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Spring is in full bloom across the northern hemisphere this month, while long-haul destinations are warm without tipping over into outright sweltering conditions you can expect of summer.
In Charleston, South Carolina, jasmine-scented streets and garden tours are at their most intoxicating; Limassol basks in early-summer sunshine before the crowds descend; and Kuala Lumpur offers excellent value just before the Southeast Monsoon season hits.
It’s a month of lighter queues, all-but-assured sunshine – but a definite lack of peak vacation crowds.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Average May temperature: 25-33C
After spending the day exploring the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, the food scene from hawker stalls to sky-high bars is reason enough to return to the city centre
Heat and humidity are a given in Malaysia’s capital, but May’s shoulder-season lull means there are smaller crowds at the Petronas Towers and more breathing room in the city’s kaleidoscopic street markets.
Dip between air-conditioned malls and neighbourhoods sprinkled with Hindu temples before escaping to the leafy calm of the Lake Gardens. Come evening, the food scene, from hawker stalls to sky-high bars, is reason enough to return to the capital.
On a budget: The Chow Kit
The rooms at The Chow Kit are compact but cleverly done, with parquet floors, brass fittings and Marshall speakers
Set in a once-gritty market district now finding its creative groove, The Chow Kit offers moody interiors designed by Brooklyn-based Studio Tack.
The rooms are compact but cleverly done, with parquet floors, brass fittings and Marshall speakers. Downstairs, the restaurant riffs on Malaysian comfort food; think kaya toast and slow-cooked curries.
Doubles from £58, thechowkit.com
Blow the budget: Banyan Tree
The Banyan Tree rises above the city, offering knockout views of the Petronas Towers from almost every angle, especially the vertiginous rooftop bar.
The rooms are vast and hushed affairs: floor-to-ceiling glass, deep soaking tubs and silk-soft linens. The infinity pool seems to spill into the skyline, while dining at Horizon Grill pairs dry-aged steaks with equally showy panoramas.
Doubles from £249, banyantree.com
Belgrade, Serbia
Average May temperature: 13-23C
Belgrade’s gritty edges feel less stark under spring’s fresh greenery. And stay out late: the famously spirited nightlife in Serbia’s capital hits its stride as the weather warms
Spring gives Serbia’s capital a welcome softness, with cafe terraces spilling on to pavements and the fortress at Kalemegdan basking in long, golden evenings above the Danube.
The city’s gritty edges feel less stark under fresh greenery, and there’s a growing creative buzz in its riverside districts. Stay out late: Belgrade’s nightlife, famously one of Europe’s most spirited, hits its stride as the weather warms.
On a budget: Smokvica Jovanova
Each room at Smokvica Jovanova is individually styled with mid-century furniture, bold textiles and stacks of books
Smokvica Jovanova feels more like staying in a well-connected friend’s townhouse than a hotel, tucked on a leafy street in Dorcol, one of the city’s smartest neighbourhoods.
Each room is individually styled with mid-century furniture, bold textiles and stacks of books, while breakfasts – which you can take in the courtyard – are a generous spread of local cheeses, eggs and homemade jams. There’s also a much-loved café downstairs drawing Belgrade’s creative crowd.
Doubles from £113, smokvica.rs/smokvica-jovanova
Blow the budget: Square Nine
Square Nine brings a dose of understated luxury just off central square Studentski Trg, with polished walnut, limestone and mid-century restraint.
Rooms are quietly sumptuous, with L’Occitane amenities and deep tubs, while the Japanese-inspired spa has a striking lap pool beneath a slatted timber ceiling. The rooftop bar is one of the city’s smartest perches for late-night drinks.
Doubles from £358, squarenine.rs
Limassol, Cyprus
Average May temperature: 17-27C
When staying in Limassol, venture out to the nearby Troodos foothills for wildflowers and cooler air before returning for sunset dinners by the marina
Early summer arrives ahead of schedule on Cyprus’s southern coast, where Limassol hums with beach life but hasn’t yet hit the high-season frenzy.
The seafront promenade is perfect for long, languid strolls between swims, while the old town’s tangle of lanes still feels pleasantly local. Venture out to the nearby Troodos foothills for wildflowers and cooler air before returning for sunset dinners by the marina.
