From Resort to Residence: The 10 Destinations Rewriting Global Luxury (Lake Como Included)

Marbella, Miami, Dubai, Lake Como: how seasonal getaways are becoming year-round residences for UHNWIs, and what it means for Italy.

Ten destinations worldwide are completing the same transformation: from seasonal holiday spots to residential cities inhabited year-round. Marbella, Mallorca, Aspen, Miami, Dubai, Palm Beach, the Hamptons, Whistler, Comporta — and Lake Como, the only Italian entry. It's the phenomenon my HNWI Trends 2026 defines as "from resort to residence": remote work, global connectivity, security and stronger educational offerings are turning these locations into the new capitals of a global lifestyle.

Why Lake Como is changing category. The report describes Lake Como as "timeless elegance": from an aristocratic getaway to a "discreet, refined, year-round residential destination, among the most exclusive in Europe," with historic villas, private resorts and ultra-private estates reaching exceptionally high values. It's a different positioning from Marbella or Dubai, both described as hubs of urban and financial growth: Lake Como competes not on scale, but on discretion — the same logic that drives most ultra-prime negotiations in Italy.

What to learn from the other nine destinations. The common pattern is the professionalization of infrastructure: international schools, cutting-edge hospitality, private residential complexes, coworking spaces, art galleries. In Palm Beach and the Hamptons, "seasonal demand has reversed, with residents living year-round in communities where responsibility and moments of pleasure coexist" — a model that Italy's market of villas and estates (Tuscany, Costa Smeralda, Lake Como itself) can only replicate if it pairs the property with the same services, not just the landscape.

Key takeaways

10 global destinations are shifting from seasonal getaways to year-round residences; Lake Como is the only Italian entry, positioned on discretion and elegance rather than scale; the common factor across the other nine is service infrastructure, not just landscape.

Frequently asked questions

What does "from resort to residence" mean in the luxury market?

It's the transformation of once-seasonal destinations into year-round residential cities, supported by remote work, global connectivity and stronger service infrastructure.

Is Lake Como considered a global luxury destination?

Yes: it's the only Italian destination among the 10 identified in the "from resort to residence" trend in HNWI Trends 2026, described as "timeless elegance."

What does an Italian destination need to compete with Marbella or Dubai?

Not just the landscape: the destinations driving the trend invest in international schools, cutting-edge hospitality and service infrastructure that supports year-round residential life.

Sources

HNWI Trends 2026, Denis Andrian — section 6.