The obvious draw here is the food, but it’s more than delectable pulquerías (though, we are obsessed with those, too). It’s the palpable energy coursing through the city’s markets, galleries and vibrant cocktail scene that keeps us coming back for more. Plus, with weather that’s enjoyable all year round, there’s no bad time to go.

Join us as we take you through our favorite spots the city has to offer, from museums and shops filled with local designers to, inevitably, a very extensive list of cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs. Created in partnership with SmartFlyer’s Latin American travel advisors, this extended Mexico City Guide mixes local insights and can’t miss stops across this teeming, ever-changing and perpetually cool city. Whether it’s your first time visiting or your tenth, this guide will fuel your next discovery.

Stay

Four Seasons Hotel, Mexico City is best described as an urban oasis. Guests will experience a respite from city life with a stroll through the idyllic garden courtyard, surrounded by lush jungle greenery and complete with strings of lights. Order a drink from Fifty Mils, take a seat along the colonnade, and mingle with friends both old and new. When you’re ready to finally step out, the hotel is in close proximity to tons of incredible restaurants and within a few minutes to the best museums by taxi. It’s a great fit for the sophisticated traveler who wants a relaxing retreat in the middle of bustling DF.

Alternatively, Casa Polanco offers a more boutique vibe with apartment-style accommodations. The hotel’s mix of modern and classic Spanish colonial architecture makes you feel as if you’re staying in the plush home of a family friend. La Verdana is their outdoor dining, offering fine gourmet cuisine all day as well as afternoon tea. You can also take advantage of the spa’s various therapies, such as jet-lag massage therapy and classic deep tissue.

For panoramic views of the city, look no further than The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City. With 58 rooms overlooking Chapultepec Park, this classic hotel blends classic Mexican culture with Ritz-Carlton’s signature sophistication. This can be particularly felt in their dining scene, which features exclusively Mexican cuisine sourced by local farmers and curators. We’d also be remiss not to mention Sofitel Mexico City Reforma, an expansive property featuring 275 guest rooms, 56 of which are suites that overlook the entirety of the city. The hotel is home to five different bars and restaurants, as well as a spa in collaboration with L’Occitane, making this stay particularly well-suited for groups and team retreats.

For an intimate, design-forward stay, La Valise Mexico City is a well-matched option. The Michelin One-Key property is situated in Roma Norte, perfectly central to some of the buzziest cafes and restaurants in CDMX. Affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, there are eight suites in this French-style townhouse founded by Yves Naman in 2014.

To retreat into a truly calm haven, consider Octavia Casa. Born from the Mexican clothing brand Octavia, this fashion-forward property has been featured in Vogue, Architectural Digest, and a Michelin One-Key stay. Come for the contemporary Mexican design, stay for everything within walking distance of this six-room hotel.

Culture

This city is the art and architecture lovers’ paradise, with no shortage of museums to check out as you explore. While it’s tough to narrow it down, here are a few of our favorites.

• Museo Nacional de Antropología – A visit here is your chance to see unique artifacts from different cultures of the Americas in a beautifully laid out space with seamless indoor and outdoor spaces. We advise planning to spend at least two hours here due to its sheer size alone.
• Castillo de Chapultepec – Offering some of the best views of the city, this castle is a great place to “escape” the city and spend an afternoon. A visible reminder of Mexico’s bygone aristocracy, it stands atop Chapultepec Hill, once acting as the home of Emperor Maximilian and Empress Carlota when arrived in 1864 and refurbished it as their residence. The east end of the castle preserves their palace, where you can view the sumptuously furnished salons. Consider adding a walk through the park over to Museo de Arte Moderno, which contains a powerful collection of modern Mexican art. Do not miss The Two Fridas.
• Casa Gilardi – Available to be viewed by appointment only, your guide will be your key to viewing this unique structure, built for the Gilardi family in 1976 by the Mexican architect Luis Barragan. Located in the San Miguel Chapultepec neighborhood, it’s considered one of the main works of the famed architect. Not only is the design stunning but be sure to take in the colors, textures, and overall arrangement of spaces.
• Casa Estudio Luis Barragán – A UNESCO-listed masterpiece and one of the most important houses in modern architecture. Quiet, emotional, and deeply personal—this is Barragán in his purest form. Book well in advance as it gets fully booked. and take your time inside.
• Casa Galvez – A rare private residence, and Barragan’s masterpiece. The stunning space is filled with an impressive art collection. Refined, subtle, and very special precisely because access is so limited. Exclusive private visits are available for SmartFlyer clients.

• Soumaya Museum – Recognized by Vogue as one of the most iconic museum buildings in the world, the exterior of this architectural gem alone warrants a visit; upon arrival, you’ll marvel that it’s covered by more than 16,000 hexagonal plates, with no visible openings besides the entrance door. Inside, view 140 of Rodin’s works as well as the masterful paintings of Diego Rivera, Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso.
• Frida Kahlo Museum – First things first, you need to pre-book tickets to visit, which of course, your travel advisor can facilitate. We advise going around lunchtime so that you can maximize being nearby so many fabulous restaurants (detailed below). Meander through the Blue House, the creative universe where Frida was born and where she died. During your visit, you’ll learn more about the intense correlations between Frida, her work, and her house.
• Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo– A separate entity from the museum, this stop showcases home Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo lived in on and off for twenty years. The two artists notoriously needed a lot of space from one another, so here you’ll see the separate buildings built for each of them united by a drawbridge. It’s a quick stop that’s notable both for the architecture and symbolism of the famous works created here.
• Museo Jumex – Whether it’s Cartier or edgy performance art, this museum showcases four floors of experimental exhibitions. The building – designed by Sir David Chipperfield – also features a library and terrace for you to unwind in during or after your visit.
• Palacio de Bellas Artes – Arguably the city’s most iconic cultural landmark, a visit here feels grand, theatrical, and unmistakably Mexico City. The mix of architecture, murals, and performance makes it feel alive rather than just historic. Go mid-morning to avoid the crowds and enjoy the murals without being rushed.
• Nido de Quetzalcóatl – A surreal, organic structure that feels more like a dream than architecture. If you’ve ever searched Mexico City on Instagram, it is likely you’ve seen pictures of this whimsical space. Completely different from anything else in the city. Don’t rush it your time here…meander slowly for maximum impact.

Shop

We love exploring the shops in the Polanco neighborhood where exclusive boutiques offer everything from Huichol pieces to beautiful fabrics from Tenango can be found. Aside from this trendy spot, there are also several markets with collections of artisan goods ranging that make for perfect souvenirs or gifts.

• Onora Casa – A design platform with more than 15 years of experience collaborating with talented artisans in the creation of textiles and home accessories, Onora’s home goods are Mexican-made, but few have the vivid colors that many people have come to associate with Mexican design. Instead, expect to see a black, white, beige, and gray palette here with items ranging from dishes to candle holders, bed linens, and more.
• XINÚ PERFUMES – This unique brand draws its inspiration from the Americas’ aromatic botany. Xinú’s ‘secret garden’, a space designed by Ignacio Cadena and Héctor Esrawe, invites guests in to discover the seeds, flowers and stems from which the fragrances originate.

• El Bazaar Sábado – This cute market is located in an area that used to be a little village. Now, every Saturday they have art there and unique items ranging from paper flowers, embroidered blouses, carved Pepita glass and more to buy from 10am to 5pm. Based on its location, this is great to combine with brunch at San Angel Inn (see below) and a visit to Diego and Frida’s houses.
• Utilitario Mexicano – At its core, this brand is a celebration of traditional Mexican decor with a modern twist. Utilitario Mexicano sells over 1,500 well-loved objects in their collection, from ceramics to blacksmithing to carpentry. Founders Libia Moreno and Enrique Arellano curated a network of local traders from across Mexico City to help them continue to locate goods made to last, whether it’s enamel tableware or electrical appliances.
• Carla Fernández – This Mexico City-based fashion house blends indigenous and mestizo Mexican art with avant-garde textiles.  Inspired by her visits to the country’s many artisanal communities, Fernández continues to collaborate with indigenous communities from pre-Hispanic times to dream up new designs. She also invites guests to attend workshops led by these artisans, from clay toys to Wixárika beadwork.
• Sandra Weil – Known as the “SW Universe” by in-the-know fashionistas, Weil’s collections have a distinctly Latin flair with vibrant colors and bold silhouettes. From dresses to jumpsuits, a piece from this store is sure to make a splash and blur the line between day and eveningwear.
• The Pack / VARON – Founded by Aaron Changpo, this jewelry designer followed in his grandfather’s footsteps and began creating contemporary statement pieces. Changpo has thought of every way to put his own personal spin on popular items, down to the individual links on a chain necklace and the stones floating inside their resin cuff bracelets.
• Marsella 68 – Edgy and inventive are the first two words that come to mind when walking into this shop. We love this store for its combination of playful cuts and youthful designs. If avant-garde and Y2K had a love child, it would be the items found on Marsella’s shelves.
• Roma Quince – Located in a restored mansion in the Roma, this is a concept store that features an abundance of locally-made home goods and clothing. Think white-glazed tableware and airy, sustainably designed summerwear.
• SELECCIÓN MARSELLA – If you’re looking for a curated selection of aesthetic home decor, then check out SELECCIÓN MARSELLA. Handpicked by Erick Ramirez and Sergio Delgado, the two designers bring their personal mood boards to life with showrooms filled with products from & Jacob, Le Creuset, and more.
• Proyecto República – A more editorial, fashion-forward space with a strong point of view and featuring global emerging designers. Feels almost like a gallery, with pieces that will have your friends saying, “Wait, where did you get that?”
• YAKAMPOT – One of the strongest Mexican brands today offers refined, thoughtful, and rooted pieces in craftsmanship without feeling folkloric. Make sure to ask what’s new—the trendiest pieces are always from the latest drop.
• Lorena Saravia – Clean structured womenswear with a strong Mexico City identity modern but wearable, Lorena Saravia is ideal for polished everyday pieces. Their boots are especially cool, so if you’re in the market for a new pair, make some time to try a few pairs on.
• LAGO – A beautiful retail space focused on Latin American designers, set on one of Polanco’s best streets. The shopping experience is as fantastic as the merchandise available, and you’ll be sure to find something ultra unique here.
• Havre Studio – A hidden showroom specializing in vintage tailoring and rare pieces. Make an appointment.
• Raquel Orozco – Softly glamorous silhouettes with a more classic appeal and an excellent showroom in Polanco. Perfect for anyone seeking colorful, timeless pieces.

Dine

Basically, you’re going to Mexico City to eat. So, excuse us while we break down the spots on a meal-by-meal basis (and we totally won’t judge if you double up on a couple of lunches or dinners…actually, we encourage it).

Brunch

• Lalo! – This graffiti-covered casual spot comes from Chef Enrique “Lalo” García, who is doing amazing things both at here and at sister restaurant, Maximo Bistrot (we’ll get there later). They have one communal table, inviting a cozy vibe to all that sit-down. The almond croissant here is life-changing. No reservations needed, just go!
• San Angel Inn – A classic, lively Mexican restaurant across the street from the home (now museum) of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, this is a great place for brunch while experiencing authentic local culture. If you’re dying for a margarita in Mexico City – this is your spot. Plus, it’s open on Sundays, which many places are not. There is also a bazaar here on Sundays, which is another reason to go this day!
• Molino El Pujol – A more casual expression of the world-famous Pujol’s philosophy, centered on heirloom corn. On a beautiful street in Condesa, you can find high quality classic options here. Order the tetela and hot chocolate, simple but perfect.
• Ciena – An effortless Roma brunch spot with a relaxed, airy feel and a strong neighborhood crowd. Order eggs and a pastry and sit outside. They offer plenty of vegetarian options and a wide selection of international dishes on the menu.

Lunch

• Contramar – First things first, this place should be at the top of your list. The team is doing seafood right here – everything is fresh and simple – but there truly is no wrong order! We love sitting outside and ordering the fish of the day “Contramar style” which comes whole-roasted with two different rubs.
• Lardo – What do delights like nduja and burrata pizza, mango tiradito, and grilled octopus all have in common? They can all be found at Lardo – a Mexican-Mediterranean fusion restaurant at the heart of the city. This chic hotspot helmed by chef Elena Reygadas offers a wrap-around bar at the center of the restaurant and delectable dishes from the sea.
• Siembra Comedor – Created by chefs Isræl Montero and Karina Mejía, this restaurant was established in 2019 as a tortillería, corn mill, and neighborhood taco shop. Try the octopus tacos, squash-blossom quesadillas, and tlacoyos stuffed with chicharron.
• Mi Compa Chava – Seafood is the lifeblood of Mexican cuisine, and this restaurant’s menu filled with comforting classics is no exception. With towers of Señora Torres seafood stacks being delivered by the dozens to every table, it’s no question why locals and guests alike love the beach party vibes going at Mi Compa Chava. We also recommend trying their fish birria quesadilla.
• La Docena – An oyster bar on the World’s 50 Best list with a buzzy, energetic atmosphere that works especially well for lunch. Chef Tomás Bermúdez delivers an excellent raw bar, curation of cured meats sliced fresh on site, and an excellent selection of craft beers.
• El Califa – Not many taquerias have the distinction of earning a Michelin star, but El Califa does, and a single visit explains its acclaim. This is a classic taqueria done perfectly simple with guaranteed precision, somehow and iconic without trying to be. Order the rib eye or sirloin taco and the special habanero sauce.
• Sarde – Described as “impossibly chic” by World’s 50 Best, this leading gastronomic experience is helmed by Chef Jacob Harth. It is small, intimate, and very insider. It can work as a long lunch if you want something more special. Order whatever they recommend, as the menu shifts.
• El Parnita – If you simply want a fantastic taco at a sit-down table, this is the casual, local favorite that’s always full and always good. Keep it easy and order tacos and guacamole.

