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The Ritz-Carlton launched not one, but two very Window Seat-coded collaborations this week. They’re partnering with MERIT to bring activations, personalized in-room services, and limited-edition travel kits to select North American hotels, while The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection launched a limited-edition sleepwear capsule with Eberjey (who we already know does an amazing hotel collab, thanks to my stay at the Park Hyatt Chicago). The latter includes three blue-and-white washable silk pajama sets inspired by the movement of the sea, available online now and soon aboard Evrima, Ilma, and Luminara. Both partnerships are united by the same commitment to thoughtful design and uncompromising quality, with products that feel like natural extensions of the Ritz-Carlton world rather than standard hotel merchandise.

United is introducing a new Economy Plus setup with no middle passenger, though for now it will be limited to just one row on each of its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The center seat will instead become a shared table, giving the aisle and window travelers more elbow room and a setup that will feel familiar to anyone who has flown intra-European business class, where carriers often block the middle seat rather than install a truly different cabin. Lufthansa and Finnair already offer versions of the concept, but United says it expects to be the first U.S. airline to formalize it this way. Pricing and booking details are expected later this year, and while the rollout is tiny, it is still another sign that airlines are finding increasingly specific ways to monetize the thing economy passengers want most: personal space.

Rosewood launched Guided by Rosewood, a new series of highly curated, multi-destination itineraries designed to connect travelers more meaningfully with the places surrounding its hotels. The first editions span Mexico and Austria and Bavaria, with the latter structured as a six-day journey through Vienna, Lake Fuschl, and Munich, combining Rosewood stays with experiences like private museum access, artisan studio visits, Alpine traditions, local dining, and time on the lake. It is a smart extension of the brand’s long-running “sense of place” positioning—and part of a broader shift among luxury hotels from simply providing a beautiful room to shaping the entire trip.

Furnishing an apartment is a long game, and lately I have been deep in the rug phase of it. I’ve learned that rugs do so much more than fill empty floor space; they can help define a room and can make all the surrounding furniture finally feel intentional. Rugs, for me, are one of the last pieces of the puzzle. I’ve been looking for some that bring in color or personality without overwhelming the rest of the space, which is what keeps bringing me back to Ruggable. The appeal is obvious: the designs are actually stylish, but they are also washable, which feels especially practical for a home I am still actively living in and slowly making my own. Thinking this number for my office space (pictured above)? What do we think??

El Cortés — Mexico City, Mexico

This hotel only just started welcoming guests in Mexico City last month, and I’m already desperate to check in. Set inside a restored 1915 mansion in Roma Norte that once served as a presidential residence, the intimate 15-room hotel combines stained glass, ornate moldings, sculptural furniture, Mexican art, and a deliciously moody palette of oxblood, warm wood, and muted neutrals. It comes from Namron Hospitality (the group behind La Valise) and is now part of Relais & Chateaux, with a scale and residential atmosphere that make it seem more like an exceptionally stylish private home than a traditional city hotel. Add a location within walking distance of Roma Norte’s restaurants, galleries, cafes, and boutiques, and this might be one of the openings I’m most excited about this year.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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In a steady stream of lifestyle content constantly coming at us from all angles, Diana-May stands out for one very simple reason: her immaculate taste.

Taste is a funny thing. It’s difficult to pin down—even harder to define—but you know it when you see it. And Diana-May has it. Her style feels aspirational without being intimidating, pairing high and low pieces in a way that makes getting dressed look effortless. Even her simplest outfits feel elevated because she understands the small details that pull everything together. And that same point of view carries over into the way she travels. Whether she’s checking into a countryside estate in England or a boutique hotel in Italy, you can trust that wherever she’s staying is immediately worth adding to your list.

Read on to learn how a recent health diagnosis changed the way she approaches traveling, the reality of balancing work and wanderlust as a full-time creator, and whether London or New York comes out on top after living in both.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a full-time creator living in NYC and loving every moment of it. My content revolves around my passion for travel, fashion, and all things lifestyle. I have a taste for special moments, places, and outfits that I enjoy sharing across social platforms and with the people close to me.

Looking at your year so far, you’ve already been everywhere from Switzerland to Sardinia. What sacrifices, tradeoffs, or priorities have allowed travel to become such a big part of your life?

The most notable tradeoff is the task of always being on. It is, of course, not required, but for the goals I want to accomplish, it is a necessary tradeoff. That being said, I make sure to keep a balance of screentime dedicated to work and time off from any screen. The second tradeoff would then be the time spent capturing and curating content during said trips. In order to work with these different hotels and brands, it’s helpful to show them the type of content I can create for them and the analytics behind. This takes away from the trip a bit by not being fully present all the time, but it all comes back around when I can also afford to take these trips as I please.

Having lived in both London and New York, what does each city do better than the other?

I always say pub culture is better in London and is essentially a third space for many people. However, New York nightlife and access to anything late-night (stores, food, soccer pitch, anything!) can’t be beat. I also have to shout out the tube and bus system in London. Definitely superior.

Your followers have come to trust your taste in everything from fashion to travel. What’s something you’ve learned about your own taste from spending so much time exploring the world?

I’ve certainly learned that it’s expensive! That being said, I’ve learned to care deeply about detail, service, and function when it comes to where I travel (hotels) and what I wear.

You’ve spoken openly about your recent MS diagnosis. Has it changed anything about the way you approach travel, whether practically or emotionally?

I actually think about this often! My diagnosis reminded me that I have truly been living a life that is worthwhile. I didn’t feel the need to all of a sudden start checking things off of my list because I am already doing what I’d like to be doing. Emotionally, I may be a bit more sentimental and really relish in the trips I take, but I’m so lucky to feel even-keeled about it all.

What’s been your most memorable stay?

I have to say Villa San Giuliano. The property itself is so stunning including everything it offers like the pool, garden, and tennis court, but it’s rich with history, which I think makes it even more memorable.

Is there a destination or property at the top of your wishlist?

The next time I am in Paris, I’d love to stay at the Saint James.

What are your must-haves when it comes to luggage and items you travel with?

I’ve used my Beis luggage for years, but my must-haves in the suitcase would be the Clarins Cryo Face Mask, Bose QuietComfort headphones, and Josie Maran Body Butter because hotels rarely carry a good body lotion.

What is your go-to airport outfit?

I will always go for a loose pant like the GAP Easy Wide Leg or J.Crew Luna Cotton Poplin paired with a white tee (usually Leset) or tank (Aritzia) and a sweater (Reformation cardigan or The Row Ophelia). If not that, it’ll be a maxi dress (usually Doen or COS), and of course a sweater.

Do you have any rules or rituals when it comes to air travel?

Not really! I just make sure to stay highly organized prior to my trip to make it feel as seamless as possible.

Last question: aisle or window seat?

Window always!!

For more from Diana, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Substack. Interested in being featured in Seatmates or know someone who should be? Drop me a line here.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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My favorite travel app just rolled out a massive new update that tackles the most stressful part of flying: layovers. Flighty, an app I’ve been obsessively using since 2021, now gives you a custom, step-by-step breakdown of your exact connection that’s tailored to your passport—telling you whether you can use e-gates, recheck bags, or skip security, with time estimates between gates. Plus, their new Gate Predictions tool forecasts your arrival/departure gates before the airline even posts them. If you travel a lot and still don’t have this on your home screen, what are you doing??

reported that cult-favorite beauty brand MERIT is teaming up with The Ritz-Carlton on an upcoming collection. All we can expect so far is jet-set-approved beauty designed for five-star carry-ons. Personally very excited to see what comes of this.

