The Hot List 2026
DESTINATIONS
Mexico City
Soccer fans know CDMX is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Others know it as an exciting food city. All the while, though, Mexico City has been expanding its imprint on the global art world.
Art travel has become what food tourism was a decade ago—the reason people choose their next destination. Mexico City boasts more than 150 museums, including the home of Frida Kahlo, also known as Casa Azul, and a museum dedicated to Diego Rivera’s murals. Museo Jumex houses more than 2,000 works by big-name contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons and Olafur Eliasson, as well as Mexican creators Abraham Cruzvillegas and Mario García Torres. And Museo Soumaya is home to the largest collection of Rodin outside of France.
Lesser-known Japan
Skip the lines and crowds in Kyoto and Tokyo for more peaceful experiences that promise excellent cuisine, even better accommodations, and—most importantly—the feeling of being among the first to discover them.
For years, these roads-less-traveled only had business hotels on offer. Not anymore. High-end properties showcasing the best of Japan’s food, culture, design, and access (to sites and traditions) are being cultivated across the archipelago nation. Head to Karuizawa, a small hot-springs resort town that can be an alternative to the crowds in Hakone. Shishi-Iwa House, the embodiment of quiet luxury, has 30 rooms spread across three buildings, each created by a big-name architect. Equally exciting for its innovative architecture is Simose Art Garden Villa on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea just past Hiroshima, which features 10 one-of-a-kind villas and is part of a larger art collective. Its combo of art, architecture, and location make it a great complement or alternative to Naoshima, the “art island.”
The Nordics
This group of countries has long been known for quiet luxury, architecture, and cuisine. In 2026, the sky’s the limit on the opportunity to catch epic celestial phenomena—including a total solar eclipse.
Norway, with its dramatic fjords and sparsely inhabited islands, is best explored via a small-ship cruise. Iceland is primed to welcome eclipse-chasers this August, with the western coast of the island nation located in the path of totality. For a more urban experience, head to the epicenter of the Scandinavian design movement, the Danish capital of Copenhagen. The artificial island of Refshaleøen is home to an up-and-coming cultural scene complete with innovative eateries and Copenhagen Contemporary, a large-scale collection of emerging and established artists housed in a former industrial building.
South American beaches
If you love both the scene and natural beauty of Ibiza, you’ll adore the beach towns of South America, where you’ll find both laid-back bohemian flair and loads of luxury properties. Long popular with locals, these towns are poised to take off in a big way with American and other global travelers thanks to their low-key plus high-fashion vibes.
In Brazil, Santa Catarina boasts more than 100 beaches. The 25-room Awasi Santa Catarina is a quiet retreat that feels both elevated and totally unplugged from the outside world. Trancoso, further north, has become a magnet for the haute hippie set but has somehow kept its fishing village soul intact—mostly because the hotels here actively care about sustainability. Check out UXUA, a rustic luxe hilltop hideaway, and Etnia Casa Hotel, a series of breezy low-slung buildings a short walk from town center.
The Carolinas
Popular for generations with vacationers within driving distance, this pair of states is having a renaissance, with plenty of new offerings to appeal to travelers from all over the U.S. and abroad.
In North Carolina, surfers worldwide know the Outer Banks (a 100-mile stretch of barrier islands that runs from the Virginia border south to Ocracoke Island) boasts the biggest waves on the East Coast. And families will find a wallet-friendly and classic seaside destination with historic sites, relaxed eateries, and unexpected wildlife—you won’t want to miss the wild horses in Corolla.
EXPERIENCES
Pet–friendly perks
Luxury travelers now want their pets to be as pampered as they are. Hotels are responding by welcoming animal companions with amenities like butlers, concierges, specialized menus, and even spa treatments.
The legendary Waldorf Astoria New York, newly reopened after a major eight-year renovation, greets pets with a chef-prepared treat, and even provides raincoats and snow shoes to protect them from less-than-ideal weather. Also in Manhattan, the VIP (Very Important Pooch) program at the chic Baccarat Hotel includes bespoke concierge service in addition to specialized beds, welcome amenities, and more.
Railway retreats
All aboard! Overnight and multi-night train journeys combine the allure of cruising—experiencing a variety of destinations in a single itinerary—with the inherent romance of traveling via rail.
Leading the train revival in Europe are Belmond and Accor, offering vintage sleeper cars restored to their former glory and new accommodations that evoke bygone eras of comfort and elegance. Grand dames the Royal Scotsman, which winds across the remote landscape of Scotland, and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) both have innovative itineraries and clubby new suites—including L’Observatoire, a unique new private carriage on the VSOE beautifully designed by French photographer and street artist JR with surprises like hidden details in the marquetry and a secret door in the library leading to a secluded tea room. Even brands are getting in on the action, with Jean Paul Gauthier Parfums and Tod’s shooting campaigns on the VSOE.
Self–service wellness
The latest trend in self-care: properties offering access to wellness amenities without having to book a spa service. That means plunge pools and hot springs, saunas, and more being as easy to pop into—and as expected—as a hotel gym.
Properties in Lake Como, Italy are setting the trend, with Fora Advisors’ favorite Passalacqua and the Mandarin Oriental building out wellness facilities that make the lake as appealing in colder weather as in warm. Don’t sleep on Lake Garda, a more relaxed alternative to Lake Como; the Grand Hotel Fasano recently unveiled an expanded spa with Turkish baths and an indoor-outdoor pool. The spa at Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda offers seven different types of saunas as well as an adults-only area with a lake view. The resort’s new Sky Pool Villas include private spas and heated infinity pools plus access to the main spa.
Premium play
Slip, slide, and splash at…high-end resort enclaves with waterparks? It’s a bit unexpected, but fun-for-all-ages attractions (think: lazy rivers winding by kids’ pools and drop buckets, or a series of slides) are springing up at luxury resorts around the world.
In Costa Rica, the Peninsula Papagayo—a luxury resort campus encompassing such esteemed hospitality brands as Four Seasons, Andaz, and Ritz-Carlton—just opened Papagayo Park, a sprawling recreation hub that goes well beyond the typical resort pool. Tennis, pickleball, and padel courts serve every racquet sport athlete; a pump track offers a place to bike and board; and an enormous waterpark is home to multiple fountains and slides for all ages.
YOLO solo adventures
Since the pandemic, outfitters of all kinds have seen a surge in solo travelers, and demand has risen even more in recent years. Women, in particular, are embracing a seize-the-moment mindset—and aren’t waiting to take their dream trip.
All-inclusive group trips often appeal to solos, thanks to the added layer of safety—and tour operators are responding to the demand. At active travel company Backroads, solo travelers have trended significantly upward over the last two years. (In fact, as of the end of November, solo bookings for 2026 were up 28% compared to bookings made for 2025 at the same time the previous year.) To meet the growing interest, this past October, the company launched a new Solo Room Savings program, a collection of trips with sharply reduced private room fees on select departure dates, featuring destinations from the Badlands to Bhutan.
This year, choose Vesper Travel to book your next trip. You will find better hotels at better rates, get vip treatment, and have the comfort of knowing, someone’s got your back. DM me or send me an email to book a winter escapade (not too late) or be early to put your summer trip in the books.