Dinner

Restaurants here are definitely trending towards high-quality food in casual environments.

• Rokai – Serving the best sushi in Mexico City, this is a really cool space that’s small size alone warrants a reservation. In addition to incredible sushi, they have other Japanese dishes including a delicious a la carte ramen menu.
• Máximo – With the same chef as Lalo!, you can’t go wrong with dinner here. We were told by “foodie” locals this would be their one dinner if they had to pick. Make a reservation in advance, they book up!

• Rosetta – If you’re looking for a switch-up from Mexican, this spot offers perfectly executed Italian food in the most gorgeous and unique space. The ambiance is perfection and just another reason not to skip dessert. Be sure to make a reservation.
• Pujol – With a reputation as the Mexico City restaurant, of course, Pujol makes the list. But, just make sure you’re keen on splurging on this tasting menu before building your trip around it.
• Quintonil – Voted as one of the World’s Top 50 Restaurants, this is the one to try if you want something a bit fancier. Charismatic young chef Jorge Vallejo is a protégée of Pujol’s Enrique Olvera and has developed a menu of modern Mexican cuisine dishes that appeal to both the eye and the palate.
• Ticuchi – Also a part of the top fifty restaurants in the world, this atmospheric gem helmed by Enrique Olvera features gastronomic takes on Oaxacan cuisine. Their vegetarian and pescatarian dishes are complemented by a stellar drink menu. We recommend doing a tasting of their long list of mezcals and off-the-beaten-track agave spirits like sotol.
• Carmela y Sal – This restaurant serves up delectable homestyle dishes inspired by Mexico’s Tabasco region. Their signature dish Tierra de Luna puts the iconic empanada front and center, stuffed with black beans and topped with tomato sauce and ripe plantains. You can also enjoy a wine list featuring plenty of grapes from the native vines, as well as tasty cocktails that are perfect for a nightcap.
• LaMari – Baja meets CDMX at chef David Castro Hussong’s new local favorite. After making a splash in Valle de Guadalupe, this restaurant brings the joy of Mediterranean dining to Mexico’s capital city. Try the squash blossom with hummus and octopus tostadas with matcha and avocado.
• Hugo – From the creators of Café Milou comes a fresh take on the French bistro experience. This restaurant features a delightful wine list and shareable seafood plates, such as sparkling rosés and hearty roast chicken.
• Martínez – Sometimes, all you need is a no-frills night with good food and good wine. This restaurant focuses on French-inspired dishes like steak frites with bearnaise sauce and grilled leeks with dates and burrata. We highly recommend making reservations  – easily done through your SmartFlyer travel advisor.
• Filigrana – Nestled inside the Cauduro building is an art-filled restaurant that serves up equally aesthetic dishes. Dining at Filigrana is a gastronomic journey where you can enjoy all-day Mexican-style dining imaged by Martha Ortiz. In addition to their elevated main plates, the restaurant’s on-site bakery also serves up piloncillo pig-shaped cookies, walnut chinos, and more.
• Esquina Común – Once so secret that the address wasn’t publicly available, this hidden rooftop is now a Michelin-starred gem that requires making a reservation in advance, which your SmartFlyer advisor can arrange. There’s an abundance of elevated and quirky dishes from Mexico City-born Chef Ana Dolores González. Get everything to share.
• Em – Right next door to Mi Compa Chava, this Michelin-starred restaurant from Quintonil alum Chef Lucho Martinez pairs Mexican and Japanese culinary traditions to create an exciting and seasonal omakase. Don’t be surprised if you spot a familiar face or two when dining in the ultra-intimate space.

Cafes

• Panadería Rosetta – Widely considered Mexico City’s best bakery, this panadería was born out of a love for chef Elena Reygadas’ European bread and pastries at the acclaimed Italian restaurant Rosetta. If you’re craving a break from the traditional Mexican classics, the cinnamon rolls, ricotta rolls, and focaccias are all divine.
• Niddo – Bohemia meets the eclectic streets of CDMX with the Niddo group’s Instagrammable café by Eduardo and Karen Plaschinski. This mother-son operation established a pretty-in-pink cafe for locals and guests alike to live out their best Sex And The City dreams with chocolate babkas, oatmeal cookies, and foam-heart oat-milk lattes in hand.
• Saint – Whether it’s a pain au chocolat or a rich breakfast sandwich, this French-style bakery has all the hits. With fresh batches of food made daily, this bakery is the ideal place to hit when you need a midday pick-me-up.
• Café Nin – Named after the French-American author Anaís Nin, this eclectic cafe is the ideal stop for anyone doing a shopping tour through Juarez. Owned by the same team at Pandería Rosetta, you’re guaranteed equally fluffy, fresh pastries as well as a menu featuring pastas, curries, and tostadas.
• Another Cafe – An under-the-radar spot with a younger, design-forward crowd. Better for coffee and something light, because the coffee-making process is taken very seriously. The space is modern, minimal, and undeniably cool.
• Cafe Tormenta –This is your spot for coffee, vinyl, and a slightly edgier crowd. The street-side café in Roma Norte has a cool vibe, spinning a heavy rotation of jazz and funk. The perfect grab-n-go spot for a quick coffee, or a place to sit and enjoy a medialuna and people watch.

Cocktails

Mexico City’s bar scene is becoming a heavy hitter, nearly at pace with its spectacular culinary scene. From exceptional mixology to dance clubs where you can really let your hair down, there’s no shortage of ways to spend a glamorous night in this sprawling city.  

• Baltra Bar – As a member of the World’s Top 50 Bars, this establishment has a distinct bohemian flare. Frequented by locals, you’ll come for the drinks and stay for the live music. Their rotating thematic menus, such as their floral Almanaque Silvestre, always featured bold takes on classic cocktails. Definitely prioritize making it to one of their weekly Martini Tuesdays.
• El Tigre Silencioso – Chef David Castro Hussong brings his Baja flavor to the Mexico City bar scene with this chic watering hole. Located in a restored turn-of-the-century mansion, the kitchen crafts homestyle dishes like chile relleno tacos and playful cocktail mixes.
• El Tigre Silencioso – Chef David Castro Hussong brings his Baja flavor to the Mexico City bar scene with this chic watering hole. Located in a restored turn-of-the-century mansion, the kitchen crafts homestyle dishes like chile relleno tacos and playful cocktail mixes.
• Plonk – The aguachile is incredible, but Plonk stands out for its expansive selection of wine curated by sommelier Romina Argüelles. She won the Michelin Guide Mexico 2025 Sommelier Award and is recognized for her skill in suggesting highly personal pairings.
• Handshake – One of the most celebrated cocktail bars in the world—precise, theatrical, and very polished. It was named the Best Bar in North America in 2025and the Best Bar in the World in 2024 by World’s 50 Best. With prohibition-era inspired décor, the drink to order first is the iconic Fig Martini. Sit at the bar and watch it all happen, and let your SmartFlyer advisor handle the highly-sought-after reservation.
• Tokyo Music Bar – Located in Mexico City’s Little Tokyo, this invitation-only vinyl listening bar has a refined, Japanese-inspired atmosphere. Order one of the cocktails incorporating Japanese whisky and stay for the music, which plays out of top-of-the-line hi-fi equipment.
• Caiman – A stylish, music-driven, casual bar. You can walk in and order, and as it gets later, the buzzy space in Condesa becomes more nightlife-forward. Keep drinks simple and enjoy the people watching.
• Supra Rooftop – Admittedly more about the crowd and sunset than the cocktails, Supra is where you head as a first stop of the night. Fourteen stories above Roma Norte, it’s centrally located near a handful of other primely located bars and restaurants. It’s easy to see the expanse of CDMX from its open-windowed bar, and there are frequently DJ sets. Go early for the light.
• Bósforo – Mexico is the place to go for mezcal, and Bósforo is the place to go in Mexico City for its mezcal menu. The inviting atmosphere, tucked away in Centro Historico, pairs well with its deep and expert selection; you will find rare, small-batch spirits.

Want to combine CDMX with nearby Puebla? Check out our Mexico City & Puebla guide.

Following a recent scouting trip, this is our insider’s take on where to stay, shop, and yes, spa while exploring this trending destination. South Korea’s capital is a study in contrasts. This is a place where centuries-old palaces sit in the shadow of glassy skyscrapers, and quiet hanok-lined streets give way to design-forward neighborhoods shaping global culture in real time. What makes Seoul so compelling right now isn’t just Korea’s influence on worldwide trends—it’s this city’s duality.

Seoul reveals itself as deeply immersive, design-forward, and unexpectedly personal.

During your stay in Seoul, you’ll move seamlessly from the grandeur of the Joseon dynasty at Gyeongbokgung Palace to the creative pulse of Hannam’s contemporary galleries, from traditional markets buzzing with local life to beauty labs driving the global K-beauty movement. And while the city can feel expansive, this Seoul City Guide is designed to be anything but overwhelming. With the right pacing—and guidance from your SmartFlyer travel advisor—Seoul reveals itself as deeply immersive, design-forward, and unexpectedly personal. Whether you’re here for the food, the fashion, beauty treatments, or a closer look at the culture shaping the global zeitgeist.

Where to Stay in Seoul 

Centrally located near Gwanghwamun Square, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul offers immediate access to the city’s historic core while maintaining a distinctly modern sensibility. Thoughtful design details draw from Korean tradition, while the service and amenities—ranging from curated dining to wellness facilities—create a seamless home base for exploring the city. Its wellness facility is particularly notable for those visiting Seoul to dig into self-care.

Seoul City Guide: Neighborhoods We Love

Gangbuk for Historic Seoul

The cultural backbone of the city, Gangbuk is where you’ll find Seoul’s most iconic landmarks—palaces, hanok villages, and traditional markets—alongside neighborhoods like Insadong and Ikseon-dong that balance preservation with thoughtful reinvention.  

Hannam and Itaewon

Seoul’s refined creative enclave, these pockets are home to the Leeum Museum and a growing cluster of contemporary galleries. Hannam blends art, architecture, and dining in a way that feels distinctly global yet rooted in Korean design sensibility.  

Seongsu

This is the city’s trend engine. Once industrial, now entirely reimagined, Seongsu is where you’ll find Korea’s most interesting retail concepts—from beauty flagships to fashion incubators—alongside a café scene that rivals anywhere in the world.  

Gangnam

Polished, elevated, and unmistakably Seoul, Gangnam is South of the river and delivers on high-end shopping, fine dining, and statement architecture—anchored by destinations like COEX and its iconic Starfield Library.

What to Do If You Only Have a Few Days in Seoul

Day One: Seoul, Then and Now

Start in Gangbuk, where Seoul’s story begins. Following a hearty breakfast at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, walk to Gyeongbokgung Palace, to witness this colorful structure dating back to 1395. The Palace is open every day except Tuesdays; plan your visit to be on site at ten o’clock when the Royal Changing of the Guard Ceremony takes place, a ritual that lasts about twenty minutes. 

From here, hop into your car with your guide to slip into the quieter rhythm of Bukchon Hanok Village, where tiled rooftops and narrow alleyways offer a window into Korea’s architectural past. Be sure to keep your voice down, as there are actual homes in this neighborhood dating back to the Joseon dynasty, and as such, a strict policy to maintain decorum.

…nearby markets like Gwangjang deliver your first real taste of Seoul’s food culture, best experienced by grazing from stall to stall. 

From there, Insadong and Ikseon-dong layer in a more contemporary energy—boutiques, tea houses, and design-forward cafés tucked into reimagined hanoks. We recommend lunch at Balwoo Gongyang, a refined temple cuisine restaurant in Insadong. while nearby markets like Gwangjang deliver your first real taste of Seoul’s food culture, best experienced by grazing from stall to stall. If time allows, schedule in for a treatment this afternoon. For dinner, we recommend Samwon Garden, a classic for Hanwoo Beef BBQ, a more elevated take on the quintessential K-BBQ experience, complete with polished service.

Day Two: Context and Contrast

Today is all about adding depth to your Seoul experience. For those interested in better understanding Korea’s current political climate, a visit to the DMZ offers a rare and sobering look into the Korean peninsula’s ongoing divide. This experience helps reframe much of what you’ve seen in the city itself, but do note that this excursion requires an early morning departure and a return in late afternoon.

…explore Myeongdong, where beauty, fashion, and high-energy retail define one of the city’s most recognizable districts.

Back in Seoul, the tone lightens but remains thoughtful. A stop at the National Museum of Korea brings historical context into focus, while a North Korean–style lunch at Neungra Bapsang offers a surprising and meaningful culinary contrast thanks to the owner, Lee Ae-ran, who shares her story as the first North Korean defector to earn a PhD and ultimately, open a restaurant serving dishes from her childhood. The afternoon is yours to explore Myeongdong, where beauty, fashion, and high-energy retail define one of the city’s most recognizable districts. Don’t miss a stop at the second biggest Olive Young (the biggest is in Seongsu) before ending the day with panoramic views from N Seoul Tower. For dinner, consider YU YUAN, a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant back at the hotel for a restful end to your big day.

 Day Three: Seoul at the Forefront

By your third day in Korea, you’ll be fully in modern Seoul mode. Begin in Seongsu, often dubbed the “Brooklyn of Seoul,” where converted warehouses now house the city’s most directional fashion labels, beauty flagships, and café concepts. Spend the morning browsing flagships like Gentle Monster and Tamburins. It’s here that Korea’s global influence feels tangible. 

