Cleanest Travel Destinations: Cities With the Best Air Quality

Which travel destinations are cleanest, with the best air quality? Recently we had a client with asthma ask about this. But even if it's not for a medical reason, it makes sense to care about the air quality of a destination, particularly if you plan to be outdoors quite a bit, whether hiking, on the water, or sightseeing.

1. Reykjavik

Where to Stay: Iceland is more of an adventure destination than a luxury hotspot, but our clients have enjoyed The Retreat at The Blue Lagoon, particularly suites with direct access to The Retreat's tranquil section of The Blue Lagoon. And in Reykjavik proper, we reserve The Reykjavik EDITION with STARS benefits.

2. Oslo

Where to Stay: As with other Scandinavian capitals, Oslo isn't known for luxury. Hotel Continental Oslo is the closest Oslo gets to luxury, while THE THIEF has a more contemporary, boutique hotel style.

3. Melbourne, Australia

Where to Stay: Melbourne has some catching up to do with Sydney in terms of its luxury hotel market. At time of writing, The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, which we reserve with STARS benefits, has the best hard product, although service can be inconsistent. There's also the Park Hyatt Melbourne, which we reserve with Hyatt Prive benefits.

4. Niseko, Japan

Where to Stay: Although primarily known for its great powder during ski season, Niseko, on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, is also a great place to visit during cherry blossom season, summer, and for the fall foliage. For our clients interested in the quintessential Japanese ryokan experience, we reserve Zaborin. For those wanting ski-in, ski-out and/or a full service resort, we reserve The Park Hyatt Niseko. Check out our Park Hyatt Niseko video review:

5. Queenstown, New Zealand

Where to Stay: The adventure capital of New Zealand also is home to a beautiful luxury lodge, Rosewood Matakauri, which we reserve for clients with Rosewood Elite benefits.

6. Mauritius

Where to Stay: Our top recommendation is The Four Seasons Mauritius at Anahita, which we reserve with Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits. The resort is wrapping up a renovation and will reopen on November 1, 2025.

7. Hawaii

Where to Stay: Our favorite luxury resorts in Hawaii are the Four Seasons Lanai and the Four Seasons Hualalai, although we're able to reserve many other resorts with preferred partner or Virtuoso benefits.

Here's our Four Seasons Lanai video review:

8. San Francisco

Where to Stay: Despite gloomy news reports, San Francisco continues to be a great place to live and to visit. The Four Seasons San Francisco on Market Street is convenient to transportation and an easy walk to the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, which is home to the city's vibrant farmer's market as well some great food purveyors, such as Parachute Bakery and Acme Bread. Don't miss a walking tour with San Francisco City Guides, taking in sweeping ocean views walking or hiking the Land's End trail, or seeing giant redwoods at Muir Woods.

Here's our Four Seasons San Francisco video review: