Turning nature into nourishment on a remote Norwegian island
At Lilløy Lindenberg, the days move with the tides: seaweed is foraged from the surrounding shallows by chef Antje de Vries, whose vegan, season-driven cuisine transforms the island’s wild harvest into edible art.
City Guides
The ultimate Vilnius city guide
With a complicated political past (and present), Lithuania might not typically be top of mind when brainstorming a European getaway. But Vilnius, the country’s vibrant capital, is a burgeoning hub
6 October 2025
The ultimate Madrid city guide
Sometimes overlooked by other European capitals, Spain’s biggest city has so much to offer from world-class museums and galleries to talking-point architecture and a lively music scene. Madrileños also take
11 September 2025
The ultimate Istanbul city guide
The call to prayer rising above the Bosphorus, the scent of spices drifting through centuries-old bazaars, the shimmer of mosaics inside Byzantine domes — Istanbul is a city that stirs
26 August 2025
How to spend a weekend in Cape Town
At the southern tip of Africa, where the iconic Table Mountain tumbles into the formidable Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find Cape Town. It’s as striking as it is energetic, and it’s
11 August 2025
Amsterdam turns 750: why now is the moment to visit the Netherlands’ capital
In 2025, Amsterdam marks a historic milestone: its 750th birthday. A city of canals and contradictions, where Golden Age architecture rubs shoulders with cutting-edge design, Amsterdam has always been a
6 August 2025
A pocket guide to Amoreiras: Lisbon’s leafy, lesser-known neighbourhood
In a city as photogenic and storied as Lisbon, it’s easy to get swept up in the tiled façades of Alfama or the café culture of Chiado. But venture just
16 July 2025
How to spend a weekend in Bordeaux
Often described as Paris’ little sister, Bordeaux is a city for people who don’t like cities. It’s noticeably peaceful, much of the city centre is pedestrianised, and it’s picture‑postcard pretty.
14 July 2025
Top things to do, see, and eat in Cefalù: plus, where to stay in Sicily
As you drive into Cefalù, the dramatic Rocca di Cefalù towers over the town’s sandy-hued buildings, setting a history-steeped scene for this once-humble fishing village. While tourism has certainly made
30 June 2025
The ultimate Austin city guide
A city that has pledged to keep itself “weird,” Austin is artsy, outdoorsy, progressive and Texan in equal parts. Here, pour-over coffee, Western wear, barbecue and even Mexican free-tailed bats
16 June 2025
The ultimate Budapest city guide
Baroque buildings, thermal baths and generous helpings of goulash. What’s not to love about Budapest? Long regarded as a drinking stop on every gap year youth’s interrailing itinerary, the Hungarian
27 May 2025
Icelandic horsepower: an off-road guide to the land of fire & ice
Standing guard over the edge of the Icelandic Highlands, Þórsmörk Nature Reserve runs along a mountain ridge between the glaciers of Eyjafjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull, and Tindfjallajökull. Traversing the Valley of Thor requires suitably super-powered wheels and sturdy footwear to hike rocky canyons and ice caves.
We hope you’re sitting comfortably, ideally in a swoon-worthy setting, with all the time in the world to linger over — and get lost in — these thoughtfully curated travel stories.