After two months of what felt like nonstop traveling, I am finally back home and aggressively trying to get back into some semblance of a routine. There is truly no better feeling than unpacking your suitcase for the last time in a while and channeling all that post-trip energy into a deep reset. Naturally, that spiraled straight into a spring cleaning binge and a few little home updates:

• Crisp cotton sheets: I came home from my last trip to brand new sheets waiting for me in my mailroom. THAT is luxury. These are my new favorites; ultra-breathable, structured, and give that freshly-laundered hotel bed crispness.

• Home Accents: I picked up a few pieces to both elevate my living space and add some function. Namely, a woven basket that keeps throw blankets neatly tucked away and a large decorative tray that’s the perfect size for my ottoman.

• Artwork: I almost exclusively buy vintage art, which means sourcing pieces takes forever, and I was getting so sick of staring at my blank white walls. Luckily, I finally found the perfect piece for a surprisingly tricky spot in my living room, and it ties my existing color palette together seamlessly.

Villa Magnan — Biarritz, France

Behind a monumental iron gate above Lake Mouriscot, Villa Magnan is the antithesis of a standard beach resort. A 1920s Neo-Basque estate originally built for Spanish nobility, the property lay sleeping under wild brambles for decades until it was rescued and restored by a film set designer and cinematographer. Today, it operates as an ultra-bohemian, 14-guest pension de famille set across three hectares of wild parkland where donkeys and peacocks roam freely. There are no TVs and intentionally no Wi-Fi in the bedrooms, forcing you into the kind of offline surrender that true luxury usually promises but rarely delivers. It seems like the antidote to cookie-cutter luxury, and I’m already dreaming up a French coast itinerary just to experience it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

When you spend that much time navigating TSA lines and living out of hotel rooms, your relationship with the products you travel with changes. Anything that isn’t absolutely vital or life-simplifying simply cannot be packed. Every single item on this list earned its spot through pure endurance after a genuinely brutal travel schedule.

As this is the third edition of my annual travel essentials list, I’m bringing back the key from last year so you can see exactly how my rotation has evolved:

• Still a favorite: An item that was on last year’s list and hasn’t been replaced.

• Longtime staple: Something that wasn’t on last year’s list but I’ve been packing for a year or more.

• New: A net-new essential from this year’s travels.

• Upgraded: I found something better and that replaced a pick from previous years or an old essential.

In-Flight Uniform

The alter-ego sunglasses (new): At this point, these have officially become my signature. They instantly make me look pulled together and awake, even when I’m running on three hours of sleep and an airport Americano.

The pleated trousers that secretly feel like leggings (upgraded): I recently discovered these and they are a literal cheat code for travel. They genuinely feel like you are wearing loose, buttery leggings, but they look like structured trousers complete with belt loops and pleating. Best of all? They don’t drag on the floor when I’m wearing sneakers. Absolute perfection.

The comfy base layer (longtime staple): It’s always this tank. It’s sleek against the body so it feels cooling, and it never rides up. I buy them in bulk.

The easy-but-chic footwear option (still a favorite): I always love a loafer when I travel. They’re easy to slip off at security if you don’t have PreCheck, and they elevate a casual outfit instantly.

The outerwear rotation (upgraded): I’ve always brought some kind of third layer on a plane with me, but this year I’ve been rotating through three specific jackets depending on the destination and weather: 1) a suede, drapey number to pair with denim when I need to look instantly chic the second I step off the jet bridge; 2) a sporty, zip-up twill jacket with a high neck for that perfect off-duty aesthetic; 3) a lightweight version of the high-neck zip-up for the summer months; 4) a sporty, soft-but-cooling zip-up for ultimate comfort on long-hauls.

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America’s 250th birthday is inspiring a new kind of bucket-list trip. United is seeing a surge in bookings to destinations that tell America’s story, from Philadelphia and Boston to gateways for Yellowstone and Acadia National Park. The airline expects roughly 6 million passengers to fly over the Independence Day travel period, and if you’re lucky, your flight might even be operated by one of United’s newly unveiled “Stars and Stripes” aircraft, a patriotic paint job that’s particularly fitting for the country’s milestone anniversary.

Five-star properties are increasingly outsourcing their lifestyle footprints. This summer, Alo is executing a massive Riviera takeover, embedding its brand identity into Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, Hôtel La Ponche in Saint-Tropez (a personal fav), and building on its previous resort debut at the Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum. It’s a full operational integration; Alo is absorbing everything from beach club aesthetics and property boutiques to curated fitness programming (partnering on beachfront Pilates and run clubs at the Martinez and intimate yoga sessions at La Ponche). For luxury operators, it’s a blueprint for a new era of asset utilization where hotels don't just provide amenities, but partner with outside brands to build entire lifestyle ecosystems. I’m curious: would a branded partnership like this ever factor into your decision-making when booking a stay?

Naturally, now that I’ve gotten a taste of the trail, I have completely lost my mind to the hiking algorithm. My feed is a non-stop loop of jagged peaks and pristine glacial lakes and I’m 100% here for it. I’m currently deep in the research phase of planning a major mountain trek for next summer and trying to decide between Banff, the Swiss Alps, or the Dolomites. To prepare, my online cart has basically become an aesthetic outdoor mood board, which you can see above.

If you’ve done any of these trips, please comment with your hiking tips, tricks, or trail recommendations. I need all the expert advice I can get!

Chez Georges — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Winding all the way up the cobbled hills of Santa Teresa, you pull up to an unmarked wooden gate that looks like a private residence, only to enter through a garage and board a glass elevator that climbs straight up the mountainside. This is the opening act at Chez Georges, a 1970s Brazilian Brutalist estate that turns the idea of a cold concrete fortress completely on its head. The architecture relies on soaring, raw arches, but the genius is in how the space is softened and warmed by deep hardwoods and panoramic views of the Atlantic rainforest canopy. The real kicker here, though, is that the entire house doubles as an active creative playground; it features a full, state-of-the-art music recording studio hidden beneath the pool deck, with every guest suite wired directly into the soundboard via built-in cable patches. If you ever need an excuse to spend your mornings listening to bossa nova on a panoramic roof deck overlooking Sugarloaf Mountain (twist my arm) and your afternoons hiding from the humidity in a mid-century design sanctuary, this is absolutely it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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As I’ve gotten older, something I’ve really gotten in touch with about myself is that I’m not really a resort person.

Or at least, I’m not the kind of traveler who enjoys sprawling resorts where finding a quiet corner feels like a competitive sport. My tastes tend to gravitate toward thoughtfully designed hotels that feel intimate and are a little more removed from the crowds. So when I learned my first-ever Rosewood stay would be at Baha Mar—one of the Caribbean’s largest resort complexes—my immediate thought was: could a brand so synonymous with a sense of place maintain that identity in the middle of something so expansive?

To understand the layout of Baha Mar, it helps to know that the sprawling resort complex is home to three distinct hotels: the bustling Grand Hyatt (the largest of the three by far), the buzzy SLS, and the serene, ultra-luxury Rosewood. Together, they form one of the Caribbean’s largest integrated resort developments, complete with the region’s largest casino, dozens of restaurants, luxury shopping, and more than 2,300 guestrooms.

