Autumn is here! So pull out those fluffy sweaters, wrap yourself in that favorite scarf, and get ready for travel’s most dazzling shoulder season.
Fall is when hotels celebrate their seasonal best—rolling out pumpkin-spiced surprises, golden-hued cocktails, and cozy corners curated for lazy lounging. It’s the season when travel is about leaning in, connecting, and letting every destination wrap you in its warm embrace.
This year, I gave my globe a few playful spins. My finger landed on four exquisite escapes that truly embody autumn’s magic.
You’ll spot a Himalayan haven where yoga meets soul-soothing serenity. There are Tokyo’s timeless tea rituals. Don’t forget cloud-forest hideaways shrouded in mist. And consider a canal-side charmer in Amsterdam. Each hotel is as vibrant as the fall foliage palette.
So, whether you crave wellness, culture, nature, or culinary delights, these four hotels prove that autumn is the ultimate time to check in and unwind.
Are you ready? Here’s the hotel scoop.
Ananda in the Himalayas – Soulful Serenity in Sacred Heights
When autumn unfurls in the Himalayan foothills, Ananda in the Himalayas is where you’ll want to hit the reset button.
With its 100-acre perch above the Ganges, Ananda breathes renewal into every guest who graces its gates.
Think of rooms and suites as sanctuaries, blending colonial charm with minimalism. Refreshed interiors layer soft neutral palettes with traditional Indian touches.
Guests are invited to slip into fluffy robes or simply sink into silk-draped beds after sunrise yoga on a misty terrace. Private balconies frame epic views of forests and foothills, as if nature herself curated the artwork.
This wellness haven was designed to harmonize with Himalayan contours, residing in the former palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal. It’s a temple to holistic living. The cuisine is sattvic, plant-rich, and deliciously delicate, from ginger-spiced soups to garden-fresh infusions of liquid tranquility. Autumn ushers in spice-laden herbal teas and lighter Ayurvedic menus, perfect for realignment. Guests follow rituals of yoga, pranayama, meditation, or Panchakarma cleansing while evenings resonate with the hum of Tibetan singing bowls or the hush of candlelit journaling.
On-site, the award-winning spa reigns supreme, offering over 80 therapies that blend Ayurveda, Oriental medicine, and international techniques. Forest walks, meditative hikes, and even silent tea ceremonies ensure that every corner cradles you in calm.
Why Go Now: Post-monsoon clarity means the Himalayas sparkle in their autumnal best. There’s no finer time to shed old energy and stride into soulful renewal.
Check rates for Ananda online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Note: Booking.com doesn’t appear to have a live listing for this property right now, so the link points to their Narendranagar resorts page.
Imperial Hotel, Tokyo – Timeless Traditions with Autumn Elegance
When Tokyo dons her autumnal gown, with fiery foliage blazing in Hibiya Park, glowing with golds, the Imperial Hotel Tokyo becomes the grand dame of seasonal sophistication. A historic hub of elegance since 1890, culture lovers, business barons, and tea ritual romantics are dutiful regulars who crave a window into Japan’s most graceful season. Rooms are understated Japanese luxury. Think shoji-inspired screens, plush monogrammed pyjamas, and wide windows framing the city’s crimson maples. Suites echo serenity while Tokyo’s electric pulse buzzes outside. Guests slip into slippers, sip seasonal green teas, and soak in views that mirror the park’s golden canopy.
Dining is an autumnal odyssey: Les Saisons plates refined French cuisine, while Kamon’s Teppanyaki offers vegan artistry with sizzle and smoke. The Parkside Diner flips autumn into hearty curries and yuzu-spiked desserts, while in Toko-an’s sukiya-style tearoom, a whisked bowl of matcha emits centuries of ceremony.
Beyond the plate, the Imperial hosts a constellation of amenities: a pool that glitters like a glasshouse, a spa offering shiatsu and seasonal oils, and lounges where cocktails swirl with shiso, sake, and autumn citrus.
