In short… A rejuvenated 1950s beach retreat on the North Fork with a private sandy beach, exceptional food—and open year-round.

The surroundings… Unlike the Hamptons across the bay, the northeastern tip of Long Island has never really had a hotel that matched its low-key, maritime soul—until Silver Sands Motel & Beach Bungalows reopened in June 2023. Three hours from New York by train (less by car, traffic depending), the property sits on a quiet crescent of Pipe’s Cove, facing Shelter Island. Arrive by train and you’ll be picked up in a mint-green vintage Jeep Wagoneer, a perfect prelude to the lodgings’ throwback charm—turquoise painted shingles, the original neon Silver Sands MOTEL sign glowing overhead, and scattered white and yellow beach shacks and bungalows, most with nostalgia-tinged screened porches. To the rear, an 18-acre salt marsh buffers any noise pollution, while in front, all the rooms are stumbling distance from a 1,400-foot private beach. Silver Sands also stewards an offshore oyster farm in partnership with Oysterponds Shellfish Co, supplying its three restaurants and embodying the owner’s approach to responsible restoration connected to place. Native plantings, an osprey nest, a Purple Martin colony and frequent visits from egrets and cranes keep the place feeling alive and in harmony with its setting.

The backstory… When proprietor and creative director Alex Perros acquired Silver Sands from the Jurzenia family—who opened it in 1954, cultivated generations of loyal guests, and shuttered it during the pandemic—he made a clear decision: “We didn’t want to make a retro hotel. We wanted to rejuvenate it—to stay true to its roots,” he told me on a tour of the grounds. For Alex, a veteran real-estate developer with a focus on design-driven projects, that meant interpreting the ’50s through a modern lens: updating materials, softening the color palette, and adding comforts while keeping the spirit intact. He also bought a neighboring bungalow colony from the ’30s as well as a couple more recent builds on the lot, and merged it all into one 33-key property. The turquoise and Pepto-pink motel exterior was painted in more palatable versions of the hues, but the red geraniums in window boxes found their way back into the design— “a little consistency for longtime guests,” he said. Alex’s reverence for the place runs deep. Soon after buying Silver Sands, an older guest stopped by, saying she’d vacationed with her family in the same cottage for three decades. She recounted how her father had once glued seashells to a lamp, which her mother had rendered in an oil painting that had hung in the cottage for years. When Alex took her to the cottage—stripped bare during the reno—there was the painting, sitting on the mantel. “By the end, we were both in tears,” he said.

The vibe… Silver Sands’ design feels fresh, not retro-kitch. The interiors mix California beach house with East Coast cottagecore, and include playful nods to the past like the motel’s original room numbers painted on seashells, now framed in glass in the lobby. The former reception desk is now a bar (and the site of Friday and Saturday oyster shuckings), while the seating area under a pink ceiling is stocked with books and board games. When I stayed in mid-September, the beach chairs along the cove were mostly empty, but I can picture summer days being full of swimmers and sunbathers. Come winter, the rooms must be quiet and appealingly cozy places to hole up.

The rooms… We stayed in Plato’s Beach House, the largest on property, with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and direct access to the sand (with an adjacent annex it can expand to 4 rooms). Designed by Alex’s wife, Anna, the interiors felt unfussy and bright—lemon and flower-print fabrics (coincidentally by my friend, the artist Wayne Pate, for Studio Four), seagrass rugs and rattan furniture, a mustard couch with piping and dust ruffle, and a touch of whimsy: a large black-and-white photograph of a woman reading Jaws. Bathrooms nod to the ’50s with pastel checkered tile and a large tub, but firmly planted in the present with soft Frette robes and Flamingo Estate products. The Smeg fridge and pantry were stocked with the preferences I’d listed before arrival—unsweetened iced tea and Diet Cokes—as well as a delicious homemade olive-oil cake, a fruit bowl with local grapes and sun-gold tomatoes, and snacks from local producers (Tate’s cookies, Bjorn Corn). Morning coffee arrives (on request) with The New York Times and the view of a quiet cove. Alex let me peek into Casa de Buddy, the other Beach House which has a very different vibe with ’70s flair, centered around a De Sede modular sofa, palm tree lamp, and giant photograph from Harper’s Bazaar shot there decades ago—Silver Sands and its nostalgic decay for years served as the backdrop for many a photo shoot. Unfortunately there was a corporate retreat on property during my stay, so I couldn’t lay eyes on the 2 2-BR bungalows, 8 white shingled beach shacks, or 20 motel rooms during our stay, but they all share similar bright and clean cottage vibes.

The food & drink… The food here punches far above its weight, thanks to 27-year-old executive chef Finn O’Hara, formerly of The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn. His North Fork roots show in a menu that feels grounded in the place—fresh, unfussy, and wildly flavorful.

Breakfast is at Nookies, the on-site retro diner, which can be delivered to your room—we had a perfect omelet, hash browns piled with smoked fish and sour cream, and blueberry pancakes.

The most competitive reservation is Eddie’s, the seasonal Mediterranean-inspired beachside restaurant with a raw bar, pizza oven, and tables scattered on a little bluff. We were lucky to catch it on closing weekend in September, and loved the local greens with fennel pollen, butterfish with capers and mint, and coconut ceviche served in its own shell—the sweet coconut meat offset the bright and spicy ceviche so well. And clearly Eddie’s hot dog with fennel relish is famous for a reason.

At Nookies for dinner—which was fully booked—we sat at the counter watching the kitchen turn out playful riffs on comfort food, elevated way above usual diner fare: tempura-battered green onions with anchovy dressing (“Bloomin Onions”), roasted corn manicotti, and tilefish in brothy beans with cilantro and leeks. It was fun to have a front-row seat to the activity, and the staff behind the counter was so friendly.

And finally, the newly opened Boathouse, in a rustically preserved wooden structure next to Eddie’s, opened the week after we left, and will now be a year-round restaurant with its own menu that honors the local fishing tradition—all weathered wood, salvaged buoys, and old nautical charm.

The wellness… I didn’t get to try the Salt Marsh Wellness Sanctuary, but it includes a steam room, sauna overlooking the marsh, cold plunge, and a treatment room. Guests can also borrow kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes for the easy ride into Greenport.

Is it kid-friendly? Very. The cove’s calm water makes it perfect for young swimmers, and the grounds are easy and safe enough for kids to roam independently—just the kind of freedom that makes family vacations so much easier.

Be sure to… Book a tour of the Pipe Cove oyster farm, the largest in New York State. (Greenport was once the oyster capital of the East Coast, home to 14 factories at its peak in the 19^th century.) I went out on the bay with Brian Tuthill of Oysterponds Shellfish Co., who described how they cultivate up to three million oysters a year—seeded in their Greenport nursery, then raised in metal cages across 15 acres of water. The farm has helped spawn wild oysters throughout the bay which, in turn, has helped clear the water (in that way that bivalves do) until it’s almost glassy. Now they’re collaborating with Cornell to help bring back the bay’s legendary scallops, which have mysteriously disappeared over the past decade.

If you can, follow the tour with an oyster tasting (or a Fri-Sat 5-7pm shucking night)—I got a tutorial from Phil Mastrangelo, founder of Oysterponds, who taught me how to slurp “naked” oysters properly: chew slowly with your molars, breathe through your nose, and you’ll start to taste the bay itself in the “merroir”—the sea vegetables and the minerality. The experience is paired with a pour from McCall’s Winery, which is worth a visit on its own.