From there, continue to Hannam, where galleries and design spaces anchor a more refined creative scene—think museum-quality exhibitions alongside some of the city’s most compelling dining. Anchor your visit around Leeum Museum of Art. Hannam is dense with options, many within ten minutes of the museum; consider Parc, a refined yet approachable Korean spot ideal for lingering. 

This afternoon is at leisure to carve out time for some K-Beauty, or more exploration. If opting for the former, a personalized color analysis at O HUI Spa is the perfect way to ease into a results-driven facial. If you prefer more time discovering the city, head across the river in Gangnam, where polished shopping streets, high-design cafés, and a proper Korean BBQ dinner round out the experience with a sense of scale and sophistication.

K-Beauty, But Make It Elevated

With over a million annual visitors who visit Seoul for aesthetic treatments, it’s easy to deem this city as an epicenter of global beauty. And while we’re not in the business of recommending clinics, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can partner with a K-Beauty expert who acts as a concierge specific to your K-Beauty needs. Or, should you wish for a more DIY route, the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul concierge can help book your appointments if you’re specific about which clinic you want to visit and for what treatment. We’ve rounded up some of the most highly requested 

• Laser Treatments: If hyperpigmentation, rosacea, or broken capillaries are top of mind to address, lasers are easily accessible in Korea, with costs in the $500+ range. 

• Scalp Treatments: Head spas are all the rage on social media these days, but it’s no surprise that this treatment was popularized in Korea. If the goal is to promote hair growth, PRP Microneedling can be used to stimulate hair follicles; typically, this treatment is in the $500-$1,000 range. The most premium treatment for the scalp is stem cell injections (more on those later!), which typically costs $1,500-$3,000. 

• Volume Enhancers: Filler, Collagen Biostimulants, and Fat can all be injected in areas where there has been volume loss. Fillers in the form of Belotero, Juvederm, or a Korean brand last for six months to a year, with prices ranging from $200-$500/cc. For more subtle volume, products like Sculptra, Radisse, Juvelook Volume, Olida, or Ellanse can be used to smooth fine lines and help build natural volume over time; a full face treatment starts at $1,000. Finally, fat grafting is a surgical option requiring mini liposuction where fat is extracted and reinjected into different parts of the face or body, ranging from $1,500 to $3,000. 

• Skin Boosters: Ideal for hydration, healing, and shrinking pores, there are four primary types of booster treatments. Rejuran Healer is a go-to for dry or sensitive skin. Exosomes are a plant-based option for acne-prone skin. NCTF or “Chanel” booster contains vitamins and antioxidants to give skin a glowy quality. Finally, Juvelook Skin Boosters jumpstart your skin’s natural collagen production in the dermis. These treatments are administered three different ways: through Potenza Microneedling for the minimal downtime and pain, a Dermashine Stamping Device, which tends to be most preferred, or manual injections, which have the most downtime. 

• Stem Cell Therapies: A key driver of innovation in Korean skincare, stem cell therapies promote cell regeneration when administered via IV. By law in Korea, patients may only receive stem cell injection from their own body—using blood (most common), fat, or bone marrow—which varies drastically from current US policies (with the exception of Florida) that require stem cells to be derived from the umbilical cord or placenta. Injections can be done into the client’s scalp, face, stretch marks, or any other troublesome area. Note that IV treatments with stem cells from blood start in the low thousands, while IV treatments with stem cells from fat range up to $20,000. 

• Personal color analysis: A distinctly Korean approach to identifying your most flattering tones across wardrobe and makeup, “getting your colors done” is a no-brainer in Seoul. 

• Where to shop for K-Beauty: Myeongdong for accessibility, Seongsu for trend-driven brands, and flagship stores for a more curated experience.

TLDR; What To Do in Seoul

If you’re more of a list person, we’ve broken down some of the must-see sights and stores below.

Start with the classics in Gangbuk

• Gyeongbokgung Palace: Seoul’s most iconic royal palace, best experienced during the changing of the guard. 

• Bukchon Hanok Village: A preserved neighborhood of traditional homes with alleyways that evoke Seoul’s past. 

• Insadong and Ikseon-dong: Tea houses, boutiques, and reimagined hanoks in one of the city’s most walkable districts. 

Add cultural context

• National Museum of Korea (Yongsan): A comprehensive look at Korean history and art. 

• DMZ: A powerful, eye-opening glimpse into the peninsula’s divide. 

Tap into Seoul’s creative scene in Hannam

• Leeum Museum of Art: A standout museum blending traditional and contemporary works. 

• Thaddaeus Ropac: A global gallery bringing blue-chip contemporary art to Seoul. 

• Gallery Joeun: A quieter space spotlighting Korean artists.

Seongsu Shopping

• Gentle Monster: Experiential retail meets cutting-edge eyewear in this expansive boutique located in HAUS NOWHERE. This flagship functions as a museum-meets-experiential shop.
• Tamburins: Sculptural beauty products in a design-forward setting, this Seoul-based brand is known for its fragrances and “anonalous beauty” concept.
• Musinsa Store: A hub for Korea’s most directional streetwear. 

Where To Eat and Drink in Seoul

Café Worth going out of your way

• Cafe Onion Anguk: A cult-favorite bakery in a repurposed industrial space.
• Jayeondo Sogeumppag: A must when in Seoul, the salt bread from this spot draws a worthwhile line.
• Saddler Haus: Known for its caramelized French toast—and the line it draws.
• Camel: Minimalist design with standout coffee.
• H Coffee Roasters: A favorite among serious coffee drinkers.
• PHAL: Under-the-radar, design-led, and worth the detour.

Traditional Eats in Gangbuk

• Balwoo Gongyang: A serene temple cuisine experience rooted in Buddhist tradition, where seasonality and simplicity take center stage.  

• Woosol: A classic Hanwoo beef BBQ spot in Bukchon that feels both traditional and quietly refined.  

• 853: A no-frills, in-the-know Korean pork BBQ destination known for quality cuts and attracting a loyal local following.  

• Myeongdong Kyoja: Seoul’s most famous dumpling and noodle house, worth it for a quick, iconic meal.  

Korean BBQ

• Samjunghanu: An elevated take on Korean BBQ specializing in premium Hanwoo beef in a more polished setting.  

• Kimjinmoksam: A lively, crowd-favorite pork BBQ spot that delivers big flavor and even bigger energy.  

Casual, but essential

• Hyodo Chicken: Korean fried chicken done right—crispy, flavorful, and best enjoyed with a cold beer.  

Seongsu (lunch between shopping)

• Damsot: Known for its hot stone rice bowls topped with seasonal ingredients, served with just the right amount of ceremony.  

• Somunnan Gamjatang: A beloved spot for rich, slow-simmered pork bone soup that’s deeply comforting.  

• Woongkal: Handmade noodles in a casual setting, ideal for a quick but satisfying stop.  

Hannam / Itaewon for Dinner and Drinks

• Mr. Ahn’s Makgeolli: A modern Korean bistro pairing elevated small plates with traditional rice wines.  

• Southside Parlour: A rooftop bar with craft cocktails and a relaxed, expat-meets-local crowd.  

• Soko: A minimalist cocktail bar known for thoughtful drinks and a design-forward atmosphere.  

• 232: A buzzy, intimate spot that feels like a true insider’s pick for a night out in Hannam. 

International, when you’re craving a reset

• YU YUAN: Michelin-starred Cantonese dining at Four Seasons, ideal for a more refined, hotel-based evening.
• Boccalino: A polished Italian restaurant offering a familiar, well-executed break from Korean cuisine, also located inside the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul.
• Palma: A stylish, slightly unexpected taco spot that’s as much about the vibe as the food.  

Gangnam for a big night out energy

• Jungsik: A pioneer of modern Korean fine dining, blending traditional flavors with contemporary technique.
• Kwonsooksoo: An intimate, highly seasonal tasting menu that reinterprets Korean cuisine at its most refined.
• GiwaKang: A lesser-known but equally compelling option for elevated Korean dining in Gangnam.  

Where to Go for a Nightcap in Seoul

• Le Chamber: A speakeasy-style bar hidden behind a bookshelf, known for theatrical cocktails and a moody setting.
• Pine & Co.: A sleek, design-forward bar with a focus on precision cocktails and understated luxury.
• Courte Sidebar: A chic, social spot that strikes the balance between high-end and high-energy
• H. Bar: Located within Charles H., the buzzy bar inside Four Seasons, this new speakeasy takes a laboratory approach to its scientific cocktails.

Who A Trip to Seoul Is For

Seoul is a city for travelers who want to understand where culture is going—not just where it’s been. It’s particularly well-suited for design-minded travelers, return visitors to Asia, and families with older children or teens who will appreciate the intersection of food, fashion, and pop culture. 

Interest in travel to Japan continues to surge—but for many, shaping a seamless Japan itinerary across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka can still feel complex. What begins as an overwhelming puzzle, however, becomes something far more considered when approached in partnership with a seasoned travel advisor: a fully tailored Japan itinerary, calibrated to your specific pace, priorities, and preferences.

This fully customized sample Japan itinerary is informed by our latest scouting trip, with a route anchored by Four Seasons stays that bring a sense of ease and continuity to each stop along the way. More than a checklist of cities, this Japan itinerary is designed to be experienced with intention. From Tokyo’s signature precision to Kyoto’s stillness to Osaka’s high energy, each transition is seamless—crafted so the focus remains on the experience itself.

The art of the leisurely Italian summer holiday, or villeggiatura, has long captured our imaginations and Instagram feeds. Sun-drenched terraces, bright pops of color, an artful aperitivo, and a warm breeze on your skin. Long, indulgent days by the pool, lounging under lemon trees—this is The Talented Mr. Ripley fantasy (minus the darker bits).

The Amalfi dream is easy to conjure. Making it a reality is where Casa Angelina comes in. This LGBTQ+ friendly property carved into the coast is ideal for couples, particularly honeymooners. Equally, Casa Angelina suits anyone seeking a peaceful place to feel close and fall back in love—whether that’s with each other, with life, or the destination itself.

Casa Angelina is ultimately less about being seen but instead, replacing FOMO and celebrating the “Joy of Missing Out” away from the bustling heart of Amalfi Coast.

Casa Angelina is located in Praiano, a charming village ideally positioned between Positano and Amalfi. While just minutes from the vibrant energy of Positano, Praiano radiates a rare sense of calm and authenticity. From the hotel, guests can stroll through the quaint village and find family-owned trattorias, cafés, and endless quiet corners. These places reflect the true beauty of coastal life and small-town charm that emobdy villeggiatura.

Casa Angelina offers the perfect refuge where guests are equally happy hunkering down at the property for the duration of their stay or making it their launching point to explore Amalfi. Overlooking the shimmering Tyrrhenian waters, the hotel provides a serene retreat with Capri’s iconic Faraglioni in the distance.

For those seeking a boutique stay, Casa Angelina feels more like a chic Mediterranean home than a hotel. The property’s beautifully appointed thirty-six rooms and suites open onto private terraces or balconies with breathtaking coastal views throughout. Here, everything is guided by a relentless pursuit of perfection where service feels both personal and intuitive. A stay at Casa Angelina is ultimately less about being seen but instead, replacing FOMO and celebrating the “Joy of Missing Out” away from the bustling heart of Amalfi Coast.

The property is a top choice for in-the-know travelers where white-washed walls, contemporary art, and fine designer elements shape each space. There are three painters on staff that are dedicated to keeping the walls bright white, so the entire property always feels fresh. The attention to detail goes down to the smallest items in the room—the stationary found throughout the hotel is the same that Chanel uses to send invitations to their couture shows. Accommodations are crafted to evoke a sense of tranquility, a sense that pervades interiors in equal measure to striking outdoor spaces.

Days pass easily by the lemon-lined infinity pool—yes, the one you most definitely saw on Instagram. Enjoy relaxed, all-day dining at Seascape, the casual all-day open kitchen, perfect for lazy long lunches and easy, fresh bites. Evenings feel refined at the Michelin-starred Un Piano Nel Cielo, which is Casa Angelina’s floor in the sky. Situated at the top of Casa Angelina, the multi-coursed tasting menus include standout dishes like sauteed squid and lobster spaghetti.

The rooftop terrace offers a perfect view of Praiano, which still holds the magic of an earlier time.And when it comes to how to pass your precious days in Praiano, your SmartFlyer travel advisor and the Casa Angelina team are here to help. Whether for romance, a wellness-driven stay, or even a family affair, those seeking beauty and authenticity are in the right place. In partnership with the concierge team, we’ve rounded up some local favorites to consider during your next stay.

The perfect day in Praiano

Ultimately, the perfect day in Praiano might just mean never leaving the hotel. Wake up and make the most of Casa Angelina’s extensive breakfast spread at the top-floor restaurant with unparalleled sea views. We especially love the freshly baked breads and selection of locally picked fruits.

A mid-morning dip in the Mediterranean. La Gavitella Beach’s One Fire Beach Club boasts one of the coast’s most picturesque, sunlit spots, dotted with bright orange umbrellas, sunbeds, and a wholehearted embrace of dolce vita. It is located directly below the hotel and can be accessed by Casa Angelina’s private elevator, or a 250-step nature path. As a guest of Casa Angelina, you can sunbathe and receive VIP service at an area dedicated to hotel guests only— meaning, the notoriously difficult to snag beach club reservation is now just a private elevator ride away.

Slow lunch and a walk through Praiano. In just a few minutes’ walk from the property, you can be in the heart of the village. Take a stroll through to discover small local trattorias, cafés, and quiet corners that reflect the true rhythm of coastal life. Grab lunch at La Strada, a casual pizzeria with a panoramic terrace.

