Winter destinations with guaranteed sunshine This week, the daytime temperature in St John's hovered around 81F, there was a gentle breeze and the sky was spotted with only the odd isolated cloud. That pattern is likely to continue until April as the sun blazes down for eight hours a day. Flight time: Eight to nine hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/antiguaguide Barbados The climate here is similar to Antigua's, but a little warmer. The thermometer peaks at 84-86F until the end of March and you won't be holding your breath as you wade into the water: the sea temperature is a steady 79-81F. Our expert, Fred Mawer, recommends: The Coral Reef Club, on the west coast. It has the atmosphere of a country-house hotel in the tropics. Spread over 12 acres of glorious gardens, it delivers graceful, old-school luxury in a way no other Barbados hotel can. Rooms from £278. More information: telegraph.co.uk/barbados Dubai's "winter" lasts only about six weeks, and the desert city is already beginning to warm up. Catch it before it gets too hot. Currently temperatures are around 75F at midday, but in two or three weeks" time they will be above 80F. Our expert, Lara Dunston, recommends: The Grosvenor House, a cosmopolitan hotel that is on the beach but has a big-city feel: colossal lobby, plush rooms, sophisticated bars, and plenty of fine-dining restaurants. Rooms from £166. Flight time: Seven hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/dubai Cape Town It's high summer in South Africa now, and Cape Town enjoys a long, golden autumn with nine or 10 hours of sunshine a day. Daily maximums don't start to drop below 80F until the end of March. Our expert, Pippa De Bruyn, recommends: The Mount Nelson hotel, with its English colonial décor, dating originally from its opening in 1899. Charming, discreetly glamorous, the Nellie is a class act (unless you like only minimalist modernism). Rooms from £359. Flight time: 13 hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/capetown In the 70s Lanzarote The climate varies according to where you are on the island, but the warmest and driest part is Playa Blanca on the southern tip. Here, temperatures over the next couple of months peak each day at 70F or more, and there is virtually no rain, so humidity levels are deliciously low. Our expert, Annie Bennett, recommends: The Hotel Volcan, Playa Blanca. It's fairly large, but the clever low-rise design means it does not feel overwhelming or impersonal. Rooms from £117. Flight time: Four-and-a-half hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/lanzaroteguide Miami Expect daytime temperatures to peak in the mid-seventies until April, when the mercury starts to rise over the 80F mark. You might see the odd shower, but with an average of eight or nine hours a day of steady sunshine, you almost certainly won't mind too much. Our expert, Lucie Young, recommends: the newly renovated Betsy hotel (formerly the Betsy Ross) in the Art Deco district. It's small enough to feel intimate, but super-stylish and right on the ocean front in South Beach. Rooms from £203. Flight time: Nine hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/miami Marrakesh Winter temperatures in this desert city rarely fall below a daily peak of 65F, even though the distant Atlas mountains may be capped with snow. They start to break through the 70F barrier in February - a lovely time of year either to explore the souks and sights or relax by the pool, and the nights are pleasantly cool. Our expert, Alison Bing, recommends: the Ksar Char-Bagh hotel - a thoroughly modern castle, with architect-designed ramparts, organic gardens, moats meandering through marble floors, and all the 21st-century amenities hidden behind carved cedar panels. Rooms from £400 a night. Flight time: four hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/marrakesh Warming up nicely Cyprus Cyprus is the warmest island in the Mediterranean, but if you want to sunbathe on the beach, you would do best to wait until April. However, if you like the idea of long, dry, sunny days with temperatures in the mid 60s, you won't find a better bet so close to home. Our expert, Marc Dubin, recommends: the Almyra hotel on the seafront in Paphos, the nicest of the larger resorts. It's a smart, stylish, revamp of a former package hotel in an excellent location. Flight time: Four hours More information: telegraph.co.uk/cyprus