Hotels
Where is it hot in December? Winter sun destinations and hotels
When December settles in with short days, soggy shoes and festive stress, there is something almost indecently good about stepping off a plane into warm air. Perhaps it is a long weekend in Tenerife, perhaps two weeks in the Caribbean over Christmas.
3 November 20269 min
Picolo Editorial
Either way, it helps to know where the sun is actually waiting, how long the flight takes and where to stay once you get there. These are nine places where it is hot in December, from short flights to the Canary Islands and Madeira to long-haul escapes, each with one hotel we have picked.
In short: where is hot in December?
Shortest flight: the Canary Islands and Madeira, about four hours from London.
Most reliable heat within eight hours: Dubai and Oman, about seven hours from London Heathrow.
Tropical: Phuket, Cancún and Barbados, in their dry season.
High summer: Cape Town, about 11 hours 40 minutes non-stop from London Heathrow.
For Christmas and New Year: book early, because the festive weeks are the busiest of the year.
Our first choice: Royal Hideaway Corales Suites on Tenerife, where every suite is at least 65 m² and the rooftop pool looks out towards La Gomera.
Check availability and prices at Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
Looking for cities, nature and festivals rather than a sunbed? Our wider guide covers the best places to travel in December.
How to choose a December winter sun destination
Start with how long you are willing to fly. The Canaries and Madeira give you mild weather and a flight short enough for a long weekend. Dubai and Oman bring more heat and sunshine, about seven hours away. For tropical warmth and properly warm seas, you need to go further, and then a fortnight makes sense.
Short haul and mild: Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Madeira.
Sunshine with a small time difference: Dubai and Oman.
Tropical heat: Phuket, Cancún and Barbados.
Summer in the southern hemisphere: Cape Town.
Mild and close to home: the Canaries and Madeira
Tenerife: Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
The Canary Islands are the classic winter sun escape from the UK. Jet2 flies to Tenerife from 13 UK bases in winter 2026/27, according to Selling Travel, and the flight from London takes about four and a half hours, according to Trip.com.
Royal Hideaway Corales Suites stands in La Caleta on the south-west coast, about seven minutes on foot from Playa La Caleta. The suites start at 65 m², the villas with a private pool measure 80 to 130 m², and guests give it 9.8 out of 10 across 162 reviews on Hotels.com.
Check availability and prices at Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
Gran Canaria: Santa Catalina, a Royal Hideaway Hotel
Gran Canaria is more than the beaches in the south. Las Palmas has a long city beach, an old town of colonial houses and a lively food scene. The flight from London takes just over four hours, according to British Airways.
Santa Catalina stands in Doramas Park in Las Palmas, about 15 minutes on foot from Alcaravaneras beach and six minutes by car from Las Canteras. The rooms are 23 to 46 m², there is a spa, and guests give it 9.4 out of 10 across 766 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Santa Catalina
See flight and hotel packages to Gran Canaria
Madeira: Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Madeira is mild in December and dressed for celebration, and the New Year fireworks over Funchal Bay are among the best known in Europe. The direct flight from London takes about 3 hours 50 minutes, according to World Travel Guide.
Reid's Palace sits on the cliffs above Funchal, with four outdoor pools, four restaurants and a spa. The rooms range from 26 to 80 m², and guests give it 9.8 out of 10 across 655 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Reid's Palace
See flight and hotel packages to Madeira
Sunshine in the Middle East: Dubai and Oman
Dubai: Jumeirah Al Naseem
December is one of the best months in Dubai, warm enough for the beach without the heat of summer. Emirates flies from London Heathrow in about 6 hours 45 minutes and from Manchester in about 7 hours.
Jumeirah Al Naseem has a private beach, five outdoor pools and eight restaurants, about five minutes on foot from the Burj Al Arab. The rooms start at 51 m², and guests give it 9.4 out of 10 across 524 reviews. For more ideas, see the best luxury hotels in Dubai.
Oman: The Chedi Muscat
Oman offers much of what Dubai does, with warm winter days and long beaches, but at a gentler pace. Oman Air flies non-stop from London Heathrow to Muscat in about seven hours, according to Skyscanner.
The Chedi Muscat is a seafront resort about five minutes by car from the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. It has a private beach, three outdoor pools, six restaurants and a spa, and guests give it 9.4 out of 10 across 684 reviews.
Check availability and prices at The Chedi Muscat
Tropical heat: Phuket, Cancún and Barbados
Phuket: Trisara
On Thailand's west coast the dry season begins around November. In winter 2026/27, Virgin Atlantic flies non-stop from London Heathrow to Phuket three times a week, a journey of about 12 hours.
Trisara is a villa resort in Choeng Thale in the north of the island, about five minutes by car from Nai Thon Beach. The villas start at 135 m², there is a free children's club and a free airport shuttle, and guests give it 9.8 out of 10 across 177 reviews.