Afternoon lounging by the pool and a world-class spa treatment. Once back at the hotel, spend a few hours lounging under the property’s glorious lemon trees and taking a dip in the turquoise waters of the infinity pool. Be sure to enjoy drinks from Casa Angelina’s open-air, all-day dining option, Seascape. After, end your leisurely afternoon with a wellness treatment at Casa Angelina’s world-class spa. We recommend the Casa Angelina Lemon Zest Ritual, which includes a salt and oil scrub and massage combination.

A Michelin-starred meal crafted from culinary traditions. Casa Angelina’s on-site restaurant, Un Piano Nel Cielo, offers unforgettable sunset views as the end to your perfect day. At night, the coastline sparkles with lights twinkling on distant cliffs. Michelin-starred dishes of seasonal dishes pair with the idyllic vistas to both fill and fortify you. Notably, many ingredients come from the hotel’s vegetable garden, and the menu is inspired by the culinary traditions of Campania.

End the perfect day with a nightcap. Head to Casa Angelina’s Seascape Cocktail bar and order an expertly crafted beverage. We recommend the Costiera Vesper, made with citrus infused gin at Casa Angelina, and take in the vista one more time.

Exploring the Amalfi Coast

Explore the coast by private charter. Guests at Casa Angelina can enjoy full-day and half-day itineraries on the hotel’s gorgeous, Sorrentine Gozzo-inspired private fleet, which your SmartFlyer travel advisor can assist you in booking. With a skipper on every journey and the option to have a chef accompany you on the sailing, this is a delightful way to discover the Amalfi Coast. Explore the magical grottos tucked in rocky cliffsides, swim in the translucent waters of the Madonnina del Mare and scuba dive to see the wondrous coral thriving beneath the water’s surface—an experience open to any skill level. Float between the legendary Li Galli, a trio of rocky islands surrounded by crystal clear waters, featured in Homer’s The Odyssey. Make stops during your day in Positano and Amalfi, or explore smaller coastal towns like Maiori, Minor, and Cetara.

Day trip to Positano. In just ten minutes, you can take a shuttle directly from Casa Angelina to the heart of Positano, where a postcard Italian town awaits you. With abundant dining options, the famed Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo beaches, and the historic Church of Santa Maria Assunta, this is a picturesque way to spend a day. Work with your SmartFlyer agent to make restaurant and beach club reservations in advance—while Praiano operates at a slower, dreamier pace, Positano is buzzing with activity. We recommend lunch and sunbathing at Da Adolfo. Stop by Moda Mare Positano to pick up one of the classic flowy dresses that have become synonymous with Italian summers.

Tour the cliff-hugging vineyards. Be guided through the sloping vineyards that dot the Amalfi Coast with a tour of Cantine Marisa Cuomo. With a sprawling estate overlooking the Salerno, you can enjoy a wine tasting right where they were made. At Cantine Marisa Cuomo, the vines and grapes are cared for by hand, and you can taste the difference in their meticulous cultivation methods. This experience is available to book from January through August.

Go deep on the region’s most famous symbol. As you are dining, lounging, and wandering in Praiano and the surrounding villages, you won’t be able to ignore the lemon trees dotting the landscape. For those who want to learn what makes these lemons so sweet and special, spend a day immersed in the groves. Tour the Aceto family’s lemon terraces, feast on a citrus-themed menu, learn more about the region’s history, and end with a special viewing of the process of making limoncello.

Hike with the gods. There are hikes, then there is the Path of the Gods. Il Sentiero Degli Dei gleaned its name for being one of the most picturesque walking paths in one of the most scenic places in the world. The full trail takes about three and a half hours and is described as truly breathtaking. Stretching from Agerola to Nocelle, Casa Angelina can arrange for you to start the trail in Agerola for a gentle walk downhill. For more of a challenge, join the trail by hiking up the steps in Praiano, a 30-minute walk from the hotel. Casa Angelina’s concierge team can assist in booking a guide if you want an expert at the helm.

Bring home the culinary wonder of the Amalfi Coast. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor can set up a cooking class at Mamma Agata’s, nestled 1,000 feet above sea level in a beautiful home in Ravello. Here, you can learn to make traditional Italian meals like lasagna and meatballs. Nearly all produce used in the classes is sourced right on the property; you’ll see lemon groves, vegetable gardens, and free-roaming chickens set against the stunning vistas of the coast. Learn how to best incorporate olive oil, make the best authentic tomato sauce, and indulge in the rich history of the region’s cuisine.

Where to Eat in and near Praiano

And for the lunches or dinners where you want to dig a bit further into Amalfi at large, we’ve rounded up some vetted favorites.

Praiano

Kasai: Open for lunch and dinner and just a stone’s throw away from Casa Angelina, this restaurant comes from the minds behind the One Fire Beach club. Beautiful, delicious dishes of stewed artichoke, homemade Taglioni, and lamb ribs compliment open air dining.

La Strada: Just five minutes from Casa Angelina lies this consistently excellent family-run restaurant and pizzeria, with excellent views and even better fish.

Da Armandino: This beachfront spot overlooking La Praia Bay and an antique watchtower is best enjoyed at night and serves up traditional Neapolitan fare.

La Moressa: A casual lounge with bright turquoise tables, this is the spot for an easy meal of fresh seafood right on the edge of Praiano’s cliffs.

Bar del Sole: Whether you’re seeking a quick bite of gelato or an evening cocktail, you can pop into Bar del Sol, which is just minutes from Casa Angelina and is situated with perfect views of the Parish Church of Saint Januarius’s sunny yellow walls and blue-and-white tiled dome.

Positano

Zass: For a high dose of romance and sophistication, head to this Michelin-starred restaurant in the beloved Il San Pietro di Positano. You’ll have an impeccable meal, so make sure you’re dressed to match.

La Taverna del Leone: For something more laid-back, consider this classic, family-owned restaurant opened back in 1965 that was the first on the Amalfi Coast to serve draft beer. There’s an option for tasting menus or a simpler (though just as delicious) selection of pizzas to be enjoyed in this cozy, colorful setting.

Savino: This is one of the seats in town, with a sea-facing terrace in the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni. Perfect for a romantic evening, you can expect to find contemporary Positano cuisine prepared using the catch of the day paired with local produce.

Franco’s Bar: Just next door to Le Sirenuse, this design-forward hotspot draws a crowd. The focus is on serving the highest quality drinks, with tables offered on a first come, first serve basis.

Da Adolfo: An Amalfi icon, with enough lead time, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can coordinate a reservation for a to enjoy this hot spot beach club’s freshly caught seafood right on the beach under straw canopies.

Amalfi

La Caravella: This was the first restaurant in Southern Italy to receive a Michelin star, and the restaurant takes maintaining that designation seriously. Located in the center of Amalfi, this restaurant doubles as an art gallery and museum. Just be sure to avoid wearing shorts and sandals!

Da Gemma: Overlooking Amalfi’s main square, Da Gemma is well known amongst the Amalfi-going crowd. This cozy trattoria is famous, and rightly so. The terrace provides stunning views and a spot where diners can dig into tasty traditional regional dishes.

Lido Azzurro: Just a stone’s throw from the historical center, this casual restaurant overlooks the picturesque port of Amalfi and offers a menu of staple dishes of the region like spaghetti with clams, fish chowder and risotto with shrimp and baby squid.

Pasticceria Pansa: Stop by and indulge in an award-winning example of Italian pasticcini at Pasticceria Pansa, which sells an incredible and highly sought after lemon cake.

Piazzetta Milú: Helmed by Chef Maicol Izzo, the 2024 winner of the Michelin Guide’s Young Chef Award, this two-Michelin-starred restaurant offers an extensive tasting menu. What you’ll be eating will remain a surprise until you arrive to the restaurant—Milú creates six different entirely new menus each year.

Getting There

Getting to Casa Angelina is seamless. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor can arrange for a private car to whisk you from Naples International Airport to reach the property in 75 to 90 minutes. Alternatively, if coming from Salerno it’s about 80 minutes by car from the Costa d’Amalfi Airport. Alternatively, Rome’s Leonardo Da Vinci Airport is just over three hours away by car. For those driving themselves to the hotel, complimentary valet parking is available. If interested in arriving by private boat transfer, your SmartFlyer can arrange all of the logistics.

Ready to get planning your Paradise in Praiano? Contact your SmartFlyer travel advisor.

More than a century after its founding, the island remains a study in contrasts: polished yet relaxed, storied yet entirely of-the-moment. Here, over 2,900 hours of annual sunshine illuminate a rhythm defined less by urgency and more by intention. Mornings begin with sea breezes along the Lake Trail, afternoons stretch languidly over long lunches, and evenings arrive with a quiet kind of glamour.

Cultural landmarks like the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum and the Norton Museum of Art ground the island in history and artistry, while Worth Avenue offers a ritualistic kind of wandering. And here, fashion welcomes you into a world that’s distinctly Palm Beach. Dressing for the day calls for effortless silhouettes, woven textures, and sandals made for strolling, while evenings invite a touch of polish. Palm Beach doesn’t demand attention—it rewards those who settle into its pace.

Where to Stay in Palm Beach 

At the center of it all, The Vineta Hotel marks the first U.S. foothold within Oetker Hotels. This freshly owned property has already caught major buzz for how it manages to capture the essence of Palm Beach through a distinctly intimate lens. Set just two blocks from Worth Avenue, this forty-one-room Mediterranean Revival retreat feels less like a hotel and more like a private residence with a storied past.

Interiors are luminous and layered, honoring the building’s architectural roots while introducing a fresh sense of Riviera-inflected ease. 

Originally built in 1925 and thoughtfully reimagined by London-based designer Tino Zervudachi, the property balances heritage with a light, contemporary touch. Interiors are luminous and layered, honoring the building’s architectural roots while introducing a fresh sense of Riviera-inflected ease. The social heart of the hotel is Coco’s, a vibrant, design-forward restaurant that channels European elegance with a distinctly Palm Beach energy. Expect Mediterranean flavors, tableside finishes, and a scene that naturally evolves from dinner into something a bit more spirited. The original courtyard is lush with palms and bougainvillea, offering a softer counterpoint, ideal for afternoon tea or an unhurried aperitif beneath the umbrellas. 

Then there’s The Bar, a revival of the legendary Leopard Lounge, where the mood is decidedly more intimate. It’s the kind of place where cocktails stretch into conversation, and conversation into evening plans. By day, the Pool House leans into the island’s sun-soaked sensibility, serving relaxed, Riviera-inspired lunches in a setting that feels equal parts polished and playful. This is not a place to disappear into—it’s a place to settle in, to feel known, and to experience Palm Beach not as a visitor, but as if you’ve always belonged.

Where to Eat in Palm Beach 

Dining in Palm Beach is as much about timing as it is taste—where a long lunch can turn into an afternoon, and cocktails often blur seamlessly into dinner. The island rewards those who know when to go: where to book ahead, where to linger, and where to drop in when the mood strikes. 

• Lola 41 | If you’ve had the pleasure of dining at Lola41 on Nantucket or in Naples, you know it’s not to be missed. This consistently buzzy, globally inspired spot works just as well for lunch as it does for dinner.
• Swifty’s at The Colony | A Palm Beach staple for lunch, as well as Bingo and Trivia nights (Sunday and Monday), and pre-dinner cocktails that often turn into an evening.
• La Goulue | A chic Parisian-style bistro known for its lively, see-and-be-seen atmosphere, classic French fare, and polished service—equally suited for long lunches or buzzy dinners.
• Buccan | An island institution helmed by seven-time James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Clay Conley, Buccan is known for its lively atmosphere, open kitchen, and inventive small plates like squid ink orecchiette and short-rib empanadas. Notably, the Buccan Sandwich Shop recently opened and is ideal to snag before a day at the beach!
• Imoto | The sister restaurant to Buccan, located just next door, Imoto is one of the island’s best sushi spots—ideal for a more low-key dinner that still feels in-the-know.
• Tutto Mare | Newly opened and already drawing a crowd, this waterfront sibling to Sag Harbor’s Tutto il Giorno is best for dinner, where the setting is as compelling as the menu.
• BiCE Restorante Palm Beach | Just off Worth Avenue, this elegant Northern Italian restaurant channels Milan with white-linen tables, an intimate courtyard, and refined handmade pastas—ideal for leisurely lunches or celebratory dinners.
• Le Bilboquet Palm Beach | A chic French bistro with Riviera spirit, offering classics like chicken Cajun, steak-frites, and lobster risotto in a stylish indoor-outdoor setting.
• The Honor Bar | A Hillstone sibling to Palm Beach Grill, but slightly less fussy—perfect for a casual dinner or an easy, no-reservations-needed night.
• The Dining Room at Palm House | A Nobu concept offering standout sushi in a polished, design-forward setting—best for dinner.
• Café Boulud Palm Beach | Located within The Brazilian Court Hotel, this refined restaurant showcases Chef Daniel Boulud’s French heritage with a focus on seasonal ingredients and elegant presentation. In season, Friday nights bring a DJ and a lively post-dinner scene—ideal for drinks that turn into dancing.
• Florie’s | Set within the Four Seasons Resort overlooking the ocean, Florie’s features Michelin-starred Chef Mauro Colagreco’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, with an emphasis on local ingredients and open-fire cooking.
• Palm Beach Grill | A beloved local staple blending the energy of a neighborhood favorite with elevated American dining, known for its lively bar, open kitchen, and consistently polished service.
• Sant Ambroeus Palm Beach | A stylish Milanese café that moves effortlessly from morning espresso to evening aperitivo, offering everything from morning pastries to refined pastas.
• Café L’Europe | A Palm Beach institution since 1980, this celebrated spot is known for its classic French and European dishes, and timeless favorites like Dover sole meunière and Grand Marnier soufflé.
• BrickTop’s | A reliable, family-friendly option that’s easy and polished without feeling overly formal—great for a relaxed dinner.
• HMF at The Breakers | A quintessential stop for pre- or post-dinner cocktails in a glamorous setting.
• E.R. Bradley’s Saloon | A waterfront, open-air favorite for a casual daytime lunch or weekend afternoon—especially for sports fans and those looking to tap into the local scene.

