michelle gross

Winding our way along Catarata de Oro (“trail of gold”) in the high-valley jungle of northern Costa Rica, our guide and naturalist, Alan, stops to pluck a small green leaf off a moringa tree. Known here as a “miracle plant” due to its various health properties like reducing inflammation and improving energy levels, I didn’t come here looking for a miracle, but after almost a full year spent in varying degrees of quarantine and shelte...

Boasting some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, eco-friendly lodges, and rainforest retreats, finding Pura Vida has never seemed more necessary.

There’s no place on Earth that encapsulates the spirit of Pura Vida (pure life) quite like Costa Rica. Believed to have been derived from a 1956 film of the same name, today that ethos is not only a reminder of living life to the fullest, but also a colloquialism that’s exchanged as frequently and casually as a simple hello or goodbye.

It’s just...

There are few places in the world that have the power to transport you to another time and place. Baccarat Hotel is one of those places. Set right in the heart of midtown Manhattan, this Parisian-meets art-deco inspired locale not only of offers some seriously elegant accommodations, like a world-class Spa de La Mer and gourmet French-fare by Chef Gabriel Kreuther, a stay at Baccarat is an indulgent experience, worthy of a price point to match. The first hotel of its kind by the 250-year old ...

Featuring an overwater spa and personal team of concierges, The Private Island at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi opened this week, and offers all the Kim Kardashian West vibes you don’t want to miss.

It’s hard to believe that only a few short months ago, Kim Kardashian West, along with her “closest inner circle” of family and friends, set off on vacation to the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. So much has happened since then, and much like the current Hilaria Baldwin saga, the hullaba...

‘The Harmon Room’ comes kitted out in mid-century modern décor, vintage accessories and a larger-than-life chessboard installation​ suspended from the ceiling above the bed.
Chess enthusiasts and fans of the hit Netflix series The Queens Gambit will be delighted to know that a hotel room in honor all things Beth Harmon will now be available to book.
In an announcement made by boutique hotel and contemporary art museum 21c Museum Hotel Lexington today, the opening of the “Harmon Room,” in Lexi...

One of the Med’s most elusive island getaways, everyone from James Bond to Jay Z and Beyoncé have been taken by this Italian island paradise.

Once considered a sleepy island off the coast of Corsica, Sardinia is a place that has long captivated the imaginations of travelers the world over. The second largest island in the Mediterranean, it wasn’t until the 1950s that a Swiss billionaire by the name Prince Aga Khan transformed Sardinia’s northern coast into a playground for the rich and famous...

When it comes to travel trends, there are certain buzzwords that tend to elicit a knee-jerk reaction. Last year, we couldn’t seem to escape the grips of hygge. The Danish term for coziness, hygge was endorsed wholeheartedly by lifestyle hotels and trendsetters the world over and everything from cozy socks to those itchy wool sweaters everyone got in Iceland were in high demand. While hygge’s not necessarily going anywhere (who doesn’t love to be cozy when they’r...

Standing in the open-air pergola of his lagoon-side cooking school, Joy Ngeuambopha begins the day’s lesson. “Lao cooking is about balance of flavors and fresh ingredients,” Mr. Ngeuambopha tells the class as he purées freshly plucked coriander leaves, garlic, chilies, eggplant, and a fermented fish sauce called padaek into a mortar and pestle. “That balance is for you to decide.” However the “La...

There’s no question that ‘Home Alone’ will forever and always be considered one of the best (arguably the best) holiday movie of all time.
In honor of the films 30th anniversary, Graduate Evanston has just unveiled The King McCallister Experience that will allow you to relive the magic in the hotel’s brand new ‘Home Alone Room.’
“Home Alone is all about youthful optimism and playful mischief and those sentiments and nostalgic feeling...

With the COVID-19 vaccine beginning to roll out, there's hope on the horizon for travelers eager to get away next year. In anticipation of a better, brighter year ahead, we rounded up the best new hotels across the US to book for 2021. From a resplendent lakeside inn in North Carolina to an all-inclusive adventure lodge in New Mexico, these noteworthy new stays should go right to the top

Three hours outside of New York City, The Faerie Forest is the stuff dreams are made of.
Once upon a time, in June of 2020, a whimsical hotel called The Roxbury at Stratton Falls was opened deep in the heart of the Catskill mountains. About a three-hour drive outside of New York City, the hotel — a successor to its nearby sister property The Roxbury Motel— was destined to become an out-of-this world experience for wayward city-dwellers looking for an escape from reality.
The lifelong dream of...

From Molokai sweet potato pie to Portuguese sausage and pineapple stuffing, these chef tested and guest approved recipes will take you on a culinary journey around the globe.
The world is in a constant state of flux these days, and with Thanksgiving right around the corner, and public health experts strongly cautioning against traveling right now, many of us are rethinking how (and where) we’re going to celebrate one of our country’s most time honored holidays.

In an effort to incentivize business and leisure travelers alike, hotel brands like Hyatt have been rolling out 'workation' packages at deeply discounted rates.
Freelance writer Michelle Gross spent a week spent working at the 5-star Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona to see if the 'Work from Hyatt' amenities were worth the $254 per night price tag.
During the day, she and her partner did their jobs remotely from their patio or from a designated hotel banquet roo...

I don’t know exactly where it started, but somewhere between Alexandria and Asheville, we knew we were in the doghouse. Literally.
With our two dogs in tow, it was our first foray into taking a road trip as a family, and between the incessant barking, howling, crying, growling, and what our vet later described as “destructive behavior,” our chill little getaway down south hit a major road bump.
As most pet parents can attest, traveling with pets can be, well, challenging. From disobedient pas...

If you're not accustomed to flying in small aircraft, it's hard to describe the range of emotions -- fear, anxiety, excitement, combined with pure adrenaline -- that take hold of you as you're cruising across Zambia in a six-seat Cessna 208B Caravan.