay with all that urbane style, plus wood-fired lobsters and coconut-husking sessions.

BOTSWANA

If you’re a northern-hemisphere dweller already on edge at the thought of the long winter, book a safari in the south for some early winter sun. Up to October, you’ll catch the tail end of Botswana’s dry season, when the water levels of the country’s famed deltas and waterways are at their highest. The nights will be crisp, but the days warm and sunny (layers will be your friend for the pre-dawn game drives).

Into the green season (November to April), the landscape is lush and you might spot cubs, calves and foals being born, so it’s a good trade-off. Wilderness has safari lodges all over sub-Saharan Africa, with some of its finest in Botswana. These include Wilderness Chitabe, a camp in the Okavango Delta where you can befriend free-roaming elephants; and Vumbura Plains, where the tents have private pools for a post-drive soak. And near the Namibia border is DumaTau in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, where night drives may be rewarded with leopard sightings.

PRAGUE, CZECHIA

Prague’s snowglobe credentials are storied indeed: those Disney spires, that hilltop castle, the cobbled squares and panoramic bridges — certainly a scene you’d want to capture under glass. December shakes it up, adorning it with a snowy coat and strings of lights that make it even more charming. All the better admired while svařák-drunk, with a big klobása in hand. You might come for the mediaeval, but Prague’s hotels bring a touch of modernity. Take former post office BoHo Hotel with its burnished spaces and art deco flourishes, or the Matteo Thun-designed Julius hotel, where rooms have long-stay-enabling kitchenettes and techy upgrades — both very merrily placed mere steps from the Old Town.

LOS ANGELES, USA

Contrary to popular belief, LA does have seasons. Our favourite — as Moira from Schitt’s Creek would agree — is ‘awards’, which kicks off with the Emmys in September and rolls around to the Oscars in March. Our nominees for ‘Best hotel’ for this buzzy period are centred in Downtown: LA’s great comeback story, from no-go zone to so-cool, SoCal hangout. Kodō Hotel brings the drama with its concrete-and-wood Japanese minimalism in a century-old firehouse; Soho Warehouse is the graffiti-splattered rockstar, where once the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded; and Downtown LA Proper is an art-clad free spirit where the rooftop pool has a scene-stealing view. The winner? You, wherever you lay your head.

COLORADO’S ROCKY MOUNTAINS, USA

As you wait for the ski season in the Rockies to warm up, you can see Colorado’s other, less-snowy charms, including the primarily North American activity of leaf-peeping as the fall foliage comes alive in September and October. You might think you can’t surf this far inland, but you’d be mistaken — at Surf Hotel & Chateau in Buena Vista, you can go surfin’ USA along the river. For a more sedentary activity (relatively speaking), try white-water rafting on the rapids instead.

More adventure awaits to the (wild, wild) west in Almont, an hour-and-a-half’s drive away. Close to Crested Butte is Eleven Taylor River Lodge, where fly-and-floppers need not apply. Instead, the action-holiday lover can throw axes, raft on the namesake river, hike, bike, shoot, fly fish, horse ride and rock climb.

SICILY

According to Greek myth, it was here in Sicily where seasons were invented, which may be why they do them so well. To see what we mean, one should head to the island during harvest season, a period known locally as the vendemmia, when grapes are plucked from their vines and locals celebrate with folk music, traditional dancing, tastings and craft markets. During this time, guests of Braccialieri — a family-run fattoria with a checkerboard pool and patterned interiors — can lend a hand with the olive-oil harvest or simply enjoy the end result at its farm-to-table restaurant.

A short drive away, Noto’s Baroque architecture looks even more cinematic in the fall, as the low-hanging sun sweeps across its ornate façades. Smith newcomer Dimora Santagatha makes a perfect base for surveying it, with its earth-toned rooms and hilltop perch. And as autumn slips into winter, Adler Spa Resort on the island’s southern coast makes a fine hibernation station with its sea-gazing spa cabins, multiple saunas and trio of pools — and a hearty helping of winter sun, of course.

