Winter travel is great for those who plan carefully. The crowds that fill destinations in summer are largely gone, prices are lower, and many cities — those with a strong cultural life, a good restaurant scene, or a particular atmospheric quality in the cold — are at their most interesting. Here are five cities that make a compelling case for a winter visit.

Seoul, South Korea

Seoul in winter is cold, clear, and vivid. December and January temperatures regularly drop below freezing, but the city's extraordinary density of things to do — its palaces (Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung), its food markets (Gwangjang, Namdaemun), its contemporary art scene, its K-beauty shopping districts, and one of the world's great street food cultures — is entirely unaffected by the weather. The traditional hanok villages of Bukchon and Namsangol are beautiful in winter, the jjimjilbang (Korean sauna and bathhouse) culture is essential at this time of year, and the city's café culture — extraordinary in its quality and density — provides warmth and excellent coffee at every turn.

• Mondrian Seoul Itaewon is the first Mondrian hotel in Asia, a 295-room lifestyle property in the Itaewon district designed by Singapore-based studio Asylum with a bold, sculptural modernist vision. The lobby's Forest Zone, with its lush greenery and artwork, is one of Seoul's most dramatic hotel entrance spaces. The Altitude Pool and Lounge, indoor pool and spa, and the Cleo Mediterranean restaurant make it a very complete property, and the Itaewon location ensures you're in Seoul's most cosmopolitan neighbourhood.
• Ryse Hotel is an art-forward hotel in the Hongdae neighbourhood (Seoul's creative and musical quarter near Hongik University), with 272 rooms, a rooftop bar called Side Note Club that hosts DJs and live events, and a Print Culture Lounge stocking art books and magazines curated for the hotel. The CHARR restaurant is popular with neighbourhood locals as much as hotel guests, and the overall atmosphere reflects Hongdae's young, creative energy.
• L'Escape Hotel is a boutique property in central Jung-gu, with Belle Époque French interiors designed by Jacques Garcia, the man behind some of Europe's most extraordinary hotel spaces. The rooms are incredibly stylised and sophisticated, and the design ambition makes L'Escape one of the city's most distinctive hotel experiences for those drawn to a strong aesthetic identity.
• The Shilla is one of Seoul's finest traditional luxury hotels, set on the slopes of Namsan in a spacious estate with gardens, a golf driving range, an indoor swimming pool, and several excellent restaurants, including Ariake, considered one of the city's best Japanese restaurants. The service standard is very high, and the hotel's slightly off-centre position from the bustle of downtown Seoul makes it a particularly restful choice.

Brisbane, Australia

Brisbane in winter is warm and glorious: June, July, and August bring blue skies, temperatures in the low twenties, and virtually no rain. The city that will host the 2032 Olympic Games has transformed considerably in recent years and now offers a cultural life, a restaurant scene, and an urban energy that rivals any Australian city. South Bank, the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), the New Farm neighbourhood, and the Fortitude Valley music district all deserve time. The Sunshine Coast to the north and the Gold Coast to the south are easily accessible, and the Scenic Rim hinterland offers day trips of exceptional natural beauty.

• W Brisbane occupies a striking riverside position in the CBD with views across the water and the city skyline. The hotel's design is bold and contemporary, the rooftop WET deck pool bar is one of the city's most desirable spots in winter sunshine, and the dining and bar programme reflects the city's culinary ambitions. The riverside location puts guests close to South Bank and the cultural institutions.
• Edward Lodge is a heritage property in the New Farm neighbourhood, Brisbane's most charming and walkable residential quarter, that offers a more intimate and locally embedded experience than the large riverside hotels. The rooms are beautifully appointed, and the neighbourhood's cafés, restaurants, and river walks are right on the doorstep.
• Ovolo The Valley is a design hotel in the Fortitude Valley neighbourhood (Brisbane's entertainment and arts district) that brings the Ovolo brand's characteristic mix of style, personality, and thoughtful service to one of the city's most culturally interesting areas. The hotel's complimentary inclusions (happy hour, snacks, streaming) and strong design identity give it a genuine personality.
• Crystalbrook Vincent is a large, design-forward hotel on the Brisbane waterfront near the Howard Smith Wharves precinct, with strong river views, a rooftop pool and bar, and an ambitious restaurant programme. The Howard Smith Wharves development around the hotel has become one of Brisbane's most vibrant dining and entertainment destinations.

London, England

London in winter is the UK capital at its most culturally concentrated: the major museums and galleries run their most ambitious exhibitions from October through March, the theatre season is at its peak, the Christmas markets and lights are on in December, and the restaurants are fully operational without the summer queues. The Tate Modern, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the V&A, the South Bank arts complex, and the extraordinary density of theatre on and off the West End are all available. Winter in London also rewards those who invest time in neighbourhood exploration: the Christmas walks through Mayfair and Belgravia, the markets of Borough and Portobello Road, and the canal towpaths of Little Venice and Hackney are all particularly good.