Set in Cutchogue, McCall’s is a family-run vineyard on a former potato farm saved from development by Russ McCall and the Peconic Land Trust. A Francophile at heart, Russ and his wife planted pinot noir—everyone said it couldn’t grow here, but the North Fork’s cool sea breezes and sunny days proved them wrong. Today the 140-acre property produces elegant pinot, cabernet, and sauvignon blanc, all farmed regeneratively. They also raise white Charolais-Wagyu cattle, whose tender beef stars at their summer burger nights on Thursday and Friday evenings. I did a tasting in their beautifully restored 1787 barn, with nibbles from Russ’s fine-foods company—cheeses, charcuterie, dried fruit. 10/10 recommend!

Parting words… I have been to the Hamptons countless times and somehow—inexplicably and inexcusably—had never made it to the North Fork. Silver Sands was the perfect conduit to Greenport and the surrounding area, which feels vibrant with businesses that are drawing on local traditions to shape sustainable products and experiences for the area’s future. Honestly, I can’t wait to go back.

Date of stay… September 17-19, 2025

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In short… A sleek and sumptuous stay in a historic Art Deco building that just might, on its own, make a case for visiting Casablanca.

The surroundings… Morocco’s largest port and commercial capital isn’t usually at the top of travelers’ leisure lists, though arguably it should be. While it looks nothing like the Hollywood mirage (the film was shot on a studio lot), the real city has its own magnetism: gleaming white Art Deco facades, a maze-like old medina, a seaside promenade—the Croisette—shared by joggers and beachgoers, and the magnificent Hassan II Mosque towering over the Atlantic. The Royal Mansour Casablanca sits near all of it, in the Le Petit Paris district, a palm-lined boulevard of white modernist buildings laid out by French planners during the protectorate era (1912-56).

The backstory… The hotel originally known simply as El Mansour was designed by French architect Jean François Zevaco and opened in 1953 as the city’s first 5-star property. Decades later, it was acquired by the Moroccan royal family and reimagined, 14 years after the Royal Mansour Marrakech, as a showcase of Moroccan craftsmanship, design and hospitality. In Casablanca, the vision was also to help transform the country’s bustling port city into a true vacation destination. After an eight-year renovation, the Royal Mansour Casablanca reopened in April 2024 with a quietly opulent design (including 70 kinds of marble!), while staying true to Zevaco’s original spirit, down to the nostalgic red window awnings. Locals, I was told, still stop by to visit the lobby patio, once known as the “winter garden,” where they remember sipping hot chocolate with their grandparents.

The vibe… Classy not flashy. Where Royal Mansour Marrakech feels like a living museum of Moroccan craft—zellige tile, chiseled stucco, carved cedar—Casablanca is sleeker and more urbane. At the tower’s corner entrance, uniformed guards in fedoras stand at attention with royal formality, but once inside, the mood is welcoming and even cinematic. Well-dressed guests and locals sit or mill about the light-filled marble lobby, which is centered around a movie-screen-size aquarium and a chandelier of 600 glass fish, both nods to the city’s maritime history. At the sultry lobby-level Bar Diplomate, a tiled mosaic mural of the city recalls its 1950s heyday. I especially loved the four Art Deco-style elevators with retro floor dials, which open and close so silently you need to bust a move to get in before being swept up to your room.

The rooms… The room I stayed in, 1705, is one of the hotel’s 13 Signature Suites (there are 149 rooms and suites in total), with sweeping views over Casablanca’s rooftops and, in the distance, the towering Hassan II Mosque. With curved mahogany and inlaid brass wrapping the walls and custom furnishings, the suite at first reads masculine and slightly corporate—in fact, every room comes with a valet stand, watch winder in the closet, and even a printer and shredder built into the desk. But the vibe softens in the details: the palette of moss green and aubergine, the analog brass light switches that are (so rare!) easy to use, handblown glassware in sultry colors, and even a leather-wrapped Nespresso machine with large (hooray) ceramic coffee mugs were all perfection. Useful for longer stays: a small pantry with both a wine fridge and proper refrigerator. My favorite space was the large bathroom, which felt glamorously wrapped in streaked marble with the shower and toilet areas divided by panels of patterned cut glass (even the hand-soap is dispensed in a heavy crystal decanter). It’s sumptuous but not ostentatious, all just beautifully made.

I also got a voyeuristic peek into the Royal Suite—a 1,200 square-meter, 4-bedroom apartment with its own elevator lined in Hermès-style stitched leather, a private gym, and an insane view of the city all the way to the sea. Fit for actual royalty, Hollywood royalty, or those aspiring, it felt impeccably refined without being OTT.

The food & drink… The hotel’s four restaurants each nod to local culture. I had lovely lunch at The Brasserie, an all-day French-inspired restaurant on the ground floor atrium, a leafy and peaceful fountain-cooled courtyard serving refined and locally sourced comfort food—green beans and artichoke salad followed by a delicious sole from Daklha “a la plancha.”

Dinner on my first night was at Le Sushi Bar on the lobby level, which draws a local crowd for chef Keiji Matoba’s elaborate omakase menu. I wasn’t that hungry after my late lunch, so they offered to make me a lunch-only bento box—possibly the best I’ve ever had, a jewel box of tempuras, maki and sushi, finished with the creamiest rice pudding with coconut and mango. If you order sake, you can choose between three shapes of glasses, each designed to enhance the flavor.

The other two restaurants are on the 23^rd floor, with panoramic views from every angle. Le Rooftop, the Mediterranean option, was closed for renovation, but Le Grand Table Marocain (a sibling of Marrakech’s flagship restaurant) was fantastic: live traditional music, hearty couscous and savory tajines, and a pigeon pastilla baked in a flaky pastry with almonds that was insanely good. Unlike the nearby Four Seasons, which can’t serve alcohol due to its proximity to the Mosque, the Royal Mansour has a 25,000-bottle cellar, and I definitely enjoyed my Moroccan white wine. It happened to be my birthday, and while I could barely handle the thought of dessert, the staff appeared with a rich chocolate cake and the musicians led everyone in a rousing happy birthday.

The wellness… The spa, spread across two floors (4 and 5), feels like a fantasy of a queen’s boudoir—curved pink-and-cream marble with brass details, eight treatment rooms, a hammam, soaking pool and salon. I was exhausted after a weeklong conference in Marrakech, and Melody, my therapist, delivered the most intuitive “Infinite Sensoriality” massage using Maroc-Maroc products, finishing with a facial treatment that was so effective, she showed me the visible lift halfway through. There’s also a 24/7 fitness studio with Matrix equipment, boxing sessions, and the first La Barbiere de Paris outpost outside France, run by Paris’ pioneering female barber.

Is it kid-friendly? They don’t explicitly cater to children, but I suspect kids would be very happy here.

Be sure to… Take a city tour with one of the hotel’s exceptional guides. I skipped the street art and food tours for a broader city overview, led by Naima, who was knowledgeable, efficient, and very chicly dressed. We covered a huge amount of ground in a spotless Mercedes EQS driven by Siham, our female driver. Highlights included the stunning Hassan II Mosque—the world’s second largest after Mecca, completed in 1993 after six years and $1.5 billion, with its spectacular tile façade, titanium doors, carved wooden ceilings, and 42 marble ablution fountains; the Corniche, which feels almost LA-like with kids playing ball and families wading in the surf; the historic Jewish Quarter, where we stopped at a local bakery just as the call to prayer filled the narrow streets; and a final stop in Le Petit Paris for craft and argan oil shopping.

