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by Penny McCormick
“I make my best journeys on my couch,” Coco Chanel once said.
I often spend evenings googling boutique hotels or flights and debating options. Naples, Antibes and celebrating a milestone birthday somewhere warm are already on my radar for 2025.
As for trends, cultural tourism is thriving with art inspiring journeys to exhibitions and museums. Expect lots of hype about the opening of TeamLab Phenomena in Abu Dhabi, which promises multi-sensory experiences.
I’m looking forward to the Louvre’s first fashion exhibition, showcasing 40 different designers, including Karl Lagerfeld and Yohji Yamamoto. I’ll also book “Marie Antoinette Style” at the V&A Museum (from September) and “Elvis Evolution”, coming to London in May, a larger-than-life homage to the King.
Two London hotel openings look interesting, too: The Newman and The Zetter Bloomsbury (pictured).
Lonely Planet identifies train hopping as a major trend in its Best In Travel 2025 guide. The romance of train travel is undeniable. Several years ago I took the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Prague to Venice. The original 1920s carriages, though resplendent with stunning Lalique glass panelling, had no air conditioning (or showers) with temperatures above 30°C for the entire trip. It was a sticky experience made fabulous by jazz musicians, exquisite food and the scenery rising and falling through the windows as we zipped by.
This year, the La Dolce Vita Orient Express (a competitor to the original Orient Express) is set to roll out, combining elegance with modern comforts (no wet wipes required) on interesting journeys around Italy. (Look out, too, for a new Pullman “journey” at Glenlo Abbey Hotel & Estate, Galway. The restaurant, with two carriages from the Orient Express, will be renovated and a new dining experience developed. www.glenloabbeyhotel.ie.)
Birding tourism is also on the rise; enthusiasts are booking holidays around the thrill of spotting their favourite birds in their natural habitats. The Siskin, Starling and Skylark suites in the newly renovated Manor House at Killashee Hotel, Co Kildare, reflect the former owner Richard St Leger Moore’s fascination with birdlife. Listen carefully and you might hear the call of the siskin or see its yellow and green plumage and distinctive black cap in the hotel gardens. Dinner in The Pippin Tree restaurant is another treat. www.killasheehotel.com.
Soft travel is the main buzzword for 2025; embracing simplicity and spontaneity, finding pleasure in doing less, in places that soothe the senses. That’s a trend I can get behind and recommend keeping a copy of Ireland’s Blue Book 2025 to hand for inspiration.
THIS MONTH I’M …
REVISITING: The Station House Hotel, Co Meath; www.stationhousehotel.ie.
DINING: In The Lounge at The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Dublin; www.fitzwilliamhoteldublin.com.
READING: Napoli Amore, published by Assouline. www.assouline.com.
SEE MORE: 5 Travel Trends To Inspire Your Next Holiday
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