Where to Shop in Palm Beach

…the island’s most iconic promenade, which coalesces into designer maisons, jewelers, and galleries, each revealing itself within sunlit vias framed by palms and fountains.

Shopping in Palm Beach is less about checking boxes and more about embracing a way of life—one defined by beauty, leisure, and a touch of ceremony. Begin along Worth Avenue, the island’s most iconic promenade, which coalesces into designer maisons, jewelers, and galleries, each revealing itself within sunlit vias framed by palms and fountains. From there, make your way to The Royal Poinciana Plaza, a historic, John Volk–designed open-air esplanade where heritage brands like Hermès sit alongside emerging designers. Together, they capture Palm Beach’s signature balance of polish and ease—where shopping feels as social as it does stylish. 

• Michelle Farmer Collaborate | A refined boutique showcasing elegant resort wear and curated collaborations, capturing a modern, feminine take on Palm Beach style—ideal for polished evenings out.
• Stubbs & Wootton | Known for its iconic embroidered slippers, this quintessentially Palm Beach brand embodies understated elegance with handcrafted designs that feel both classic and playful.
• Coniglio Palm Beach | Whimsical yet impeccably tailored, this boutique is known for its vibrant prints, feminine silhouettes, and statement-making pieces that feel distinctly Palm Beach.
• Living with Ivey | A wellness-driven boutique featuring elevated activewear, clean beauty, and home essentials, all thoughtfully curated to support balance, ease, and effortless style.
• Lilly Pulitzer | A heritage brand born on the island, celebrated for its vibrant prints and joyful spirit—an enduring symbol of Palm Beach’s colorful, carefree aesthetic.
• Kassatly’s | A Worth Avenue institution dating back to 1923, known less for jewelry and more for impeccably curated essentials—think fine European linens, cashmere, and classic loungewear—making it a timeless stop for understated, old Palm Beach elegance.
• The Skinny Dip | A playful, color-forward boutique offering a mix of resortwear, accessories, and gifts—perfect for picking up something fun, bold, and effortlessly vacation-ready.
• Poupette St. Barth | A cult-favorite for effortlessly feminine resortwear, featuring airy dresses, delicate prints, and pieces that feel equally suited for beach days and sunset cocktails.
• La Double J | Bold, maximalist, and unmistakably joyful, La DoubleJ brings its signature Italian prints and vibrant energy to Palm Beach. From statement dresses to eclectic homeware, every piece is designed to spark delight and stand out.
• The Nix | A go-to for curated home furnishings and décor, blending classic Palm Beach style with fresh, contemporary touches—ideal for those looking to bring a bit of the island home.
• HIVE | A sprawling, multi-concept space that truly has it all—home décor, gifts, clothing, and accessories—curated with a distinctly Palm Beach flair.
• Julia Amory | Known for its breezy, block-printed textiles and effortless silhouettes, Julia Amory embodies a relaxed yet polished approach to dressing and home. The boutique feels distinctly personal, with pieces that transition seamlessly from beachside mornings to elegant evenings.
• The Shops at Royal Poinciana Plaza | A beautifully landscaped retail enclave anchored by a mix of luxury and contemporary brands—including Zimmermann, Staud, LoveShackFancy, Hermès, and Assouline—alongside cafés and open-air courtyards that make browsing feel like an experience.
• The RealReal | A destination for authenticated luxury consignment, offering everything from designer handbags to ready-to-wear and fine jewelry—ideal for uncovering rare finds and timeless investment pieces.
• The Church Mouse | A beloved Palm Beach consignment shop run by the Episcopal Church, known for its ever-changing mix of designer clothing, jewelry, and home goods at approachable prices—equal parts local institution and insider secret.

Jewelry Stores in Palm Beach

• Nicholas Varney | A Palm Beach institution for antique and estate jewelry, known for its exceptional collection of rare gemstones, signed pieces, and one-of-a-kind finds with a storied past.
• Richters | A destination for collectors, offering an incredible selection of vintage Bulgari and Cartier—think timeless icons and hard-to-find statement pieces.
• Mish Fine Jewelry | Modern, sculptural fine jewelry with a focus on bold gold, clean lines, and pieces designed to be worn every day yet feel entirely distinctive.
• Tuke Bazaar | A colorful, globally inspired boutique featuring handcrafted jewelry, talismans, and eclectic accessories that lean bohemian and one-of-a-kind.

Design Shops in Palm Beach

Just over the bridge in West Palm Beach, Dixie Highway has become a go-to for design lovers—lined with antique stores, vintage dealers, and eclectic home boutiques. Pair it with stops back on the island, where Palm Beach’s signature polish carries through in a series of beautifully curated home and tabletop destinations.

• Meg Braff Designs | A celebration of classic Palm Beach interiors, Meg Braff’s boutique is a masterclass in color, pattern, and polished coastal living. From rattan furnishings to vibrant textiles and tabletop accents, each piece channels a timeless yet playful sensibility.
• Perigold | A design-forward destination for high-end home furnishings, showcasing a wide range of luxury brands and statement pieces in a beautifully curated showroom setting.
• AERIN | A refined extension of Aerin Lauder’s lifestyle vision, AERIN offers a beautifully curated mix of home décor, tabletop, accessories, and beauty. The aesthetic is soft, feminine, and timeless—designed to elevate everyday living with understated elegance.
• Get The Gusto | A charming, Italian-inspired boutique offering handcrafted ceramics, linens, and home accessories sourced from small artisans across Italy. It’s the kind of place you wander into and leave with something beautifully unexpected.
• Mary Mahoney | A Palm Beach institution offering exquisite tabletop pieces and one-of-a-kind finds, from hand-painted china to Murano glass and antique silver, all rooted in a tradition of gracious entertaining.
• Authentic Provence | Transporting you straight to the South of France, this boutique specializes in Provençal linens, tableware, and home goods. Expect sun-washed palettes, artisanal craftsmanship, and pieces designed for effortless, elegant entertaining.
• Devonshire of Palm Beach | A refined destination for antique-inspired home décor and tabletop pieces, Devonshire blends English charm with Palm Beach polish. The collection feels curated and timeless, ideal for those who appreciate heritage design.

Things to Do in Palm Beach

• The Society of the Four Arts | A cultural cornerstone of Palm Beach offering art exhibitions, lectures, and performances. Its sculpture and botanical gardens provide a serene, beautifully landscaped setting, with free walking tours that blend culture and leisure.
• Henry Morrison Flagler Museum | Housed in Whitehall, this Gilded Age estate showcases marble halls, waterfront views, and opulent interiors while telling the story of Palm Beach’s rise as a luxury destination.
• The Norton Museum of Art | Florida’s largest art museum, featuring over 8,200 works across European, American, Chinese, and contemporary art, was recently elevated by a major renovation.
• Palm Beach Par-3 Golf Course | An oceanfront 18-hole course set between the Atlantic and Intracoastal, offering sweeping views and a relaxed yet refined golfing experience, with options for lessons or “Play with a Pro.”
• The Lake Trail |  A scenic path along the Intracoastal Waterway, The Lake Trail is perfect for walking, jogging, or biking. Lined with banyan trees, bougainvillea, and historic homes, it’s a peaceful, picturesque local favorite to get some steps in with an iced coffee in hand.
• Yacht Charter Experience | If you’re looking for a day on the water, your SmartFlyer travel advisor can arrange a private luxury charter offering sunset cruises or full-day excursions with panoramic coastal views and personalized service.
• Cooking Classes at The Vineta | Hands-on culinary sessions for both adults and children, cooking classes back at the hotel range from seasonal recipes to playful cookie-making, each designed to bring people together through food.
• The Vineta’s ‘Docent in the Wild’ Adventures | Immersive nature experiences including sunrise sea turtle conservation outings with marine biologists and guided birdwatching tours with an expert ornithologist.
• The Vineta Beach Experience | Don’t miss this fully curated beach setup, including chairs, an umbrella, a picnic basket, and more—transforming a simple beach day into a polished, effortless luxury experience.

Ready to get planning your escape to Palm Beach? Contact your SmartFlyer travel advisor.

We’re talking the kind of trips that become reference points like “before Patagonia” or “after the Nile,” which ultimately become the adventures your children are still talking about around the dinner table years later. And when it comes to creating experiences that quietly recalibrate how you see the world—and sometimes, even see yourself—we know a thing or two.

In a moment where last-minute bookings have become increasingly common, we’re making a different case entirely: the most meaningful travel of your life deserves a long-term plan. Because landmark journeys—including the ones requiring permits, deploying expedition vessels, or securing private aviation access—reward the early bird. And for these trips, planning twelve, eighteen, or even twenty-four months in advance isn’t simply practical; it’s how you unlock the extraordinary.

What if, instead of thinking about next summer, you started thinking about the next ten years? Mapping out a decade-long roadmap allows you to anticipate mile markers around big birthdays, retirement chapters, and even milestones in your children’s development…

Exclusivity translates to limited availability, and that’s precisely where your SmartFlyer travel advisor comes in. What if, instead of thinking about next summer, you started thinking about the next ten years? Mapping out a decade-long roadmap allows you to anticipate mile markers around big birthdays, retirement chapters, and even milestones in your children’s development—pairing each season of life with destinations worthy of the moment. So how, exactly, do you map a ten-year travel plan with intention? It starts with a conversation—and not about where you want to go next summer. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor will begin by asking you bigger picture questions: What milestones are coming up for your parents, spouse, and children? What pockets does work tend to peak in? What seasons of life do you want to mark in a meaningful way? What experiences would you regret missing if you waited too long?

From there, the plan begins to take shape, following a framework customized to you. Together, you’ll discuss how to: 

• Anchor the decade with milestone moments. Decade birthdays. Major anniversaries. The summer before your oldest leaves for college. A retirement year. Study abroad semesters and graduations. Your advisor helps place these on a long-view calendar first—because those dates aren’t flexible. 

• Match destinations to your children’s ages. This is where experience really matters. Maybe it’s a Galápagos expedition when they’re confident swimmers and still wildly curious. A month of language school in Spain before high school schedules and sports commitments narrow your window. A multi-gen villa summer while cousins still want to share rooms. Your advisor looks at not just where to go — but when it will land best. 

• Plan around limited inventory and ideal seasons. The most sought-after safari camps have fewer than a dozen suites. Prime migration weeks or peak dry-season dates can fill up one to two years in advance, especially for families who need multiple rooms and private vehicles. Mapping these out eighteen months ahead means you secure the right camp, in the right season—not what happens to be left. 

• Balance “pillar” trips with breathing room. A Nile cruise one year. A low-lift Caribbean reset the next.  Your advisor helps pace the decade so it feels intentional—not exhausting. 

• Track fixed-date global events. Olympics. World Cups. Total solar eclipses. These operate on immovable timelines, with hospitality inventory that disappears quickly. With a long-range roadmap, your advisor is watching booking windows and ready to act the moment they open. 

• Revisit the roadmap annually. Kids grow. Careers shift. Interests evolve. The plan isn’t rigid—it’s refined over time, adjusted each year to reflect where your life actually is. 

The result isn’t overplanning—it’s peace of mind. The trips that matter most are protected before life crowds them out. And when charted alongside a SmartFlyer travel advisor, the extraordinary doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because someone was thinking ten years ahead. To get your creativity flowing as you think about some pillar trips to include on your roadmap, we’ve rounded up some epic adventures for consideration.

For the Outdoor & Nature Enthusiast

Some landscapes demand reverence, while others demand perspective. A well-rounded decade of travel for the nature lover should include both cinematic wilderness and remote stillness—places that remind you just how expansive the planet truly is. 

Experience Intrepid Alaska

Alaska is a perfect starting point for the nature lover, and while cruising along its coast is an option that works best for many families, there are other creative ways to explore the United States’ northernmost territory. Instead, imagine a curated lodge circuit that begins in Anchorage and continues by helicopter into Denali’s dramatic terrain. For instance, a heli-adventure to Sheldon Chalet, located on the only privately owned land within Denali National Park & Preserve, becomes a journey that feels deeply personal and wildly cinematic. This is not about checking off “Alaska.” It’s about redefining how you encounter it.

See The Northern Lights

Further north, Norway and Finnish Lapland offer the chance to sleep beneath the Aurora Borealis. The Northern Lights are visible from late August through April, but seeing them well requires thoughtful positioning. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor can help you explore fjord hopping by private yacht, pairing Nordic design-forward hotels with wilderness lodges, and time excursions around snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or dog sledding to ensure the magic unfolds with ease. 

Connect with Mongolia’s Expansiveness

For travelers craving vastness, Mongolia’s Gobi Desert introduces an entirely different scale. Luxury ger camps allow you to explore fossil fields, ride camels across dunes, and engage with nomadic communities—all within a landscape defined by silence. This is a destination that demands patience and rewards those who plan carefully. United Airlines offers seasonal nonstop flights from Tokyo to Ulaanbaatar, meaning the SmartFlyer Air Team can issue you a ticket from the U.S. to Mongolia through Tokyo. Yet another reason to plan in advance and get this bucket list destination on your travel roadmap.