Parting words… Casablanca might not be a must-see for everyone, but the Royal Mansour makes a persuasive case for experiencing Morocco’s urban, commercial side—ideal as a gateway to or from Marrakech (a high-speed train is in the works). And the value’s impressive in low season, with entry-level deluxe rooms starting at around $640/night, a level of pampering that’s hard to beat.

Date of stay… September 13-15, 2025

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In short… This charming Moroccan-meets-Mediterranean retreat is an outlier in Mid-Mod Palm Springs, with whitewashed villas, bougainvillea-draped archways, antiques-filled rooms and other romantic details, just steps from downtown.

The backstory… Half of Korakia Pensione was originally built by Scottish painter Gordon Coutts in the 1920s as a home and artists’ retreat to recreate his life in Tangier. Formerly called Dar Marroc, the bungalows surrounding a small pool and splashing fountain hosted visiting artists, musicians and actors including Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn. It survived a later incarnation as a hotel after that, until “petite resort” hotel brand Auric Road acquired it, along with a 1930s Mediterranean villa and historic adobe home across the street that were once owned by an early silent screen star. Together they comprise the new resort, with guests easily walking back and forth between them. The newest addition to the property is Auric House, a private social club in a 1930s Spanish Revival home nearby.

The surroundings… The property spans a quiet street in Palm Spring’s historic Tennis Club neighborhood, with a backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains and slender palm trees springing from the peaceful courtyard. It’s hard to believe that it’s just a few minutes’ walk from downtown. The hotel also has a cute Moke to ferry guests in if you prefer not to walk or drive.

The vibe… is refreshingly un PS-like—not a touch of modernism anywhere. Entering through a Moorish arched entrance into a riad-like courtyard with a splashing fountain, you immediately feel ensconced: a small and pretty pool at the center, flanked by low whitewashed villas with a small bar and fireplace to one side. It’s pretty and peaceful and I never saw more than three or four guests lounging here at a time. Completing the enchanting picture are colorful floral and succulent gardens that grow around small seating areas hung with metal lanterns, which twinkle at night. Across the street and through a small gate on the Mediterranean side, the property opens onto a raked sand courtyard connecting a southern-European style villa and the Orchard House, an original 1918 adobe within a citrus grove and outdoor stone fireplace. This side also has a public space with a fire pit and outdoor living room of couches and cushions arranged on a Persian rug, where classic movies are projected onto a wall in the evenings.  

The rooms… There are only 28 guest rooms total—16 on the Mediterranean side and 13 on the Moroccan side. We stayed in the Artist Studio, which was Coutt’s own atelier that he built with tall, north-facing atelier windows. All the paintings currently in the room were painted by various guest-artists, including one that sits half-finished on an easel. The room seems to tell a story of its former inhabitant, with a kitchenette, long red velvet couch (you can imagine a model reclining on it) and other eclectic antiques—a carved wooden bed frame and leather armchair, and a turntable (which all of the rooms have) that we used to play Fleetwood Mac Rumors and Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits on repeat. The minibar is stocked with local CA brands of tortilla chips, salsa, energy bites, as well as Ghia, Olipop and a bottle of Joel Gott red wine. The chocolate covered strawberries at turndown were a lovely touch.

The food & drink… With no coffee machines in the rooms, they bring you coffee or tea in a thermos to your door on request, a perfect wake-up call. Breakfast is the only meal cooked here and is served in the courtyard in front of the hotel under a big olive tree, which feels like a Greek taverna with wooden tables covered in striped tablecloths and bowls of oranges. The food leans healthy-California, and the technicolor hues of it all—the “Rawnola with Blue Majic” (oats and almond milk with spirulina and fresh fruit)—eaten under the bluest sky and swaying palms—felt like a mirage. The little pool bar is for guests only (so never crowded) and is a lovely spot in late afternoons to sip the house specialty Dar Marroc, made with a Moroccan fig spirit, pomegranate juice, rosewater, mint and lime. Lunch and dinner can be ordered from local Eight4Nine restaurant, but there are countless restaurants within a close drive or walk. Melvyn’s, the old-school icon, is practically around the corner, and we had a great dinner of Caesar salad, steak, martinis and bananas foster flambéd at the table—a dose of old-Hollywood style.

The wellness… There are a few group activities to join at will—yoga on Saturday mornings, sound meditation baths on Wednesdays (sadly I missed both!), and guided hikes to Tahquitz Canyon. Treatments can be booked in the small spa on the Mediterranean Villa side, which I also missed, though if I come back I’m definitely down for the “vibrational scalp treatment.” They also provide loaner Linus bikes, which are a great way to ride into town for a date shake.

Is it kid-friendly? Nope, adults only.

Be sure to… Stay a few days—there is so much to do in the area and it’s the perfect combination of nature and culture activities. Definitely consult our YOLO Palm Springs List for inspiration! And Korakia has a bound notebook in each room full of suggested activities in the area, from shopping to dining to hikes.

We saw a career-spanning David Hockney exhibit (months before the Paris exhibit opened), at the Palm Springs Art Museum, whose permanent collection of modern art rivals that of many major city museums. Definitely get the double ticket to also enter the Architecture and Design Center, in a glass-and-steel building designed as a bank by E. Stwart Williams in 1961 (the gift shop is in the bank vault). It features rotating design exhibits, but worth it to watch the videos of the Desert Modernists who shaped Palm Springs.I also highly recommend taking a Palm Springs Architecture tour with Michael Stern. The itinerary changes each time based on what houses he can get into, but his deep connections (he wrote the book, Hollywood Modern) open doors—though you do need a car, as you drive in a slow caravan and call into a conference line to hear him narrate local histories and architectural sites. We popped into one of the William Krisel small modernist houses (privately owned), did a drive by of Neutra’s Kaufman House, and got to explore Albert Frey’s stunning 1964 Frey House II, a compact 800-square-foot steel-frame home built so light on the land that a large boulder juts into the center of it.

Parting words… A totally delightful, low-key, and charming hotel that I would definitely stay at again.

Date of stay… March 14-16, 2025

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Tell us about Sterrekopje and how you got started down this path.

We both love to travel and explore the world as well as exploring the magic of our inner worlds. What is out there and in here? In discovering the world and her inner world, Nicole stayed at many wellness hotels as well as going on retreats. These hotels were beautiful, but often quite clinical and impersonal. The retreats she went on offered a deeply transformative experience but often in quite a spartan setting. What she missed was love, and what she noticed was that we all are looking for a bit more love. Not being able to find the place she longed for, she decided she had to create it herself. A house of love, where one could heal and regenerate in a gentle, playful and above all warm, loving, home-y setting. A place you can drop in immediately, because you feel you are cared for at all levels of your being. The day after Nicole found the farm, we met and together brought Nicole’s vision to life at the farm during Covid. What we share with guests at Sterrekopje is a way of life. One that is simple yet abundant, rooted in nature and above all joyful and celebratory. They call it the art of regenerative living.

How would you describe your wellness philosophy and practice there?

