Where do footballers go on holiday? 10 Luxury Destinations around the world

Looking out over the treetops at Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita

Mexico

Mexico offers far more than lively beach resorts and traditional all-inclusive stays. On the Pacific coast, Riviera Nayarit feels greener, quieter and altogether more secluded than the country’s best-known Caribbean holiday centres. Jungle-framed beaches, warm water and an unhurried pace make it especially appealing to travellers who want sunshine without excessive attention. Meanwhile, the region around Punta Mita brings together sheltered coastline, golf, sailing and a growing collection of highly private hotels. For public figures accustomed to being recognised wherever they go, the space and self-contained nature of these resorts are integral to their appeal.

Stay at Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, an adults-only retreat set across 48 forested acres on a private peninsula. Its 15 tented bungalows have individual plunge pools, while the inclusive format covers dining, drinks and many personalised activities. Rather than following a rigid programme, guests work with personal guides to shape each day around movement, food, wellness or simply doing very little.


Dubai

Dubai remains a natural choice for footballers and their families. Excellent international connections, dependable winter sunshine, private villas, renowned restaurants and a hospitality culture centred on convenience make its enduring popularity easy to understand. Retired England midfielder Joe Cole described it in a Winged Boots interview as his go-to destination for winter sun, read Joe Cole's full travel commentary here.

There is little need to compromise once you arrive. A morning beside the Arabian Gulf can lead to lunch at a celebrity-chef restaurant, an afternoon browsing designer boutiques and an evening overlooking the skyline. Of course, families have waterparks, children’s clubs and seemingly endless activities at their disposal, while couples can retreat to sophisticated beach clubs, spas and late-night dining rooms.

The famed Atlantis The Royal suits travellers who enjoy theatre and scale. Its striking architecture rises above Palm Jumeirah, with expansive accommodation, destination restaurants and suites or penthouses offering private terraces and pools, while the resort’s beach setting and extensive wellness facilities also make it possible to retreat from the spectacle whenever a quieter pace is required.

Aerial view of one of the swimming pools at The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

The Maldives

Few destinations make switching off as effortless as the Maldives. Resorts generally occupy individual islands, arrivals are carefully coordinated and overwater villas provide a natural distance from other guests. Hours can pass without any reason to leave your accommodation, with butlers able to organise private dining, spa appointments and boat excursions. Former West Ham captain and Winged Boots client Mark Noble knows exactly why the Maldives leaves such a lasting impression: "When you look at travel magazines and you see the Maldives you think it's photoshopped and then you go there and it's not - it actually looks like that.” "I think the Maldives is the most beautiful place I have ever been". Active days might involve snorkelling, diving, paddleboarding or training in a sea-facing gym. Alternatively, the only decision necessary may be whether to swim before or after breakfast.

Stay at The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, a striking resort built around circular villas, clean lines and uninterrupted Indian Ocean views. Each villa comes with a private pool and dedicated Aris Meeha butler, allowing every detail to be arranged under the radar. The spa sits above the lagoon, dining ranges from relaxed beachside plates to refined tasting menus, and the atmosphere remains calm even when the resort is full. 


The French Riviera

The French Riviera has attracted sporting figures, actors and musicians for generations. Its appeal rests not only on established glamour, but on the freedom to make a stay as sociable or as discreet as desired. Mornings can be spent behind the curtains of a private cabana before a yacht carries you away from the coastline for lunch and swimming. Inland, vineyard restaurants and hilltop villages offer a slower counterpoint to Cannes’ boutiques and waterfront nightlife. Even at its most polished, the Riviera retains the easy rituals of Mediterranean life: coffee beside the harbour, long lunches and evenings that rarely need a firm plan.

Stay at Hôtel Martinez, Cannes’ historic Art Deco landmark on La Croisette. The five-star hotel overlooks the Mediterranean and has its own private beach, placing guests close to the city while providing a self-contained base beside the sea. Its light coastal interiors temper the building’s grandeur, and the beachfront setting lends itself naturally to leisurely lunches and drinks by the water.

Hôtel Martinez ranks among the world's most priciest places to stay. Discover more in our article detailing the world's most expensive hotels. 

Living area in one of the villas at Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino

Greece

Greece offers a markedly different atmosphere from one island or coastline to the next. Mykonos brings restaurants and nightlife; Crete combines beaches with history and dramatic landscapes; Corfu is greener and more classically Mediterranean. Paros, meanwhile, has become one of the Cyclades’ most coveted escapes, known for whitewashed villages, attractive beaches and a relaxed social scene. Former footballer and broadcaster Alan Brazil told Winged Boots: “It’s a stunning place to chill and the views are to die for – I definitely recommend it.”

Families and groups may prefer the breadth of Costa Navarino on the Peloponnese coast. The destination is home to four five-star resorts: Mandarin Oriental, W Costa Navarino, The Romanos and The Westin. Together they offer four signature 18-hole golf courses, numerous restaurants, children’s facilities, spas and outdoor activities, making it particularly easy for guests with different interests to holiday together.

Here are 10 facts we best you didn't know about the Costa Navarino development.

For an adults-only Mykonos stay, choose The Coast Bill & Coo beside Agios Ioannis Bay. Its 25 suites provide a quieter alternative to the island’s more animated hotels, yet Mykonos Town is only a short drive away. Direct beach access, sea views and an intimate scale create a useful balance between peaceful days and livelier evenings.

Discover more of the best luxury beach hotels in Mykonos.

