The Best Holidays for 2026. Tailor-Made Journeys, Led by Experience.

If 2025 was all about rediscovery, it feels like 2026 is going to be all about travel with intent – a considered mix of wellness breaks, wondrous adventures, and well‑timed escapes that feel designed rather than planned. And that’s where Destinology comes in. For travellers who seek more than landscapes and loungers, their team of Personal Travel Concierges consult the world’s finest and hotels to layer texture into every moment: sensory richness, cultural cues, unexpected quiet, and programmes that stick with you long after the tan fades.

From new culinary horizons to deep‑dive wellness, here’s where the world’s most seasoned wanderers are heading in 2026 – and the reasons they’re worth booking now.

Wellness Reimagined

Wellness in 2026 is less about token massages and juicing and more about meaningful rewiring — activities and expertly-designed retreats that shift your rhythms, sharpen your resilience and subtly recalibrate nervous systems that have been running flat for weeks. The latest trends show that 2026’s travellers are craving balance over optimisation.

Destined for Rest, and Then Some

Atlantis The Royal | Dubai Accolades and status aside, Atlantis The Royal’s AWAKEN Wellness centre (17 treatment rooms, hammam sensorium and steam rooms) feels like a temple devoted to wellbeing, wrapped in the glimmering chaos‑meets‑calm of Dubai’s new‑era coastal life. Mix in the iconic dining venues and sky-high suites and you’ve got a stay that ticks every single box.

Daios Cove | Crete A discreet hideaway where Mediterranean light filters through the cove and mornings drift into afternoons marked by quiet precision. Expect BXR London gym sessions and personalised wellness offerings infused with Greek classical touches, plus sprawling villas, infinity pool dips, rib boat rides to nearby Spinalonga, and a team on hand to fulfil your every wish.

Six Senses Laamu | Maldives As with every Six Senses property, wellness becomes vernacular here – seamlessly combining beachside breathwork, that slow immersion into nature the Maldives is all about, and marine‑inspired rituals that feel naturally holistic. Whether it’s sunrise yoga overlooking cerulean seas or a gym session before a day of snorkelling, this is wellness sculpted by place as much as technique.

Sun, Seasons and Smart Holiday Timing

The calendar has become part of your itinerary. In 2026, families, cultural explorers and professionals alike are plotting around international breaks and school holidays, aiming to catch the best weather, uncrowded experiences, and the luxury of space.

St. Regis Le Morne | Mauritius

Powder‑white coral sands and infinite lagoon blues to the front, the iconic heights of Le Morne Brabant behind you – a stage for a laid‑back luxury if we ever saw one. With the brand’s famous butlers on hand to attend to your every need, kids club team members who just know when parents need a moment to enjoy their coffee, and gastronomic options that entertain both adult appetites for fine wine and culinary curiosity and the demands of the littlest visitors, this Mauritian hideaway is the front-runner for any time of year.

Atlantis, The Palm | Dubai

A perennial favourite that now feels reenergised for 2026 with its record-breaking water park, myth-lead aquarium and culinary prowess, Atlantis, The Palm combines action, design and cultural edges with private beach days and world‑class family programming. An icon of Dubai for almost 20 years.

Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island | Abu Dhabi Broad stretches of sand, art galleries nearby, and local galleries and heritage sites make this island a holiday that educates as much as elevates. Fast-growing in the realms of luxury holidays, Saadiyat Islands has some of the globe’s most well-known and coveted hotel brands on its shores.

Indian Ocean & Beyond

The Indian Ocean remains a luxury holiday favourite, but in 2026 it’s evolving: it’s no longer just a pretty sea, but a region where cultural context, ecological richness, and sensory depth become part of each and every visit.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island | Maldives World-famous for its underwater restaurant, its ethereal lagoon views, and private retreats – one of which also descends below the water’s surface. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island gets the balance perfect: playful luxury without ever feeling ostentatious.

Gili Lankanfushi | Maldives A completely barefoot ethos, vaulted overwater villas in traditional woods and thatched roofs, and a butler programme that remembers your coffee order before you do. Not too far from Male from little ones, Gili Lankanfushi sees time slow on purpose.

One&Only Reethi Rah | Maldives Luxuriant privacy meets design‑forward spaces – secluded pavilions, tailor‑made experiences and those little One&Only touches (like romantic beach dining beneath illuminated skies) that turn statements into memories. A world-famous brand puts its spin on remote island living.

Insider Tips for a Seamless 2026 Escape

● Book with Intent: Early planning is strategic as well as practical. The best suites, villa retreats and wellness packages move fast for 2026.

● Stack Your Seasons: Combine shoulder‑season weather with major events where you can – think equatorial warmth just as Northern Europe starts to cool down.

● Ask for Experience Upgrades: Once you’ve decided on a property, ask Destinology about bespoke experiences like private guided meditations, expert‑led wellness walks or seasonal local food tastings.

● Mix the Urban and the Wild: A few nights in a cultural capital followed by a secluded coastal or island stay pays dividends for both mind and mood – perfect for when you can’t quite decide.

2026 is set to be a year where travel feels completely curated – driven by intent, thoughtful rhythm, and sensory discovery. Whether it’s wellness that resonates, beaches that beckon, or experiences that broaden your inner landscape, the destinations and trends ahead promise to be nothing if not immersive.

Guided by a team with first-hand knowledge of every destination they represent, Destinology specialises in completely tailor-made luxury travel. From the moment you enquire to the moment you return home, a dedicated Personal Travel Concierge oversees every detail, ensuring each journey is seamless, personal and shaped entirely around how you want to travel.