THE CURATOR EDIT
No giant ballroom.
No compulsory sequins.
No paying an offensive amount of money for a set menu I didn’t want.
If I were escaping New Year’s this year, I’d choose based on mood.
For snow: The Alps.
Wake up January 1 somewhere white, ski, eat something warm and forget clubs exist.
For barefoot: Zanzibar.
Warm water, beach, book, repeat.
For desert: AlUla.
Make the trip about the destination rather than midnight.
For Egypt: Luxor + Aswan.
Start the year moving slowly down the Nile.
For absolutely nothing: A beautiful hotel within driving distance of home.
New Year’s doesn’t have to be the biggest night of the year.
Sometimes the luxury is waking up somewhere extraordinary the next morning.
THE CURATOR SAYS: Plan January 1 first. December 31 will sort itself out.
Planning a trip? Explore Hana’s travel guides for the practical recommendations.
A quiet El Gouna villa with a heated pool, an Aswan Nile-side stay or a Siwa desert escape each offers a very different alternative to a crowded countdown. I'd check mandatory festive dinners, minimum stays, transport and cancellation rules before booking around the holiday.