We prefer the word well-being at our “healing farm.” Healing coming from the old English world ‘hale,’ which means ‘whole’. To us, healing means returning to or remembering our wholeness, coming back into the fullness of our complete body. We create journeys for our guests that guide them out of their head back into their bodies in gentle and playful ways, returning or reconnecting to their wholeness. In essence, we take our guests on a journey of being, of being you, fully, rested, regenerated. We do not have a spa or spa menu. We have turned the original manor house of the farm from 1694 into a bath house with a hammam, two magical massage rooms and a herbal apothecary. We work with an incredible team of holistic therapists who connect with your body intuitively.

How do you approach staying healthy and relaxed when you travel by plane?

We take our own water on the plane as well as home-made snacks. We never drink boiled water from the plane tanks as they are full of germs, and we don’t consume plane food. We either prepare a meal ourselves or get take-out from a lovely traiteur in the area, some fresh fruit and fresh herbs to infuse our water. We mostly take long flights, so we try to get some sleep and read a good book or listen to a podcast instead of watching movies. With our newborn son travel has changed a bit, but most importantly we stick to bringing our own food and drinks. 

Do you do anything special for your skincare on a plane?

We always have our bags filled with some natural oils and creams to keep our face and hands hydrated. We often have a flacon with almond oil with us, some testers from Biologique Recherche or a hydrating face mask—we change up brands. We love Tata Harper and we just discovered skin food from Weleda and an amazing (not natural though) skin brand from South Africa called Environ.   

Any strategies for dealing with jet lag?

Since Covid we have not traveled much to extremely different time zones. However, we recently came back to the farm from a trip across Mexico, via New York, and what helped a lot was walks in nature and a good massage to help us ground back into our bodies, being mindful of sleep time, not too much but where we can we love to take a little nap… regardless of jet lag.

What are a few things you always pack for your beauty/wellness routine?

Natural oils and essential oils to hydrate our face and body and for loving massages. We love almond oil mixed with neroli or pure rose oil essence. We always get our oils, like almond, grapeseed and castor oil, from an eco-shop, while we get our essential oils from a practitioner we work with, as they are pure. A great shampoo, we just never like hotel shampoos. A water bottle/thermos flask, herbs from our garden for herbal teas. Pure cacao for our morning ritual, as well as our journals, a good book and a tarot deck—we love the Wild Unknown Animal deck.

Do you have any rituals you use to reset or ground yourself in a new place?

We love walking and hiking as a grounding practice. Immersing ourselves in a place, connecting to the land and local environment and culture. Nicole loves yoga as a grounding practice, Fleur loves to roam around and explore.

What are a few of your favorite wellness destinations and why?

Nicole loves Como Shambala estate, rooted in Ubud surrounded by the beautiful river. She first visited this place 20 years ago. She liked the warmth of it, and although you could follow a program, it did not feel rigid. Another favorite place is Ananda in the Himalayas. Here you feel closer to spirit as well as the Six Senses in Bhutan. All beautiful places with a spiritual feel, where you feel loved and cared for.

Have you learned any good wellness therapies or techniques through your travels?

Any therapy or technique that a practitioner offers coming from the heart, being deeply intrinsic, will always be transformative. We love to explore the signature offering in a place as opposed to therapies or techniques that are common or that we are familiar with. We recently had the most incredible hammam experience at Dar Ahlam in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco—it was so elaborate, loving, and just a full experience from the moment we arrived to their spa (which was just the most magical traditional Moroccan space, not spa-like at all) to the tea that was served afterward. Upon our return to the farm from our travels, we always have an intuitive massage from one of our therapists. These women know the body and deeply connect with it intuitively, always giving your body exactly what he/she needs in the moment.

Where are you dreaming of going next and why?

Sterrekopje Farm has been open now for 3.5 years. She is a human playground on which we have just started to play. There are so many projects yet to be birthed here. We like to move at a slow pace, really taking our time, connecting and listening to the land and the people visiting and to gently and playfully move from there. Each season at Sterrekopje brings new and unique experiences and offerings that are deeply nourishing from soil to soul.

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I first met Jules Maury, head of Scott Dunn Private, on a media trip to Mallorca with PR founder Julia Perowne, who kept calling her friend “The Duchess.” The nickname fit: tall, elegant, rarely without a Hermès scarf and pearls, she cuts a grand figure. But Jules is also warm and wickedly funny, the kind of dinner companion whose travel tales—she’s lived everywhere from Hong Kong to Switzerland, France to Australia, Vietnam to South Africa—leave everyone cackling into their cocktails. That gift for storytelling fuels her work: orchestrating the yearly travel plans of Scott Dunn Private’s high-net-worth and most loyal clients, and designing tailor-made journeys from scratch. It also keeps her perpetually in motion, hopping from lounge to airport to hotel room, gathering scoops and intel, some which she shares with us here, along with a few memorable bon mots.—Alex Postman

How often do you travel?

Every month, it seems, when I checked the diary—in some form or another.

Most recent passport stamp?

Marrakech! And on my French passport, Peru (as I often travel on my French passport to avoid stamps within Europe).

What’s your travel uniform?

White shirt (either Anne Fontaine or Naracamici), navy trousers (always Raffaello Rossi) or white jeans (I pick up about 5 pairs every year when I go to Cape Town), navy/cream blazer (NM Peal and Stella McCartney), and always one of my large statement Hermès scarves. I have wonderful loafers I have made at Lachoix in Lisbon that I pick up every year in a few colours—perfect for traveling. Always my South Sea pearls.

Go-to luggage for a short trip? Long trip?

Always my Samsonite luggage and BRIC carryon—I cannot travel with hand luggage. Long haul up to three suitcases!

Hardest-working item you bring?

My Birkin

Airport routine? I try to make it 1.5-2 hours at least as the “get to gate and board” gets earlier and earlier—especially if the plane is running late and turnaround time gets shaved right down. Also gives me a chance to pop into the Hermès shop, which is my happy place.

Favorite airport?

St Barths. It is such fun arriving on that epic tiny strip of cement with ocean at the end and to walk through the quickest baby airport straight into the Eden Rock car to drive three minutes to have your feet in the sand and champagne in your hand—heaven! It screams glamour!

Favorite airport lounge/club?

Qatar Doha, as it is the cleanest, slickest check-in on departure straight into that truly amazing lounge. And on arrival, whisked straight through into the Al Mourjan Lounge, where everything is done for you before you are guided to your car. And Fireblade Aviation in Johannesburg: you are either on the private Lear jet to Miavana, with a helicopter at the end, or eased into the Tswalu private plane down to Tswalu. The Oppenheimers own both Fireblade and Tswalu—two of my favorite destinations. So civilized, and if you want a shower and to freshen up before you connect, they have day rooms.

Best duty-free you always stop in and for what?

Dubai or Doha for Hermès scarves, Chanel sunglasses, and cigars for my husband.

Window or aisle? Go-to seat number?

Window 1F on short haul. BA: Window 3 rows back from the beginning of Club Class, usually on long haul. If the Airbus A380, then 52F window (I hate being right at the front). Or row 2 First Class window.

Any in-air rituals?

I always scoop up all the back copies of CNT, T&L, The Week, Tatler, and Country Life that I have not had time to read, and podcasts I have not had time to catch up on. I have a friend who makes endless playlists for me, which are brilliant and suit every country I am heading to. The latest is country & western for my trip to Texas! My go-to skincare has been German skincare brand QMS, and their day and night serum is brilliant at the beginning and end of a long-haul flight.

