Want to go somewhere amazing for Christmas

[PapaLazaru]

Well not really Christmas, the good lady's birthday (big one), which is on Christmas Eve.

Both booked 22nd to 29th off already, budget is fairly extravagant. 9 year old in tow.

The rules -

1. Must be amazing
2. Preferably warm
3. No more than 9 hours flight

Don't want to do anything Christmassy so no Scandinavia (go there too much anyway). I've also said no to Dubai as I don't like the place, though she is quite warm to the idea.

Any recommendations? It's only a week so we cannot go too far, but we want something amazing.

**EDIT 091121**

We had booked Marrakesh but can no longer go due to restrictions, so have booked Budapest.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Budget?

£5K max.

Now looking at all-in at Agadir in Morocco. Which is a lot cheaper than our max budget.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Currently looking at Marrakesh.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Booked Riad Andalla Spa in Marrakesh for Christmas. Thinking about planning an excursion and waking up on Xmas day in the desert.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Flights just been cancelled, they know something not public yet.

Rebooking for Budapest.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Hope you’ve reassessed your holiday clothes!

Concessiond must be made in these unprecedented times.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Budapest will be baltic! And quite grey in a communist kinda way. Lovely city, but yeah.

Any reason you poo pooed Dubai? Dad lived in UAE for 7 years and you can easily avoid the crass bits whilst still enjoying the 5/6* experience and seeing some culture, excursions etc. Even there it's not that warm in December mind.

As far as amazing goes, Israel is incredible. Haven't been to Jordan but heard equally incredible things, but it's not in the best shape at this present moment.

Isn't somewhere like the Maldives within your flight parameter?

Dubai was a no due to mixed reviews and human rights issues (she took umbrage).
Maldives is for another time, my Dad goes there every year with his wife, may join him next year.
Budapest will be cold, but we have booked the Anantara New York Palace and plan to eat a lot of good food and see the good bits. Plus, they actually celebrate Christmas unlike Morocco and we have changed our minds and think it would be nice to have a proper Christmas day in a realty nice restaurant somewhere. Not eating any carp though.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Best Christmas I ever had was a skiing holiday in Austria but you said no cold places..

Done that more than once Val D'Isere and Saas Fee when I was younger. Hoping to go next spring!

(we are now going to a cold place, Budapest).