What I quickly learned is that Rosewood doesn't just coexist with the larger resort complex; it acts as a private, deeply insulated sanctuary. Because the casino is architecturally separated at the center of the complex, it doesn't bleed into the Rosewood experience at all. If, like me, you’d rather avoid it altogether, that’s remarkably easy to do. Backed by private pools and a stretch of beach reserved strictly for Rosewood guests, the property provides an intentional, slow-paced respite that feels miles away from the high energy next door.

After three days on property, I left with two major takeaways: first, I was very impressed by my first Rosewood experience. And second, I gained a much clearer understanding of what the brand actually stands for. Rosewood’s greatest luxury isn’t exclusivity; it’s intentionality. Every experience, from the way you arrive to the excursions that take you beyond the resort, feels thoughtfully designed to immerse you more deeply in the destination itself.

The seamless welcome

In my opinion, the true luxury experiences always reveal themselves in the friction points of travel that a great hotel manages to iron out before you even notice them.

At Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport, that friction is erased immediately. Rosewood operates a dedicated check-in desk right at the airport terminal, so that within moments of clearing customs, I was checked in and whisked away for a brief 10-minute drive to the resort.

While standard check-in times across the Caribbean notoriously skew late afternoon, my room was fully ready for me at 12:45 PM. I stayed in Room 722, a Premier Ocean View King Room. The aesthetic is luxurious without feeling ostentatious, polished without sacrificing comfort, and layered with natural textures, curated Bahamian artwork, and a palette that lets the ocean remain the focal point. Even in the guest rooms, Rosewood’s emphasis on a sense of place is evident. The local artwork isn’t purely decorative; it reinforces the feeling that you’re in the Bahamas, not in another luxury hotel that could exist anywhere else.

The culinary standout

The best meals aren’t always the ones with the fanciest ingredients. More often, they’re the ones you keep talking about long after the plates have been cleared.

That was Meza de Juan for me, a monthly communal table held at Costa, Rosewood’s stunning open-air Mexican restaurant. Conceived by Executive Chef Juan Meza as both a culinary journey and cultural gathering, the experience unfolds over multiple family-style courses inspired by heritage corn, seasonality, and time-honored Mexican techniques.

Throughout the evening, the chefs and mixologists behind each course rotated through the dining room to personally explain their creations. Executive Chef Juan Meza remained with us throughout each course, but he wasn’t the only one telling the story. The bartender behind my favorite cocktail, The Milpa, walked us through the painstaking process of making a corn syrup from fresh ears of corn. Other members of the culinary team introduced individual dishes, answered our questions, and shared the inspiration behind their work. Before long, it stopped feeling like restaurant service and started to feel more like an intimate dinner party.

That’s what made the experience so memorable. Yes, the food was exceptional (easily one of the best meals I’ve had all year), but it was really the opportunity to spend several hours with the people behind it that elevated the experience from a great dinner to something far more personal.

The can’t-miss experience

If you’ve followed Window Seat for a while, you know I have a hard time turning down any excuse to get out on the water. Whether it’s snorkeling in the Cayman Islands, spending the day on a boat off the coast of Sardinia, or simply floating in the sea, that’s where I feel happiest. So it probably won’t surprise you that the resort’s Ocean Guardian Experience became the highlight of my stay.

Led by renowned Bahamian dive guide and filmmaker André Musgrove alongside a reef specialist from the Perry Institute for Marine Science, this exclusive monthly excursion takes guests on a five-hour journey by private yacht through the waters surrounding Nassau. A portion of every booking supports the Perry Institute’s Reef Rescue Network, meaning your morning on the water also contributes to protecting it.

Free diving through the BREEF sculpture garden alongside schools of tropical fish was one of those rare moments where I felt profoundly connected to the place I was visiting, not just as an observer, but as a participant. There are few places I feel more at peace than underwater, and for a little while, nothing else existed beyond the sound of my own breathing. It was the kind of travel experience that reminded me why I never hesitate to get out on the water whenever I can.

By this point in my stay, I was beginning to understand what gives Rosewood such a devoted following. The brand’s emphasis on a sense of place isn’t just something written in a brochure—it comes through in experiences like this, where luxury becomes a vehicle for deeper engagement with the destination itself.

(Note: If you are looking for a more easygoing morning, the property also offers Flamingo Yoga alongside the resort’s famous resident birds, which is a fun moment worth mentioning!)

The final verdict

Before arriving, I expected Rosewood Baha Mar to simply be the quietest hotel within a much larger resort. But it’s actually something else entirely. Yes, it offers refuge from the scale and energy surrounding it, but what ultimately sets it apart is how intentionally it introduces guests to The Bahamas itself. Whether through conservation, cuisine, or art, nearly every memorable moment during my stay deepened my appreciation for the destination beyond its beaches.

As someone who has never considered herself a resort person, I left Rosewood Baha Mar realizing I may have been defining “resort” a bit too narrowly all along. Done thoughtfully, a resort can be more than a place to unwind, it can become a meaningful lens through which to experience a destination.

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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Despite rising costs, 79% of Americans still plan to take a summer vacation this year, even as nearly half say one feels financially out of reach. Priceline’s inaugural State of Summer Travel Report paints a picture of travelers who refuse to skip the trip, they’re simply changing everything around it. More people are cutting everyday spending, relying on AI to hunt for deals, and making compromises they later regret (like staying with family instead of in hotels or booking connecting flights instead of flying direct). Perhaps the most interesting finding: the middle of the market is shrinking, with travelers increasingly falling into one of two camps—either keeping trips under $500 or spending $5k+, while the usual middle-tier trip continues to disappear. Yet another sign that the travel industry is becoming increasingly polarized between budget and luxury.

World Cup visitors are being encouraged to pack one very American souvenir. With the World Cup bringing millions of international visitors to the US, Kraft Heinz is leaning into one of America’s most unexpectedly iconic food obsessions: ranch dressing. The company has launched a limited-edition, TSA-compliant 3.4-ounce bottle designed specifically for travelers to tuck into their carry-on after discovering the condiment stateside. It’s a clever piece of destination marketing that turns an everyday grocery item into a travel souvenir, and a reminder that some of the strongest travel memories aren’t landmarks at all, but the quirky local foods you can’t stop thinking about once you’re home.

Somewhere between fly fishing and horseback riding in the Irish countryside and trails circling alpine lakes in British Columbia, I’ve somehow become…an outdoors person? This is an unexpected development for me, but I’m fully embracing it. The only caveat is that I refuse to sacrifice style in the process (hikers always look so cool!!), so I’m slowly building an appropriate wardrobe. This time around I really appreciated Stretch Your Story’s activewear sets (the leggings don’t budge—I’m never pulling them up which is a huge deal for me) and this windbreaker, which was the perfect layering piece at altitude while packing down small enough to easily toss in my backpack once the sun came out. I also have these legit hiking pants in the mail that I’m super excited about and am eyeing pretty much everything from this brand.

