Swap knee-deep mud for five-star style

Whether your favourite musicians perform operatic vibrato or strum electric guitars, there are nearly unlimited music festivals to suit your tempo. From centuries-old English towns to the ocean blue, here are the places to go for musical flare – and luxury hotels to match.

Talk about a dinner and a show. Within the grounds of a Sussex country estate is the setting for one of Europe’s grandest operatic traditions. Beginning in May and ending in late August, the Glyndebourne Festival is a summertime spectacular with black tie dress, champagne picnics and some of the world’s finest opera performers. Drop by one of Glyndebourne’s numerous dining spots before the evening show or join the festival tradition of fine dining picnics in the specially extended intervals.
Here, classic operas and contemporary twists invite you to travel back to a time of fantasy and romance, of lavish costumes and tearful finales. Whether you fall in love with Il barbiere di Siviglia or are placed under Rinaldo’s spell, the whole thing a truly enchanting experience.
Stay at the Ashdown Park Hotel or The Grand Hotel for a short drive to Glyndebourne – and to continue the air of glamour.

In mid-January in the Córdoba Valley, the curtain rises on Argentina‘s largest folk festival. Having celebrated its 54th year in 2019, the Cosquín Folk Festival is considered one of Latin America’s most important and oldest musical celebrations. Learn traditional dances from local Argentinians. Listen to songs passed down throughout the generations. Or attend a poetry reading, hearing the words take up their own rhythm. With storytelling and artisan crafts on display too, Cosquín isn’t just a music festival but a glance into Latin American culture and its history. Come for the music but stay for the experience.
After the festival, fly (or go suite class on one of Argentina’s famous luxury coaches) over to Entre Cielos at the foot of the Andes for one-of-a-kind mountain views.

Jazz up your United States tour with one of the country’s music festivals. Located just south of Lake Ontario, Rochester, New York is home to world-class museums, headline-grabbing restaurants and one of the country’s finest jazz celebrations: The Rochester International Jazz Festival. Jive to the festival’s all-star lineup, with 2019’s artists including Patti Labelle and Steve Miller Band. For the more Jurasically inclined, Jeff Goldblum’s quirky band, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, are on the bill for 2019. Or stroll past one of the festival’s many free shows in the summer sun.
Drop by The Adelphi Hotel, an eclectic escapist retreat in Saratoga Springs. Enjoy modern elegance mixed with natural wonders after hearing those bluesy beats.