On a budget: Odysseia Hotel
At Kapetanios Odysseia you’re an easy stroll from both the beach and Limassol’s old town
Sitting just back from the seafront, Kapetanios Odysseia delivers solid value with a refreshingly unfussy approach. Rooms are simple but bright, many with balconies looking towards the Med, while the pool area, fringed with palms, is a sociable hub.
Breakfasts are generous: expect hot dishes, pastries as well as local cheeses. You’re an easy stroll from both the beach and Limassol’s old town, too.
Doubles from £132, odysseiahotel.com
Blow the budget: Amara
It’s all about the views at the Amara. Framed by floor-to-ceiling glass, every room faces the sea – with the sweeping scenery best enjoyed from the deep, cushioned terrace balconies.
The interiors are sleek and low-key, letting the horizon do the work, while the infinity pool melts into the Mediterranean. Dining is a major draw, with the Giorgio Locatelli restaurant the best of the four in-house restaurants.
Doubles from £430, amarahotel.com
Charleston, South Carolina, US
Average May temperature: 21-29C
Spend a morning among Charleston’s tree-lined piazzas and pastel grandeur – especially Rainbow Row’s 13 historic houses
May sees Charleston at its most temptingly polished: warm enough for long walks, but still just ahead of the really sticky Southern heat.
Spend the morning among the city’s tree-lined piazzas and pastel grandeur – especially Rainbow Row’s 13 historic houses – and then head down towards the waterfront and the French Quarter, where a lazy afternoon can easily turn into oysters and live music.
On a budget: 21 East Battery
21 East Battery Bed & Breakfast occupies a row of historic houses right on the waterfront, complete with gently creaking floorboards, four-poster beds and original fireplaces.
The bedrooms are filled with antiques and period detail, while breakfast is delivered picnic-style to your door; think pastries, fruit and yoghurt to enjoy on a shaded veranda. The setting, overlooking White Point Garden, is about as classic Charleston as it gets.
Doubles from £195, 21eastbattery.com
Blow the budget: The Restoration Charleston
The Restoration’s rooftop bar, The Watch, is one of the city’s best sunset spots. The whole hotel has a raffishly bohemian edge
The Restoration spreads across several historic buildings on King Street, blending loft-style rooms of exposed brick and beamed ceilings with boutique polish.
Breakfast arrives in a wicker basket outside your door, while the rooftop bar, The Watch, is one of the city’s best sunset spots. Extras such as a vinyl library and nightly wine receptions give the place a raffishly bohemian edge.
Doubles from £381, therestorationhotel.com
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Average May temperature: 16-27C
In May the Beltline in Atlanta is alive with walkers and pop-up food spots, while the city’s museums and civil rights landmarks reward unhurried exploration
Before the full force of a Deep South summer kicks in, Atlanta is at its most appealing: dogwood blooms, leafy neighbourhoods and sun-dappled park trails.
The Beltline is alive with walkers and pop-up food spots, while the city’s museums and civil rights landmarks reward unhurried exploration. Factor in a flourishing dining scene and it’s easy to see why locals make the most of May.
On a budget: The Georgian Terrace
The Georgian Terrace is a grande dame opposite the Fox Theatre, its Beaux-Arts facade giving way to spacious, apartment-style rooms with full kitchens and high ceilings.
There’s a rooftop pool with skyline views and a long-standing reputation; this is where the premiere gala for Gone with the Wind was held. Downstairs, Livingston Restaurant serves polished Southern classics.
Doubles from £205, thegeorgianterrace.com
Blow the budget: Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead
The bedrooms at Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead are enormous – and the spa is one of the city’s best
Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead feels more Park Avenue than Deep South, set in manicured gardens with a formal, almost European sensibility.
The bedooms are enormous, many with private terraces and marble bathrooms, while the spa is one of the city’s best, centred on a serene indoor pool. Afternoon tea is a highlight, served beneath glittering chandeliers.
Doubles from £459, hilton.com
Mexico City, Mexico
Average May temperature: 12-27C
On no account leave Mexico city without sampling a tuna tostada at seafood resturant Contramar
May is brilliant in Mexico City – a month when you catch the capital at its warmest just before the summer rains properly muscle in. Anchor yourself around Chapultepec Park, with its 18th-century castle and magnificent National Museum of Anthropology.
