Destinations
Everywhere I’ve actually been
The blog, sorted by where in the world it takes place. Every hotel, beach, and restaurant here is somewhere I’ve stayed or sat down to eat myself — with the honest comparisons you can only make after seeing both.
Start here — the five worth reading first.
The Caribbean
Turks & Caicos
Sapodilla Bay vs. Grace Bay
The famous one against the quiet one — and which suits which kind of trip.
Grace Bay, T&C
The Ritz-Carlton on Grace Bay
What the newest luxury address on the island actually delivers.
Turks & Caicos
Renting a villa: Taylor Bay vs. Grace Bay
Where to base a villa stay, and what each side of the island trades away.
Bahamas · Exumas
Staniel Cay & Compass Cay
The swimming pigs, the sharks, and whether the Exumas live up to the photos.
St. John, USVI
Trunk Bay vs. Maho Bay
Two of the Caribbean’s most photographed beaches, side by side.
Grace Bay, T&C
Da Conch Shack
The island institution — worth the hype, with one thing to order.
Mexico
Mayakoba
Banyan Tree: beachfront vs. jungle rooms
The booking question everyone asks, answered from both.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Grand Velas: three resorts, one gate
Zen, Ambassador or Grand Class — and the cheapest is a mile from the sea.
Mayakoba
Banyan Tree vs. Fairmont Mayakoba
Two of Mayakoba’s big names, and who each one is really for.
Cancún
Nizuc Resort & Spa
The quiet luxury option away from the strip.
Riviera Maya
Hotel Xcaret: before & after the 2026 renovation
What changed, what didn’t, and whether it’s better now.
Riviera Maya
Xcaret vs. Xel-Há vs. Xplor
Which park for which age range — from someone who did all three.
Mayakoba
Fairmont Mayakoba: the one that got here first
The resort that opened the canals, twenty years on.
Asia
Hong Kong
The Peninsula & the Rolls-Royce service
Inside the fleet, the suites, and the hotel that defines the city.
Hong Kong
Peninsula vs. Rosewood Hong Kong
Old-world icon against the new favorite. Which to book.
Macau
Morpheus Macau
The Zaha Hadid landmark — and Jade Dragon downstairs.
Bangkok
Sorn
Southern Thai, three stars, and worth planning a trip around.
Tokyo
Palace Hotel Tokyo
The calm, moat-side classic — and a base for five years of Japan.
The Pacific
Fiji
Kokomo Private Island
A week on one of the Pacific’s most private islands, honestly assessed.
Hawaii · Big Island
Fairmont Orchid
The reliable Kohala Coast choice — who it suits best.
Hawaii · Kauai
Grand Hyatt Kauai
The grande dame of the south shore, and where it shows its age.
United States
New York City
Ritz-Carlton Central Park
Park views, old-school service, and whether the address still earns it.
New York City
Masa
One of the most expensive meals in America. Is it worth it?
Washington, DC
The Ritz-Carltons of DC, ranked
Georgetown, West End, and downtown — which to book and why.
Washington, DC
Jônt
The two-star tasting room worth the reservation scramble.
Miami Beach
Miami Beach: Ritz vs. W vs. Cadillac
Three very different stays on the same stretch of sand.
New York City
Ritz-Carlton NoMad
The newer downtown address, and the rooftop worth knowing about.
Europe
Istanbul
Four Seasons Sultanahmet vs. Kempinski Bosphorus
History in the old city, or a room over the water.
Istanbul
TURK Fatih Tutak
Modern Anatolian, two stars, and the best table in the city.
Amsterdam
Sofitel Legend The Grand
A canal-side landmark, and the story of a meal I still think about.