Travel Dreamscapes – by Yolanda Edwards

For our first publish of the brand new yr, I believed it will be second to consider what impressed us from our and our contributors’ travels (wanting again), and all of the issues we’re enthusiastic about and hoping to do that yr (wanting forward). One of many nice issues about our small staff right here at Yolo is that all of us have very completely different pursuits—very complimentary, however we aren’t all attempting to go to the identical locations. So when considered one of us comes again and shares their expertise, or we create a Black Book, List, or Travel Planner on a spot that’s new to somebody on the staff, considered one of us will inevitably say: I had no concept I’d wish to go there till engaged on this story. That’s the magic of journey—usually the explanation why we aren’t dying to go someplace is often because we don’t have the within monitor on it. —Y.E.

Looking Back

I barely scratched the floor of Corsica on our whirlwind four-day journey final September, and I’m already plotting a return for my birthday this yr. Brussels was meant to be a comfy lengthy winter weekend for me and my husband—we stayed on the beautiful and simply opened Corinthia, and had some nice meals deliberate—till I caught some terrible flu and spent many of the weekend in mattress. I’d love to return and expertise the lodge in its absolutely opened glory—the bar and and spa weren’t prepared once we have been there, and I wish to go to Au Vieux Saint Martin for the Filet Americain (their tackle a steak tartare), which I missed out on, however definitely heard all about from Matt who dined there solo. We revealed an epic Hong Kong Black Book with intel from an incredible lineup of contributors, which obtained me so excited, and on the simpler aspect of issues, I cherished this story from Robin Helman on exploring the Hudson Valley—no automotive required.

Looking Ahead

If I’ve screenshotted a spot from somebody’s IG Stories, and after researching it, it nonetheless holds up, I’m going. One such place was The Old Swiss House in Lucerne that I noticed on my pal Zach’s feed. Look at that wienerschnitzel! And the decor! I’ll be discovering a approach to detour there sooner or later. On my dream-into-doing checklist, I’m heading to Jaipur and Sujan Sher Bagh in simply 10 days (first journey to India!), going to Mayr Life in Austria in February (additionally a primary!), and nonetheless engaged on my plans this spring for Singapore and Hong Kong, adopted by a few days in Tokyo, and ending in Hokkaido. (This will likely be a Packing List for certain–all of the completely different climates and actions in a single journey!) Places I’ve not but plotted out however certain hope they occur this yr: Formentera! Kastellorizo! Georgia (the nation, not the state)! Australia! Botswana! And lastly, I actually need to get again to considered one of my favourite accommodations that I reference so usually, however haven’t been to since 2015, the Villa Feltrinelli.

Alex Postman – Yolo’s Deputy Editor

Looking Back

I do love a highway journey! Particularly a West Coast drive, just like the one I took final spring up the Sonoma Coast to Mendocino. This yr I’m gunning to move south, impressed by the Baja Road Trip Annie Parr and Tim Parr wrote up for us final yr. Stopping off first south of the border within the Valle de Guadalupe, the Tuscany of Mexico, for winery visits (there’ll be a shnitzy new stick with the newest Chable opening in the Valle); then persevering with south to Baja Sur, the place I’d like to make it to considered one of Annie’s dance/yoga/motion retreats at their place El Campo in El Pescadero; and staying on for barefoot-on-the-beach tacos and beers at Hotel San Cristobal in Todos Santos, guided by Chip Conley’s Southern Baja List.

I used to assume I will need to have Irish blood (although 23&Me insists in any other case!)—I went a number of instances in my 20s, known as by the soulfulness of the language and literature, real heat of the folks, nice craics within the pubs, and otherworldly landscapes, from the lunaresque Burren to the wind-lashed cliffs of Donegal. And then, weirdly, I didn’t return for many years! But I believe it’s time, sparked by a set of tales we did in September, a wonderful time to go: the Connemara List by Maria Murphy and Lorna Kissane, who based Within the Village and describe picturesque drives previous fishing villages and scenic loughs; a Dispatch from Galway by The Tweed Project co-founder Aoibheann McNamara, who describes the pleasures of the Driftwood Sauna in Spiddal after a swim. And what I wouldn’t give to remain in Glin Castle, essentially the most enchanting sounding house of Catherine FitzGerald and Dominic West!

This little sleeper of a narrative we did final yr, an “Armchair Traveler” with Melissa M. Martin, cookbook writer and chef-owner of New Orleans’ Mosquito Supper Club, had me dreaming of the Louisiana Bayou: a fried po’boy at Ceana’s in Bayou Grand Caillou or boiled seafood at Higgins in Lafitte, adopted by a swamp stroll recognizing blue herons… and sleeping beneath the tent of kudzu at Moon Over Bayou cottage in Franklin. Bookended by a few days within the Big Easy, cherry-picking from our New Orleans Black Book.

