It's no secret that everyone on the team behind Departures is a big fan of globetrotting. Some of us have been in the industry for just a few years; some for decades. When we're not busy writing, editing, and producing content to share with all of you, we like to chat about our own travel dreams—of which there are many.
Related: Wines Our Editors Love Right Now
Each month, we will be publishing a series called How We Travel. These articles will be a peek into the minds' of our editors. We'll cover topics like bucket list destinations, things we seek out when traveling, our favorite staycation activities, and much more.
Related: The Hotels We're Most Looking Forward to Visiting
While we're at home following social distancing regulations, many of us have been paying extra attention to our living spaces. After all, they are where we spend the majority of our time–especially now. Here, our editors weigh in on the luxury hotels that have remarkable design features, both inside and out, that are reflected in our own home decor.
The Drisco
The Drisco is tucked away on a quiet street in Tel Aviv’s eclectic Jaffa neighborhood. While I can’t bring the hotel’s perfectly sized private balcony and freshly baked Jerusalem bagel selection to my Brooklyn rental (it just doesn’t taste the same), I can’t stop thinking about all of the ways to bring the tiles in the Villa Drisco’s Classic Room with Terrace home, from the bedroom to the bathroom. They instantly transport me straight to Tel Aviv’s Mediterranean coast.
— Tal Dekel-Daks, Audience Engagement Editor
Royal Mansour, Marrakech
After welcoming twin daughters to our already hectic household a few months back, my wife and I moved to a new place that offered a bit more room, a yard larger than a drink coaster, and an enclosed front porch that was in desperate need of an update. As soon as we moved in, we decided that the porch was the first to be tackled. I pulled inspiration from a recent trip to Marrakech—just before the COVID-19 outbreak—more specifically the incomparable Royal Mansour hotel—an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property. With hand-laid tiled floors, walls, ceilings, beautiful lanterns, and hand-carved furniture in every room throughout the property, it was the perfect space to pull inspiration from. I picked up some lanterns from the Djemaa el-Fna in the city center that laid the groundwork, a rattan couch, black and bronze metal end tables, and a rattan mid-century modern chair. Now, since travel is on pause for the foreseeable future, we’re spending as much time as possible on the porch waiting until we can venture out again.
— Sean Flynn, Deputy Digital Director
Las Alcobas Napa Valley
As I redo my kitchen and dining room, I very much have the Acacia House dining room at Las Alcobas’ Napa Valley, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, on my mind. It’s one of my favorite spots in Napa—the restaurant is in a beautifully remodeled house and I’m so taken with their usage of light wood, distinctive light fixtures, and unsurprisingly, their glassware, which inspired me to up my own glassware game. In general, I’d describe my aesthetic as mid-century mod light, and I definitely steal from the vibe at The Hoxton, Paris. I can’t help it—the property is truly a Pinterest board come to life. I moved recently and am reimagining my living room and home office. Much like the Hoxton lobby and courtyard, I have accent mid-century modern chairs in a bright color and minimalist but distinctly mid-century coffee tables (mine is a three-tiered number from West Elm).
— Maya Kachroo-Levine, Contributing Editor
Hoshinoya Tokyo
I visited Hoshinoya Toyko last summer and was in total awe of the clean lines and elegant design featured throughout the hotel's spaces. It begins with the simple front door, made from a single cut of cypress, and extends to the 17th-floor onsen. But my bedroom took the cake. I'm such a fan of the low, platform-style Japanese bed, and between that and the mellow lighting, tatami mats, bamboo fragrance, and the komon-patterned lattice that covers the windows, there was an unmistakable aura of stillness. In my bedroom at home, I've hung paper fans from Japan, and I'm a total convert to the platform-style low bed. I'm after any ryokan-inspired design that helps me imitate the meditative, quiet atmosphere of Hoshinoya Tokyo.
— Ellie Nan Storck, Associate Digital Editor
Airbnb and VBRO
For the last few years I’ve been primarily staying in Airbnbs and VBROs because love being able to wake up above a local café or bar and be right in the middle of all that’s happening. Through that I’ve found that I’ve developed a love for all kinds of local art as well as that minimalist, modern Euro coffee shop décor. My apartment is currently decorated with a variety of paintings and sketches I’ve bought at local galleries or street artists from all the different countries I’ve traveled too. One of my favorites is an ink drawing that’s currently hanging above my bed in Brooklyn that bought right off an Amsterdam coffee shop wall.
— Alessandra Amodio, Digital Photo Editor
The Mark, Lotte New York Palace, and South Africa’s Royal Portfolio
The Mark was a big inspiration for my apartment. We designed our kitchen floors in the same black-and-white maze of the lobby. Our dining room, meanwhile, was inspired by the Lotte New York Palace’s Villard, which has the most ornate wood paneling and coffered ceilings.
Right now, we’re redesigning our bedroom with inspiration from South Africa’s Royal Portfolio in mind. Owner Liz Biden infuses every one of her properties, from the Royal Malewane in Kruger National Park to La Residence in the Cape Winelands, with incredible detail and a fantastic blend of style. I’m looking to the brand’s Silo Hotel in Cape Town for inspiration in balancing delicate florals with bold pops of color and contemporary art.
— Jackie Caradonio, Travel Director