Rosewood Schloss Fuschl — Salzburg, Austria

Ever since getting my first taste of a true mountain resort in Whistler (more on that soon), I’ve been completely sold on alpine escapes, specifically in their summertime state. Naturally, I’ve already found the next one I’m dreaming about, which happens to be in the Austrian Alps, just 25 minutes outside Salzburg. Set in a restored 15th-century castle on the shores of Lake Fuschl, it’s home to a lakeside spa, alpine hiking, boating, and the kind of storybook scenery that makes a hotel feel like its own destination. If there were ever a hotel that could convince me to trade city life for the mountains, this might be it.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

When I have a trip on the calendar, a very specific problem of mine rears its ugly head: I need at least one new outfit for every trip I go on. Here's the other problem: I've been on 28 flights so far this year. The year's not even half over, and that's already more than I've ever taken in a full year. When I wasn't traveling this much, my shopping-for-a-trip habit was a manageable quirk. But now that I'm gone more than I'm home, it's become something I've had to get smarter about, because buying something new for every destination adds up fast, especially when you're packing for places you've never been and doing things you've never done.

That’s what made planning for my latest trip to Ireland interesting. It was my first time in the country, and I didn’t fully know what I was walking into. Most of my travel these days is for work, which means press trips and pre-planned itineraries with activities meant to highlight the destination I’m visiting. In many cases, this often means doing things I’ve never done before. For this most recent trip, it meant a fly fishing lesson on a river somewhere in the countryside and high tea in a grand hotel. I wasn’t going to spend a fortune speculating on outerwear and fancy blouses I might only wear once. So I did what I’ve been doing since 2011: I went to my favorite secondhand shopping site, Poshmark.

The case for shopping secondhand before a trip

Shopping secondhand for any special occasion seems like a no-brainer. But there’s a specific kind of pre-trip shopping itch that Poshmark scratches better than anything else. It’s not just the price (though that helps!) it’s really the thrill of the hunt. Finding one perfect piece before a trip, knowing it’s not going to show up on every “new arrivals” page (and therefore on at least five other people you know) feels good. And when you’re shopping for a specific destination or occasion, the search function becomes almost like a personal stylist. You can get hyper-specific.

For Ireland, I knew I needed a few things: practical outerwear that actually looked cool, and something with that slightly undone, tuxedo-shirt energy I’d been craving for a while: something silky and a little fluid, not stiff like my other button-ups. Both of those are the kind of searches where Poshmark really shines because the inventory isn’t dictated by what’s trending.

What I found & wore on my trip

Here are the two pieces that anchored my trip:

• A vintage Ralph Lauren tuxedo blouse for $20. I’d been wanting something exactly like this for at least a year now: slightly drapey, a little formal but not stuffy, something that had a little extra pizzazz. This was exactly it. I wore it to high tea at The Shelbourne hotel in Dublin, which was, appropriately, the most elegant thing I've ever attended in my life: porcelain teacups, a caramel éclair topped with actual popcorn, finger sandwiches, the works. I felt perfectly dressed for all of it, which is a lot to ask of a $20 blouse. This and this are both great similar options, and this vintage silk blouse is also on my wishlist.

• A Norba expedition anorak for $90. This one retails for around $200 new. I needed something like an anorak for fly fishing (very much a first for me!) and I had absolutely nothing in my closet that made sense for standing in the middle of a river without looking like I’d borrowed gear from a stranger. The anorak was practical, weatherproof, and looked intentional rather than accidental. That’s a rare combination to find, and I found it for less than half retail. Plus, it’s genuinely a useful thing to have in my wardrobe. If you’re in the market, this is a great fashionable alternative, or this one that’s under $100.

Both pieces took maybe an hour of searching total. And because I sell on Poshmark too, I was essentially funding the purchases with pieces I’d already moved out of my closet.

The bigger principle: dress for the trip, not the mood board

What I’ve learned since using Poshmark for buying new-to-me pieces for my travel wardrobes is that it’s actually better suited to trip-specific shopping than traditional retail is. Retail is built around selling you a specific season, whereas Poshmark lets you search for a fly fishing lesson or high tea or somewhere in between, and find exactly what those occasions call for without committing to a full-price piece you may never wear again.

But that's really what it comes down to. When you're traveling this much, the way you pack starts to reflect how intentional you are about everything, and shopping secondhand forces a kind of intentionality that panic-buying something off a new arrivals page never does. You're hunting for something really specific. You find it, or you don't, and you try again. But when you do find it—whether it’s a $20 blouse that's perfect for high tea or an anorak that's perfect for fly fishing in a river—it feels like it was always supposed to be in your bag.

And it all adds up, trip by trip, to a wardrobe that actually means something.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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United is taking a page from the luxury hotel playbook with a new partnership alongside Chef’s Table, the Emmy-winning Netflix series. Starting August 1st, Polaris passengers on select international routes will be able to preorder dishes created by 11 acclaimed chefs from around the world, including Nancy Silverton in Los Angeles, Tomos Parry in London, and Tashi Gyamtso in Tokyo. The menus are designed around each chef’s home city and paired with exclusive in-flight content that tells the story behind the meal. I’m very happy to see this because the meals I had during my Polaris experience were, sorry to be blunt, not edible. Overall, we’re seeing a shift in which airlines are increasingly borrowing from luxury hospitality and fine dining to differentiate their premium cabins, and it’s about time United joined the pack.

For those of us who have mastered the art of the Dyson Airwrap, international travel presents a unique challenge: it doesn’t work abroad. Fortunately, I think I’ve found the solution.

I’ve been testing a new styling tool by T3, which is essentially an Airwrap dupe with one major advantage: it’s dual voltage. I’ve used it on recent trips to both Italy and Ireland and it’s performed flawlessly every time.

Unlike the Airwrap though, it comes with a structured travel pouch that keeps all the attachments organized and securely in place, which makes packing it sooo much easier. At this point, I just keep it packed in my carry-on. In fact, it’s become my go-to travel styler even for domestic trips, which is probably the highest endorsement I can give it.

Cotton House Hotel — Barcelona, Spain

This pick was inspired by a renewed appreciation for Marriott’s Autograph Collection. I’m writing this dispatch from one such hotel in Dublin after a top-tier stay at another in the Irish countryside, and I’ll be checking out tomorrow seriously impressed. Impressed enough, in fact, that I’ve spent the week researching other Autograph properties worth earmarking for future trips. This is one of them.

Housed inside the former headquarters of the city’s cotton guild, the property leans into its history with soaring ceilings, grand staircases, and enough marble, wood paneling, and rich textiles to make you wonder why we ever stopped decorating like this. (Really though, haven’t we all had enough of sad beige hotels yet??) It’s just a few blocks from Passeig de Gràcia, but countless reviews mention how surprisingly tucked away it feels despite its central location. My favorite detail I’ve spotted, though, is the lush interior courtyard and leafy terrace, which seems like the perfect place to do absolutely nothing for an afternoon in a city that usually encourages the opposite.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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When Delta invited me to join its inaugural nonstop flight from New York to Sardinia, my answer was immediate and resounding, full-bodied, “yes.”

Not because I knew all that much about Sardinia. In fact, beyond photos of impossibly blue water and a reputation as one of Europe’s most coveted summer destinations, I knew surprisingly little about the island.

But I did know two things: first, Sardinia had long occupied a place on my travel wish list for it’s beauty alone. And second, as someone who spends an inordinate amount of time paying attention to airline announcements, the opportunity to be onboard a historic inaugural flight was too good to pass up.

So, I found myself at JFK surrounded by a crowd of fellow travelers eager to board the first-ever nonstop flight connecting the US to Sardinia. What followed wasn’t a comprehensive exploration of the island; I had just 48 hours on the ground, which was not nearly enough to understand Sardinia in full.