• Brook Green Hotel is a boutique hotel in the Brook Green neighbourhood of Hammersmith, west London, with a warm, genuinely personal atmosphere that sets it apart from the city's large hotel brands. The rooms are well-appointed and the neighbourhood, close to Shepherd's Bush, the Olympia exhibition centre, and the Tube, gives access to the rest of London while offering a quieter residential base.
• The Pilgrm is a design hotel near Paddington station with a strong aesthetic commitment to heritage and craft — the walls of the public spaces are clad in vintage tiles, the furniture is thoughtfully chosen, and the overall identity is of a hotel that has been put together by people who care about the materials and history of the building. The proximity to Paddington means direct rail access to Heathrow and a Tube connection to central London.
• Sydney House Chelsea is a boutique hotel in the Chelsea neighbourhood of west London, close to the King's Road and the Thames Embankment, with individually designed rooms and the warm, residential atmosphere that the best small London hotels can achieve. Chelsea in winter — the independent shops, the galleries on Flood Street, the restaurants of the King's Road and Sloane Square — is particularly pleasant to explore.
• The Grazing Goat is a charming boutique hotel and pub in Marylebone, one of London's most elegant and walkable neighbourhoods, with eight individually designed rooms above a very good gastro pub. The location on New Quebec Street puts guests close to the Wallace Collection, Marylebone High Street's excellent independent shops, and Regent's. One of our Guru's favourites.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi in winter (December and January) is cool, misty, and atmospheric — temperatures drop to around 15°C on cold days, and the city's extraordinary French colonial architecture, ancient lakes, and street food culture take on a moody, quiet character that is quite different from the tropical heat of summer. The Old Quarter's 36 streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and museum complex, the Temple of Literature, and the city's extraordinary street food — bun cha, pho, banh mi, cha ca — are all essential. Hanoi has a deeper history and a slower pace than Ho Chi Minh City, and winter gives it a contemplative quality that rewards a longer stay.

• Capella Hanoi is the most dramatic new hotel opening in Vietnam in recent years: a 47-suite property in the heart of the Old Quarter designed around the golden age of Vietnamese opera, with performances staged in the hotel's own opera house and suites dressed in silk, lacquerwork, and Vietnamese craftsmanship of exceptional quality. The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World and has been widely celebrated as one of the finest new hotels in Southeast Asia since its opening.
• Sofitel Legend Metropole is Hanoi's grande dame, a 1901 French colonial hotel on Ngo Quyen Street that has hosted Graham Greene, Charlie Chaplin, and a long roster of the 20th century's most significant visitors to Indochina. The hotel has a wartime bunker beneath the garden, discovered during renovation, that you can visit as part of a tour. The white-columned facade, pool, Le Beaulieu restaurant, and Bamboo Bar are all essential parts of the Hanoi experience.
• Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel is a well-regarded boutique property in the Old Quarter, with individually appointed rooms and personal service that set it apart in a neighbourhood of many similar-looking options. The hotel's rooftop views over the Old Quarter and the staff's service have earned it a strong reputation.
• 22Land Heritage Hotel & Retreat is a heritage property in the Old Quarter that has been carefully restored and converted into a boutique hotel, combining the French-Vietnamese colonial architecture of its original building with contemporary luxury. The setting and quality of the restoration make it one of Hanoi's more distinctive heritage hotel experiences.

Medellín, Colombia

Medellin operates on a tropical calendar where "winter" means the rainy season is approaching but temperatures remain around 22°C year-round; it is the "City of Eternal Spring" at its most temperate and inviting. The cable cars that connect the hillside comunas to the city centre, the Museum of Antioquia with its extraordinary Botero collection, the Parque Arvi nature reserve above the city, and the extraordinary street art districts of Laureles and El Poblado are all compelling reasons to visit. Medellin's extraordinary transformation over the past 25 years from the world's most dangerous city to a globally celebrated model of urban renewal is one of the most remarkable stories in modern urban history, and the city wears its new confidence lightly.

• Elcielo brings one of Colombia's most celebrated chefs, Juan Manuel Barrientos, and his restaurant brand's transformative approach to cuisine into the hotel realm. The property in El Poblado takes the same sensory-immersive, story-driven approach that has made El Cielo restaurants famous across Colombia and Miami, applying it to a hotel experience that is unlike anything else in the city.
• The Charlee is a rooftop-focused lifestyle hotel in El Poblado, the city's most fashionable neighbourhood, with a strong pool and bar culture, well-designed rooms, and the relaxed energy of a hotel that serves Medellín's social life as much as its visitors. The rooftop views over the city are exceptional.
• Click Clack Hotel is a design hotel in the Laureles neighbourhood with a creative identity and rooms designed with a strong pop art sensibility. Think bold colours, graphic design, and a playful energy that suits Medellín's increasingly design-literate character.
• Hotel Quinta Ladera is a boutique hotel in the hills above El Poblado, with garden terraces, good city views, and a quieter, more retreat-like atmosphere than hotels in the central neighbourhood. The combination of greenery, cool mountain air, and proximity to the city makes it a very attractive alternative base.

Still not sure? 

• Browse through our full list of accommodation options in Seoul
• Refine your search to include our recommendations for the Best Luxury Hotels in London
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.