Windward and Crown

10/17/2026

Part of our job is tracking every big hotel opening in Europe. Here's one worth bookmarking for your next Mallorca trip.

Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra, the brand's Mallorca debut, opened in June on its own pine-covered peninsula along the Costa d'en Blanes, and the dining alone would justify the trip. Nobu Matsuhisa and Dani García each opened a restaurant here, one serving Nikkei-style plates against the sea views, the other built around fire, smoke, and local tradition.

Away from the table, it gets even better. A spa with nine treatment cabins pairing Mallorcan traditions with the brand's famous Oriental wellness philosophy, interiors by Laura Gonzalez, one of the most sought-after designers working today, and two private coves for a swim steps from your room. Puerto Portals and Palma are both minutes away.

Mallorca in shoulder season is Europe at its easiest. Message us to start planning! ?

10/15/2026

Agave for days, Baja-inspired wellness, and service with a sixth sense are just a few reasons to stay at Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort. From the first margarita to the smallest thoughtful touch, here are five reasons this San José del Cabo oasis is worth a visit. 🌵✨

Read more, then connect today to make your travel plans a reality ⬇️

In San José del Cabo, Mexico, thoughtful service, standout dining, and Baja-rooted spa rituals set this resort apart.

10/15/2026

A question we hear from clients who have already done Tokyo and Kyoto: what does round two of Japan look like?

One of our favorite answers is Amanemu, Aman's hot spring resort on the Ise-Shima peninsula, a coastline of green coves and fishing villages a couple of hours southeast of Kyoto and Osaka. Every suite and villa has its own onsen bath fed by mineral-rich thermal springs, so you get Japan's beloved bathing ritual in complete privacy. No shared pools or second-guessing the etiquette.

It shines brightest on a return trip, slow and deeply Japanese in a way the big cities can't be. First-timers shouldn't rule it out either: tack three nights onto the end of a Tokyo and Kyoto route, and you'll fly home rested instead of running on fumes.

First visit or fifth, Japan always has more to give. Reach out, and we'll start planning. ?

10/14/2026

Three signs it's time to work with a travel advisor:

1. You have 27 tabs open and less clarity than when you started. Endless reviews contradict each other. We've been to these places and can tell you in one call what actually fits.

2. The trip matters. Honeymoon, big anniversary, a once-in-a-lifetime destination. When the stakes are high, guesswork gets expensive, and a wrong hotel choice can't be refunded in memories.

3. You're the one who plans everything for everyone, and you'd like to actually be on this vacation instead of running it.

Sound familiar? Send us a message and see the difference on the very first trip. ?

10/13/2026

Stay inside history in Cappadocia, where cave hotels have transformed ancient dwellings into some of the world’s most distinctive accommodations. Some date back thousands of years, offering a remarkable connection to the region’s underground heritage. 🏔️✨

Read more, then reach out to plan your stay ⬇️

At Argos in Cappadocia, Museum Hotel, and Tafoni Houses Cave Hotel, ancient dwellings have been elevated by UNESCO World Heritage as well as preservationist hoteliers.

10/12/2026

Big news for train lovers. England and Wales finally have their first luxury sleeper train, and it was worth the wait.

The Britannic Explorer, Belmond's newest train, departs London on three-night journeys through Cornwall, Wales, or the Lake District, with just 18 suites on board.

On board you'll find a botanical bar in the observation car and, the part nobody expects, a wellness suite offering treatments while the countryside rolls past. Step off the train for coastal hikes, wild swims in the Lakes, and private gallery dinners.

The dining is reason enough to book. Menus come from Simon Rogan, the chef behind three-Michelin-star L'Enclume.

Advisor tip: the routes are scheduled back-to-back, so you can chain Cornwall into Wales for one week covering two very different Britains. Cabins are limited, so let's talk timing. ?

10/11/2026

This is what October is supposed to look like.

Golden fields, a ridgeline in full color, wood smoke drifting between the cabins. Wildflower Farms, Auberge's retreat in New York's Hudson Valley, delivers all of it about 90 minutes from the city.

The 140-acre working farm spreads out below the Shawangunk Ridge, with 65 freestanding cabins and cottages designed to frame the view, and Travel + Leisure readers just voted it the #1 hotel in New York State, with a Michelin Key to go with it.

In fall, the whole property leans into the season with harvest dinners, hikes through the Gunks in full color, bonfires, c***r, and mornings cold enough to justify the fireplace.

Fall weekends here disappear quickly. Message us before they do. ?

10/09/2026

Most Portugal trips head straight for the Algarve. Our favorite itineraries go almost everywhere else.

Lisbon: the natural first stop, with hilltop viewpoints, a world-class food scene, and the fairytale palaces of Sintra a short drive away.

The Alentejo: cork forests, sprawling w**e estates, whitewashed villages, and some of the darkest night skies in Europe. This is Portugal at its slowest and most soulful.

Comporta: rice paddies running into pine-backed Atlantic beaches, barely an hour from Lisbon. The understated coast Europeans have kept to themselves for years.

The Douro Valley: terraced vineyards stacked above the river, tastings at historic quintas, and lodges with valley views that stop conversation.

Madeira: dramatic cliff walks along centuries-old levada trails, a surprisingly serious dining scene in Funchal, and spring-like weather nearly every month of the year.

Wherever Portugal takes you, we'll make sure it goes past the obvious. Let's start planning. ?

10/08/2026

Centuries after artists and aristocrats embarked on the Grand Tour, Orient Express is reimagining the legendary journey for today. By rail, sea, and iconic hotel stays, this eight-day itinerary celebrates the timeless art of slow travel through Italy and France. 🚂⛵

Read more about this unique tour, then get in touch to plan your next getaway ⬇️

📷: Alexandre Tabaste

On this eight-day itinerary, stay at Orient Express Venezia and Rome's Orient Express La Minerva, ride La Dolce Vita Orient Express through Tuscany, and cruise the Mediterranean on the new Orient Express Corinthian sailing yacht.

10/07/2026

Travel + Leisure readers just voted this the best resort in Europe, and we could not agree more.

Castiglion del Bosco, a Rosewood hotel on a 5,000-acre estate in Montalcino, took the top resort spot in Europe in this year's World's Best Awards with a near-perfect score. Add two Michelin stars at Ristorante Campo del Drago, three Michelin Keys, and an estate w**ery producing its own Brunello di Montalcino, and the case pretty much makes itself.

Golfers, save this part. The estate is home to the only private golf club in Italy, a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole course that hotel guests can actually play. Expect Val d'Orcia views on every hole and almost no one else on the course.

Ready to experience Europe's best resort for yourself? Reach out, and we'll handle every detail. ?