UPSTATE NEW YORK, USA

As September starts to roll in, the East Coast dons its orange-coloured coat ready to perform for the crowds in search of fall foliage — and this year, our eyes are firmly on Upstate New York for a front-row seat to watch these fiery tones unfurl. More specifically, the Catskills, with a trio of sweet stays that have our hearts melting faster than your fireside s’mores. First hit the small town of Tannersville, where the designers behind Hotel Lilien have brought an impressively cool edge to a restored Victorian home. Hunter Mountain’s snowy thrills are on your doorstep, but fire-warmed reading nooks, mid-century rooms and hearty comfort food make indoor play all the more inviting. Let the wafting scent of home-baked pies lure you to Wylder Windham, a cosy riverside retreat with cross-season allure. Or take the start of term-time as your cue to check-in to adults-only Hemlock Neversink for a week of wellness, which may or may not involve a neverending stint at the spa and a goat-guided hike or two.

NORWAY

The Danes may have brought hygge into the world, but the Norwegians are keeping koselig all to themselves. While the crowds seek out Oslo’s Christmas markets, those in the know travel to Midtøyni, a windswept island off the coast of Bergen. It’s here where new, off-the-radar retreat Lilløy Lindenberg is helping guests go deep into nature with its mountaintop, ocean-gazing sauna, Earth-inspired artworks and even mattresses infused with seaweed from the surrounding waters. Designed by Bergen-based architectural duo Vera & Kyte, this intimate 10-room residence is wild yet refined, minimal but full of soul. Come autumn, the island puts on a natural showcase of crimson and carmine, and chef Antje de Vries is busy foraging and fermenting in preparation for winter. It’s quite a scene here: steam curling skyward as you survey the wave-lashed shores from a private hot pool.

TEXAS, USA

Texas may be hotter than a two-dollar pistol during the height of summer, but as temperatures start to turn and tourists empty out, this diverse expanse becomes more enticing than ever. Choices in this sprawling state can be bewildering, but beeline for Hill Country and you’ll be rewarded with wide shots that would get even John Ford tipping his hat. Find the most cinematic angles at Onera Wimberley, where scenes play out in front of your very own treehouse; it also has serious Earth-kind credentials. Despite its name, this nature-swathed region has many a Texan town, too. And in the centre of Fredericksburg, Albert Hotel has set-up shop across a clutch of former landmarks, including an old pharmacy-turned-deli, and a saloon still serving whisky like it’s the Wild Wild West.

MILAN AND THE DOLOMITES, ITALY

Snow trims Italy’s boot with an ice-white shimmer, so keep things northerly for your Italian sojourn. February’s Winter Olympics will be hosted by Milano-Cortina, so catch rink hijinks in Milan, where you’ll want to check into Casa Brivio for its masterclass in Italian design. We’ll be taking our cowbells and Spyder jackets to Hotel de Len in Cortina d’Ampezzo for slopeside action paired with mod-Alpine interiors and a peak-facing spa.

Elsewhere in the Dolomites, we welcome back to a San Cassiano classic, now Aman Rosa Alpina and updated with the brand’s hallmark sleek modernity and polished service. Smith stalwart Lagació Mountain Residence is just up the hill, too, and both flaunt access to the Sella Ronda and 130 kilometres of pistes in Alta Badia. A free shuttle ride from Madonna di Campiglio, Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti is where actors Keeley Hawes and Matthew MacFadyen were holidaying this summer. We can’t promise you small-screen royalty in a bathrobe, but the resort’s spa spoiling and forest-bathing opps are catnip for mountain lovers.

THE BAHAMAS

The Potlatch Club hotel — on Eleuthera, island of 100-plus, pink-sand beaches and zero traffic lights — is a discovery made again and again. First in the Twenties, as a pineapple plantation; then in the Fifties, when New York socialites turned it into an ultra-private retreat for luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo and Paul McCartney (who honeymooned here with wife Linda, during which he wrote She Came in Through the Bathroom Window and Oh! Darling on hotel stationery). Then in 2015, when business partners Bruce Loshusan and Hans Febles resurrected it, restoring not just the original mid-century buildings but the exclusive, our-island-is-your-island feel. And with a new local airport slated to open in October 2025, it’s ready to be rediscovered yet again, by you.

Squeeze a little more summer out of the year with our pick of winter sun getaways, or prep for the piste with our full collection of ski hotels