What’s always in your carry-on?

My personal Bric carry-on (a personalized edition) was a gift from a friend who owns one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. Apple Air Pods. same for chargers. White Company cashmere socks. Apple iPad. Dell laptop. Silk eye mask purchased at Xigera in Botswana! Hermès silk and cashmere large scarf (if I am not wearing) ultra lightweight cashmere and cotton gilet from Falconeri (I love this if it gets cold!). Qatar or BA First pajamas if I am on other flights where they do not give you PJs! Small makeup bag, Phizz rehydrate tablets, hairbrush and small Elnet hairspray. Earplugs—forgotten the name, but will not travel without them! Apple Air Tag and Pingu my penguin jellycat, who protects me from everything!

Three favorite hotels in the world?

Passalaqua (Lake Como), Singita Ebony (Sabi Sands, South Africa) and Miavana (Madagascar)

Consistently favorite hotel brand?

Belmond and Oetker 

Most compelling recent discovery?

Many years ago I worked for the now Sultan of Oman, when his uncle Qaboos was Sultan. Recently, sitting down and talking to one of the owners of The Malkai, a circuit of camps that will open next year in Oman, was a fascinating trip down memory lane. Also the yet-to-be-finished 6-suite Crocodile sur le Nil dahabiya. 

Most memorable meal you’ve had while traveling? Crystal, lobster and caviar years ago when First Class used to be just that! I was married to the head of Air France Asia and Africa for 11 years, and their First Class served fabulous champagne, food and wines.

Any jet-lag wisdom?

Melatonin and Stilnox. For me, the only way through severe time zone changes are drugs!

Go-to room service order?

Club sandwich with extra mayonnaise and fries

Tricks for making a hotel room feel like home?

Room spray and pillow spray I take from the Hotel Bristol—which I love—just in case I do not like the signature hotel scent! My magazines laid out on the coffee table. I am terrible with “lotions and potions,” which probably contribute to my huge weight allowance—but once laid out in the bathroom, it feels like home!

Best in-room amenity you’ve come across?

Eden Rock St. Barths’ heavenly shower hat, leather manicure set, rose quartz facial roller, make-up bags, personalized beach bag, divine signature red flip-flops, along with signature Champagne and homemade chocolates. Passalaqua cannot be discounted with their gorgeous Venetian-style slippers, silver earring box engraved with initials, personalized passport holder, luggage tags and oh so much more….

Best hotel gym?

He was my butler in one of the Amans. Oh, I see gym, not Jim. It’s something I avoid like the plague!

Favorite destination spa/wellness retreat?

I love the whole Spa Safari at Nihi Sumba, which is so much more than a spa!

Your favorite airline/hotel rewards program?

Qatar – BA for the rewards, as I am so locked into the Avios system and BA is so handy for short-haul destinations.

Your dream airplane would have…

A bedroom and gorgeous ensuite stocked with Bvlgari products, which I love. I know Andrew Winch Design and would entrust them with the spec. Their pared-back style today would be perfect to design the interior. Taupes, creams, beiges and a slash of orange to reflect my inner Hermès obsession. A state-of-the-art kitchen. Definitely a bar where you could hang out.

Best in-flight conversation/seat-mate encounter?

On my way to Santiago after the sudden loss of a family member from my husband’s side, I was engulfed in grief, but continued with the long-planned business trip. In that fog of misery, two moments reminded me that someone up there was looking out for me. First, by sheer luck, I knew the captain, who arranged an upgrade to Club Class and asked the crew to be gentle with me. Then, despite my tearful state, the young man beside me introduced himself as George. I tried to retreat into silence after explaining my red eyes and sniffles, but he gently offered: “You can either cry all the way to Chile, or I can at least entertain you through drinks and dinner.” He did just that. A well-connected figure in the copper industry, he even showed me a raw diamond he’d sourced in South Africa for his soon-to-be fiancée, asking my advice on how to propose—after learning I’d had three husbands! I laughed, cried, slept, and woke up feeling like a new day had begun. George guided me through Santiago airport, handed me to my driver, and vanished. A true guardian angel for one unforgettable night.

First thing you do when you get home?

Unless I’ve been on safari, I pack all my clothes on hangers in dry-cleaning plastic and fold them into the suitcase. First thing I do when I’m home is hang them all up, shower, and sit down with a cup of coffee. Or, if it’s the evening, I light a candle, put on some music and pour a glass of wine with my husband.

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Tell us about you and your company.

We run Bog & Thunder, an eco-travel company specializing in food tours of Ireland. In addition to creating custom itineraries for private trips, we also curate small group tours that are food-based and organized around a theme such as wellness & spirituality, outdoor adventures, and music. Our ideal customers are people who love great food and appreciate artisans and producers, but are also looking for deeper social, cultural, and nature-based experiences when they travel. 

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Last May, I finally made it to Isla Holbox, that sliver of white sand off the northern tip of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. For years, I’d heard about its nature reserve, populated by flamingoes and pelicans, and its shallow, electric-blue water—a one-time haven for backpackers and bohemian travelers that’s been steadily drawing more visitors as Tulum’s crowds reach a tipping point. One of the early arrivals was Cuban-born music-industry veteran Sandra Pérez, who arrived when there was almost nothing here. She built a family home, then gradually added more rooms, opened it to friends, and eventually to paying guests. 

Twenty-five years later, her 18-room Ser Casasandra hardly stands alone on the beach—Holbox’s secret has been too well discovered—but once you step inside its whitewashed walls, it still feels like an isolated sanctuary. Cuban and Mexican-designed bespoke furniture and artwork fill the airy spaces. (You can read my full Guest Book here.) Across the still-unpaved sandy road, the beach club, Mojitos, is a chill spot for lunch and a swim.

Every day there, I ordered the same thing: aguachile. Similar to ceviche, this Mexican dish features raw seafood (usually shrimp or snapper) in a spicy, citrusy broth of lime juice and chiles. They had several versions—rainbow-bright and super refreshing—which I slurped up and washed down with a Tecate. Before leaving, I asked for the recipe. It’s not something I would have thought to make at home, but on a hot August day with fresh seafood on hand—plus cucumber, red onion, radish, and avocado—it’s surprisingly simple to throw together. And instantly, I’m back at those languorous, feet-in-the-sand lunches, pelicans swooping overhead.

Aguachile de Camarón

Yield: 1-2 servings
Estimated time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

150g cleaned shrimp
30 ml extra virgin olive oil (divided)
200 ml lime juice (divided)
½ firm avocado 
¼ sliced red onion 
10 g celery
1 clove garlic 
½ piece serrano chili (+ extra for garnish)
15 g fresh cilantro 
½ cucumber (divided)
1 whole radish 
¼ white onion 
3 g fine salt (or to taste) 
2 g dried oregano 

Steps:

1. Marinate the shrimp
Mix the shrimp with 25 ml EVOO, 130 ml lime juice, and salt. Refrigerate while preparing the remaining elements (approx. 15–20 minutes)

2. Prepare the aguachile (green sauce)
Blend together:
– ¼ peeled cucumber
– White onion
– 70 ml lime juice
– Celery
– 1 garlic clove
– 20 ml EVOO
– Cilantro (reserve a few sprigs for garnish)
– ½ serrano chili
– Salt

Strain using a fine mesh sieve or chamois. Keep chilled.