Scuba in Raja Ampat

For those who feel most alive underwater, Raja Ampat in Indonesia remains one of the most biodiverse marine environments on Earth, making it somewhere that should be catapulted to the top of your list. Chartering a Rascal Voyages vessel in the region allows you to explore remote reefs in privacy, navigating marine seasons and conservation guidelines with precision. Plus, the Rascal way ensures that you can bring along the kiddos, providing invaluable real-life learning about biodiversity, from showing them real-life dragons to brilliantly colored corals and smoking volcanoes.

For the Active Traveler

Movement imprints memory differently. Arguably, some of the world’s most transformative journeys are earned on foot, on skis, or at altitude. 

Hike Through Patagonia

Patagonia feels almost mythic in its scale. Hiking through Torres del Paine National Park or Argentina’s Los Glaciers National Park reveals jagged peaks and glacial lakes that feel cinematic in every direction. Anchoring your stay at Tierra Hotels’ lodges—such as Tierra Patagonia, perched above Lake Sarmiento with uninterrupted views of the Paine massif—adds architectural drama and guided access that elevates the experience beyond a hiking trip. Incorporating Patagonia into a decade-long plan allows you to pair it strategically, perhaps linking it with Antarctica via a fly-cruise from Punta Arenas, reaching the continent in hours rather than spending days crossing the Drake Passage. The goal isn’t extremity; it’s orchestration.

Do A Ski Safari Through the Dolomites

In northern Italy, a ski safari through the Dolomites blends adrenaline with indulgence. Moving between alpine villages, stopping for long lunches in mountain rifugi, and concluding at a spa-forward retreat like FORESTIS transforms a ski trip into a fully realized alpine circuit. Over ten years, you might revisit the Alps in multiple seasons, layering hiking, cycling, and culinary exploration into your version of this dynamic destination, but seeing it by skiing from rifugi to rifugi is something truly remarkable.

Connect To Your Spiritual Side in the “Land of Happiness” 

Bhutan offers another kind of active journey—one rooted in spirituality as much as physical challenge. Hiking to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is physically demanding, but the deeper resonance lies in the country’s philosophy of Gross National Happiness and its “High Value, Low Impact” tourism model. Visa requirements and protective travel policies make advance planning essential. Whether you opt to do a multi-lodge circuit with Six Senses or Aman, you can chart your own path through mountains and valleys that feel both sacred and cinematic.

For the History Buff

Some travelers crave narrative above all else. They want to stand where history unfolded and understand the context that shaped it. If that’s you, we’ve got a few quintessential trips to prioritize. 

Set Sail Along the Nile

Cruising along the Nile offers one of civilization’s most immersive classrooms. From Luxor to Aswan, ancient temples rise from desert sands with staggering presence. Choosing a private or ultra-luxury vessel ensures you’re not merely passing by these sites, but engaging with them alongside expert Egyptologists who provide depth and nuance. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor will be sure to match you with the best suited subject matter experts to ensure you’re maximizing your visit to Northern Africa.

Do the Ultimate Morocco Circuit

A Morocco itinerary weaving through Casablanca, Fes, the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert, and Marrakesh is sure to layer architecture, craft, cuisine, and landscape into one cohesive journey. Exploring medinas with private guides, spending nights beneath desert stars, and retreating to riads that feel more like private residences than hotels creates a narrative arc you won’t soon forget. Be sure to leave extra room in your bag for all the treasures you’ll uncover at the souks.

Embrace the Allure of the Golden Triangle

Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur coalesce to create their own iconic framework known as the Golden Triangle. When paired with private palace stays, exclusive artisan encounters, and wildlife extensions, the journey is sure to engage every sense. India rewards travelers who move thoughtfully, making this a destination well-suited to be planned by travel advisors who understand its beautiful complexity.

For the Epicurian

Food remains a primary motivator for travel, shaping not just where we go but how deeply we connect once we arrive. With thoughtful planning, your advisor can time reservations around seasonal harvests, secure coveted counter seats, and build itineraries that unfold through markets, kitchens, and vineyards rather than just landmarks. 

Dine Your Way Through Peru

Some destinations are tasted as much as they are seen, and Peru stands firmly in that category. Begin in Lima, where one of the world’s most dynamic dining scenes continues to redefine Latin American cuisine, before continuing into the Sacred Valley. From there, your travel advisor will arrange your journey to Machu Picchu aboard the Belmond Hiram Bingham, timing your arrival to avoid peak congestion and heighten the sense of cinematic anticipation as the Andes unfold outside your window. After experiencing the citadel at its most serene, continue on to Cusco, where a stay at Palacio Nazarenas offers quiet refinement at altitude, grounding the journey in both history and understated luxury.

For the Expedition-Minded

For those drawn to exploration by smaller vessels, sailing the Peruvian Amazon aboard Aqua Expeditions’ Aria Amazon offers an intimate counterpoint to traditional cruising. With just sixteen suites and the option for a full buyout, the experience feels less like a voyage and more like a private expedition through the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, where pink river dolphins surface at dawn and skiffs glide silently past dense jungle canopy. This is cruising reimagined—design-forward, wildlife-rich, and intentionally small in scale.

For the Wildlife-Driven

Some travelers are pulled toward vast landscapes and untamed ecosystems. They want early mornings on game drives, sundowners overlooking the savanna, and encounters that shift perspective. If that’s you, Africa deserves multiple chapters on your decade-long plan. 

Witness the Great Migration in East Africa

Kenya and Tanzania deliver some of the most extraordinary wildlife spectacles on Earth—and the lodges you select often define how you experience these special parts of East Africa. In Kenya’s Laikipia region, Ol Malo offers a family-owned, deeply personal safari rooted in conservation and community. For front-row access to the Serengeti’s drama, Singita Faru Faru pairs contemporary design with prime migration positioning. And in the Maasai Mara, refined camps such as Angama Mara place you high above the plains with panoramic views that feel almost cinematic. Timing is everything here—river crossings and peak wildlife months follow natural rhythms, not calendar dates—so your SmartFlyer travel advisor secures the right camp in the right region well in advance.

Do a South Africa Circuit

South Africa offers one of the continent’s most seamless introductions to safari, especially when anchored by the visionary properties of The Royal Portfolio. Begin in Cape Town at The Silo Hotel, where art-filled interiors overlook Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront. Continue into the Winelands at La Residence for vineyard serenity before heading to Royal Malewane for a Big Five safari led by some of the most experienced guides on the continent. This circuit balances cosmopolitan energy, culinary excellence, and wilderness immersion within a single, thoughtfully paced journey. 

End with a Remote Indian Ocean Escape

After days on safari, few finales feel more transportive than Madagascar. A stay at Miavana by Time + Tide offers private-villa seclusion on a protected island off the country’s northeastern coast, where marine life, lemurs, and untouched reefs create an experience that feels worlds away from the mainland. Pairing bush with beach at this level adds restoration without sacrificing a sense of discovery—turning an already extraordinary journey into something truly singular.

Life at Leisure

Not every landmark moment demands exertion. Some are meant to unfold slowly—designed for celebration, restoration, and long afternoons that stretch into golden evenings. 

Charter a Yacht Through the Aeolian Islands

A private yacht through the Aeolian Islands allows you to dictate your own rhythm—swimming off volcanic coves, docking for lingering Sicilian lunches, and anchoring beneath Stromboli as it glows against the night sky. Milestone birthdays and anniversaries deserve settings that feel cinematic, and nothing feels more singular than gathering friends or family aboard your own floating villa. 

Escape to Bora Bora

In Bora Bora, guided shark and manta ray encounters introduce a dose of adventure within crystalline lagoons, while overwater villas provide the kind of privacy that encourages true pause. For an even more secluded chapter, a stay at The Brando elevates the experience entirely—set on a private atoll once owned by Marlon Brando, where sustainability, barefoot luxury, and profound stillness define each day. Over the course of a decade, alternating high-energy expeditions with restorative escapes like these ensures your travel roadmap remains balanced, intentional, and deeply personal.

Take Over a Mediterranean Villa

There is something timeless about a private villa. Whether perched along the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, tucked into the hills of Mallorca, or overlooking the Aegean in Paros, a fully staffed estate becomes the backdrop for birthdays, reunions, and the kind of unstructured time that families rarely get at home. Days revolve around long lunches, market visits, and spontaneous swims—proof that sometimes the most meaningful travel isn’t about movement, but about staying put.

With its global campaign, The Butler Did It, Raffles reframes one of hospitality’s most storied traditions for a new era of experiential travel. The modern luxury traveler is no longer seeking seamless logistics alone—after all, working with a SmartFlyer travel advisor ensures that’s already the case. Instead, they want access that feels insider. Cultural immersion that doesn’t require guesswork. And increasingly, they’re craving someone on the ground who can help interpret a destination on their behalf.

“Since 1887, our legendary butlers have been the soul of this tradition, embodying the art of intuitive and emotional hospitality. ‘The Butler Did It’ packages celebrate this enduring legacy…” -Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles Hotels & Resorts

As Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, explains, “The magic of Raffles lies in delivering a highly personalized level of service that transforms a stay into a remarkable experience. Since 1887, our legendary butlers have been the soul of this tradition, embodying the art of intuitive and emotional hospitality. ‘The Butler Did It’ packages celebrate this enduring legacy by offering guests immersive and unique journeys tailored to each of our iconic destinations. From the cultural heart of Singapore to the refined elegance of Paris, the tropical serenity of the Seychelles, and the historic charm of Istanbul, each experience showcases the grace, sophistication, warmth, and wit that define Raffles.” 

What makes this inflection point notable is timing. “Luxury travel” has entered an era defined by scale and, in turn, sameness. Hotel portfolios are expanding rapidly with social media usage accelerating the likelihood that interaries are being rinsed and repeated in destinations around the world. In this environment, differentiation no longer comes from square footage or marble finishes alone. It comes from the human interpretation of how to navigate a place. And it’s here precisely where Raffles is placing its bets.

Raffles Singapore

The Origin Story, Reimagined

This iconic property was the birthplace of the brand, dating back to 1887, and remains the spiritual anchor of its service philosophy.

No discussion of the Raffles butler can begin anywhere other than Raffles Singapore. This iconic property was the birthplace of the brand, dating back to 1887, and remains the spiritual anchor of its service philosophy. In a city that balances tradition and hyper-modernity with precision, this element of human curation becomes essential. 

Here, the butler tradition is not marketing language; it is lineage. Through The Butler Did It, guests are invited into experiences that go beyond the iconic Sling at Long Bar or the white façade along Beach Road. A butler may arrange private heritage walks tracing colonial-era influences across Singapore’s evolving neighborhoods, or secure behind-the-scenes introductions to local culinary artisans redefining Peranakan cuisine. 

For families traveling together, this creates layered storytelling: grandparents reconnecting with Southeast Asian history, parents exploring contemporary design districts, and children discovering hawker culture through curated tastings. Here, the Raffles butler becomes a cultural translator—ensuring the narrative of Singapore unfolds in a way that feels coherent rather than overwhelming.

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and Raffles Hotel Le Royal

A Seamless Passage Through Khmer Legacy

In Cambodia, the campaign unfolds as a twin-stay journey between two of the country’s most historic addresses. In Siem Reap, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor situates guests at the threshold of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temple complexes—but the butler’s orchestration ensures visits transcend standard sightseeing. 

Private sunrise access is timed to avoid peak congestion. Expert guides are matched to specific guest interests, whether they are architecture, mythology, or photography. Temple explorations are balanced with restorative pauses back at the hotel’s Art Deco pool, which in turn allows space for reflection.

…the butler may coordinate private dining that interprets Cambodian flavors through modern gastronomy…

The journey then transitions to Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh, where colonial architecture and Khmer design coexist in the Cambodian capital. Here, the butler may coordinate private dining that interprets Cambodian flavors through modern gastronomy, or introductions to local creatives shaping Phnom Penh’s contemporary arts scene. For multigenerational groups, cultural immersion unfolds at a rhythm tailored to the family dynamic.

Raffles London at The OWO

History, Activated

At Raffles London at The OWO, the campaign leans into the gravitas of the building’s past as the Old War Office. Under The Butler Did It, guests are escorted into hidden Whitehall spaces, including underground rooms where wartime strategy once shaped global history. In a city dense with luxury hotel inventory, narrative access—not simply architectural splendor—becomes the differentiator.

Yet what distinguishes this experience is personalization. A history devotee might receive a deep archival narrative. A family traveling with teenagers may experience storytelling designed to make Churchill-era decisions feel immediate and human. A couple marking an anniversary might opt for a private dinner within these storied walls, where heritage becomes backdrop to celebration.

Raffles Istanbul

Perspective as Luxury

Istanbul exists at the intersection of continents and empires, and at Raffles Istanbul, the butler’s role is to help guests comprehend that scale. Helicopter transfers arranged by butlers reveal the Bosphorus from above, tracing bridges that physically link Europe and Asia. From this vantage point, landmarks such as Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace take on a new dimension.

The butler translates complexity into cohesion—ensuring no one feels lost within Istanbul’s grandeur.

On the ground, butlers curate contemporary art encounters reflecting Istanbul’s creative resurgence. Private gallery access, museum introductions, and culinary explorations guided by local tastemakers layer modern vibrancy atop ancient infrastructure. For families traveling together, this allows multiple entry points into the city’s story. The butler translates complexity into cohesion—ensuring no one feels lost within Istanbul’s grandeur.

