Where to Coolcation in 2026

Dolomites

Alpine Authenticity at Hotel La Perla

The picturesque Dolomites are a fabulous introduction to the Italian mountains. The valleys here unfold in gradients of thick forests, snowy slopes with the fang-like Odle peaks, and undulating hills home to scenic mountain villages. The heat of Italy’s warmer regions rarely touches the mountains, even in July and August, when temperatures hover around the early 20°Cs at high altitudes. Mornings are refreshing with cool alpine air, while evenings are atmospheric, ending with dusky pink alpenglow and the occasional storm. Hiking in the Dolomites is a, with trails winding through wildflower meadows and lush mountainsides stitched with pine.

Stay: Set in the heart of Corvara, Hotel La Perla is one of the region’s most characterful family-run hotels. Standing in the grounds feels like a little alpine fairytale, with the mountains forming a bucolic crown around the hotel, snow-capped in winter and delightfully pastoral in the spring and summer. Hotel La Perla is pure alpine authenticity, with wooden balconies draped in geraniums, and a sense of hospitality that is both intimate and polished. Rooms are chalet-style, with exposed wood and beams, and, in one of our favourite suites, Romantik Dolomites, there’s a delightful four-poster bed and panoramic views over the Sassongher from a private balcony. Recharge in the spa and its striking outdoor infinity pool with mountain views, and afterwards, indulge in a romantic dinner, amongst the wood-panelled, Michelin-starred Stüa de Michil, paired with a rare vintage from Hotel La Perla’s 3,000-bottle strong wine cellar.

The Norwegian Fjords

Pure Nordic Immersion at Åmot

The crisp, clean air, pine-clad hills, and diamond-clear lakes, mirroring the mountains, lend the Norwegian Fjords an almost monastic atmosphere. The Norwegian countryside is the ideal destination for picturesque hikes that are cinematic and effortless, with trails winding through dense, lichen-thick forests and along rivers, alive with Nordic myth and legend. The summers are mild, and the days are long and bright, making the fjords perfect for prolonged outdoor activities such as canoeing, waterfall bathing, fishing and e-biking.

Stay: For summers in the fjords, we recommend the exceptional Åmot estate, a gracefully restored Norwegian farmstead in beguiling Sunnfjord. Interiors throughout are traditional, wooden, with homely textiles, and candlelit spaces offset in places by modernist floating fireplaces and statement lighting, testament to Norway’s knack for understated luxury paired with tradition. Days are spent wild swimming at dawn, joining idyllic forest walks, refuelling with long lunches built around local produce, and evenings spent close to the flicker of the fire as mist gathers across the valleys. The estate hosts up to 14 guests across numerous idyllic buildings, making it a fantastic choice for families searching for a distinctive rural destination to reconnect in Norway’s captivating fjords.

Iceland

Elemental Escapes at ION Adventure Hotel

Few destinations epitomise the concept of coolcationing as Iceland does. At the height of summer, when Iceland is at its most accessible, temperatures remain refreshingly mild, with crisp, fresh air, and ethereal landscapes that slowly phase from moss-covered lava fields to glacier tongues, black-sand beaches, and geothermal plains. Days are bright and long, gifting more hours to explore stunning ancient landscapes. In the summer, we can arrange thrilling adventures such as descents into a volcano’s dormant lava chamber, helicopter excursions over vast glacier lagoons, dives between tectonic plates, and wild camping beneath remarkably clear skies.

Stay: Design and seclusion collide at the excellent ION Adventure Hotel, a minimalist, architecturally striking hotel close to Þingvellir National Park. ION has always advocated a sustainable approach to tourism and locality, with upcycled wood, wool and even lava lining the interiors. The Silfra restaurant boasts seasonal cuisine with an emphasis on farm-fresh, ethically sourced ingredients, with dishes of exceptional Nordic cuisine that bring Iceland’s stunning pastoral aesthetics to the table, beautifully paired with a menu of cocktails crafted from Icelandic spirits.

360’s Travel Designers suggest staying in the Lava Suite, which, along with handsome, warm wooden interiors and views out to the lava fields, has a private spa on the northern side of the property, making it excellent for Northern Lights viewing.

Ireland

Storybook Grandeur at Adare Manor

Ireland’s emerald landscapes offer a serene alternative to mainland Europe’s heat. One of our favourite spots for coolcationing in Ireland is County Limerick, specifically the charming village of Adare with its friendly local pubs, postcard-pretty thatched cottages and the scenic ruins of a 13th-century castle. Days are a mix of Irish culture and slow-moving countryside pursuits: winding rivers, misty lakes at dawn, shaded woodlands punctuated by grand estates, and a countryside that invites long walks, horseback rides and a slower pace of exploration.

Stay: Adare Manor is set within a vast estate of manicured gardens, ancient woodlands and a babbling river, and is renowned for its attentive hospitality, but even more so, it’s just so extremely striking. The grand manor has a lavish main building with stacks of ornate chimneys, a turret and gardens that wrap around it in mini hedgerow mazes and trees strung with ivy. The interiors are sublime, with two spas, one of which is inside the padel club (look here for more on padel) and has an infinity pool encased in floor-to-ceiling windows, bringing the lush exteriors indoors. Amenities include expert-led falconry on the lawn, archery lessons, afternoon teas served in sunlit dining rooms, and whisky tastings in the oak-panelled bar. Golfers flock to the championship course, while the excellent dining options charm the tastes of even the most demanding foodies.

While the manor has so many appealing rooms, we suggest the Dunraven Staterooms, the ex-private apartments of the Earls of Dunraven, which have been sumptuously repurposed as some of Limerick’s most exquisite hotel rooms. They have a large separate sitting room, mahogany furniture, a rainfall shower, original fireplaces and garden views from inside the extra-deep bathtub.