The 5 Best Travel Books for Winter

Winter is made for getting lost in a good book, ideally somewhere with snow outside — or sunshine, if that’s more your speed. From alpine thrillers to warm-weather escapes, here are five great reads for the season, plus the hotels that match their mood.

BONUS: each stay includes the perks you get booking with a Fora Travel Advisor. Book a consultation and set up your winter reads today!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Set in 1970s Alaska, this bestselling novel follows the Allbright family as they make a fresh start in America’s wild northern frontier. What they find instead is an unforgiving landscape, a harsh winter that swallows everything in its path, and the growing realization that isolation can be as dangerous as the cold itself. It’s an emotional survival story — sweeping, atmospheric, absorbing. The kind of story best read under a blanket, somewhere snowy.

To tap into that remote-winter feeling without heading all the way to Alaska, stay at:

Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado, a restored ghost town of timber cabins surrounded by white-tipped peaks. Days here mean steaming hot-spring pools, wide-open mountain views, and the kind of deep quiet that makes reading feel even better.

• Fora Perks include a $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Lake Placid Lodge in upstate New York, where wood-beamed rooms, lakeside fire pits, and a cozy, cabin-in-the-woods atmosphere offer a softer (yet still wintry) setting for settling into the novel.

• Fora Perks include a $100 hotel credit, roundtrip airport transfers, a split of Chef’s choice wine upon arrival, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

The Paris Bookshop by Nina George

This charming novel follows Monsieur Perdu, a bookshop owner who “prescribes” stories from his floating book barge on the Seine, helping his customers heal through the magic of reading. It’s warm, wistful, and quietly uplifting — the literary equivalent of a wool coat, a good scarf, and a long winter afternoon spent wandering cobblestone streets.

It’s a perfect companion if you’re heading to a European city this winter, when streets feel warmer under twinkling lights, cafés stay open a little later, and festive markets bring a cozy hum to every neighborhood.

Château Voltaire brings all the atmosphere: intimate salons, softly glowing fireplaces, deep jewel-toned interiors. and a warmed-up Parisian mood that feels tailor-made for a seasonal escape.

• Fora Reserve perks include a complimentary aperitivo, welcome amenities, butler service, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Hôtel Dame des Arts, a modern, design-forward base in Saint-Germain with floor-to-ceiling windows, a rooftop terrace overlooking the city’s rooftops, and a lobby that always feels lively — but never loud — making it an ideal spot to settle in with a good book.

• Fora’s Preferred Platinum partner perks include a $100 food and beverage credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade whenever possible.

Wintering by Katherine May (nonfiction)

Part memoir and part gentle philosophy, Wintering explores what it means to slow down, step back, and embrace the quieter seasons of life. Katherine May’s reflections on rest, change, and renewal feel especially resonant in winter, when the world naturally invites a softer rhythm. It’s the kind of book you read with a cup of tea, pausing every few pages to underline a sentence that somehow says exactly what you needed to hear.

For a restorative escape that mirrors the book’s gentle philosophy, head to:

Canyon Ranch Tucson, where desert trails, sunrise yoga, and intention-led wellness programs help build real space into your days. The setting feels calm but not remote, and the schedule — whether you want nutrition consults, guided hikes, or just time by the pool — is as structured or as loose as you need it to be.

• Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, Arizona, a more accessible alternative with the same desert warmth. Rooms are bright and unfussy, daily classes range from stretch sessions to aerial yoga, and the thermal circuit is a quiet highlight. It’s an easy place to slow down for a few days and reset.

One by One by Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware’s alpine thriller drops you into a sleek corporate ski retreat where a team weekend is supposed to be all fresh powder and strategy sessions. But once a sudden storm rolls in, the chalet becomes its own little world — isolated, tense, and increasingly uneasy as old grudges surface and the group dynamic starts to crack. It’s a fast, fun, atmospheric page-turner that practically begs to be read somewhere cold, with the mountains looming outside.

For a setting that mirrors the book’s high-altitude glamour, check into Airelles Val d’Isère, a fairytale ski-in, ski-out lodge with wood-paneled rooms, glowing fireplaces, and a standout spa for post-mountain downtime. Mornings start steps from the slopes, afternoons drift into the pool or hammam, and evenings lean into the hotel’s refined dining and seamless service.

• Fora Perks include a $100 food and beverage credit, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa Gardena in the Dolomites, a polished family-friendly base in Val Gardena with easy access to the Sellaronda circuit and some of the region’s best skiing. Rooms are warm and comfortable, the award-winning spa is a standout, and the hotel’s excellent guides and ski instructors make it ideal for all levels.

• Fora Perks include a $100 hotel credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand’s island-set novel begins with a woman arriving in the Caribbean under difficult circumstances, only to uncover a life she never knew existed. As she starts piecing together the truth, she’s pulled into a new community, new friendships, and a very different pace of living. It’s light, addictive, and easy to sink into — exactly the kind of book you want in your tote if you’re trading cold mornings for warmer weather this winter.

If you’re heading to the islands, settle in with a copy at Lovango Resort & Beach Club, where you can read between dips in the island’s only waterfront pool, hop over to St. John on the resort ferry, or order lunch from your lounger at the Beach Club.

• Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay, known for its quiet crescent-shaped beach, easy snorkeling right offshore, and spacious cottages just steps from the sand — the kind of place where finishing a book in one sitting feels completely achievable.

• Fora’s Rosewood Elite partner perks include a $150 food and beverage or spa credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade whenever possible.

Whether you’re reading or listening to these books, switch up the cibe and slip into something warmer as you trek through the pages. Book your next trip with a Fora advisor to ensure maximum perks. Comment below with the book that most interests you for a free itinerary!