Still, in those two days, I crossed something entirely different off my aviation bucket list, spent a day sailing through some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen, and gained a newfound appreciation for an island that exceeded the fantasy I’d built up in my head.

Read on for:

• What it was like onboard Delta’s inaugural nonstop flight

• Why this island feels nothing like the Italy I expected

• The aviation bucket-list moment I’d been waiting years to experience

• The one Sardinian experience I’d tell every first-time visitor to prioritize

• All the hotspots on my list for my return trip

Read more

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Mandarin Oriental Bodrum and Jacquemus just launched what the French label is calling its biggest beach installation ever. Blue Beach is fully taken over for the summer with striped sunbeds, branded paddle boards, backgammon sets, and a 98-square-meter boutique stocked with the Resort 2026 Plage collection that’s all open through October. Bodrum is already on the radar of discerning European and Middle Eastern luxury travelers; Jacquemus gives it an aspirational cultural moment that will translate directly into content.

Chase Sapphire Preferred just got its biggest refresh in years, but is keeping the same $95 annual fee. Effective June 15th, Chase is adding 3x points on vacation rentals (Airbnb, Vrbo) and gas, doubling the annual hotel credit to $100, adding a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120 every four years), and tacking on Emergency Evacuation coverage—all with no fee increase. There is one catch worth flagging: the Hyatt transfer ratio drops from 1:1 to 4:3, effective October for existing cardholders. So if you’ve been parking points for a Hyatt redemption, (hi it’s me), this is your official notice to move them before October 1st.

Rosewood has teamed up with British artist and former Adidas senior designer Christian Jeffery on a limited-edition hand-painted jersey inspired by properties across its Americas portfolio. Featuring details like rosette millwork from the Mansion on Turtle Creek, cherry blossoms from The Carlyle crest, and oak leaves from Sand Hill, the jersey is the anchor of a broader summer program called The Spirit of Celebration, which also includes a new multi-destination itinerary series (Guided by Rosewood) spanning Mexico, Southeast Asia, Austria, and Bavaria. As someone who cut her teeth in creative strategy, I love when a collab makes sense strategically. Rosewood is using the World Cup as a cultural entry point without leaning into it too hard: property-level programming that feels local and specific, anchored by a collectible that connects their entire portfolio within a single object.

Paris Hilton is giving away a billion Hilton Honors points.

Six swim-worthy destinations in three months (Nassau, Sardinia, Sorrento, Grand Cayman, Palm Beach, Los Angeles) and more pool days, boat lunches, beach club afternoons, and hotel loungers than I can account for. I've packed and repacked the same essentials, which means I've had plenty of time to figure out what actually holds up in the water and everything in between.

• I’m really into ruched cup-style bikini tops this year. I love this butter yellow option and this white style. You can pair the latter with this skirt for a more full-out resortwear look.

• Sunscreen is never optional, especially on your face—regardless of weather conditions. For swimming days, I love this tinted one. If I need one to wear under makeup, this is my go-to.

• This is my pick for travel-size friendly body sunscreen, and I love packing this little facial spray to hydrate and cool down.

La Posta Vecchia — Ladispoli, Italy

Earlier this year, I finally broke the seal on Italy. I’d somehow never been (crazy, I know), but after trips to Sorrento and Sardinia over the last month, I completely understand why people become obsessed. So when La Posta Vecchia kept surfacing on my radar, I paid attention.

Even before considering the setting, the hotel comes with serious pedigree. It’s owned by the family behind Il Pellicano, one of Italy’s most iconic hotels, which immediately puts it in rare company. Set inside a 17th-century Renaissance villa on the Lazio coast just outside Rome, La Posta Vecchia feels worlds away from the city despite being close enough for a long lunch. You’ll be greeted by frescoed ceilings, museum-worthy antiques, seaside gardens, and the sort of old-world glamour that Italy, I’ve learned, seems uniquely capable of pulling off.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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How do you find the best hotels in the world? Not the ones you hear about most on TikTok or that happen to be the most expensive, but the ones with real character. The hotels you’ll still be thinking about years later. In an era where everyone seems to have a recommendation, knowing who to trust can be surprisingly difficult.

For me, one resource I’ve long turned to is Mr & Mrs Smith. For years, it’s been one of my absolute favorite places to discover and book hotels with a strong sense of place, thoughtful design, and that hard-to-articulate, elusive quality that makes a place impossible to forget.

Behind the brand is Tamara Lohan, who co-founded Mr & Mrs Smith more than twenty years ago after growing frustrated with a hospitality landscape filled with generic stays. In 2023, Hyatt acquired the company, and today Tamara oversees Hyatt’s global luxury portfolio, including brands like Park Hyatt (famously a favorite of mine), Alila, Miraval, and The Unbound Collection.

Read on to learn why she built Mr & Mrs Smith in response to a sea of cookie-cutter hotels, how she’s protecting the soul of the company inside Hyatt, and what she believes separates a beautiful hotel from a truly unforgettable one.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m Tamara Lohan. I founded Mr & Mrs Smith with my husband over 20 years ago because we were obsessed with finding hotels with soul, places that actually made you feel something. Hotels where couples went to reconnect, flirt again, stay up too late, order room service and forget what day it was. At the time there were too many forgettable places that treated travel like a transaction instead of one of the great pleasures in life.

Hyatt acquired the business in 2023 and now I lead their luxury portfolio globally looking after brands including Park Hyatt, Miraval, Alila and The Unbound Collection.

I’m still obsessed with hotels. Probably more than ever. The great ones reveal themselves slowly. They have layers, personality, places that couldn’t exist anywhere else. You remember how they made you feel years later.

When you first started Mr & Mrs Smith, what were you bored of seeing in hotels?

Cookie-cutter hotels that could have been anywhere. Endless beige, bland design and a lack of thought for the traveler and how to make their stay comfortable. Service that made you feel like you should be grateful to be there.

Hotels had lost personality. Everything felt standardised and stiff.

How do you keep Mr & Mrs Smith from feeling like just another booking channel within Hyatt Hotels Corporation?

Curation. That’s everything.

Mr & Mrs Smith only works if people trust the point of view behind it. You can’t just add thousands of hotels and hope the brand survives. Natasha, who is now in charge, has been brilliant at protecting what made the brand special in the first place.

What do you think is the most overrated “marker of luxury” in hotels right now?

Huge dramatic lobbies designed for photographs instead of people. They look impressive for thirty seconds then you realise there’s nowhere you actually want to sit.

Real luxury is comfort. Atmosphere. Good lighting. Spaces people want to linger in.

Anonymous hotel reviews are your whole model: the idea that a hotel performs differently when it thinks no one is watching. What's the most common thing hotels get wrong when they think they're not being tested?

It always comes down to service.

When a hotel knows you’re reviewing it, they can orchestrate perfection for a few days. The truly great hotels deliver that feeling all the time because the culture is right. Usually that comes from a brilliant GM who knows how to empower people instead of scripting them.

You can feel the difference instantly.

What’s been your most memorable stay?

I have a lifetime of memories after over twenty years doing this. The hotels I love most are the ones with layers to them.

Uxua Casa in Brazil is one. Every fixture, furnishing and detail has Wilbert Das’s creative eye behind it, but it’s all made by local craftspeople. Then you discover they’ve built a school to help local people into hospitality careers and created an NGO lobbying for more sustainable tourism in the region. It keeps unfolding as you stay there.

