This week on The Travel Diaries: Unpacked, I’m joined by Lauren Ho, one of the world’s most well-travelled luxury hotel experts. Lauren is Travel Director of Wallpaper*, a contributing editor at Country & Town House and the Academy Chair for Western Europe for The World’s 50 Best Hotels.
Recorded just days after this year’s list was revealed in Paris, Lauren shares her reaction to the results, why Asian hotels continue to dominate the top 10 and which new entries she was particularly pleased to see recognised.
We also journey to AlUla in Saudi Arabia, where ancient Nabataean tombs, dramatic desert landscapes and extraordinary new hotels are putting the destination firmly on the travel map. Lauren shares her recent stay at Six Senses Amaala on the Red Sea and takes us inside her trip to Georgia, from the hidden corners of Tbilisi to Kakheti’s vineyards and traditional amber wine.
My Hotel of the Week is the newly restored Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, overlooking the impossibly beautiful harbour of Portofino.
Plus, in our listener Q&A, Lauren recommends the perfect luxurious but not completely bank-breaking destination for a special family celebration.
Destination Recap
- The Peninsula Paris, Paris, France
- Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
- Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá, Mexico
- Upper House Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing, China
- Rosewood São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy
- Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, UAE
- Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, Thailand
- Capella Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
- Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah, USA
- Monument Valley, USA
- AlUla, Saudi Arabia
- Banyan Tree AlUla, AlUla, Saudi Arabia
- Our Habitas AlUla, AlUla, Saudi Arabia
- The Chedi Hegra, Hegra, Saudi Arabia
- Petra, Jordan
- The Peninsula Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- FORESTIS, Brixen, Italy
- Villa Treville, Positano, Italy
- Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, Cannes, France
- Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino, Italy
- Six Senses Amaala, AMAALA, Saudi Arabia
- Rosewood Amaala, AMAALA, Saudi Arabia
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- The Telegraph Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Kakheti, Georgia
- Estelle Manor, The Cotswolds, England
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