Cancún: NIZUC Resort and Spa
In Mexico the rainy season is over by December. British Airways and TUI fly non-stop from London Gatwick to Cancún in about 10 hours 30 minutes to 11 hours. Read more in our guide to Cancún.
NIZUC sits on Punta Nizuc beside the national park, away from the busiest part of the hotel zone. It has a private beach, five outdoor pools, six restaurants and a spa, and the rooms start at 75 m². Guests give it 9.4 out of 10 across 1,002 reviews.
Barbados: Coral Reef Club
Barbados turns drier from December, and the west coast is known for calm water. British Airways flies from London Heathrow and Gatwick in about 8 hours 50 minutes, and Virgin Atlantic from Manchester in about 9 hours.
Coral Reef Club is a family-owned beach hotel in Holetown, about ten minutes by car from Sandy Lane Beach. It has two outdoor pools, a spa and The Reef Restaurant, and guests give it 9.8 out of 10 across 75 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Coral Reef Club
Summer in December: Cape Town
Cape Town: One&Only Cape Town
In the southern hemisphere December is summer, with long, bright days and Table Mountain behind the city. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly non-stop from London Heathrow in about 11 hours 40 minutes.
One&Only Cape Town is on the V&A Waterfront, about eight minutes on foot from the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. It has an outdoor pool, a spa and a free children's club, and guests give it 9.6 out of 10 across 395 reviews.
Check availability and prices at One&Only Cape Town
See flight and hotel packages to Cape Town
Closer and cheaper: the Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is milder than the UK in December, though rarely beach weather, and the sun shines often. We have guides to hotels in Fuengirola, Torremolinos hotels and the whole Costa del Sol.
Hotel IPV Palace & Spa in Fuengirola has the beach a minute's walk away and Sohail Castle about five minutes on foot. It has a spa, and guests give it 9.0 out of 10 across 1,004 reviews on Hotels.com.
Check availability and prices at Hotel IPV Palace & Spa
When should you book a December winter sun holiday?
Christmas and New Year are peak season almost everywhere warm. Flights and the best hotels fill early, so book in the autumn if you can. The first half of December is often both cheaper and quieter.
Christmas and New Year: book flights and hotels as early as possible.
Entry rules: check the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for each country in good time.
Location: choose a hotel close to the beach to make the most of the short days.
For the weather month by month on each island, see our guides to the best time to visit Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Our recommendation
Royal Hideaway Corales Suites: space and a sea view on Tenerife
Royal Hideaway Corales Suites stands in La Caleta on the south-west coast of Tenerife, about seven minutes on foot from Playa La Caleta. Every suite is at least 65 m², and the villas have their own pool.
Our verdict
What Picolo chooses: Royal Hideaway Corales Suites for a short flight, Jumeirah Al Naseem for guaranteed beach weather, and Coral Reef Club for Christmas in the Caribbean.
Why: Tenerife is about four and a half hours away, Dubai has reliable sunshine about seven hours away, and Barbados is drier from December.
The trade-off: the Canaries are mild rather than hot. If a hot beach day matters most, fly further.
Frequently asked questions
Where is it hot in December in Europe?
The Canary Islands and Madeira are the warmest places in Europe in December, with mild weather and plenty of sunshine. Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Madeira are about four hours from London and suit a long weekend or a week away. Southern Spain and Cyprus can have mild days, but the weather is less reliable.
Where is it hot in December with a short flight?
The Canary Islands are the easiest choice, about four to four and a half hours from London, and Jet2 flies there from 13 UK bases. Madeira is a similar distance. For more heat, Dubai and Oman give you sunshine and comfortable temperatures, about seven hours from London Heathrow.
Where is hot at Christmas?
The Caribbean, Mexico, Thailand and Dubai are the most popular places for a hot Christmas, and Cape Town is in the middle of summer. Closer to home, the Canaries and Madeira are mild. Christmas week is the busiest and most expensive of the year, so book flights and hotels as early as you can.
Where is hot for New Year?
Dubai, Barbados, Cape Town and Phuket are all in their best season at New Year. Madeira is famous for the New Year fireworks over Funchal Bay, which makes it a good choice if you want mild weather and a celebration. Book early, because hotels with a view of the fireworks fill up first.
When should you book a holiday for December sun?
Book in the autumn if you can, especially for Christmas and New Year. It is peak season in most warm destinations, and both flights and hotels get pricier as they fill up. The first half of December is often quieter. Flexible rates let you switch if prices fall later.
Sources
Flight times come from Trip.com, British Airways, World Travel Guide, Emirates, Skyscanner, Virgin Atlantic and airlineinformation.com, and the Jet2 winter programme from Selling Travel. Hotel facts and guest ratings come from Hotels.com. Entry rules are on GOV.UK foreign travel advice. The choice of destinations and hotels is Picolo's own. Last checked: 3 November 2026.
Enjoy the sunshine
Picolo Editorial