I also love hotels with real cultural history behind them. Hôtel Martinez on the Riviera shaped beach club culture in the South of France. It feels cinematic the second you walk in. Proper art deco glamour. Then you find out it’s still woven into modern culture and television decades later. La Palme d’Or’s renovation is fantastic too.

Is there a destination or property at the top of your wishlist?

This weekend I’m going to visit the new hotel on the Île de Bendor, which I’m excited about.

But the one I can’t wait to see open is the new Park Hyatt Mexico City in Polanco. It’s going to be stunning because it feels deeply connected to Mexico itself. The art, the design, the cuisine, every part of it looks like a genuine reflection of contemporary Mexican culture rather than a luxury template dropped into the city.

What are your must-haves when it comes to luggage and items you travel with?

Packing cubes and pouches for everything. I like order when I travel.

I’ve also become obsessed with Noble Panacea night serums because they are brilliant but also come in single-use capsules. Perfect for traveling light.

What is your go-to airport outfit?

For long-haul flights, I still wear an ancient pair of Vivienne Westwood trousers because they’re soft enough to sleep in. A cashmere cardigan that doubles as a blanket or pillow. And my own silk eye mask because airline ones are always terrible.

Do you have any rules or rituals when it comes to air travel?

I never drink alcohol on flights. I finish my work first, then I sleep or read.

And I never check a bag, no matter how long the trip is.

Last question: aisle or window seat?

Window.

You’re left alone, you can lean against something to sleep, and you control the light.

Ha ha I think this interview has just ousted me as a control freak!

Interested in being featured in Seatmates or know someone who should be? Drop me a line here.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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Ed. note: This trip was hosted by the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. As always, I only share experiences that I genuinely love, and all opinions and recommendations are entirely my own.

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There are trips you plan, and then there are trips that find you. My third visit to Grand Cayman began as the latter, an invitation from the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism with timing felt almost suspiciously perfect: five days on a Caribbean island dedicated to the art of slowing down, arriving just before my birthday and the start of a new year of life.

And I almost didn’t make it.

Four airports. Two planes. A lost bag. And then: an emergency landing for an elderly man—a cancer patient, I later learned—flying with his wife to what may have been their last vacation together. The cabin bristled with impatience: delayed connections, disrupted plans.

About an hour later, after EMTs assessed him and cleared him to continue, we took off again. He and his wife were moved into my empty row, where they settled into the two aisle seats.

Once we reached cruising altitude, the sky transformed. It was golden hour, and it had taken on this hazy quality that made it feel like we were suspended somewhere between reality and a dream. Pastel clouds stretched endlessly toward the horizon, glowing in shades of peach, lavender, and pale gold. I’d never seen anything quite like it. Naturally, I started taking photos.

Despite how enchanted I always am by the view from the window seat, no matter how many flights I take, sometimes I feel a little ridiculous for it and get self conscious. But then I noticed him leaning slightly toward the window, watching the sunset too. Pure awe on his face. It struck me that this man, who had every reason to focus on pain or discomfort, or uncertainty, was still captivated by beauty.

And then all I could think about was how lucky we were to be there at all. My hellacious travel day was put into perspective. The lost bag, the delays, the endless rerouting…my problems became very small.

We all need the occasional reminder that the opportunity to travel—to see the world, to share a sunset with someone you love, to board a plane bound for somewhere beautiful—isn’t something we’re owed.

Read on for:

• The hotel that’s become one of my favorites anywhere in the world

• The beach that has ruined almost every other beach for me

• The under-the-radar experiences most visitors miss entirely

• The wellness experience that ended in a room full of snow

• The spots I’ll be returning to on trip number four

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Orient Express is reviving the Grand Tour for a generation exhausted by rushed itineraries. Orient Express has unveiled its new Grand Italian Tours for summer 2026: six sprawling itineraries spanning rail, hotel, and sailing yacht travel across Italy and the Mediterranean. Guests will move between destinations aboard La Dolce Vita Orient Express, stay at the newly restored Orient Express hotels in Rome and Venice, and sail on Orient Express Corinthian, the brand’s forthcoming luxury yacht. The routes stretch from Venice to the French Riviera, Rome to Valletta, and Dubrovnik to Marseille, all rooted in one central idea that feels increasingly aspirational in modern travel: Italy is meant to be experienced slowly.

A very specific subset of people are having a great week: the aviation nerds who grew up on Pokémon (me). Nintendo and All Nippon Airways are celebrating Pokémon 30th anniversary with two new Pokémon-themed jets, continuing ANA’s long-running tradition of special liveries dedicated to the franchise. The launch also marks the 40th anniversary of ANA’s international flights, with the new red and green aircraft nodding to Pokémon Red (787-8) and Green (787-9), the original games released in 1996. Rimowa also announced a limited-edition sticker set, wheel set, and luggage tag launching June 2nd. The accessories are styled alongside the RIMOWA Essential line in Orange and Magenta plus the aluminum Original Cabin in Silver.

So, unfortunately, I suffer from the affliction where I need to always have at least one new outfit for every trip I go on. When I wasn’t traveling as much as I am now, this was a less expensive habit. But now that I’m gone more than I’m home, it’s become something I need to manage more. This is where my favorite secondhand shopping app comes in: I’ve been using Poshmark since 2011, and honestly, few things scratch the pre-trip shopping itch better. There’s something deeply satisfying about finding one perfect piece before a vacation, especially when you know you’re not gonna see it all over the place because it’s not on any “latest arrivals” page. Lately, I’ve been using it to hunt for fun skirts, vintage designer bags, and kitten heels, plus experiment with trends I’m not fully ready to commit to at retail prices yet (looking at you, shield sunglasses and capris).

It’s also become my favorite place to search for hyper-specific fashion cravings: a beaded summer bag in the particular flavor of the YSL summer one I’ve been lusting after, or a pair of vintage sandals that would otherwise haunt my brain for weeks. The authentication and buyer protection make it feel much lower stakes than traditional resale sites, and I love that I can also clear out pieces from my own closet to fund the next obsession.

The Hari — London, England

London has been calling to me lately in a major way. I’ve somehow never been, which feels increasingly ridiculous considering how many people whose taste I trust insist it’s one of the best cities to visit with all of its charming bookstores, pubs, hotel bars, great shopping, beautiful neighborhoods…the list goes on. The hotel currently fueling the fantasy is The Hari in Belgravia, which has built a reputation for polished yet unpretentious luxury. I love that it feels more intimate and residential than grand and overly formal, with contemporary interiors, a stylish terrace restaurant, and a location tucked between Knightsbridge, Chelsea, and Hyde Park that seems ideal for aimless wandering. Exactly the kind of place I imagine returning to after a full day of walking London with no real agenda besides seeing where I end up.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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Few hotels feel as instantly recognizable as Palazzo Avino. The pink facade, the striped umbrellas, the martini bar with 100 variations, the sense of romance suspended above the Amalfi Coast. Perched dramatically on a cliffside in Ravello, the Pink Palace has become one of Italy’s most beloved properties not simply because it is beautiful, but because it feels deeply personal. Sisters Mariella and Attilia Avino have spent years infusing the hotel with their own sensibilities, transforming a legendary family property into a layered world of art, fashion, vintage treasures, emotional memory, and unmistakable Italian glamour.

Read on to learn how Palazzo Avino became infused with “pink soul,” why memorable hotels are about emotion, not perfection, and what escape actually looks like for two hoteliers.

Tell us a little about yourself.

