I Dream of a Farm in Africa

There are a few places on this earth where you just know, okay, this is it, this is the place. Whether you’re getting married, looking for an unforgettable place to celebrate a 50th birthday, milestone anniversary or simply in search of paradise on earth in its purest form, perhaps you might consider South Africa’s Babylonstoren…

Room with a View: The 900 year-old Tower that can be your Private Hotel Suite

Why sleep under the stars when you can sleep among them? In the Italian city of Bologna, (yep, that awesome place where spaghetti bolognese was invented), there’s a 900 year-old tower with panoramic views over the cityscape and come nightfall, it turns into private hotel for two. Taking hospitality to new heights, literally, the Torre Prendiparte can all…

My Somerset Goldilocks Getaway

This is me just doing a little bit of day-dreaming and today I’ve landed in Somerset, England, where I play the part of Goldilocks, who discovers an inviting countryside cottage through the trees, looks through a window, peeps through the keyhole, lifts the latch and proceeds to curl up in every room in the house… You’ve arrived…

Vintage Hotel For Sale, straight out of a Wes Anderson Film Set

On the off chance that anyone out there reading might be considering getting into the hotel business, I thought this little piece of local real estate news was worth sharing. Sent to me by a reader, I was immediately enchanted by the Opinicon Resort on the shores of Rideau Canal at Chaffey’s Lock in Ontario,…

No Summer in Europe will be Complete without a Dinner at this Sea Cave

I‘ll bet you can already hear the waves crashing up against the rocks below you and taste the salty sea on your lips as you slurp down spaghetti accompanied by a glass of cold rosé. You want to know exactly where this magical place is so you can promptly reserve your table for two with your favourite person…

Doctor Zhivago’s Summer Home is currently taking Reservations

Omar Sharif, best-known of course for his role as Doctor Zhivago, bought this cave house on the island of Lanzarote in the 1970s. It was love at first sight when he discovered it during a press tour for his film Mysterious Island. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get to keep it for very long after losing…

The Communist Chic Hotel, for all your Stasi Nostalgic Needs

There is a phenomenon that exists called ‘Eastalgia’ (or ostalgie), referring to a wistful longing for the Cold War era, Berlin Wall-separated, Stasi-policed German Democratic Republic of the 1970s and 80s. Seriously. The phenomenon has even spawned a bit of an industry catering to those with strangely fond memories of the short-lived communist state and its long…

Ace Hotel: The Rising Hilton of Hipster Accommodation

Comparing them to the Hilton hotel chain is probably going against everything they stand for, but you see I’m kinda hoping this flourishing collection of hotels, “held together by an affinity for the soulful,” takes over the world! So here’s a few things you should know about ACE, the self-proclaimed friendly hotel… 1. They’ve just…

My Little Lighthouse Hotel

For anyone else who has ‘stay overnight at a lighthouse’ on their list of things to do, meet me at the Saugerties Lighthouse, a two hour drive from Manhattan in the Hudson Valley. Ditch the car and walk a half a mile up the peninsula where the lighthouse will finally emerge from the tall grass, cut…

Off-the-Grid Hotel du Jour: Aire de Bardenas

Some hotels are just a little different from the rest. A futuristic Star Wars set meets zen-like luxury getaway; it’s not your average hotel recommendation. The hotel Aire de Bardenas melts into the alien desert landscape of the Bardenas Reales natural reserve, three kilometres from the city of Navarre, Spain. Architects Mónica Rivera and Emiliano López…