Editor's Picks
The must-know boutique hotels of 2025: SLH award winners revealed
As SLH marks 35 years of celebrating independently minded stays, this year’s awards spotlight the hotels redefining boutique luxury around the world. Handpicked by our travel experts and voted for
20 October 2025
How to get koselig in Norway this winter
Norway’s more sociable and outdoorsy answer to Denmark’s hygge, kos is the Nordic wellness concept we’re welcoming with a big, knitwear-cocooned hug this winter. Cosiness is still key, but rather
11 December 2024
A deliberately slow, solo adventure through magical Bhutan
Several goblet-like lamps flicker within the colourful, ornate prayer hall at Gangtey Gonpa, a 17th century monastery on a mist-shrouded ridge overlooking Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley. Filled with clarified yak butter,
4 September 2025
Beyond the spa: these wellbeing hotels are changing how we rest
In an over-tired world that never slows down, meaningful rest has become both a luxury and a necessity. Each emotionally intelligent escape within the SLH Wellbeing Collection is deeply attuned
15 August 2025
Itineraries
The art of doing nothing, perfected in the Maldives
In a world that praises packed itineraries, early-morning flights, and the humblebrag of needing a vacation from your vacation, slow travel can feel almost counterintuitive. It’s a conscious shift away
28 October 2025
Caribbean island-hopping in the Lesser Antilles: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda
There’s no rule that says your Caribbean escape has to be a one-island affair. Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda are close enough to link in a single trip — and different
22 September 2025
Cancale to Cap Fréhel: Brittany’s Emerald Coast
Get swept away to France’s far western shores, an enchanting region where gleaming white-sand beaches give way to dramatic tides and wind-sculpted headlands. Here, the pace slows, the landscapes stretch
26 June 2025
On the road in Provence
Fragrant lavender fields, sun-dappled vineyards, rocky Mediterranean coastlines, and buttercream-coloured hilltop villages weave a tapestry of natural beauty across Provence. From idyllic markets to ancient Roman ruins, this itinerary takes
2 April 2025
Adventures in Andalusia: Moorish architecture, majestic mountains, and sun-baked beaches
A 10-day itinerary from Seville’s colourful streets to Marbella’s glitzy beaches Andalusia is one of those heart-stoppingly beautiful destinations which will have you dreaming of your return – before you’ve
10 August 2023
Italy by train: a scenic rail itinerary for slow travellers
Six iconic Italian cities in two weeks, from Milan to Naples Much like its straight-from-the-vines wine and nonna-coddled cuisine, Italy is a destination best savoured at a leisurely pace if you really want
1 April 2023
Bold, bohemian, and barefoot: a mini guide to Mexico
A 10-day itinerary from Mexico City to Tulum with La Valise Hotels A vibrant country bursting with colour, Mexico promises sensory moments at every turn – whether you’re navigating a maze of
21 January 2023
The best of Ireland & Northern Ireland: an Emerald Isle itinerary
How to see the Emerald Isle in style in under two weeks Whether you’re strolling along storied streets, roaming the rugged coastline, or cosying up in a rural pub, it’s
22 August 2022
The ultimate French Riviera road trip
How to spend two weeks on the Côte d’Azur, Europe’s glitterati summer destination Sparkling sea views framed by fragrant umbrella pines, striped parasols shading stylish sun loungers, and pastel-painted villas
21 June 2022
Magical Mallorca: from coast to countryside
An idyllic island itinerary taking travellers beyond the beaches of Mallorca Fringed by cliffs and heavenly beaches, with long stretches of fragrant countryside – peppered with olive trees and citrus
9 May 2022
Independent Minds
Independent Minds: the Kestelli family, KestelINN Alaçatı
In the sun-dappled village of Alaçatı, where time moves to the rhythm of cicadas and the scent of olive groves hangs in the air, KestelINN stands as a quiet testament
30 July 2025
Independent Minds: Xiaoran Zhou, Kaipuu Hotels
As the first luxury hotels in China to be certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Kaipuu on the Reef and Kaipuu Belfry are setting the eco-friendly bar in
22 May 2025
Independent Minds: Steven Riseley, Castle Elvira
Crumbling castle it might have been for over a century, but Steven Riseley and husband, Harvey B-Brown, are writing their own contemporary fairy-tale at Castle Elvira in Puglia. Following a
11 April 2025
Independent Minds: Loes Dingemans, Pillows Hotels
As discerning travellers know all too well, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to ‘understated luxury’. It’s carefully crafted, and close attention is paid to the smallest
21 January 2025
Independent Minds: Snow Yang, The Dawn Luxury Hotel
For Snow Yang and her parents, Fuyun Yang and Yanping Bai, preserving the past of their 128-year-old property near the mist-shrouded peaks of Weibao Mountain, while looking to the future,
18 December 2024
Independent Minds: Angela O’Connell, Chalets at Blackheath
Alpine adventures await in Australia’s Blue Mountains at this ruggedly refined chalet resort In the midst of the Blue Mountains’ UNESCO-listed beauty, adventurer Angela O’Connell came across the perfect setting
