A popular low-cost air airline is expanding globally. Southwest Airlines recently announced a partnership to offer international flights by partnering with carriers who operate international fights in Southwest markets. “Southwest is formalizing partnerships with international carriers to expand its network and connect Customers with more global destinations to generate additional demand for travel across the Southwest network,” Southwest shared in a news release. The launch of this new international flight program will take place in 2025, with Icelandair as the first partner airline, and will depart from the Baltimore, MD (BWI) airport. There, travelers can fly on Icelandair to Iceland, where they can connect to a variety of European destinations including Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Oslo, Prague, Rome, and more. Icelandair is a discount carrier that operates international flights, and similar to Southwest, does not have a first or business class section on their aircraft. “The partnership will unlock many exciting travel options for our customers, and our extensive network in Europe will open for Southwest customers,” Icelandair President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason said in a statement. “As part of our strategic focus on expanding our global partnership network, we seek out airlines known for exceptional service and connectivity.” As an example, a traveler would start their journey on Southwest from Nashville to Baltimore, and then continue on Icelandair from Baltimore to Iceland.
What's an Emotional Shower, and Why Is It on My Spa Menu?
20.09.2024 - 23:15 / cntraveler.com / Lake Como
Showers may have a monopoly on everyday cleansing, but bathtubs own luxury. Aside from good water pressure, attractive tiles, and walk-in enclosures, there have long been few better ways to upgrade the shower than there are the bathroom tub: Moisturizing bombs, salt soaks, whirlpool jets, “bath menus,” candles, and even expertly positioned TVs that let you stay watch game shows feel like the pinnacle of hotel luxury—plus, you get to lie down. But now, in a surprising twist, it might be the humble shower's turn in the spotlight: High-end hotels around Italy are harnessing the power of the bathtub's lesser sibling to offer something new and immerse guests in carefully designed temperatures, colors, water pressures, and aromatherapies.
“Emotional showers” are an increasingly common fixture of luxury Italian spas—and they are not what they sound like. I’ve experienced a lifetime of emotional showers (read: sobbing under running water), but here the term is a somewhat odd translation of “una doccia emozionale,” which might more aptly be called a “sensory shower.”
Most emotional showers offer different modes of water pressure, from hard rainfall to fine mists that correspond to specific lights and sounds. The intention is to engineer an emotional state, whether invigoration, serenity, or something in between, and to increase blood circulation. (It should be noted that most emotions, for example jealousy, disdain, and hilarity, are not on the menu.) Paramount to the experience is chromotherapy—the idea that colors offer different health and emotional benefits; here, colored light illuminates around you in an almost discoteca-like fashion.
Lake Como property Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni offers two types of preset sensory showers which incorporate automatic light settings, aromatherapy scents, and mist intensities.
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, a luxurious 150-year-old estate perched on the edge of Lake Como in Bellagio, recently unveiled a newly renovated spa. Anointed “Luce del Lago,” or light of the lake, the tranquil new facilities are bathed in hues reflecting the water, shore, and sky of the surrounding landscape. There’s a focus on hydrotherapy, the centerpiece of which is a dreamy indoor pool with bubbles and currents that evoke the gently rolling lake, right beside a sauna and…an emotional shower.
The sensory shower offers two settings that are controlled by a button: a refreshing cool mist perfumed with oceanic oak moss and white musk, and an invigorating mango-fragranced “tropical rain,” both released from overhead. When I tried it the cool-mist setting bathed me in soft blue light, while the tropical rain paired with a stimulating red. I alternated back and forth between the two, relieved that
Go Here, Not There: 10 Luxurious Alternatives to Lake Como Found Across Europe
Summer vacations to Europe don’t have to mean sea and sand. Fresh water is equally as appealing, and the continent’s most beautiful lake regions are simply stunning year-round. Lake Como’s crystal clear water, dramatic scenery, picturesque villages, and five-star hotels — not to mention A-list celebrity visitors — have contributed to the region’s reputation for being the most romantic (and luxurious) lake in Europe. And while this is very true, Como is breathtaking, across the continent are other bodies of water that deserve attention. From the shores of Lough Corrib in Ireland, where you can stay in an ancient castle, to the limpid turquoise water of Lake Päijänne in Finland, where you can sleep overnight in a floating hotel made entirely of glass, these are the best lakes in Europe for a luxury vacation.
