Where to go · January
Top 20 Hotel Destinations for January
January is peak season for warm-weather escapes and mid-winter skiing. These picks pair reliable dry-season weather in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere with the Northern Hemisphere's best snow.
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1Maui
Wailea, Hawaii, United States
Why January
Humpback whale season is at its height (roughly December–April), and the south shore around Wailea stays sunny and dry while most of the country is in deep winter.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~80°F (27°C); occasional passing showers
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- romance
- family
Where we'd stay: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Oceanfront Wailea resort with an adults-only pool and whale-watching views from many rooms.
Explore Maui →
San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Why January
Dry season is in full swing and humpback whales breach offshore from December through March, with gray whales calving in Baja's Pacific lagoons.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~78°F (26°C); dry and sunny
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- romance
- adventure
Where we'd stay: Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort. Secluded corridor resort known for its personal butlers and Sea of Cortez views.
Explore Los Cabos →
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Why January
January sits squarely in the dry season, well clear of hurricane months, with steady trade winds, low humidity and calm turquoise water on Grace Bay.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~82°F (28°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- romance
- family
Where we'd stay: Grace Bay Club. Beachfront resort on Grace Bay with adults-only and family wings.
Explore Turks and Caicos →Colorado, United States
Why January
After the holiday rush, January brings reliable mid-season snowpack across Aspen's four mountains and slightly thinner crowds.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~33°F (1°C); frequent snow
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- ski
- adventure
- romance
Where we'd stay: The Little Nell. Aspen's only ski-in/ski-out hotel, at the base of the Silver Queen Gondola.
Hotels in Aspen →Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Why January
Costa Rica's Pacific northwest is in its dry season (roughly December–April), bringing sunny days, calm seas and easy access to volcano and rainforest excursions.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~90°F (32°C); dry and breezy
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- adventure
- family
Where we'd stay: Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. Peninsula resort between two beaches, with an Arnold Palmer golf course.
Hotels in Costa Rica →
Baa Atoll, Maldives
Why January
The northeast monsoon brings the dry season (about December–April): calm water, the best visibility for snorkeling and the most sunshine of the year.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~86°F (30°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- romance
Where we'd stay: Soneva Fushi. Barefoot-luxury villas on a private island inside a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Explore Maldives →
Western Cape, South Africa
Why January
It's midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, with long, dry days for Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and nearby Winelands.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~79°F (26°C); dry, often windy
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- city
- beach
- adventure
Where we'd stay: Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel. Historic pink landmark set in gardens below Table Mountain.
Explore Cape Town →
Phuket, Thailand
Why January
The Andaman coast's dry season runs roughly November–April, so January brings calm seas and clear skies for island-hopping to Phang Nga Bay.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~90°F (32°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- beach
- family
- romance
Where we'd stay: Trisara. Hillside pool villas overlooking a private bay on Phuket's quieter northwest coast.
Explore Phuket →
Otago, New Zealand
Why January
New Zealand's summer brings long daylight hours for hiking, jet boating and Central Otago winery visits.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~72°F (22°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- adventure
- nature
- romance
Where we'd stay: Eichardt's Private Hotel. Intimate lakefront hotel in a restored 1860s building in central Queenstown.
Explore Queenstown →
10Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Why January
Winter is Dubai's best-weather season: warm enough for the beach and comfortable for the desert. The Dubai Shopping Festival usually runs from mid-December into January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~75°F (24°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- city
- beach
- family
Where we'd stay: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The city's sail-shaped icon, with duplex suites and private beach access.
Explore Dubai →Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Why January
Dry season and low humidity make January ideal for beaches, cenotes and Maya sites like Tulum and Cobá, and sargassum seaweed is typically minimal in winter.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~82°F (28°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- family
- culture
Where we'd stay: Rosewood Mayakoba. Lagoon and beachfront suites with private plunge pools inside the Mayakoba enclave.
Hotels in Playa del Carmen →
12Zermatt
Valais, Switzerland
Why January
High-altitude, glacier-fed terrain makes Zermatt one of the Alps' most snow-sure resorts, with crisp January days and clear Matterhorn views.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~30°F (-1°C); snow
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- ski
- romance
Where we'd stay: Mont Cervin Palace. Grand car-free-village hotel on Zermatt's main street, open since 1852.
Explore Zermatt →
Arizona, United States
Why January
Sunny, mild desert days suit golf and hiking, and the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction is usually held in Scottsdale in January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~67°F (19°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- city
- adventure
- romance
Where we'd stay: The Phoenician, a Luxury Collection Resort. Sprawling resort at the base of Camelback Mountain with a 27-hole golf course.
Explore Scottsdale →Magallanes, Chile
Why January
Patagonian summer (roughly November–March) brings the longest days and the most accessible conditions for the W Trek and park excursions.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~62°F (17°C); strong winds
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- adventure
- nature
Where we'd stay: Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa. All-inclusive lodge on Lake Sarmiento with guided excursions into the park.
Hotels in Torres del Paine →
15Sydney
New South Wales, Australia
Why January
Summer beach season is in full swing, the Sydney Festival usually fills January with performances, and Australia Day (January 26) brings harbor events.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~79°F (26°C); warm, humid
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- city
- beach
Where we'd stay: Park Hyatt Sydney. Waterfront hotel facing the Opera House across Circular Quay.
Explore Sydney →
California, United States
Why January
Warm, sunny winter days and cool nights, plus the Palm Springs International Film Festival, usually held in early January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~70°F (21°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- romance
- city
Where we'd stay: Parker Palm Springs. Playful Jonathan Adler-designed retreat on lush grounds with lawn games and a spa.
Explore Palm Springs →
Dorado, Puerto Rico
Why January
Dry season and trade winds suit beaches, El Yunque and Old San Juan, where the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián usually take place in mid-January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~83°F (28°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- beach
- family
- culture
Where we'd stay: St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico. A five-star stay in Rio Grande, a strong base for Puerto Rico.
Explore Puerto Rico →- 18
Key West
Florida, United States
Why January
This is the driest, least humid time of year in the Keys, with warm afternoons for sailing and snorkeling.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~76°F (24°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- beach
- romance
Where we'd stay: Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton. Historic 1920s oceanfront resort with Key West's largest private beach.
Hotels in Key West → Alberta, Canada
Why January
The frozen lake becomes a skating rink, ski season is in full swing, and the Ice Magic Festival is usually held in January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~18°F (-8°C); cold, snow
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- ski
- romance
- nature
Where we'd stay: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Lakeside castle hotel facing Victoria Glacier, with skating right outside.
Hotels in Lake Louise →
Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Why January
Sunny, mild days (with cold nights) make the medina comfortable to explore in the quiet window between the holidays and spring.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~65°F (18°C); nights near 40°F (4°C)
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Low
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: La Mamounia. Legendary palace hotel with century-old gardens steps from the medina walls.
Explore Marrakech →
This month in sports
- Australian Open · Jan 11, 2027 – Jan 31, 2027Opening Week runs January 11–16; main-draw play begins January 17, with the finals on January 30–31.