MA: I am a dreamer with a rational side. I live for beauty and love creating beauty around me. I love design and its different shades. I am a food lover, passionate about traditional recipes and ingredients. I love art and the way it makes me feel, although I am not an art expert. I love fashion; I think it is a strong art manifested in so many ways. I am a vintage ceramics collector and vintage clothing collector. I am obsessed with Valentino vintage pieces. I indulge in research in so many ways.

AA: I live between the rhythm of the hotel and the Amalfi Coast, where I was born and where I still feel most at home. At Palazzo Avino, I work across Sales and Marketing, but in a family property, the roles are never really fixed. You end up being part of so many different stories, from the guest experience to the way the hotel is seen around the world. What matters most to me is authenticity. I love beautiful things, but I am more drawn to places that have a soul. For me, hospitality is not just about perfection. It is about emotion, memory, and what people carry with them after they leave.

Your father built a successful hotel. You built a pink palace with a boutique, an art program, and a martini bar with 100 variations. At what point did Palazzo Avino stop being his and really become yours?

MA: When I started working at Palazzo Avino, back in 2010, it was the magnificent property it is but there was an imprint missing, a more personal touch. Thanks to my family who gave me support and trust, I was able year after year to infuse my soul in it from art to design to the food proposal, from the color palette to the umbrellas, from the boutique to the tableware. I was able to really make it the home I have always dreamt of and of course, more and more the sweet giant (what I call the Pink Palace) became full of pink soul!

AA: I don’t think it ever did. In many ways it will always carry his vision, his courage, his instinct. What changed over time is that we started adding our own layers to that story.

You have different titles and presumably different instincts. When you travel together, who's in charge?

MA: I am in charge of restaurants and shopping blitzes of course!

AA: I am the practical one, so I’m in charge of not getting lost!

You grew up on one of the most coveted coastlines in the world and never really left. Does that make you more appreciative of a place when you travel, or has it made you harder to impress?

MA: I did live between Rome, Milan and Lausanne before heading back home but there is no other place I would love to live!

AA: Probably both. Growing up here gives you a strong sense of beauty, but it also teaches you that beauty alone is never enough. The Amalfi Coast is extraordinary, but what makes a place unforgettable is the feeling it gives you.

You spend the entire season curating other people's idea of escape. What does escape actually look like for you?

MA: I love being home! But I also love to travel to exotic destinations! India was one of my favorite trips, and I cannot wait to go back!

AA: Silence, mostly. The season is intense, full of people and movement and decisions. So when I escape, I want something very simple. Being at home with my cat, a good book. That’s enough.

What’s been your most memorable stay?

MA: Singita Boulders in South Africa

AA: San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel. For me, a stay becomes memorable to me when I can still remember the scent, the light, the breakfast, how I felt in the room, and the people who made me feel genuinely welcome. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to stay with you

Is there a destination or property at the top of your wishlist?

MA: Fogo Island Inn

AA: Japan!

What are your must-haves when it comes to luggage and items you travel with?

MA: I am not an efficient traveler! I carry both a carry-on where I keep all my valuable items (bags!) and a checked bag. There are some pieces I cannot travel without: 1) my red lipstick by Mac; 2) a compact foundation by Mac 3) a mini bag where I carry my mobile and passport (I have a pink Mini Chanel which lately became my absolute must); 4) depending on the season, either Chanel ballerinas (I collect them!) or Valentino Boots

AA: Pink suitcase, always. My book of the moment, headphones, and a cap. I usually travel with at least one checked bag and a carry-on from Béis, plus my personalized Away carry-on. I like luggage that feels practical but still very me, and pink makes everything a little more fun. For my personal items I need something spacious. Book, headphones, beauty pouch, lip balm, hand cream, and all the things I convince myself I cannot live without.

What is your go-to airport outfit?

MA: I rarely wear jeans or a sweat suit, so I tend to keep my style even when traveling. I tend to use black more since it feels easier to match when traveling.

AA: Something comfortable with layers, because planes are always freezing. I usually go with black, but there’s always a touch of pink somewhere. Sneakers are non-negotiable when I travel. I want to feel easy and free to move, but still like myself.

Do you have any rules or rituals when it comes to air travel?

MA: I barely eat—this is the only thing I do and I do prefer not connecting to the wi-fi. Airplanes are the only space where it feels normal not to get connected and I feel it is a mind opener. I can think a lot when I travel.

AA: Before every flight I send a message to my family group chat and to my closest friends. It has become a ritual, especially because I am not the most relaxed flyer. Once I sit down, I fasten my seatbelt, put on my headphones, and go straight to my playlist. Music helps me feel a little more grounded before takeoff.

Last question: aisle or window seat?

MA: On long flight window, on short flights aisle!

AA: Aisle, always. I like to pretend I have some control over the situation, even though I clearly don’t.

For more from the Avino sisters, you can follow Mariella and Atillia on Instagram. Interested in being featured in Seatmates or know someone who should be? Drop me a line here.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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On June 7, three days before Copenhagen's 3 Days of Design festival, Delta is running a one-time "Flow State Flight" from JFK to CPH. Every passenger gets a curated "Flow State Essentials" kit, intentional in-flight programming designed to prime creative focus, and access to a dedicated Delta lounge inside the festival's Symposium courtyard. It also marks Delta's 35th anniversary of flying the JFK–CPH route, which gives the whole thing a rare double hook: milestone + forward-looking cultural play. This is one I hope I can experience!

Delta's JFK–Olbia (OLB) flight took off May 20th, making it the first-ever nonstop service from the US to Sardinia. The route was born from Delta's "Route Race," in which SkyMiles members voted Sardinia their top pick among three Mediterranean finalists. Delta is also launching JFK–Malta on June 7th, giving American travelers two previously unreachable Mediterranean islands in a single summer. Everybody say thank you, Delta!!

For five days only (May 22–27), KLM is bringing its most iconic brand object—the miniature Delft houses given to business class passengers!—to New York's oldest museum. Eighty years ago this week, KLM became the first European airline to launch scheduled transatlantic service, touching down at LaGuardia and changing the course of aviation history. Now, the airline is marking the anniversary with a limited-edition Delft house and a five-day pop-up at the New York Historical Society (May 22–27), where visitors can trace KLM's history through archival menus, in-flight magazines, and vintage footage, ending with the unveiling of a new miniature house modeled on the museum itself.

Rimowa's new global flagship, RIMOWA Köln Dom in Cologne, is the brand's biggest statement yet, and the centerpiece isn't the shelves. It's the mezzanine: home to the newly launched “Crafted For You” program, a bespoke personalization atelier where you can build any piece from the ground up. Custom-colored wheels, handles, personalized leather luggage tags, city-specific stickers, tailored finishes. It's a full luxury service experience built around the idea that your luggage should be as well considered as everything else you travel with (and I’m 100% here for that, personally).

I’ve been a Living Proof dry shampoo fan for years. Most people I know are, too. It actually works (meaning: no chalky residue, no sad flat hair), and I’ve kept at least one in my home and/or luggage more or less permanently.

They just dropped a limited edition sun-kissed pear scent and it is, genuinely, the closest thing to smelling like you’re on vacation when you are decidedly not. If you’ve been Living Proof-curious, this is a good entry point. If you’re already a fan, just get it before it’s gone.

