Less a hotel stay than a full cultural immersion, Chapter Roma is the place where visitors to Rome can do as the Romans do. Learn how to recreate five classics of local cuisine at a cooking masterclass with head chef Alessandro Pietropaoli; take a contemporary art tour with a local gallerist; join a nightlife editor on a circuit of the best of the city’s bar scene… They’re all up for grabs thanks to the hotel’s Experiences packages. Of course, those who prefer a less active approach to local life can just kick back at rooftop bar Hey Güey (pictured top), order a dry martini and watch the city go by.

When immersive venue Sphere opened in Las Vegas with a series of groundbreaking concerts, fans were amazed by the massive, ultra-realistic digital displays on show within the 360-foot tall orb. Following a blockbuster New Year’s Eve party, Sphere moves into 2025 as a new global epicentre for entertainment. If you have tickets to experience it, then the connected hotel The Venetian is the place to stay: A fresh US$1.5 billion renovation has seen all 4,000 suites updated in celebration of the famed resort’s 25th birthday.

London’s status as a global creative capital means its hotels are working overtime to curate clever cultural and musical programs that will wow hard-to-impress locals and up-for-a-good-time out-of-towners alike. The Standard, London’s slick events calendar proves the point. As ever, it’s packed with intriguing arts partnerships, gatherings and performances, all delivered through state-of-the-art sound systems. Whatever you’re there for, round off your night with drinks, DJ sets and dramatic city views at clubby cocktail bar Sweeties.

Wine lovers have been toasting Susana Balbo, the pioneering matriarch of modern Argentinian styles, after her eponymous winery recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. There’s no better place to join them than at Susana Balbo Winemaker’s House in the Mendoza wine region. The inn is a chic, sybaritic retreat where encouraging staff agree that lazy lunches are best paired with ample wine tastings, and airy suites feature integrated spa facilities. This is pure indulgence.

Its latticed concrete edifice is already attracting admiring glances, but the bold new Forth Hotel Atlanta isn’t just a landmark property in architectural terms. Handsome and homelike, the property also incorporates a highly anticipated members’ club that has ramped up its reputation as one of the most exciting addresses in the city. Expect to see just as many locals as hotel guests socializing over Mediterranean dishes at Elektra and sundowners at rooftop lounge Moonlight.

Paris is always a good idea, but it really does feel as though there’s never been a better time to visit. Its boulevards and plazas are especially pristine following the sweeping spruce-up that preceded its summer of sports. Meanwhile, a slew of exciting new exhibitions, covering everything from surrealism to the adventures of Asterix, are reaffirming the city’s cultural cachet. Near many key attractions and just off the Champs-Élysées, the pretty family-run Hotel Rochester provides a peaceful base for ambles through the revitalized French capital.

Perhaps it’s the exceptionally favourable exchange rates, or a post-pandemic drive to put trip-of-a-lifetime vacation plans into action, but recent record visitor numbers mean Tokyo is thriving. Billed as the city’s first luxury ryokan, Hoshinoya Tokyo has come into its own as a portal to Japan’s traditional beauty and a welcome respite from all the excitement outside. Here, tatami-floored bedrooms are partitioned by shoji screens, restorative hot springs soothe at the 17th-floor onsen baths, and a gentle hint of sandalwood wafts through the air. It’s the perfect reason to make 2025 the year you finally take that trip to Tokyo.

Even by its own standards, 2025 is set to be a bumper year for Broadway: Idina Menzel returns to the stage for the musical Redwood; spellbinding special effects should be a given for the US debut of Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Bill & Ted co-stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter even reunite for a turn in, of all things, Waiting for Godot. Right by the action, The Ned NoMad complements those big-budget productions with its own theatrics. Its entertainment schedule runs from rollicking salsa sessions to sultry cabaret-style evenings.

It feels like everything that happens in Costa Rica is imbued with vibrant natural energy. Long established as a destination for ecotourism, the country is now making its way onto the map as a fixture on the techno and EDM festival circuit. Expect Pacific-facing beachside locations and a chance to party in some of the region’s best surfing locations. Recover with yoga by day, then continue the party at Dreams Las Mareas, an upmarket all-inclusive that offers live nightly entertainment while monkeys cavort in surrounding elephant-ear trees.