Then, move between trendy neighbourhoods Roma Norte and La Condesa for the city’s best long lunches. Seafood restaurant Contramar still earns its legendary reputation: the tuna tostadas are the thing to order here – on no account leave the city without sampling one.
On a budget: Hotel Carlota
Hotel Carlota is a cool, concrete-and-glass bolthole in the Cuauhtemoc district, centred around a striking black-tiled pool. Bedrooms are minimalist but warm, with wood panelling, rainfall showers and locally sourced minibars.
The restaurant has a strong following for its modern Mexican plates, and the whole place has an artsy, quietly buzzy feel.
Doubles from £84, hotelcarlota.mx
Blow the budget: Sofitel Reforma
The higher you go at Sofitel Mexico City Reforma, the better is gets – particularly the 38th-floor pool with cinematic city views
Sofitel Mexico City Reforma shoots skyward above Paseo de la Reforma, and the higher you go, the better it gets – particularly the 38th-floor pool with cinematic city views.
Rooms mix French polish with Mexican touches, while the bathrooms, festooned with marble and glass, are a standout. The Balta restaurant and the Cityzen rooftop bar make the most of those vertiginous vistas.
Doubles from £576, sofitel-mexico-city.com
Lima, Peru
Average May temperature: 17-22C
If visiting Lima in May, base yourself between Miraflores and Barranco, where the Pacific is never far away
The fierce summer glare softens in May, but the Peruvian capital’s appetite has not. Base yourself between Miraflores and Barranco, where the Pacific is never far away and lunch is the day’s real event. This is the moment for long, ceviche-heavy meals rather than frantic sightseeing, and Lima does them better than almost anywhere: La Mar is the big name, while Barranco still has a slightly scruffier, artsy charm.
On a budget: Second Home Peru
Second Home Peru sits dramatically on Barranco’s cliffs, a former artist’s residence filled with sculptures, paintings and characterful clutter.
Rooms are simple but atmospheric, some with balconies peering straight down to the Pacific, while breakfast is served in a garden scattered with artworks. It feels personal, slightly bohemian and entirely unlike a standard hotel stay.
Doubles from £100, secondhomeperu.com
Blow the budget: Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel
With a polished restaurant and attentive service throughout, Miraflores Park is one of Lima’s most reliably luxurious addresses
Miraflores Park occupies a prime clifftop position, with all suites ocean-facing, designed for lingering over those vast Pacific views. Interiors are classic rather than cutting-edge, but the rooftop infinity pool more than compensates.
There’s a polished restaurant and attentive service throughout, making it one of Lima’s most reliably luxurious addresses.
Doubles from £584, belmond.com
Queenstown, New Zealand
Average May temperature: 0-9C
In May Lake Wakatipu looks glassier, the hills more cinematic and the vineyards of Gibbston Valley are superb for an unhurried detour
Autumn still clings on to its gold and copper tones during May in Queenstown, but the first proper bite of winter is already in the air.
Lake Wakatipu looks glassier, the hills more cinematic and the vineyards of Gibbston Valley are superb for an unhurried detour.
Ride the Skyline gondola for the panoramic views, then reward yourself with a fire-lit dinner and a bottle of superb NZ red from the adjacent Central Otago wine growing region.
On a budget: Sherwood Queenstown
Rooms at Sherwood feature reclaimed wood and excellent views of Lake Wakatipu and a restaurant partly supplied by its own garden,
Sherwood reworks a 1980s motor lodge into something altogether cooler, with a strong eco ethos and a creative, slightly rustic aesthetic.
Rooms feature reclaimed wood, wool throws and excellent views of Lake Wakatipu, while the restaurant, supplied partly by its own garden, is a destination in itself. There’s also a yoga studio and a small, but thoughtful spa.
Doubles from £174, sherwoodqueenstown.nz
Blow the budget: Hulbert House
Hulbert House is a meticulously restored Victorian villa just above town, with only a handful of rooms ensuring a highly personal stay. Interiors are elegant but not stuffy, mixing antiques with contemporary touches.
The garden and lake views are a constant distraction during the canapes and drinks served every evening, and the service warm and attentive.
Doubles from £484, hulberthouse.co.nz
Bologna, Italy
Average May temperature: 13-23C
Bologna in May is a joy. It’s warm enough to live outdoors, but not so hot that the city’s long porticoed walks become a chore
Bologna in May is a joy. It’s warm enough to live outdoors, but not so hot that the city’s long porticoed walks become a chore.
