freelance writer, travel writer, copywriter, author, editor
Remote beaches, primeval rainforest, waterfalls that drop hundreds of metres as they tumble and sparkle into the ocean, fluted canyons, sprawling cattle ranches, secret spring-fed pools where turtles graze and locals gather to ‘talk story’. And there’s the food! Hawai’i is so much more than Waikiki (and that’s pretty amazing). See the full story here
Mexico City – Distrito Federal, or D.F. as it’s known – is one of the world’s megacities, a sprawling metropolis with a richly layered history and a powerful sense of its own culture. Change is in its DNA though, so it shouldn’t really be a surprise that it’s not all mariachi bands and mezcal. But it is a surprise to find pockets of the city with a contemporary edge that snap well away from stereotypes. Design hotels in leafy inner-urban areas, international galleries, a culinary scene that owes as much to LA and New York as to myriad Mexican flavours, cool bars, and hipsters peddling past on hire bikes. Who would have thought?
Unless you’re here for an extended stay, the secret is to hone in on a few key areas.
Roma, La Condesa and Polanco are the colonias or neighbourhoods you might choose to start with, but don’t discount the historic centre, El Centro – even there you’ll find surprises.
For more about Mexico City and its boutique hotels see International Traveller magazine May/June 2015 edition.MEXICO hip hoods, design hotels
La Valise in Roma Norte – how clever is this room, (in one of just 3 suites) where you can slide your bed onto the balcony for balmy Mexican nights.
It’s certainly not new – the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have started the tradition in the Victorian era – but silver pots, tinkling cups and refined, bite-sized morsels haven’t lost their appeal. No longer just for granny or your great-aunt, high tea has gone to a whole new level, with French champagne, designer cakes, chocolate fountains, gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Madly delicious – Mad Hatter’s Afternoon tea, at the Westin, in Sydney.
For the full story see The New Daily http://bit.ly/1FjZf9v
Sometimes all you need is a weekend out of town to get things back in perspective. A cosy country pub or sleek B&B or perhaps a hip Gold Coast hotel will do the trick. For the full story see The New Daily http://bit.ly/W01wnM…and start packing
Amsterdam’s flourishing design and art world and the Amsterdamers’ distinctly independent spirit have inspired a slew of intriguing boutique hotels. For the fullstory in the May/June International Traveller magazine see Amsterdam’s New Dutch Masters – International Traveller
For those seeking something outside the box of a standard 5-star (or any star) hotel room these quirky hotels may fit the bill…
For the full story check othenewdaily.com.au/life/2014/01/08/interesting-hotels-around-the-world
A month in India last year was an amazing glimpse of another world. We took some time recovering from the crazy Indian roads in the old port of Fort Kochi and the backwaters of Kerala.
48 hours in Fort Kochi appeared in International Traveller magazine March/April 2013
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See the full story International Traveller – Fort Kochi Mar-Apr 13