Scotland

Football may be off the agenda for a few weeks, but sport often is not. Golf has long been a popular way for players to decompress, and Scotland remains one of the game’s defining destinations, even when blue skies cannot be guaranteed. Courses including St Andrews and Royal Dornoch can turn a short break into a memorable pilgrimage. Away from the fairways, whisky tastings, fly-fishing, clay shooting and Highland drives reveal a landscape that feels gloriously removed from stadiums and training grounds. Long-standing Winged Boots client Teddy Sheringham is a passionate golfer and has spoken to us about his love of Scottish courses in this exclusive interview. His ultimate bucket-list round, however, remains Augusta National in the United States, home of the Masters Tournament.

Base yourself at the world-renownede Gleneagles Hotel, whose 850-acre estate contains three championship courses: The King’s, The Queen’s and the PGA Centenary. The hotel also has a spa, two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie and an extensive programme of country pursuits, including falconry, fishing, off-road driving and clay shooting. Families can fill every day with activities, while couples may prefer spa treatments, afternoon tea and countryside walks. For greater seclusion, a staffed Highland estate or exclusive-use castle offers complete privacy, private chefs and activities arranged around your party.

Cosy living spaces with snow-capped views at Octola

Finnish Lapland

Lapland provides the sharpest possible contrast to a beach holiday. Snow-covered forests, frozen lakes and long winter nights create an almost cinematic setting, particularly for families travelling around Christmas.

Husky sledding, reindeer encounters, snowmobiling and private visits to meet Father Christmas deliver the anticipated excitement. Yet the quieter moments often linger longest: returning to a warm cabin, sitting beside the fire or looking through a glass roof in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights.

At Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, guests can stay in traditional log cabins, glass igloos or Kelo-Glass Igloos that combine a timber chalet with a glass-roofed bedroom. Selected options also include private saunas and fireplaces, creating a comfortable base for days spent outdoors. The glass provides a memorable view of the night sky, although, as with any natural phenomenon, an aurora sighting can never be guaranteed. For a considerably more private alternative, Octola Private Wilderness occupies 600 hectares near the Arctic Circle. Its exclusive accommodation, dedicated team and broad choice of bespoke activities make it especially well suited to families or groups wishing to remain entirely out of view.

Marbella

Marbella’s relationship with professional football is easy to understand. Accessible from the UK and much of Europe, it combines generous sunshine with villas, established golf courses, polished beach clubs, marinas and excellent restaurants along a relatively compact coastline. A private yacht charter changes the perspective entirely. Leaving Puerto Banús behind, guests can seek out quieter coves for swimming and lunch on board, follow the Andalusian shore or return as the evening lights appear around the harbour. On land, golf mornings, beach afternoons and late dinners create a holiday that requires very little advance planning.

Marbella Club Hotel remains one of the coast’s most distinguished addresses. Set within mature gardens beside the Mediterranean, it feels closer to a private estate than a conventional resort. Rooms, suites and standalone villas provide options for couples, families and larger parties; the Grand Villas include private entrances, pools and dedicated villa hosts. Then, for little ones, the year-round Kids Club welcomes children aged four to 14 for supervised outdoor, creative and nature-based activities.

Aerial view of The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, Saudi Arabia

The Red Sea

For seasoned travellers, Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast offers something increasingly rare: the sensation of encountering a destination at the beginning of its story. Clear water, coral reefs, desert terrain and architecturally ambitious island resorts define this emerging region. Diving, snorkelling, sailing and desert expeditions can be organised privately, while low-density hotels place considerable emphasis on space and personalised service.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez progressed from visitors to homeowners here, purchasing residences at Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Red Sea Global announced the acquisition in December 2025, noting that the island is accessible only by chartered boat or seaplane.

Here are 30 facts we bet you didn't know about the Red Sea Project, Saudi Arabia, we bet you didn't know.

Nearby, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort occupies a private island within the Ummahat archipelago. Its 90 beachfront and overwater villas each have a private pool and sundeck, with accommodation ranging from one to four bedrooms. Diving, snorkelling, watersports and signature St. Regis butler service complete a stay that feels both polished and pioneering.

Still got football fever?

For some families, switching off from football is not the objective. Watching the game at its highest level can leave younger travellers eager to spend their own holiday improving first touches, finishing and free kicks. A number of leading resorts now host professionally delivered football programmes, allowing children to train while parents enjoy the beach, spa or pool.

Selected Ikos Resorts are hosting five-day Football Escapes programmes in 2026, with coaching from UEFA-licensed staff and former professionals. Announced names include Anton Ferdinand, Joe Hart and Bobby Zamora.

Wondering which Ikos is right for you? Find your fit with our curated guide to the brand's acclaimed resorts.

At Sani Resort in Halkidiki, the football academy operates in association with Chelsea FC. Sessions are delivered by the club’s International Soccer School coaching team on a UEFA-approved pitch, with programmes available for young players of different abilities.

Forte Village Resort in Sardinia hosts the Fundación Real Madrid Clinic, offering week-long children’s training programmes focused on football techniques and tactics.

In Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel has also hosted Football Escapes camps featuring former England players, including Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen. As visiting coaches and programme dates change, availability should always be confirmed before booking.

For some travellers, the perfect holiday means leaving their football boots at home. For others, it means packing them first. Whatever yours looks like, speak to one of our Personal Travel Managers on 0203 816 0985 or enquire online, and we will make it happen.