Spend hours under those Unesco-listed arcades, graze your way through the Quadrilatero’s cramped lanes of delis and market counters, then work off lunch on the great Portico di San Luca, whose 666 arches haul you steadily uphill. It is a city built for appetite, but also for lingering.
On a budget: AB Suite Innovative Design B&B
This is a playful, design-led stay where each room riffs on a different theme, from bold graphics to moodier, monochrome schemes.
It’s tucked just outside the historic centre, offering a quieter base, while breakfasts are delivered to your room with pastries, coffee and fresh juice.
Small, stylish and refreshingly different from Bologna’s more traditional options.
Doubles from £131, absuiteinnovativedesign.it
Blow the budget: Hotel Brun
The rooms at Hotel Brun balance original features with sleek furnishings, while the atmosphere feels intimate rather than grand
Hotel Brun pairs historic bones with contemporary flair, right in the thick of Bologna’s portico-lined streets. Rooms balance original features with sleek furnishings, while the atmosphere feels intimate rather than grand. Service is attentive and personal, and you’re steps from some of the city’s best trattorias.
Doubles from £338, hotelbrun.com
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Average May temperature: 20-30C
May catches Ubud in a sweet spot between the wettest months and the busiest rush, when the rice terraces still glow and the air feels lush rather than oppressive
May catches Ubud in a sweet spot between the wettest months and the busiest rush, when the rice terraces still glow and the air feels lush rather than oppressive.
Do the obvious things, but do them early: Tegallalang before the tour buses, Campuhan Ridge while it is still cool, then the Sacred Monkey Forest before breakfast starts sounding urgent.
Later, enjoy temple visits, markets and long lunches somewhere looking onto a gorge.
On a budget: Purist Villas
The Purist Villas feels secluded but not remote, with a small spa and attentive, low-key service
The Purist Villas is set among rice paddies and tropical greenery just outside Ubud, offering stand-alone villas with private pools and open-air living spaces.
Interiors mix Indonesian antiques with clean, modern lines, while the restaurant serves refined takes on local dishes. It feels secluded but not remote, with a small spa and attentive, low-key service.
Doubles from £154, thegiridestinations.com
Blow the budget: Tanah Gajah, a resort by Hadiprana
Located just ten minutes outside the town proper amid endless acres of paddy fields, Tanah Gajah combines top-tier luxury with top-tier art; the estate is the former residence of one of Indonesia’s most esteemed art collectors and designers, Hendra Hadiprana.
Made up of only 24 ‘club suites’ and villas, there’s an exclusive feel to the property only compounded by the attentive service, which includes private butlers.
One bedroom suites with club benefits from £261, tanahgajahubud.com
Stockholm, Sweden
Average May temperature: 7-16C
Stockholm in May has that exhilarating first taste of spring that northern cities do so well. It is also the month when the city’s island setting really earns its keep: crisp light, extra daylight
Stockholm in May has that exhilarating first taste of spring that northern cities do so well. Gamla Stan’s crooked lanes and gabled roofs are suddenly al fresco cafe territory again, the ferries look irresistible and Djurgarden is back in play for long, green rambles between museums.
It is also the month when the city’s island setting really earns its keep: crisp light, extra daylight and that sense that everyone has collectively decided winter is over – and it’s time to celebrate.
On a budget: The Winery Hotel
Rooms at The Winery Hotel are industrial-chic, with concrete, leather and warm wood, while the rooftop pool and terrace are lively in warmer months
The Winery Hotel sits just outside central Stockholm but rewards the short hop with an on-site urban winery producing its own blends. Rooms are industrial-chic, with concrete, leather and warm wood, while the rooftop pool and terrace are lively in warmer months. Wine tastings and a buzzy Italian restaurant add to the appeal.
Doubles from £109, thewineryhotel.se
Blow the budget: Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel Stockholm is the city’s grande dame, facing the Royal Palace across the water and delivering old-school luxury with precision. Rooms are refined and spacious, many with harbour views.
The Michelin-starred Mathias Dahlgren restaurant is a destination in its own right, and service is immaculate – as you’d expect from one of Scandinavia’s most storied addresses.
Doubles from £341, grandhotel.se
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