3. Pickle the red onion
Slice into petals or fine julienne. Blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds, drain, and place in a bowl with lime juice, salt, and oregano. Let pickle for at least 10 minutes.

4. Prepare the vegetables for garnish
Thinly slice:
– Remaining serrano chili
– Radish
– Cucumber (with skin)
– Avocado 

5. Assemble the dish:
Place the marinated shrimp in the center of the plate. Arrange slices of avocado, cucumber, radish, and chili around the shrimp. Add pickled red onion petals. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, a drizzle of EVOO, and coarse salt.

6. Complete:
Just before serving, pour the reserved aguachile sauce over the dish

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Hello from… Chania, Crete. The southernmost and largest of the Greek islands, Crete is as mountainous as it is mythic—Zeus himself was said to be born in a high cave here—and its rugged elevation and sinuous roads have always made it difficult to penetrate. Crete has been dogged by a reputation for overdevelopment, but that’s largely an affliction in the north-central area of Heraklion, the capital (also home to the must-see archeological remains of Knossos Palace, the seat of Minoan kings). Chania on the western side is urban but richly layered: an Old Town with a postcard-perfect Venetian port, Ottoman domes and neoclassical mansions, and flower-draped Cretan houses strung along narrow lanes. Both beautiful and bustling, a little rough-edged but soulful, it’s also home to a flourishing new wave of ateliers, food ventures, and entrepreneurs reinterpreting Cretan traditions.

Where I’m staying… The JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa. This was my third visit—we have dear friends in Chania—and on other occasions I’ve loved the sweet agriturismo Metohi Kindelis, the design-forward and joyfully kid-filled Ammos, and the elegant Casa Delfino in an Old Town Venetian mansion. This time, wanting both proximity to our friends in the city and a true beach holiday (our teenage daughter was with us), we tried out the new JW, about 25 minutes out along the Akrotiri Peninsula, on Marathi Beach. I’m not usually a resort person, but the property was a relaxing escape: all earth-toned minimalism with a sultry edge, and three pools and cabanas right on the water. It wound up striking just the right balance. (You can read my full Guest Book here.)

The best meal(s) I had… We always make a beeline for souvlaki at a hole-in-the-wall called Oasis. (Thraka, though part of a chain, is so good too!) And we love to join our friends for a traditional wood-fired meal at Christostomos, which typically includes some combination of dakos (barley rusks topped with ripe tomato), horta (seasonal wild greens), braised rabbit or lamb slow-cooked in the wood oven with just olive oil and herbs, sfakiani pita drizzled with honey, and of course, shots of raki. Another favorite is Maiami, a lively and colorful bistro on the water owned by Greek-American ceramicist Alexandra Manousakis and her sommelier husband Afshin Molavi, known for seasonal shared plates and low-intervention wines from her family’s beautiful vineyards in Vatolakkos (well worth a visit for a tour and tasting!). This trip also brought new discoveries: Red Jane Bakery, by Nikos Tsepetis of Ammos, turning out artisanally made breads in a modern space; and the JW’s own Onalos, a seafood restaurant open to the public, where our sea bass crudo and grouper with spinach-rice were super fresh and flavorful. A final favorite: Patrelantonis Fish Taverna, on Marathi Beach, a humble-looking place beloved by locals (and supposedly even the president).

A few fun things I did…  Wandering the maze of Old Town’s alleys and Venetian harbor is always a pleasure, especially with its ever-improving lineup of boutiques: Katerina Makriyianni for beautiful gold necklaces and earrings; Just Brazil for Greek designers like Ancient Kallos and Zeus + Dione; and countless linen, ceramics, jewelry and soap/oils shops tucked into side streets. For an icy frappe or Greek coffee (or aperitivo at sunset), the Chania Sailing Club is a must. As a history nerd, I enjoyed my deep-dive at the Archeological Museum of Chania, which opened in 2020 with an extraordinary collection of Minoan pottery, figurines, and jewelry that trace Crete’s long history, and visit to the 17th-century Agia Triada Monastery on the Akrotiri Peninsula, whose monks produce and sell olive oil. On the more adventurous side, the 10-mile Samaria Gorge hike is unforgettable and so worth it—though accompanied by a good number of tourists and large Greek families ambling down the trail, you can still find yourself alone in the deep canyon, which finishes at the black-pebbled Libyan Sea, where you’ll want to plunge into the cool blue water—heaven. (You can book transportation through most hotels, or at various kiosks in town.) This year we opted for a boat trip, hiring a skiff and skipper at Marathi Beach through Notos Mare to explore nearby coves, including Seitan Limani’s dramatic cliffs and Glass Beach—which, true to its name, is glittering with millions of pieces of worn sea glass.

The book I read… Crete by Barry Unsworth, a lyrical travelogue that makes sense of the island’s complexity, weaving mythology (the Minotaur and the labyrinth, which allegedly occurred at Knossos Palace), history, and the Cretans’ fiercely rebellious spirit through centuries of foreign invaders.

A thing or two I learned… The Minoans (c. 3000-1450 BC) were Europe’s first advanced civilization, who built multi-story architecture and complex plumbing networks, used sophisticated painting and ceramic techniques, and sailed to Egypt, Turkey, and, some say, as far as India!

Manousos Chalkiadakis’ studio, Just Brazil

The best thing I’m bringing home… A ceramic pomegranate by Manousos Chalkiadakis, a revered Cretan artist whose amazing home-studio in the mountains near Chania is filled with his paintings, ceramics, and antiques. (To arrange a visit email info@greekceramics.gr or call/text +306947270355.) My daughter commissioned a striking long-chain necklace made of semi-precious stones at the atelier at Antoniou, and I picked up a knotted straw bag at Just Brazil, which folded up easily in my carry-on!

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The surroundings… Located in Marathi, 10 miles from Chania’s Old Town, the JW Marriott Crete—which opened in June—is embedded within a 100-hectare terraced hillside crescent overlooking the Aegean. The low-lying honeycomb of minimalist stone, concrete and wood buildings belies its 160 rooms and suites—it feels much more intimate. To the southwest, the city of Chania sprawls along a commercialized and busy road, but Marathi sits at a welcome remove: a 30-minute taxi over the spiny backbone of the Akrotiri Peninsula, along Souda Bay (home to Greece’s NATO base—now and then an F-16 buzzes overhead) and into the time-capsule calm of Marathi Beach. At one end, Greek families congregate under a jumble of bright umbrellas along a narrow strip of sand, backed by two tavernas. At the other, the JW has nabbed a prime location on an outcropping of rugged rocks lapped by deep-blue water—a favorite locals’ swim spot.

The vibe… Crete is a mountainous island full of caves, and there’s something deliberately inconspicuous about the property’s stone walls and concrete lodgings, designed by Athens-based studio Block722 using materials scooped directly from the site. The interiors extend the natural camouflage with Greek-made linens, rattan, terracotta, and wood that echo the surrounding rooftops, limestone, and olive trees. Water threads through the property too: a series of shallow pools runs from lobby to restaurant, punctuated by two sunken living rooms. Down by the sea, three swimming pools and several waterfront cabanas are rarely crowded, since most rooms have their own private or shared plunge pools and guests tend to hang out “at home.” A steady warm breeze muffles the usual resort noise, so the atmosphere stays surprisingly private and peaceful—even at 90 percent capacity a month after opening. It feels ideal for couples who want to disappear, but also spread out enough that families don’t impose on other guests.

