Twenty great cottages to suit every group holiday

Villa news

This week’s dream: a wild Canary Island’s creative ...

Even by the standards of an emirate that shows all the constructional restraint of a toddler with a trunk of Lego, Dubai is in turbocharge mode. Eminent hotel groups are flooding in as superhotels spring up on man-made islands. Yet for all Dubai’s veneration of the new, decades of innovation have left a legacy of eye-catching and, in some cases, surprisingly affordable sanctuaries in which to bed down, whether you’re based in Burj Khalifa-dominated Downtown, the buzzing Marina or amid the sugary sands of Jumeirah Beach and the Palm. Throughout it all, the hospitality ecosystem seems to hum with a customer-is-king efficiency.

From dazzling light displays and lively artisan markets to sumptuous seasonal stays and friendly reindeer, read on to discover some of our favourite festive coastal breaks this year

Indulge in lakeside strolls, boat adventures and picture-perfect views