Raffles Bali

Ritual Without Performance

At Raffles Bali, perched above Jimbaran Bay, butlers emphasize immersion into Indonesian culture. Visits to Balinese family homes unfold with sensitivity and authenticity, arranged in partnership with local communities. Or, for those who want to lap up the sun, private yacht excursions navigate hidden beaches rarely reached by larger tours. For the wellness-driven traveler, Jamu-making workshops introduce Indonesia’s herbal traditions. 

The butler’s orchestration ensures these experiences feel natural rather than staged. Timing is perfectly in sync with temple ceremonies. Wellness rituals are scheduled around personal energy levels. Dining reflects both local ingredients and individual dietary preferences. Luxury becomes measured not by extravagance, but by alignment.

Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain

The Architecture of Privacy

At Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain, the meaning of “The Butler Did It” shifts toward seclusion and restoration. Private villas establish a residential cadence, while butlers coordinate bespoke wellness programs, personalized menus, and curated heritage excursions exploring Bahrain’s pearl-diving legacy and contemporary cultural revival. 

For high-profile guests or families seeking retreat, this infrastructure of quiet anticipation becomes invaluable. The butler operates discreetly, adjusting plans in real time and ensuring each day unfolds effortlessly. n a luxury market increasingly prioritizing private accommodations, the human layer of service becomes the true differentiator.

Why It’s About So Much More Than A Butler

The resurgence of high-touch service is not accidental. As wealth transfers accelerate and younger high-net-worth travelers enter the luxury market, expectations are shifting. Efficiency is assumed. What stands out now is how a travel advisor and their carefully chosen hotel partners interpret client needs.

For advisors, the parallels are clear. The butler mirrors the advisor’s role: filtering options, curating meaningful access, and advocating for experiences that align with personal values rather than algorithmic suggestions.

For advisors, the parallels are clear. The butler mirrors the advisor’s role: filtering options, curating meaningful access, and advocating for experiences that align with personal values rather than algorithmic suggestions. Raffles’ forthcoming expansion into destinations such as Lake Como, Tokyo, Los Cabos, and beyond underscores this commitment to personalization at scale. Growth does not dilute the brand’s DNA; it amplifies it. In positioning the butler as cultural curator and emotional guide, The Butler Did It becomes more than a campaign. It becomes a statement about where experiential luxury is headed. 

At Raffles, the butler still did it. Only now, what they’re doing is helping to define the future of intuitive hospitality. 

A family-owned French company, Barrière has spent generations shaping some of the country’s most iconic hotels, blending heritage with an intuitive understanding of how travelers want to feel today. In this fully customizable France itinerary, you’ll begin in the heart of the capital, where fashion, culture, and classic Parisian rhythm set the tone, before trading city streets for salty sea air in Brittany and Normandy.

From a seamless VIP arrival in Paris to Belle Époque seaside icons overlooking the English Channel, this luxury itinerary through France balances immersion with ease—never rushed, never overprogrammed. Expect guided museum mornings followed by long lingering lunches, boutique shopping, and coastal promenades, moments of history followed by intentional stillness, all connected by Barrière’s signature elegance and deeply rooted sense of place that only a multi-generation French family enterprise can offer.

This year, booking patterns tell us a story of balance: a continued love affair with sun-soaked escapes, paired with a growing appetite for city escapes, storied European grand dames, and culinary-driven stateside stays. Through these check-ins, we see our travel trends echoed, with insights into both where clients have been and often, where travel at large is headed.

…the Caribbean and Europe tied as the most represented regions, each claiming seven spots on our top-booked list, followed by Hawaiʻi, Mexico, and a steadily growing presence across the mainland United States.

This year, the Caribbean and Europe emerged as equally dominant on our top booked list, each accounting for seven properties on our list, underscoring the enduring pull of both barefoot luxury and classic continental elegance. Hawaiʻi remained a perennial favorite with four top-booked hotels, while Mexico continued to deliver reliable allure along its coasts. Notably, we also saw a meaningful rise in mainland U.S. icons—from Florida’s revitalized resort scene to mountain retreats where food, wellness, and nature take center stage. All told, the Caribbean and Europe tied as the most represented regions, each claiming seven spots on our top-booked list, followed by Hawaiʻi, Mexico, and a steadily growing presence across the mainland United States.

While this list doesn’t fully capture the far-flung, multi-stop itineraries our clients explored across Asia, Africa, South America, and beyond, it does highlight something just as compelling: a portfolio of hotels that span generations, geographies, and travel styles. From legacy institutions with over a century of history to newly reimagined classics and modern trailblazers, these are the properties SmartFlyer clients returned to—and trusted—again and again.

Blackberry Farm & Blackberry Mountain

Wallan, Tennessee

For those getaways when you’re looking for food to be at the forefront, Blackberry Farm and its sister property Blackberry Mountain deliver immersive escapes rooted in nature, craftsmanship, and terroir. Blackberry Farm remains the gold standard for refined Smoky Mountain hospitality—think paddock-to-plate cuisine, curated outdoor excursions, and an agrarian ethos executed with finesse. Just a half an hour away, Blackberry Mountain takes that sensibility higher still, with vaulted spaces, wellness immersion, and mountain panoramas that make every moment feel intentional.

The Boca Raton

Boca Raton, Florida

A South Florida stalwart reinvented for today’s luxury traveler, The Boca Raton blends storied Palm Beach County tradition with contemporary coastal refinement. With a sprawling oceanfront campus, championship golf, a vibrant culinary scene, and the newly reimagined spa and poolscape, the property delivers both respite and spirited social energy. Its mix of classic glamour and modern amenities strikes a chord with clients looking for approachable yet aspirational resort living.

Borgo Santandrea

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Freshly opened in April 2022, Borgo Santandrea has since shaken up the Amalfi Coast hotel scene in a big way. Perched above the centuries-old fishing village of Conca dei Marini, the property’s connection to its neighbors acts as a lovely reminder of how sleepy the Amalfi Coast was once. Today, the two owning families behind this project (a three-year renovation from its 1960s bones) have reimagined what a fresh, light-washed hotel in the region could look like. Aside from all forty-five rooms having balconies and sea views, we love the sexy beach club and private beach access.

Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel

Anguilla

Belmond’s Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel remains one of the Caribbean’s most elegant addresses. Rebuilt and refreshed after recent years, the property’s Moorish-inspired architecture, sweeping white beaches, and crystalline waters make for quintessential island luxury. Whether you’re unwinding under a palapa with a rum punch in hand or exploring the coral reefs offshore, Cap Juluca’s rhythm feels uniquely Anguillan: serene, gracious, and endlessly beautiful.

Cheval Blanc Paris

Paris, France

Voted the best hotel in Paris by The World’s 50 Best Hotels, Cheval Blanc Paris shook up the landscape of an already competitive landscape of top properties when it opened in 2021. With a location perched on the Seine just beside the landmark La Samaritaine building, this jewel box was the first urban Maison from LVMH Hospitality. Guests adore the colorful interiors by Peter Marino and Dior Spa complimented by the longest swimming pool in all of Paris.

Cheval Blanc St-Barth

Saint Barthélemy, Saint Barthélemy

As the only property in the Caribbean with Palace distinction, you can rest assured that Cheval Blanc St-Barth will have you feeling like you have all the refinement of Paris along the shores of Flamands Beach. With only sixty-one rooms, guests are welcomed into an intimate haven of French hospitality with a design rooted in tranquil colors and earthy finishes. The property prides itself on discretion, and we especially appreciate how all rooms, suites, and villas –many of which boast their own pools – were expertly devised to ensure guests have privacy even when checking in during peak season.

Claridge’s

London, United Kingdom

A visit to the U.K. capital hardly feels complete without admiring the impressive facade of Claridge’s; but only once you walk under the Union Jack proudly flying at its entrance can one understand the magnitude of this hospitality icon. Clients gravitate towards its quintessential British flair, but that’s not to say the property is resting on its laurels. The recently renovated 7,000-square-foot spa required the team to excavate into five floors of London clay, resulting in a stunning center of tranquility evoking Claridge’s Art Deco history. On the exact opposite side of the hotel, our team recently scouted the property’s rooftop Penthouse, filled with 75 works by Damien Hirst.

COMO Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos

For a taste of Asia just three hours away from the East Coast, we adore COMO Parrot Cay—an award-winning Turks and Caicos luxury resort set on its own private island. Low-key and laid back in the best way possible, the island’s privacy attracts some of the most well-known names in fashion and Hollywood. Boasting over 1,000 unspoiled acres and over four miles of beach, COMO delivers the ultimate barefoot luxury, perfect for families and couples alike.

Eden Rock – St Barths

Saint Barthelemy, Saint Barthélemy

Nestled on the glistening white sands of St. Jean beach in the heart of St Barths, this island beauty has a jaw-dropping location. Part of the esteemed Oetker Hotels, Eden Rock – St Barth’s one-of-a-kind decor, forward-thinking dining outlets, and a chic club that create an effortlessly stylish Caribbean experience with a French twist. Each room shines with unique artwork, but we especially love the picturesque Rock Rooms, set right on the water.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach

Miami, Florida

Bold, theatrical, and unapologetically glamorous, Faena Hotel Miami Beach stands apart on Collins Avenue as a beacon of design-forward hospitality. With interiors by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin that feel like a cinematic celebration of Miami itself, every corner of Faena—from its striking lobby to its beachfront poolscape—invites endless storytelling. Here, world-class dining (don’t miss Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann) meets a soulful spa and cultural programming that transform a stay into a social event in its own right.

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

Paris, France

A timeless emblem of Parisian elegance, Four Seasons Hotel George V continues to capture the city’s gravitational pull for luxury travelers. Just off the Champs-Élysées, its three Michelin-starred dining, exceptional floral installations, and grandly refined rooms offer an urban sanctuary that feels both classic and contemporary. For clients seeking a Paris experience that marries heritage and heartfelt hospitality, George V remains at the apex.

Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club

Miami, Florida

A design-centric icon reimagined for the modern luxury traveler, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club evokes old-world glamour with contemporary precision. Set on a private stretch of sand just north of Miami Beach, the property’s mid-century lineage is complemented by fresh art, serene beachfront spaces, and Michelin-level dining. Its combination of polished sophistication and ocean breeze ease makes it a perennial favorite for both long weekends and extended stays.

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort

Orlando, Florida

For families (and the young at heart) seeking the ultimate blend of wonder and luxury, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World continues to shine. Beyond its proximity to the parks, the resort itself is a destination: a lazy river and water playground, championship golf, a world-class spa, and character-dining experiences that feel elevated rather than kitschy. Clients gravitate towards it not just for location, but for seamless ease and sophistication even amid the theme-park magic.

Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

Papagagyo, Costa Rica

Sink into true pura vida at Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo on Costa Rica’s ultimate coastal retreat for unsoiled access to nature and relaxation. From the five-bedroom estate at Prieta Bay to the three-bedroom Canopy Villa, the stellar accommodations here are just the beginning. Guests are invited to soak up the true essence of the destination with surf lessons, a day in the rainforest, exploring the mangroves, or even a trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i

Set on the picturesque Kona-Kohala coast of Hawai’i Island, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a magnificent work of art that pays homage to its unique setting. Built into its natural surroundings, the resort combines history, culture, pure pampering, and true aloha to all who come its way. Featuring 243 magnificent rooms and suites, championship golf, world-class spa and fitness, tennis, on-site ocean activities, retail boutiques, seven pools, cultural experiences, and award-winning dining, it is safe to say that this Four Seasons property has the whole family covered.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Kihei, Hawai’i

Just a stone’s throw away from several of Maui’s best golf courses and a handful of luxury boutiques, location is just the beginning in a long list of reasons why clients adore Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. With a variety of rooms and suites — each with sweeping views of the surrounding ocean, garden, or mountains — it is the perfect retreat at the end of a long day in the Maui sun. If there’s anything we’ve learned this past year, it’s the importance of supporting our dear friends in Maui, and we can’t think of anywhere better to start than at Four Seasons.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla

Anguilla

Nestled on the northwest shore of Anguilla between two gorgeous bays, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla is a secluded island escape. With a variety of accommodations ranging from villas to penthouses to townhomes — the majority of which have ocean views — it is an ideal beach getaway for your next family vacation, couples weekend, or even corporate retreat home base. Relax by one of the property’s three outdoor pools, try your hand at rock climbing in the sports pavilion, or indulge in the property’s prime positioning for Anguilla’s stunning sunsets for a truly memorable experience.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

Nassau, Bahamas

With multiple Baha Mar properties making our 2023 list of top-booked hotels, it’s clear that SmartFlyer clients feel everything is indeed better in the Bahamas. Grand Hyatt Baha Mar stands out for its central location and wide array of restaurants, beautifully landscaped pools, ample nightlight options, spa, casino access, and one of the most pristine beaches in the Bahamas. If you’ve got a golfer in your midst, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar makes for an ideal golf trip thanks to its location by the front nine of Baha Mar’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Royal Blue course.

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

Antibes, France

Old-world glamour meets modern luxury at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. For more than 150 years, this iconic Oetker Hotels property has welcomed flocks of A-listers and movie stars to its prime location on the French Riviera, captivating guests with its quintessential charm. The pine-clad grounds and glittering coastline, famous infinity swimming pool, and exclusive sanctuary of 118 rooms, suites, and villas create a glamorous, gloriously seductive escape worthy of its starry reputation.

Jumby Bay Island

Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda

A fantasy hideaway that offers Caribbean comforts in a relaxed atmosphere, Jumby Bay Island is the epitome of private island living. This is a place where each experience can be tailored to your desires, and you can create your ideal vacation — from action-packed to blissful serenity. Kick off your shoes, take a dip in the turquoise sea, and relax in one of the property’s exceptional suites or villas. For those seeking more space, Jumby Bay’s twenty-two Private Residences each offer large communal areas, a private pool, and a personal chef and butler for your convenience.

Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort

Kona, Hawaii

The storied shores of the Kona Coast have long been home to one of Hawaii’s most beloved resorts since its opening in 1965 by intrepid explorer Johnno Jackson and his wife, Helen. In the intervening decades, Kona Village established its own beating heart, welcoming families from around the world who’d loyally return annually. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts’ reimagining of this property after a brief closure revived it to even higher heights than its cult following believed possible. A stay at Kona Village, A Rosewood Hotel is steeped in spirituality as the resort was remade for ‘ohana as guests gather and reconnect.

The Little Nell

Aspen, Colorado

Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel, The Little Nell is the quintessential base for year-round mountain adventure with a cosmopolitan edge. Steps from the Silver Queen Gondola, it flawlessly blends ski-in/ski-out ease with refined après ski culture, a standout wine program, and one of Colorado’s most celebrated restaurants. Here, elevated service and local expertise turn a seasonal getaway into a signature Colorado experience.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort

San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Admired for its Mediterranean-Mexican style architecture, unique artistry, and unwavering attention to detail, Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort is distinguished by many as a true Cabo gem. Dotted with succulents, cacti, and other native plants, the resort is beautiful and blissfully private, with its network of underground tunnels allowing staff to be discreet and making it a favorite among honeymooning couples and celebrities. We especially appreciate the hotel’s “director of romance,” who aids in creating private on-the-beach dining experiences for two, oceanfront marriage proposals, and over-the-top anniversary celebrations.

Marbella Club Hotel

Marbella, Spain

Set on the fabled Costa del Sol, Marbella Club Hotel exudes unpretentious Andalusian chic with a storied legacy. What began as a private family estate has grown into a refined seaside refuge where olive groves meet Mediterranean breezes. With discreet service, lush gardens, and a wellness program inspired by the region’s rhythms, the hotel offers a Mediterranean experience that’s equally about languid afternoons and spirited evenings.

Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection

Kamuela, Hawai’i

On the dramatic Kohala Coast, Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection’s secluded beaches, coral reefs, and ancient fishponds set the stage for a memorable Hawaiian getaway. Primely located on the Big Island, this hotel’s design is highly unique with bright, inviting pops of color. From beachfront activities down at the Surf Shack to relaxing meals at the celebrated CanoeHouse, Mauna Lani is the perfect escape for the whole family.

Montage Los Cabos

Los Cabos, Mexico

With a prime address on Santa Maria Beach, Montage Los Cabos draws in families and couples alike to sink into its guestrooms, suites, casas, and residences. If you can pull yourself away from the swimmable beach, Spa Montage, and multiple pools are all on offer for ultimate relaxation. Your SmartFlyer travel advisor can also arrange for you to golf, do a deep-sea fishing trip, go whale watching, or even try out a cooking class.

Ritz Paris

Paris, France

Since opening its doors in 1898, the Ritz Paris has remained a living legend on Place Vendôme for over a century. As the host to dignitaries, royalty, artists, and fashion icons from around the world, discretion is everything at the Ritz, a signature of its anticipatory service that is just one of many calling cards that keep loyal guests coming back year after year. We especially love the property for its celebration of the art of French gastronomy, a pillar of the property that’s on full display at its on-property cooking school, École Ritz-Escoffier, and its signature watering hole, Bar Hemingway.

Rosewood Baha Mar

Nassau, The Bahamas

A true sanctuary in every sense of the word, Rosewood Baha Mar epitomizes Bahamian refinement and sophistication. Fusing the timeless charm of a modern Bahamian estate with luxury amenities and contemporary beach cottage interiors, Rosewood Baha Mar offers 237 rooms, suites, and beachfront villas — including a spectacular six-bedroom Oceanfront Villa. With exceptional dining experiences, private beach access, and an indulgent spa, this Rosewood property is ideal for travelers craving an effortless island escape.

Rosewood Little Dix Bay

British Virgin Islands

Reopened and refreshed, Rosewood Little Dix Bay embodies barefoot luxury at its most gracious. Sir Laurence Rockefeller’s original vision—a conservation-minded hideaway set within a horseshoe harbor of pristine sands and calm waters—remains intact, elevated by Rosewood’s modern sensibilities. Guests return for the luminous setting, attentive staff, and the sense that this is both a Caribbean classic and a quietly contemporary escape.

Rosewood Mayakoba

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Resting along a mile-long stretch of white sand beach, this centerpiece of the luxury Mayakoba development exudes Mexican resort chic. Strikingly modern in design, Rosewood Mayakoba’s generously proportioned 129 suites and seven villas are crafted from indigenous materials. With oversized bathtubs, private bath gardens with outdoor showers, lush amenities, and a heated plunge pool, this Mexican beach retreat is spectacular down to every last detail.

The Ritz-Carlton was one of the first major hotel brands to successfully translate its experience from land to water…

Long considered a benchmark for refined service and timeless hospitality, The Ritz-Carlton was one of the first major hotel brands to successfully translate its experience from land to water—without compromising what made it iconic in the first place. Rather than adapting classic cruise conventions or chasing scale, the brand approached yachting as an extension of its hotel philosophy: intimate, design-forward, and deeply attuned to how modern luxury travelers want to move through the world.

The result is The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, a fleet of three superyachts—Evrima, Ilma, and Luminara—that collectively helped redefine what travel at sea can look like for a new generation of travelers. Not cruises in the traditional sense, but floating boutique hotels designed for guests who value space, service, and a slower, more intentional way of seeing the world.

A Disruptor That Changed the Conversation

When The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection launched in October 2022, the idea of a hotel brand operating at sea was still novel. Cruising, for many well-traveled clients, still carried outdated perceptions: crowds, rigid schedules, and experiences designed for mass appeal. The Ritz-Carlton didn’t attempt to modernize that model—it bypassed it entirely.

…it proved the concept could work for travelers who never thought cruising was for them.

Instead, the brand exported what it knew best, designing suites that feel more like hotel rooms rather than cabins, matched by service that is intuitive rather than performative. Plus, dining that stands on its own merit, paired with itineraries designed to linger, not rush. That early clarity of vision matters. As more luxury hotel brands now enter the maritime space, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection stands apart not just because it was one of the first to bring a hotel brand to sea—but because it proved the concept could work for travelers who never thought cruising was for them.

One Philosophy, Three Distinct Yachts

There are no casinos. No water slides. No crowded decks competing for attention.

While each yacht in the collection has its own personality, all three share a common DNA. Across the fleet, the experience is unmistakably Ritz-Carlton: polished without being too formal, elevated without excess, and designed around the idea that true luxury is felt, not announced. There are no casinos. No water slides. No crowded decks competing for attention. Instead, the focus is on proportion, flow, and ease—spaces that invite guests to settle in, rather than move from port to port at a rushed pace.

Evrima: The Proof of Concept

As the inaugural yacht in the collection, Evrima laid the foundation for everything that followed for The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection. With the smallest guest count in the fleet at 149 suites and a passenger capacity of up to 298 guests, she delivers the most intimate onboard experience—one that feels closer to private yachting than cruising.

Evrima appeals particularly to travelers who value subtlety over spectacle.

The atmosphere aboard Evrima is calm and residential. Public spaces are designed for lingering, whether that means working quietly between ports, reading on deck, or enjoying a drink without distraction. The scale allows for a deeper connection between guests and crew, and service quickly becomes intuitive rather than transactional. Evrima appeals particularly to travelers who value subtlety over spectacle. For villa loyalists and boutique hotel devotees, the experience feels familiar in the best way: refined, personal, and unhurried.

Where Evrima Sails

Evrima’s itineraries are built around access and atmosphere—destinations where her size is an advantage rather than a limitation. In the Mediterranean, Evrima visits both iconic coastal stops and smaller ports that larger ships can’t reach, often anchoring offshore and tendering guests ashore in a way that feels more like arriving by private boat than disembarking from a ship.

In the Caribbean, itineraries emphasize rhythm over rigidity, with marina days that allow guests to swim, paddleboard, and relax directly off the yacht, alongside easy island-hopping. Evrima also sails French Polynesia, where her scale allows for anchoring in crystalline lagoons and lingering in destinations that reward slowness. Here, the line between yacht and destination blurs entirely—days are dictated by light, water, and inclination rather than a rigid schedule.

Ilma: Refined Scale and Elevated Wellness

If Evrima was the proof of concept, Ilma represents the refinement phase. Larger and more expansive at 226 suites and up to 448 guest capacity, Ilma offers increased deck space, enhanced wellness facilities, and a brighter, more contemporary design sensibility than her predecessor. Interiors lean European in feel and airy, with an emphasis on openness and flow throughout the yacht.

The onboard spa, fitness spaces, and dedicated wellness programming feel integrated into daily life…

Wellness plays a more prominent role aboard Ilma, making her particularly appealing to travelers who prioritize movement, balance, and restoration while traveling. The onboard spa, fitness spaces, and dedicated wellness programming feel integrated into daily life rather than positioned as optional extras. Despite her increased size, Ilma retains the uncrowded, residential feel that defines the collection. The experience remains relaxed and personal—just with more room to breathe.

Where Ilma Sails

Ilma focuses on destinations that benefit from longer stays and scenic arrivals. Her Mediterranean itineraries span Italy, France, Spain, and the Adriatic, with schedules designed to keep guests in port well into the evening. Late departures allow for lingering lunches, spontaneous exploration, and early dinners ashore—luxuries often unavailable on larger ships.

In the Caribbean, Ilma’s sailings prioritize ease and flow, appealing to travelers looking for warmth, water, and effortless days at sea without sacrificing comfort or service. Ilma is particularly well-suited to repeat guests—those who loved their first experience with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and are ready to expand it will find themselves right at home.

Luminara: The Fully Realized Expression

The newest and most expansive yacht in the fleet, Luminara is the culmination of everything The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has learned so far at sea. Size-wise, she measures almost exactly in line with Ilma at 228 suites and a capacity of up to 452 guests. With expanded dining venues, a significantly enhanced wellness footprint, and thoughtfully designed social spaces, Luminara feels confident and fully realized. Interiors lean richer and more atmospheric, while still maintaining the clean lines and quiet luxury the brand is known for.

Despite her larger size, Luminara retains the hallmark uncrowded feel of the fleet. Guest flow is intentional, service remains attentive without being intrusive, and spaces are designed to accommodate both social moments and solitude. Luminara is the yacht for travelers ready to think globally—to use the sea not just as a setting, but as a seamless way to connect multiple destinations.

Where Luminara Sails

Luminara’s itineraries are the most globally ambitious in the collection. She sails the Mediterranean, covering classics like Italy, Spain, and the French Riviera, while maintaining the brand’s signature pacing—think: long days ashore and unhurried evenings back on board.

For travelers who want to explore complex regions without the friction of constant packing, transfers, and hotel changes, this approach offers a compelling alternative.

Beginning in mid-2026, Luminara’s itineraries expand into Asia, with sailings that include ports of call in Japan, Southeast Asia, and beyond. For travelers who want to explore complex regions without the friction of constant packing, transfers, and hotel changes, this approach offers a compelling alternative. Asia by yacht allows guests to move fluidly between cultures while returning each night to a familiar, beautifully designed environment—an especially appealing proposition for well-traveled clients seeking depth without the challenges that come with constant packing and unpacking.

Cruising Designed for the Anti-Cruiser

Perhaps the most telling success of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is the audience it attracts. Many guests step aboard having never cruised before—and never planning to prior to booking their maiden voyage. They are design-conscious, service-oriented travelers accustomed to luxury hotels, private villas, and thoughtfully curated itineraries. What draws them in is not the idea of cruising, but the promise of waking up somewhere new each day without sacrificing comfort, autonomy, or style.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is one of the few luxury cruise experiences that meaningfully integrates with a major hotel loyalty program, allowing guests to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on their sailing.

The experience rewards those who value time as much as destination. There is no pressure to follow a rigid schedule, no rush to secure space, and no spectacle competing for attention. Instead, days unfold at a human pace—dictated by curiosity, appetite, and mood rather than announcements or programming. For Marriott loyalists, there is also a rare layer of familiarity at sea. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is one of the few luxury cruise experiences that meaningfully integrates with a major hotel loyalty program, allowing guests to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on their sailing. For points-savvy travelers, this quietly enhances the value proposition, turning a journey at sea into future stays across the Marriott portfolio—without ever feeling like a loyalty play.

It’s this combination—hotel-caliber service, design-forward spaces, intentional pacing, and the subtle reassurance of a trusted brand—that continues to convert even the most self-proclaimed non-cruisers. For many guests, the decision isn’t about trying cruising at all. It’s about choosing a new way to travel that still feels unmistakably like home.

Your Next Sailing Awaits

The fleet is not a novelty, but a long-term extension of the brand—one that continues to evolve with each new vessel and itinerary.

As luxury hospitality continues to expand offshore, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection remains the reference point. Not because it was loud or disruptive—but because it was intentional. By leading with service, design, and a deep understanding of its audience, The Ritz-Carlton didn’t just enter the space; it legitimized it. The fleet is not a novelty, but a long-term extension of the brand—one that continues to evolve with each new vessel and itinerary.

With three yachts now sailing across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, French Polynesia, and Asia, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection stands as both a pioneer and a benchmark. A reminder that when hospitality is done right, even the open ocean can feel like home.

Ready to set sail? Contact your SmartFlyer travel advisor to chat  itineraries.