Looking Ahead

Ever since watching The Clouds of Sils Maria—a layered meditation on feminine ambition and growing older, with stellar performances by Juliette Binoche and Kirsten Stewart and a hypnotic supporting flip by the jagged Swiss Alpine panorama—I’ve been a little bit bewitched by the thought of the Engadine, a area that has lengthy lured creatives from Nietzsche to Proust. So I used to be excited to listen to concerning the opening of Chesa Marchetta, a property that pairs a 16^th-century guesthouse with a small however celebrated restaurant, newly acquired by Artfarm, the hospitality arm of Hauser & Wirth, co-founded by Iwan and Manuela Wirth. The 13-room lodge (plus a 3-BR home) was renovated by Luis Laplace, retaining that quietly Swiss sense of understatement, layered with antiques and Swiss pine. It reopened final week with a refreshed restaurant whose components are all native or foraged—remarkably, the very one the place Iwan and Manuela had their first date! Hoping I make it there!

I admit Oman is just not a spot that has labored its means onto my want checklist—till now. That’s due to the arrival of The Malkai, an bold venture launching this spring that creates a circuit in areas of the Sultanate which have by no means been uncovered to tourism. Created by the household that owns the beloved Chedi Muscat, this route will hyperlink three wildly completely different landscapes—Barkaa’s date-palm shaded farmlands, the Al Hajar mountains echoing with the calls of goatherds, and the distant dunes of Sharquiyah. Each website could have 15 tented suites resembling Bedouin tents and will likely be related by Land Rover Defender, within the firm of your private “murshid” or information. Ending in Muscat, the place I’d wander the pastel buildings of the outdated metropolis and gaze up on the gargantuan chandelier on the Sultan Qaboos (Grand Mosque).

September normally finds me in Marrakech on the annual Pure journey present. I normally attempt to tack one thing on to the entrance or again of my journey (final yr I visited Casablanca, which was so unexpectedly cool!). This yr I wish to detour to Fes—partly, admittedly, as a result of a pal with superb style arrived in Marrakech with a duffel stuffed with essentially the most lovely and refined hand-sewn mattress linens, and I’ve been hankering to replace ours. But additionally as a result of I completely love shedding myself within the disorienting labyrinth of an outdated medina, like an IRL mythological journey, and Fes’—with its 9,000 slim lanes trod by donkeys and lined with centuries-old tanneries, metallic staff and spice retailers—may truly require letting out a spool of thread to search out my means out! (Or… I’ll rent an attuned information from Inclusive Morocco.) I’d keep both on the Jardin des Biehn, a family-owned riad that’s house to a set of textiles and ornamental objects belonging to a French antiques supplier, or (if the timing works out) splurging for an evening or two at Palais Jamaï Fès, a 19^th-century Moorish-style lodge that Royal Mansour is remaking and opening later this yr.

Clara Hranek – Yolo’s social media and affiliate editor

Looking Back

After having spent Christmas upstate once more this yr, I’m dreaming again to my time there final week, in addition to my fondest reminiscences there throughout all seasons. As I’m certain the remainder of my household will agree, our home in Sullivan County NY is admittedly our joyful place, and is critically one of many best gems within the state. You can discover our favorites in our Sullivan County List as the world has grown immensely with a number of metropolis folks migration, whereas by no means straying from its extra nation bumpkin roots—fortunately.

While that is technically nonetheless sooner or later for me, I’ll positively be referring to (and including to) our Rajasthan Travel Planner, which we revealed in 2024, for my journey to Jaipur in a few weeks!

Looking Ahead

When organizing our not too long ago revealed Hong Kong Black Book, and dealing with all of our contributors as they shared their favorites, I fell in love with town—if that’s doable to do by way of a display! Being a spot of such dramatic contrasts, with a mixture of each old-fashioned and new college, in addition to a few of the most unimaginable sounding properties, Hong Kong is unquestionably No.1 on my checklist of 2026 locations.

Another journey dream of mine, additionally impressed by a Yolo contributor, is Botswana. After studying Chloe Frost Smith’s Dispatch from the Okavango Delta and seeing how unimaginable her safari was, I grew to become obsessed. I’ve by no means been on a safari earlier than, so this one regarded not solely extremely numerous animal-wise, but additionally lovely, and paired with nice hospitality. I really feel like safaris are notoriously intimidating for first-timers, so studying her story, which detailed each half and depicted it so superbly, completely satisfied me. (Also, learn our unimaginable Safari Travel Planner here!)

On my property dreamscape, I’m dying to take a look at Le Proevençal in Hyères. I’ve come throughout it a number of instances, each when engaged on our Costa Meno France and our large Costa Meno Roundup, and it’s on the prime of my summer season locations checklist. It’s been household owned since 1951 and appears superb, and is completely situated with swimming platforms proper on the ocean.