The rooms… Every one of the rooms, suites, and villas face the bay, which is crisscrossed all day by boats large and small. Our junior suite had a king bed and convertible daybed—ample room for my husband, teenage daughter and me. We pretty much lived on our outdoor terrace with plunge pool, which was shady enough to double as an outdoor office. The bathroom was spacious, with a bathtub and skylit shower. For larger families or groups, there are also two-room suites and two-bedroom villas.

The food & drink… There are five restaurants on property—more than enough given that you’ll surely want to eat out at least once. Our standout meal was at Onalos, the seafood restaurant and more fine-dining option at the water’s edge. The house-made taramosalata and tangy sourdough bread were so good, and sea bass crudo with wild sea asparagus and grouper with “spankorizo” (spinach-rice) were super fresh and flavorful. Anóee, the Cretan open-fire restaurant, was also very good—I find that hotel restaurants’ attempts at “authentic” menus can be anything but, but this felt truly traditional. Overseen by Chania-born chef Manolis Papoutsakis (well-known in Greece for his two Cretan restaurants in Thessaloniki), it serves traditional dishes “yiayia (grandma) style,” and the giant beans in tomato-orange sauce, stuffed dolmades and zucchini flowers, and Cretan pilaf with slow-cooked lamb rivaled anything we had in town (other local specialties include grilled rabbit and rooster). On our first night, having arrived late, we also had a very decent tartufo pizza at the Italian restaurant Cuccagna, which was packed with families every night.

Lunches were by the pool at Suncti—light dishes like shrimp tacos and tuna poke bowls. But breakfasts at Fayi were epic: a huge assortment of housemade breads—including lagana (flatbread), sourdough, zeas (from ancient Greek emmer wheat), kritsini breadsticks, brioche, tsoureki (a sweet braided bread), and koulouri (a sesame-crusted bread ring)—daily hand pies (mince, spinach, leek, mushroom), three kinds of yogurt in little jars with homemade jams, two homemade granolas, a giant honeycomb of thyme honey that you could break off pieces from, plus a hot buffet of Cretan and international dishes. Other really nice touches: the tea bar with loose-leaf blends—“Olympos detox” (fennel, lemon balm, chamomile) to Cretan chia (carob, star anise cinnamon)—and bottles of freshly made ginger shots.

The Eéxis bar terrace next to the lobby was never crowded—I suspect many guests, like us, were enjoying a bottle of Assyrtiko on their own terrace while watching the sunset—but the cocktails were very good, developed with Line Athens (no. 6 on the “World’s 50 Best Bars” list), like a lavender mojito and oregano margarita featuring Cretan herbs plucked from the JW’s garden.

I’d also highly recommend walking 10 minutes to Marathi Beach for a meal at Patrelantonis Fish Taverna, a humble-looking spot that’s something of a pilgrimage for locals (supposedly even the president has eaten here). Unfortunately, strong winds had kept the fishermen ashore on the day we went, but the grilled shrimp, wild greens and zucchini pie still made for a great dinner, surrounded by Greek families and young friends lingering over shots of raki, the local spirit.

The wellness… The Anoseas Spa is a peaceful underground sanctuary with a sauna, steam room, ice room, and vitality pool, which are open to all guests. Five treatment rooms offer therapies inspired by traditional Cretan healing rituals, with products from five different skincare brands, including Aromatherapy Associates and Bio Aroma (from Crete). My daughter and I had treatments side by side in the couples’ room (which had its own smaller sauna and steam room): my Detox Massage Ritual—incorporating an oil infused with the local herb dictamos (dittany, for digestion), juniper, grapefruit, and rosemary—involved vigorous and audible, shall we say, frottage of the legs and torso to get my lymphatics moving, while my daughter’s Glow Facial was a less voluble affair. 

Next door, the two-room gym is equipped with every kind of Technogym machine, TRX, free weights, kettlebells, and daily classes with personal trainers on hand. Coming soon: an outdoor yoga deck by the sea, tennis and padel courts, and—most intriguingly—an ancient cave that was discovered on property, with naturally flowing healing waters, which is awaiting archeological approval before becoming mediation, yoga and breathwork grotto.

The kid-friendly factor… It’s a great choice for families. An adults-only pool ensures peace for those who want it. Restaurants have family-friendly options, especially the Italian one. The “Phestos Den” kids’ club, currently housed in shaded tents while it awaits a dedicated building, offers indoor/outdoor activities for ages up to 3 and 4 -12, including nature explorations and a vegetable garden, and babysitting is available.

Be sure to… Explore old-town Chania—a maze of Venetian, Ottoman, and Greek architecture wrapped around a beautifully preserved Venetian harbor: you can call a taxi and text the concierge with your pickup time and location. The hotel also runs excursions: the 10-mile (mostly downhill) Samarian Gorge hike, which ends with a plunge into the Libyan Sea (I’ve done it—it’s magnificent), and the pink sands of Elafonisi Beach on the west coast. We hired a boat and skipper at Marathi to take us to a few nearby coves, including the sandy beach of Seitan Limani and Glass Beach, which is carpeted in multicolored sea glass that flash like marbles in the sun.

Parting words… Crete can be a haul—there are no direct US flights, with most routes connecting through London, Athens or Frankfurt—so give yourself a few days here. It’s also Greece’s largest island and very mountainous, so it really takes time to explore and understand how it differs from some of the other islands—not least because, as the one-time kingdom of the Minoans, there are unparalleled archeological sites to explore, including the stunning Knossos Palace in Heraklion. But JW is close to the airport and well-positioned for hopping to the Cyclades (Santorini is the nearest), or catching a ferry there or elsewhere in the islands.

Date of stay… July 28 – August 1, 2025

Produced in partnership with JW Marriott

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In short… Holbox’s OG boutique hotel still feels like the most soulful and stylish place to stay in this laid-back bohemian beach haven.

The surroundings… Isla Holbox is a bony finger of sand that juts out into the Gulf of Mexico from the northern Yucatán Peninsula. Until about 15 years ago, it was relatively undiscovered, beloved by early adopters—backpackers and spiritual nomads moving on from the growing crowds of Tulum—for its isolation, endless powder-white beaches and shallow turquoise waters. It’s still a trek to get there (a 1.5-hour drive from Cancún, followed by a 30-minute ferry), which keeps mass tourism at bay, and the surrounding Yum Balam nature reserve, with its resident manatees, turtles and flamingoes, should protect it from overdevelopment. But the island’s secret is very much out. Holbox reminded me of end-of-the-road refuges like Canggu and Placencia, whose castaway vibes have been harshed by unchecked construction. Along the coast in Holbox, I spotted many hulking half-built hotels and homes, and the main square is a mix of open-air bars/restaurants, glass-fronted boutiques, and old-school bodegas with hand-painted signs selling soda and flip-flops. The main road running the length of the island is still unpaved, lending a kind of throwback charm, though it’s rutted with potholes and can be hard to traverse in rainy season, so the island’s taxis are all ATVs—one of which delivered us from the ferry dock to Ser Casasandra’s door.

Happily, I found Ser Casasandra to be an exception to the above: a peaceful and tasteful sanctuary with both heart and soul—plus excellent food, a real-deal wellness program, and beautiful beach.