Why Go Now: Foliage fever peaks in Tokyo’s parks, the hotel’s award-winning vegan menus sing of the season, and the tea ceremonies are the toast of town.
Check rates for the Imperial Hotel online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Hotel Belmar – Eco-Elegance in Monteverde’s Cloud Canopy
Up in Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest, autumn paints the landscape with misty mornings and emits a solitude that invites slow travel. Hotel Belmar is the eco-luxury darling of this dreamy destination. It’s beloved by artists, nature enthusiasts, and sustainably minded wanderers.
In this hushed shoulder season, the pace is pure poetry. The architecture salutes an eco-conscious design. It’s a blend of alpine chalet and tropical sensibility.
Rooms recently reimagined, shimmer with mid-century flair and local artistry. Velvet headboards, polished wood, and organic fabrics cocoon guests in warmth, while balconies open to rolling forest vistas where toucans flit through the haze. After forest walks, guests slip into fluffy robes, sip herbal teas brewed from Finca Madre Tierra, or soak in spring-fed hot tubs that steam like fairy cauldrons in the cool mountain air.
At Restaurante Celajes, where farm-to-fork menus burst with Costa Rican flavors, you’ll find seasonal heartbeats like guava, cacao, and mountain herbs. Housemade craft beers clink glasses in autumn tastings, while canopy dining invites guests to savor local flavors high among the clouds.
Beyond dining, the offerings are endlessly enchanting: SAVIA’s guided forest bathing immerses guests in sensory symphonies, yoga classes stretch bodies in open-air pavilions, and the Artist Residency Program gives travelers a backstage pass to creativity in action. Guests can meander the carbon-neutral farm, join agro-adventures, or sip sunset cocktails while the valley fog rolls in.
Why Go Now: Autumn’s golden lull brings peace before the high season rush, with fewer crowds, lush landscapes, and the rare chance to immerse in art, nature, and eco-luxury at its cloud-kissed best.
Check rates for Hotel Belmar online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
- Get a universal plug adapter
- Get a Car Rental
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get an eSim to be able to use your smartphone abroad.
- Guided Tours in Japan
- Get a Japan Rail Pass
The Dylan Amsterdam – Canal-Side Chic Meets Golden Glow
Autumn in Amsterdam is like a Vermeer painting come to life—golden light shimmering across 17th-century canals, crisp breezes rustling amber-hued leaves, and design-loving travelers wrapped in scarves as stylish as the city itself. The Dylan, a boutique beauty tucked in the heart of the Nine Streets, is the city’s reigning star for those who crave cultural cachet with a side of cozy charm.
Guests this season are a mix of style-seekers, gourmands, and anniversary revelers—after all, Amsterdam turns 750 this October, and the whole town is throwing a party on your doorstep.
Inside, the Serendipity Suites and recently refreshed Loft suites dazzle. Find bespoke furnishings by Format Furniture and interiors by the acclaimed Studio Linse. Think cathedral ceilings and wooden beams reimagined with modern minimalism, plush bedding, and thoughtful details like fluffy robes and slippers. Views spill out over the canals or onto the secret garden.
Architecturally, The Dylan is a perfect paradox: a 17th-century landmark pulsing with contemporary cool. Foodies swoon at the two-Michelin-starred Vinkeles, where modern artistry meets French finesse, or snag one of just six seats at até, the new chef’s table of edible alchemy. Autumn cocktails twirl cinnamon, clove, and citrus at Bar Brasserie OCCO, where their cheeky “High Wine” playfully pairs four amuse-bouches with curated vintages. It’s an oenophile’s dream with a seasonal twist.
The inner courtyard garden turns into a candlelit cocoon, while bicycles beckon for breezy canal rides. Check out the personalized itineraries from Les Clefs d’Or concierge, where the possibilities are endless. Think canal concerts, gallery visits, or a late-night wander during Amsterdam’s fabled Museum Night.
Why Go Now: The year-long celebration for Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary is in full swing, with the main events in October, giving The Dylan the most divine front-row seat.
Check rates for The Dylan Amsterdam online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Photos: Supplied
