Easter Island travel tips

Don't ask me where May went, I truly don't know. This month was a wild one for this hotel reporter. It started with my own wedding here in New York City, followed by a honeymoon in Paris, and the chance to catch the first night of the European leg of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour." I then immediately joined a wonderful retreat with TPG's travel team in Washington, D.C.

The magic of hospitality is staying in a place that isn’t anything like home. A castle, a treehouse, a farm, a yurt: all such places promise an escape from the every day, especially when combined with luxury flourishes that boggle the mind. I am still wondering how ice showed up in the Gobi desert at the Three Camels Lodge in Mongolia or how blueberries came to be served at breakfast at the Explora Lodge on Easter Island. Or, in the case of the Four Seasons in Madrid, how a hotel combined seven historic properties into one sensational art destination.

For ultra-wealthy travel lovers, six-figure getaways continue to trend ever upward. Encouraged by the pandemic’s wake-up call to maximize life’s positive experiences, these vacationers are engaging luxury outfitters to brainstorm off-the-beaten-path itineraries that illuminate exclusive, eye-opening, one-of-a-kind adventures. Among the best of the best tour-planning companies, Abercrombie & Kent — founded in the 1960s by visionary safari pioneer Geoffrey Kent — just announced its latest pinnacle, Around the World With Geoffrey Kent: An Inspiring Expedition by Private Jet. Limited to 46 participants, this epic 26-day transit (October 13 to November 7, 2024) will touch down in Japan, India, Malta, Senegal, Saint Helena, Uruguay, Easter Island and French Polynesia. Kent, who will accompany the group from start to finish, explains to Forbes: “It’s true that the world is well-traveled, but there are still unexplored spots. My goal is to take A&K guests to places of immense beauty and rich culture, but where others rarely venture.” Indeed, many of the destinations are dazzlingly remote with unique behind-the-scenes encounters. To smooth this far-flung journey en route: a chartered Boeing 757, featuring all lie-flat, first-class seats, with a dedicated crew and executive chef. Price: $184,950 per person; see below for further details. (Perhaps you may be inspired by these highlights to tuck one or two intriguing ideas onto your DIY wish list.)

When the legendary host of Jeopardy! passed away on November 8, 2020, the world honored Trebek’s showmanship, philanthropy, and vast reserves of knowledge. But the travel community mourned one of their own.

Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia has served as a bible for those travelling through South America since its publication 40 years ago. Four decades on, Stephen Keeling follows in the footsteps of the legendary travel writer to see how much Chatwin's Patagonia has changed.