Ondine’s Daily Traveler Blog

Surf’s Up

One of the trends I’ve been seeing of late is hotels with a surf theme or barefoot-chic beachy vibe–properties like Montauk, Long Island’s popular Surf Lodge and Bungalow on the Jersey Shore. Now there are two more to keep on your radar. The Scarlet, in England’s Cornwall region, just opened a few weeks back and …

Côte d’Azur’s New Generation of Style

After my visit to La Réserve Ramatuelle, outside St-Tropez, I decided to check out some other grande dame hotels in the South of France that have been recently refurbished to the tune of millions of euros. The first stop was the storied Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, tucked away in one of the Côte d’Azur’s poshest seaside …

La Reserve Ramatuelle

Last week I had the good fortune to be in the South of France scoping out La Reserve Ramatuelle near Saint-Tropez. The property opened in May and, as the name suggests, it’s a true retreat. What I think made it stand out most was the fact that even though it was close to the action …

Feather Down Farms Getaways

There is nothing like difficult economic times to make you want to disconnect from urban stimulation and all things wired. At least that’s the case for me; when I am on a long country walk with no cell reception or iPhone on hand it’s infinitely easier to forget what’s happening with the Dow or the …

Marrakech On My Mind

Morocco is a big gap in my travel education. Somehow I just haven’t had the chance to get there. The hotel scene in Marrakech is one of the most exciting in the world, with a mix of small riad properties converted into boutique hotels and bigger–but still stylish–resorts. Here are some hotels opening in Morocco …

Giglio, Italy and Pardini’s Hermitage

This past week I continued on my quest for new Italian discoveries (an undertaking that is far from disagreeable, I may add) with a jaunt to Giglio, a small island off the Tuscan coast, the lesser known sister to Elba and an hour ferry ride from Porto Santo Stefano. It’s a lovely spot, a mostly …

The Green T. House: Beijing’s Bathing Beauties

I am a bath fan. It could be because I spent my first decade on earth in Ireland and England–drafty houses and infernal cold rain make them a must–or the fact that I am a water sign, or that lying in a tub with a fashion magazine and a glass of wine is one of …

Vernazza: The Budget Conscious Crowd’s Portofino

Looking for an inexpensive Italian coastal getaway that’s got plenty of charm, sun, and beautiful backdrops? Vernazza, in the Cinque Terre, is one of my favorite towns in the country. I’m even loath to write about it because it’s such a gem. I was just back there for my annual pilgrimage, and despite being on …

The Shangri-La Villingili Opens in the Maldives

It may be summer in the States (or at least some semblance of it), but if you are like me, you’re already plotting where to escape when ice, snow, and heavy jackets hit in a few months. Top of my list? The just-opened Shangri-La Villingili in the Maldives, with overwater bungalows (my dream accommodation), postcard-perfect …

Flight Patterns: A Century of Stories about Flying

Flying provokes myriad emotions for many of us: excitement, fear, the thrill of adventure, discomfort, a sense of escape and claustrophobia among them. A newly released anthology, Flight Patterns: A Century of Stories about Flying, edited by Dorothy Spears, features writings from aviation pioneers like Orville Wright, Charles A. Lindbergh, and Amelia Earhart to more …