Just One Suitcase

IRELAND | Ballilogue

18 February 2016 ♦

A quiet lane winds through meadows of Queen Anne’s lace and tall grass, arriving at a graceful iron gate that leads to one of the most charming places I’ve ever stayed. In County Kilkenny, near the pretty little village of Inistioge, the location of Ballilogue is perfect for exploring the Southeast…

DUBAI | Armani Hotel

17 December 2015 ♦

DON’T MISS

Oh yes I did. I used my travel blogger status to score a press rate in the crème de la crème of hotels in Dubai. The one and only hotel that resides in the world’s highest tower, the Burj Khalifa. The height of luxury from one of the world’s most…

Glasgow | Citizen M Hotel

12 April 2014 ♦

DON’T MISS

A last minute hotel booking in Glasgow introduced me to a groovy new breed of hotel called Citizen M. With a splashy contemporary design and a dose of humor, Citizen M was developed to provide affordable luxury accommodation to the “mobile citizens of the world.” From their website: “Mobile citizens include…

Scotland | Why I Went to Kirkcudbright, Part Two | Glenholme Country House

3 January 2014 ♦

STORIES

It took me four somewhat dicey hours to get to Kircudbright, Scotland, only to find there was, literally, nothing to do there. Here’s the thing about travel: No trip is ever wasted. Somewhere along the way, you’re bound to meet someone interesting, or see something intriguing, or find inspiration in…

Edinburgh | One Royal Circus

14 October 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

Technically, One Royal Circus falls into the category of “bed and breakfast,” but it’s not like any bed and breakfast I’ve ever stayed in…it’s more like being a guest in the fabulous house of very hip friends. In 1823, renowned Scottish architect, William Henry Playfair, designed the Royal Circus, an…

COOL HOTELS | Bordeaux | La Maison Bord’eaux

26 August 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

Behind an unassuming gray door (you’d miss it if you didn’t know it was there) on a quiet backstreet, is La Maison Bord’eaux, a stunning boutique hotel in Bordeaux, France. Within this typical 18th century limestone building, is a playfully designed contemporary interior. Thierry, the manager, opens the door with…

COOL HOTELS | Budapest | Hotel Palazzo Zichy

19 August 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

I have learned that a hotel can set the whole mood for the experience in a foreign city. Hotel Palazzo Zichy, in Budapest, is a perfect example of a “great experience” hotel. The 19th century building was the former home of Hungarian noble, Count Nándor Zichy. In the brief biography…

COOL HOTELS | Domincan Republic | Eden Roc Cap Cana

12 August 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

Two words. Paradise found. The Eden Roc Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic, is the best beach vacation I’ve ever had. To make clear just how blissful it really was, this is our private pool. And this is our very own villa. I don’t usually write about beach vacations, but…

COOL HOTELS | London | Number Sixteen

5 August 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

I love this hotel. I want to live in this hotel. I won’t go to London unless I can stay in this hotel. At 16 Sumner Place, in the South Kensington neighborhood of London, in a row of white houses that all look the same, is Hotel Number Sixteen. There’s…

COOL HOTELS | Madrid | Casa de Madrid

29 July 2013 ♦

DON’T MISS

It’s like staying in the home of a well-traveled, aristocratic aunt. Casa de Madrid is located in a landmark 18th century building across from Madrid’s Royal Opera House. Massive ornate doors lead to a diminutive elevator, and up to the apartment of Marta Medina: art historian, architect, curator, designer, and…