The backstory… Cuban-born artist and music-industry veteran Sandra Pérez arrived in Holbox 25 years ago, looking for a remote place to rest and write. She fell in love with it, bought a piece of land, and designed a family home. Friends began asking her to rent out rooms, and she gradually added more of them, which now total 18. Following a personal health and spiritual journey, she opened the Ahal spa (Mayan for “awakening”), whose healing tactics go far beyond massage, venturing into osteopathy and indigenous cleansing treatments. Long an enthusiastic supporter of Cuban and Mexican artists and designers, today Ser Casasandra also functions as a gallery and community hub drawing locals and foreigners to its celebrations of art, music and wellness.  

The vibe… Sandra’s vision from the beginning was to keep Ser Casasandra an intimate size (she’s said she never wants more rooms than names she can remember), and it still feels like you’re a guest in the home of a cultured and curious collector. At one end of the open-air main building is the bar-slash-reception-slash-coffee station with a lending library; at the other is a grouping of handmade furniture, including a wooden couch by Cuban artist Jorge Pardo, all in a tropical-modernist style with Cuban midcentury notes. A great playlist is always going that I often found myself Shazam-ing, from Nina Simone to Cuban trova and old-school Latin soul.

The terrazzo floor, handmade by Mayan artisans, features a series of circular motifs that echo through the rest of the hotel’s design and feel somehow symbolic, maybe even Hilma af Klint–esque (a book of her work sits on a coffee table). Speaking of which, the books scattered around aren’t your standard Assouline set; they reflect Sandra’s own eye and sensibility: Gerhard Richter, Agnes Martin, and Ernesto Garcia Sanchez, a Cuban artist based in Mérida who designed the hotel’s modular wood tables that slot together in different configurations. One of his sculptural pieces also hangs in the lobby.

The whole interior courtyard flows organically: from the pool to the yoga pavilion to the fluttery-curtained cabanas, with curved paths leading back to the rooms. At night, the paths are lit by lamps hidden under shells. During the day, large iguanas that live in the garden casually roam by like sleepy dinosaurs.

The beach club, called Mojito, has feet-in-the-sand tables and chaises under palapas along one of the widest, whitest stretches of beach I’ve ever seen. All day long, vendors bike by pushing colorful carts selling ice cream, jewelry and toys.

The rooms… are comfortable, bright and simple, with thoughtful design touches. Our bungalow (Room 19) faced the garden and pool, but it was in the woven hammock on the small back terrace where we spent much of our time. On the bed when we arrived lay not the typical greeting card, but a vintage art book opened to a spread of the work of European abstractionists Serge Poliakoff and Pablo Palazuelo—which, like the ubiquitous circle motifs, seemed like clues to some larger mystery. The furniture feels collected, not decorated: a long custom sofa that can double as a bed, a carved wooden dresser, a coffee table made from an old door. Sandra is slowly renovating each room, and the one I peeked at upstairs in the main building had a giant stone sink, a Clara Porset chair, and a traditional metate table (for grinding corn) used as a nightstand. Our own bathroom was large, with a deep tub, carved wooden sink-vanity, and Talavera-tiled shower.

The food and drink… was a true highlight. The original menu was designed by Roberto Solis, the chef behind the well-regarded Nectar in Mérida, a conscious blend of Cuban, Yucatecan, and pan-Mexican flavors with a focus on health and seasonality. We arrived from the ferry in time for lunch at the beach club: a Cubano sandwich and aguachile (spicy green shrimp ceviche—I wrote about it here!) that was zingy and bright, perfect with a cold Tecate. We ordered the catch of the day every single day—grilled snapper at the beach cookout, sea bass with supremed grapefruit and chili oil at dinner. All produce comes from a nearby organic farm, and the menu is largely plant-forward. The vegetarian tasting menu was especially good: a black Caesar salad with recado negro, a tomato trio in tomato reduction. The meat dishes were strong too—especially the herb tacos with pork belly, grilled chaya (a local green), cotija, and avocado.

Breakfast was just as thoughtful: fresh OJ or green juice, fruit plate, yogurt and granola, freshly baked bread, and a choice of hot dishes—huevos rancheros, spicy baked eggs Yucatecan-style (with red salsa, sausage and avocado), or Oaxacan-style (with green salsa and cream cheese). The organic coffee is from the barista’s family farm in Chiapas. All meals that weren’t on the beach were taken in the indoor-outdoor eating area in the main building, which spilled out into the sandy front yard under straw lanterns, which looked magical at night.  

Although there’s a bar in the main building, we went down to the beach each evening for sundowners—the sunsets looking towards the sea are spectacular fireballs that attract a crowd. The bartender is Cuban and makes a very strong mojito with Havana Club 7-year dark rum.

The sustainability… Seasonality and sustainability are a big part of the ethos: there was no lobster or papaya served during our stay, as they were both out of season. The same goes for wine: they now offer mainly Mexican wines/producers, from Baja and Queretaro (served in beautiful cut glass wine goblets from Cristacolor in Jalisco—I asked).  They also donate compost to local gardens, use a grey water system to irrigate the garden, and incorporate traditional building materials and techniques into all construction, (like wrapping twigs around the ceiling beams to secure them in place).

The wellness… This isn’t just a hotel with a spa—the Ahal Holistic Center is a temple to integral balance. A student of “Behavioral Kinesiology” founder David Hawkins, Sandra has brought numerous emotional and physical healing modalities to Ser Casasandra and the treatments are some of the most intense I’ve experienced anywhere. I had a massage from Yadira, a Cuban lymphatic specialist, who used cacao oil, energy work, magnets, and hair pulling therapy, which was as amazing as it sounds. The wellness team offers everything from osteopathy to “syncrodynamic” healing to ancestral channeling. One group staying there arranged a cacao ceremony with a local shaman from Solferino. Another guest told me they’d come just for the treatments, and some more psychodynamic programs can be continued with a therapist via Zoom after leaving. There are also deeper-dive several day programs combining everything from yoga to biomagnetics that can be custom tailored to individual needs.   

While there’s no gym, there is an outdoor yoga pavilion where morning classes are offered to guests and a resident iguana or two.

The kid-friendly factor… Although Ser Casasandra presents like a grown-up sanctuary, it’s great for kids. Two couples who’d brought young children said that the calm, shallow sea was ideal for their little ones, and the protected courtyard made it safe for them to roam if they got restless during meals.

Extra tip goes to… The service was exceptionally warm all around, but I’d single out Dennis, our waiter, a Holbox native who taught us a traditional Mayan handshake, and Fernanda, an effervescent manager, who always wore a smile (and some chic sundresses).

Be sure to… bike 15 minutes east to Punta Mosquito, a sandbar that seems to stretch out forever (at low tide, you can wade for several yards without the water reaching your thighs). Unfortunately our loaner bikes from the hotel didn’t make it all the way there—our rusted chains kept falling off (the hotel could really use some new bikes, or better maintain the existing ones). So we called an ATV taxi and finished our outing at the east end with ceviche at Manta Ray.

Parting words… Bring shoes that can get dirty! Walking anywhere in Holbox means traversing the unpaved roads (and flip-flops aren’t ideal, either). But after one foray into town and another to Punta Mosquito, we found we really didn’t want to leave Ser Casasandra at all. 

Date of stay … May 16-19, 2025

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