Hotel Cala di Volpe — Sardinia, Italy

Designed by French architect Jacques Couëlle to look like a Sardinian fishing village, it's one of the great pieces of architectural theater in Mediterranean hospitality. James Bond (Roger Moore) stayed here in The Spy Who Loved Me. The international jet set followed for decades. The hotel has been renovated twice in the last decade: once by Parisian firm Moinard Bétaille (who also did the Plaza Athénée) and most recently with the Harrods Suite, a three-floor, 2,690-square-foot masterpiece designed by Harrods Interior Design Studio with an infinity pool on the roof that appears to spill directly into the sea. Dining includes Matsuhisa (the only Nobu in Italy, accessible only by boat), Beefbar, and the fine-dining Le Grand. The private beach is also boat-access only, which tells you everything you need to know about the vibe here.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

A huge milestone, to be sure. I took the biggest leap of faith of my life so far—quitting a cushy six-figure job to bet fully on myself and go all-in on a passion project with potential. Now it’s become something much bigger: a respected outlet with a real audience and influence. But typing that still triggers a flicker of imposter syndrome. Not because it isn’t true, but because I’m still catching up to the reality of my own life.

This month marks one full year of doing Window Seat full-time, which felt like a good excuse to pull back the curtain a bit: the numbers, the opportunities, the identity shifts, the things I still wrestle with, and what happens after you build the life you spent years fantasizing about.

Read on for:

• Exactly what I earned in my first full year, compared to the year before, broken down by revenue stream

• Why I turned down free trips to beautiful places, and why I’d do it again

• How my identity is changing and the aspects I’m still wrestling with

• Where I’m focusing my energy going forward

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Away and July both launched hard-shell suitcases recently with flat-opening lids and a single deep compartment, breaking from the clamshell design that’s dominated the category for decades. July’s Capsule Carry-on Pro flips open from the top (not the side), has a front sleeve large enough for a laptop you can access standing upright, a built-in AirTag tracker, and a one-button brake. Away’s version, called Topside, launched in both carry-on and checked sizes that include a dedicated laptop sleeve, wheel brakes, and a compression system. The clamshell suitcase has always been a little annoying with how much space the two unfolding sides take up while trying to keep everything organized inside once its closed. Both brands identified the same friction point at the same moment, which means we’re seeing a category shift more than just product launches.

Priceline Brought Back the Negotiator and the timing is perfect. Nearly half of Americans say summer travel feels out of reach right now. And yet 73% say a summer vacation is too important to skip. This is the tension at the heart of what Priceline is calling “vacation inflation,” and their answer is to resurrect one of the most recognizable characters in travel advertising history: The Negotiator (now starring Randall Park after an official handoff from William Shatner). The campaign anchors Priceline’s “Unbummer Your Summer” sale with discounts up to 60% off across hotels, flights, rental cars, and experiences, running across broadcast, streaming, and social all summer.

I just got back from a week in the Cayman Islands (my third visit!) and my first real beach trip of the season. Here's what actually earned its place in my bag:

• The scarf: I’m not being hyperbolic when I say a silk scarf is the single most useful thing you can pack for a warm-weather trip. I tied mine around my bag, knotted it at the waist over a simple dress, wore it as a headwrap on a boat…so versatile and creates zero extra weight in the bag.

• The wedge sandal: I know. Stay with me. The 2026 wedge is slimmer, sharper, and more proportional than the cork-and-canvas version that killed the category a decade ago. When a wedge is good, it’s the most comfortable, elevated shoe in a closet.

• The basket tote: Holds everything and looks great doing it. My go-to is this luxe braided leather version in a rich chocolate brown. It’s the kind of bag that works from the beach to lunch without needing a second thought.

• The Resortwear Set: I hate having to think about what I’m going to wear on vacation—especially on a beach trip—so I love a matching set moment. A well-chosen two-piece reads intentional without requiring any effort. Bonus points if you can mix and match the separates with other pieces in your wardrobe.

Lake Como Edition — Lake Como, Italy

The Edition's arrival in Lake Como merges the brand's minimalist, contemporary aesthetic with the region's classical Italian grandeur, and in a destination this saturated with old-world tradition, it's exactly the breath of fresh air the lake needed. The 148 rooms, 25 suites, and two penthouses are set inside a 19th-century palazzo in Cadenabbia, directly across from Bellagio, anchored by two restaurants: a sun-drenched terrace for long Mediterranean lunches, and Cetino, the Italian debut of three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco. The Longevity Spa rounds it out with a menu that runs from biohacking and LED therapy to DNA testing and bespoke sleep programming, which is either too 2026 or very necessary, depending on what your flight over was like.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.

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Six months ago, my marriage ended. Before that, passport stamps were always collected in pairs, and destinations visited were joint decisions. Traveling internationally alone was a novel idea.

And somehow, the first time I did it just a couple of weeks ago, I ended up in Sorrento, Italy. Which is, by any measure, one of the most romantic places on earth. I sat with that irony for about five minutes. But then I arrived at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. And arrival at a place like that feels grand, indeed.

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Spirit Airlines, the pioneering discount carrier that genuinely reshaped how Americans fly, ceased operations in the early hours of May 2nd. Even if you never flew them, it's worth pausing on what that actually means. Spirit wasn’t aspirational, per se. But it was important, offering cheap baseline fares that kept the whole market honest. They were the invisible pressure that stopped legacy carriers from pricing out an entire category of traveler. I worry this will no longer be the case. This is the first major U.S. airline in 25 years to go out of business, and the ripple effect won't just be higher fares. It'll be fewer people who can afford to fly at all.

Speaking of things leaving…Later this month, Delta is cutting onboard food & drink service on short-haul routes under 350 miles. We’re talking domestic hops like LA to San Francisco, JFK to Boston, and Atlanta to Charlotte. Delta framed the policy as standardization rather than a cutback: passengers on routes 350 miles and above will now receive full beverage and snack service, while shorter flights will receive nothing. (Delta First remains unaffected regardless.) Two things worth noting here: First, it positions Delta as the most restrictive among the three major U.S. legacy carriers on short-haul service. Secondly, Unfortunately for those who fly these shorter routes, you’ll need to take on the burden of curating the in-flight experience yourself.

Mother’s Day is coming up this Sunday. For the mother who travels in her imagination even when she's not on a plane, below I’ve curated a handful of things that bring the feeling home. And in the spirit of Taurus season (my personal favorite), these are deeply, unapologetically sensory:

• Perfume or Candle: A spring fragrance to mark the shift in season.

• Olive Oil: Opt for the personalized label so she thinks of her favorite child every time she cooks.

• Loungewear: Comfortable and pulled together. For travel days, slow mornings, and everything in between.

• Hand Creme: Functional, beautiful on a nightstand, and exactly the kind of thing she’d never buy herself. The perfect gift formula, IMO.

• Goose Down Comforter: Hotel-bed energy, without the hotel price tag. The gift that pays off every single night.

Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo — Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Family-owned by the Boustany family and steps from Casino Square, it sits just far enough from the performative glamour of Monaco to feel like somewhere you'd actually want to stay. With its landscaped gardens, Belle Époque lobby, and two Picasso lithographs in the bar, the Métropole is one of the most distinctive hotels in Monaco. Inside: a two-Michelin-star restaurant, a Karl Lagerfeld–designed pool anchored by the Odyssey for poolside dining, and a Guerlain Spa that is reason enough alone to book. It's Monaco without the theme park energy.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase (at no cost to you).

Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.