Carly Shea – Yolo’s life-style editor

Looking Back

The most fun-yet-overwhelming guides we do are our Travel Planners, the place we go extremely deep on a rustic or area, posing extremely particular inquiries to all types of specialists, whether or not they’re skilled journey advisors or simply well-connected creatives who know the craft or meals scene higher than anybody else. This yr I labored on our Turkey Travel Planner and Alex tackled our African Safari Travel Planner, and each ended up being 70+ pages lengthy. I study SO a lot each time we take one on—who knew Turkey is answerable for 70% of worldwide hazelnut manufacturing?!—and at all times wish to ebook a visit instantly as soon as we’re executed. In Turkey, I’d like to discover the Urla Wine Route, go to small alpine villages within the Black Sea area, and hike a part of the Lycian Way, a 300-mile-long coastal path that meanders by way of Lycian and Roman ruins, cities and olive groves. And when mainly each safari professional who answered the “if I could only go on one safari in my life…” immediate talked about the Okavango Delta, I knew I needed to bump Botswana larger up on my ever-growing checklist!

I’ve had a photograph of some Klein blue home in Trancoso, Brazil on my imaginative and prescient board for the previous three years—any hard-to-get-to seaside city that also appears like a little bit little bit of a secret is my concept of heaven—however once I learn Siobhan Reid’s dispatch from Itacaré, an excellent more durable to get to, much more hush-hush surf city 6-hours north of Trancoso, I used to be completely offered. That nook of Bahia is house to a few of the most biodiverse pockets of the Atlantic Forest—of the 23,000 plant species you could find there, 40% of them can’t be discovered wherever else on the planet—plus sandy seashores with nice surf, cacao plantations, and small retailers and cafes that appeal to a Haviana-clad, if not barefoot, crowd.

Looking Ahead

The different day in our workplace we have been speaking about astrocartography, which, for many who have by no means heard of Susan Miller, is a kind of locational astrology that maps your birth chart onto the globe, and traces how completely different planetary energies manifest world wide for you. The concept is that you may journey to some extent in your Jupiter line should you’re in search of luck/enlargement, Venus for love/luxurious, the Sun for confidence/vitality, Mars for journey, Mercury for communication, and the Moon for emotional depth. It all sounds very woo-woo, however my solar line goes instantly by way of someplace the place I’ve had essentially the most transformative experiences of my life, so I believe there could be one thing to it. If nothing else it’s enjoyable to zoom out and in on the map, and picture what model of myself I’d meet in Tirana or Tucson, how I’d develop or what I’d study in Lima or Lukla. As a author and only a human being I’d like to work on communication this yr, and my Mercury line slices throughout Africa from Cape Town to Cairo, so possibly a safari or Nile cruise (each on the prime of my dream journey checklist!) is within the stars this yr.

I went to college in Scotland, and other than a weekend journey a number of years in the past I haven’t been again since, however Killiehuntly (which I wrote about here) remains to be considered one of my favourite locations I’ve ever stayed. This spring, Wildland, the conservation-focused hospitality group behind Killiehuntly, is opening their most bold venture but in Sutherland: a restored Nineteenth-century Highland capturing lodge with only a handful of bedrooms and cottages—every outfitted with a Gaelic identify and Jacobean or Georgian oak furnishings—on a 100,000 acre property guided by a 200-year rewilding imaginative and prescient. The venture known as Hope (mine are excessive) and feels like an ideal beckoning again.

Linda Denahan – Yolo’s picture editor

Looking Back

As Yolo’s picture editor, I discover myself routinely getting impressed to journey to the locations we cowl – a lot in order that it’s a little bit of a joke amongst the staff, but it surely’s exhausting to not get excited whereas taking a look at beautiful journey imagery and studying our Contributors’ suggestions! Some of the locales that I can’t cease fascinated about are Munich and Hong Kong, two cities who appear to have that excellent mix of tradition and nature. After 15 years away, our New Orleans Black Book additionally had me craving morning beignets and late-night cocktails.

Looking Ahead

I’ve been fortunate sufficient to go to Botswana, South Africa and most not too long ago, Rwanda, and I’m a agency believer that Africa is just not a “once in a lifetime” vacation spot! Working on our Safari Travel Planner has made my itch to return even stronger – a go to to Elela, the brand new Singita property in Botswana, could be a dream, and I’ve heard superb issues about Elephant Pan Camp, which borders a watering gap for ultimate animal recognizing.

Finally, I’ve not too long ago discovered from a pal concerning the idea of photo voltaic return, which is an astrological principle that touring to a selected location in your birthday can impact change in your coming yr. I’d like to have a studying from her astrologer to see the place I ought to go!