25 November 2024
Independent Minds: Agapi & Costantza Sbokou, Phāea Blue
Crete is a myth-steeped land of natural wonders and cultural treasures, and across the sparkling waters of Mirabello Bay from the storied island of Spinalonga, sisters Agapi and Costantza Sbokou
28 October 2024
Independent Minds: Pedro Oliveira & Alicia Valero, Hotel das Amoreiras
Lisbon’s most restful retreat has an urban heart with country house soul Husband-and-wife team Pedro and Alicia are first and foremost aesthetes, who find joy in beautiful moments and beautiful
25 October 2023
Independent Minds: Jeanette Mix, Ett Hem
Welcoming guests into the warm embrace of a well-loved home, Swedish owner Jeanette Mix has created an inimitable feeling of informal elegance at her Arts and Crafts townhouse in the
30 September 2023
Independent Minds: Juliana Ghiotto, Barracuda Hotel & Villas
As one of Brazil’s best kept secrets along the ‘Cocoa Coast’, Itacaré blissfully enjoys an under-the-radar existence – surfers plant their boards on pristine palm-fringed beaches, locals paddle through mangrove-entangled
29 September 2023
Inspiration
Family ski holidays in France: where to go in the French Alps for all ages
Few things are as precious as that first, quiet moment when little ones wake to a world blanketed in snow, noses pressed to frosted glass, eyes wide with wonder. When
10 November 2025
The ultimate Zermatt ski guide
Zermatt is one of Europe’s premier winter destinations, and for good reason. Spanning both Switzerland and Italy, it connects with Cervinia to create one of the largest ski areas in
4 November 2025
Lofts, lodges, and lagoon villas: top boutique hotels for November
This month’s line-up is a celebration of contrast — where snow-dusted peaks meet sleek city hideaways and sunlit shores. From the Alps’ edge, where ski season is just stirring, to
1 November 2025
The art of doing nothing, perfected in the Maldives
In a world that praises packed itineraries, early-morning flights, and the humblebrag of needing a vacation from your vacation, slow travel can feel almost counterintuitive. It’s a conscious shift away
28 October 2025
Turning nature into nourishment on a remote Norwegian island
On a small island a short boat ride from Herdla, where salt carries on Arctic winds, sustainability isn’t a slogan — it’s the rhythm of life. At Lilløy Lindenberg, the
23 October 2025
The must-know boutique hotels of 2025: SLH award winners revealed
As SLH marks 35 years of celebrating independently minded stays, this year’s awards spotlight the hotels redefining boutique luxury around the world. Handpicked by our travel experts and voted for
20 October 2025
Tuscany, not as you know it: inside La Roqqa’s riviera escape
In the mid-20th century, Porto Ercole was a hot spot for the Hollywood jet-set. Now, design-led La Roqqa is putting this quaint seaside town – and Tuscany’s unsung Argentario coast
14 October 2025
Surfer stays and tropical hideaways: top boutique hotels for October
October is the ideal month to mix autumn cosiness with a dose of winter sun. Think an Australian surfer-chic stay on a working farm with crackling wood-burning fires, or a
1 October 2025
Caribbean island-hopping in the Lesser Antilles: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda
There’s no rule that says your Caribbean escape has to be a one-island affair. Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda are close enough to link in a single trip — and different
22 September 2025
Susafa: the eco-friendly farmhouse to book in rural Sicily
Trade the crowds of Palermo for something quieter, slower, and more soulful in Sicily’s rugged interior. Susafa, a centuries-old farm turned sustainable hotel, offers a different kind of Sicilian escape.
17 September 2025
Latest stories
Family ski holidays in France: where to go in the French Alps for all ages
Few things are as precious as that first, quiet moment when little ones wake to a world blanketed in snow, noses pressed to frosted glass, eyes wide with wonder. When it comes to family ski holidays, no one does it quite like the French. With expert instructors guiding children onto
The ultimate Zermatt ski guide
Zermatt is one of Europe’s premier winter destinations, and for good reason. Spanning both Switzerland and Italy, it connects with Cervinia to create one of the largest ski areas in the world. This car-free alpine village, reachable by train from Switzerland’s major cities, looks like it’s straight out of a
Lofts, lodges, and lagoon villas: top boutique hotels for November
This month’s line-up is a celebration of contrast — where snow-dusted peaks meet sleek city hideaways and sunlit shores. From the Alps’ edge, where ski season is just stirring, to Berlin’s reimagined lofts steeped in history, and onward to coastal villas fringed by lagoons and sea cliffs, these boutique stays
The art of doing nothing, perfected in the Maldives
In a world that praises packed itineraries, early-morning flights, and the humblebrag of needing a vacation from your vacation, slow travel can feel almost counterintuitive. It’s a conscious shift away from the pursuit of more, a choice to be present, to truly know a place, and maybe, just maybe, to