What We Packed for a Long Weekend RVing in England
Our first RV road trip in the UK put us straight in the deep end. My fiance James and I rented an RV and drove three hours south from our cottage near Glasgow, Scotland, to The Lake District in northern England with our Bengal, Angus. We’re both well-seasoned outdoors people, but this was the first time making a trip in a six-berth RV with our one-year-old kitten to a remote site with no hook-up or cell reception. That meant we had to pack smart. We learned a lot over the long weekend. I simultaneously overpacked and underpacked. We ran out of essentials like garbage bags by the final day. We should have packed the cooler and quick-drying towels. But we also had some wins. Below are some of our packing essentials that will join us on our future RV adventures.
Africa Cruises: What to Know About the Growing Cruise Destination
When most Americans think of cruises, they probably think of island-hopping in the Caribbean or cruising by glaciers in Alaska from afar. That may be appealing for some people, but for others, the idea of being lazy on a ship of thousands of people for a week doesn’t sound like much of a vacation.
Chiloé, Chile’s Most Mysterious Island, Bewitches With Its Folklore, Food, and Forests
You have a phantom ship named Caleuche to thank for the haze obscuring Chiloé from sight as you sail from mainland Chile. Chilotes say this enchanted galleon travels underwater at breakneck speeds, shapeshifts to avoid detection, and rewards local merchants with booty when they dare strike a deal with its crew of wizards. Even if you don’t believe in sorcery and superstition, this mysterious archipelago will disarm you with its rugged wilderness and charming fishing villages.
This Lesser-Known Region of Germany Is Home to a Dreamy Island on the Baltic Sea
Germany’s got a big secret: It’s got islands. And not the rocky, desolate, and uninhabited kind, but islands with miles of sandy beaches, picturesque cliffs, peaceful, protected forests, and seaside luxury hotels. The Germans obviously are in the know, and because of their geographical locations, the Dutch and Danes are, too. But nobody else in in the world seems to remember that Germany has a coastline on both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, let alone that this coastline is peppered with dozens of islands. The biggest of all the German islands is Rügen in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, itself a wildly underrated area. While Rügen takes a little effort to get to, the trip is hardly insurmountable, and travelers who want to see Germany away from the big urban centers, internationally known beer festivals, and packed tourist attractions would be remiss to pass on it.
What I Packed for One Week in the Swiss Alps in Autumn
When I first arrived to the Gstaad, Switzerland train station, it was late at night. I couldn’t see much, and I was so tired that I quickly made my way to my hotel and went to bed.
Chef Daniel Humm Still Has Questions About What’s on Our Plates
Daniel Humm reminds me of my Swiss grandmother.
Amtrak to Launch New Route to Miami — What to Know
Amtrak is launching a brand-new route this fall that will run from Chicago all the way down to Miami.
Međugorje, Lourdes, Fatima: Religious tourism earns one town €270m but what are devotees seeking?
This week, the Vatican officially approved religious pilgrimages to a southern Bosnian village where children reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary.
I work as a private chef on board a luxury yacht in the British Virgin Islands. Here's what I make for my guests in a day.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Hannah Staddon, a 31-year-old private chef who works onboard the Mucho Gusto , a luxury charter in the British Virgin Islands. It has been edited for length and clarity.
What to Know About the Alaska Airlines Merger with Hawaiian Airlines — and Why the Government Approved It
Alaska Airlines’ merger with Hawaiian Airlines was finalized on Wednesday with both carriers maintaining their brand identity.