A new year has a quiet way of inviting us to dream.
Not in a rushed, bucket-list kind of way — but in a more considered, meaningful sense. Where would you truly enjoy being this year? What pace of travel feels right? And what experiences would leave you feeling refreshed rather than exhausted?
For many travellers, the most memorable journeys are the ones that are planned with intention. The right destination at the right time. The right hotel for the way you like to travel. And just enough structure to make everything feel effortless.
The Fairmont Royal York isn’t just a hotel—it’s a piece of Toronto’s living history. When it opened in 1929, it was the tallest building in the British Empire and a beacon of Canadian ambition. Built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to welcome dignitaries, royalty, and luxury travelers arriving at Union Station across the street, the Royal York has been part of Toronto’s skyline and social fabric for nearly a century. The hotel’s architecture is a love letter to the Châteauesque style: think grand marble pillars, soaring painted ceilings, and that iconic lobby clock gifted by Queen Elizabeth II herself. Over the decades, the hotel hosted world leaders, Hollywood stars, and musicians like Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington, who performed in the hotel’s legendary Imperial Room. In 2019, the Royal York underwent a $65 million transformation that smartly balanced historic charm with modern flair. The result? A hotel that feels both timeless and thoroughly up-to-date. The Gold Floor truly is an ultraluxe hotel within a luxury property…Only 104 rooms spread over 3 floors, they were taken back to studs in the last renovation. Now a dedicated elevator takes guests to a private check-in & concierge. Rooms have marble bathrooms, walk‑in showers (some have tubs too), aromatherapy via Skinjay pods, personalized Le Labo toiletries, plus the pillow menu. I’m a feather girl. But best of all is the lounge. The food was truly delicious (unlike the so-so options you often find) with an extensive assortment of top quality treats at all times of day…eggs benedict for breakfast and jumbo shrimp with a cocktail in the afternoon…you will be tempted to just stay especially on a cold winter’s day. The Royal York is now *Zero Carbon Building – Performance Standard™ certification by the Canada Green Building Council, proving that luxury and sustainability can indeed share the same stage.
So, you’ve booked a fabulous summer trip months in advance (hopefully with me!), and now Mother Nature has decided to crank the thermostat to lava. Congratulations—you’re now an involuntary contestant in Survivor: Heatwave Edition. Don’t cancel. Don’t panic. Instead, prepare to travel smart, laugh at your own sweat stains, and maybe—just maybe—enjoy yourself without dissolving into a sweaty blob.
Ah Kyoto… Japan’s capital for 1000 years, the cultural heart of the country and the city of 10,000 shrines. Largely ignored by the Americans, Kyoto survived WWII with more pre 1940 architecture preserved than the rest of Japan resulting in a magical mix of old and new. It is the home town of Nintendo, which started in 1889 making playing cards. And a foodie paradise. Kyoto has the same number of Michelin stars as Paris. On a less elevated side of the culinary game, signs for McDonalds & seven-11 are brown not bold to fit it. Highbrow or low, there is so much to keep to a traveler amused…some ideas:
Let’s face it, who to sleep with is easy. Where to sleep is the challenge.
A vanity project of emperors, kings and rulers that took almost 2600 years to complete, the Corinthian Canal is one of those fairly unknown, once in a lifetime experiences. The tyrant Periander floated cutting a channel through the 6.4 k (4 mile) isthmus back in the 7th century BC to save sailing all the way around the southern tip of Greece. He concluded it was too expensive and built a stone carriageway instead. Boats were carried across.
Mostly because it is so far… and this is what makes it so very special. The town of Churchill is remote…you cannot get here by road. Everyone and everything are either flown in or comes by train…a long two-days from Winnipeg. Seal River Heritage Lodge, Churchill Wild’s original resort, is 60 km north of town. A further 15-minute flight. It is the only way to get here. It is also the only way to get everything else here too, think fuel, food, staff. This is seriously remote.
And seriously wonderful. Only a few hundred people are lucky enough to get this far. What a treat when you do. Churchill Wild pioneered the walking Polar Bear Safari. The goal is to experience the Polar Bears on their turf with no impact, either positive or negative. Safari Canadian style.
“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes & all your money. Then take half the clothes & twice the money” ~ Susan Heller
I am the queen of carry on. Once upon a time BA lost my luggage flying London to Milan. I never saw many favorite things again, including a huge Hermes cashmere scarf. I swore I would never check. Well, real life… sometimes there is no choice. But I easily, and often go a month without checking a bag. I have some tips.
My travel must have? Well, credit card & passport. But after that… A scarf. My favorite brand? Hermès. 
I have used scarves as belts, skirts, curtains, face masks; even as a bag. But usually I use one, or two, to dress up an outfit. There is nothing like opening the distinct orange box to discover the Queen of Scarves. Whether tied to my purse, around my neck or draped over my head, a Hermès scarf adds instant glam and a pop of colour to my black & white travel wardrobe. I am not the first to discover this magic. This iconic product has been a hit since it was first made in 1937, 100 years after the founding of the House. 
Mathieu Germond is one of the world’s great sommeliers though it is likely that you have never heard of him. He doesn’t have a column in the FT, write books or appear on reality tv shows. But finding the perfect wine is Mathieu’s super-power. Tell him what you like to drink, your budget and what you’re eating. He will find the right bottle. He is a wine savant.
While others were building their personal brands, Mathieu spent the last two years building Noize, a gem of a restaurant offering the best of French cuisine and English ingredients in the burgeoning central London neighborhood of Fitzrovia.
Figuring out where to go is easy, figuring out where to stay is not. I have carefully curated this list of places to sleep. I have stayed in each and every one. I have slept in the bed, eaten the breakfast and visited the pool, spa or ice machine. I have chatted with the who’s who in charge. These are the places I recommend… you don’t need to know about the others! Trust me!
