michelle gross

Since long before the words “social distancing” and “self-isolating” entered our daily lexicon, there’s been something special about checking in to a remote hotel. Whether it’s the adventure of making the trek to a far-flung destination, the serenity attained by going off-the-grid, or the bragging rights that come with staying somewhere inherently exclusive, there are countless reasons why a hard-to-access getaway is worth the effort. These aren’t necessarily places where you would go to isol...

A review of the newly opened Sowaka Hotel in Kyoto, Japan

For seventeen generations across a more than 400-year history, the family-owned Stanglwirt hotel in the foothills of the Austrian Alps has served as a cozy respite for in-the-know travelers in search of a low-key luxury getaway, including a fair number of royals and celebrities (from Gwyneth Paltrow to Arnold Schwarzenegger). While the hotel, and its surrounding town of Kitzbühel, may not have the name recognition of Switzerland’s St. Moritz or Gstaad, the remote location within the pine cove...

Virgin Voyages has postponed a preview of its ship, Scarlet Lady, which was scheduled to make its New York City debut later this week.
In a surprising announcement made by the cruise line, a spokesperson for Virgin said:
“In light of the current news headlines, we want to ensure everyone feels it is the right time to celebrate with us. We understand people may want to focus on other things at the moment, so we have made the decision to reschedule our upcoming Showcase Tour stop and events in ...

More often than not, getting a good work out on the road can be a challenge—especially when you head down to the hotel gym only to find the same basic equipment and sterile setup. In recent years, however, luxury hotels around the world have been getting savvier about addressing travelers’ wellness needs in creative ways. Case in point: The Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley’s new, limited-time-only TONAL rooms, which serve as an all-in-one-gym designed to offer everything from personalized wo...

Step aside Williamsburg, there’s a new cowboy in town. Or at least there will be next month with the opening of Urban Cowboy Lodge. Set on nearly 68-acres in the heart of the Catskill mountains, this is no ordinary hotel. Dating back to 1898, today the property formerly known as The Alpine Inn has been wistfully reimagined into a luxe mountain getaway complete with clawfoot bathtubs, handprinted wallpaper and an Estonian sauna because, why wouldn’t it have an Estonian sauna?
Spread across fiv...

Helsinki is a city of sharp contrasts. In the winter months — when temperatures drop down to single digits — this bustling city by the sea becomes the ideal place to soak in the sauna and seek out sustainably sourced seafood. In the (slightly) warmer summer months, music and art festivals reign supreme. No matter what time of the year you plan on visiting, it's easy to see why Helsinki is recognized as one of the happiest and most progressive cities in the world.
Regardless of your budget, th...

For up and coming chefs, the chance to work at Thomas Keller’s legendary Yountville restaurant The French Laundry is something of a rite of passage. With 26 years and a perfect three Michelin stars under its belt, the restaurant’s countless alums have gone on to run kitchens and restaurants of their own the world over. One of those alums, Sunny Jin, is currently the Executive Chef of Montana’s The Resort At Paws Up—a luxury ranch-style where, as the end of this month, he will gather together ...

Invited as guests of Chiawa Safaris, my husband and I landed in the capital city of Lusaka the day before, blissfully unaware of everything Zambia had in store for us. As a whole, the country doesn’t track in the way Maasai Mara in Kenya or the Serengeti in Tanzania does. It’s a relatively emerging destination for US travelers, more rugged and dare I say off the beaten path. Unlike its counterparts where mass migration and the “big five” attract, ahem, the lion’s share of tourism dollars, Zambia has largely remained an unsung hero.

The birthplace of the humble walking safari, Zambia has maintained a low profile compared to safari destinations in many other African nations. Unscathed by mass tourism, many of the safari lodges in Zambia are either family or independently owned and pride themselves on providing ethical safari experiences, which means training and working with local guides and staff from nearby villages and offering responsible game drives that don’t stress or endanger animals (or guests, for that matter).
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Now more than ever, where you choose to travel, and why, makes an impact. Your PTO may be finite, but your vacation options are about as long as the menu at The Cheesecake Factory. Flights, particularly international ones, have never been cheaper. Doors between cultures have been flung open. The world, as they say, is your oyster.
Lest you become paralyzed by too many choices, or fail to come up with a more compelling reason to visit a place beyond just Instagramming something, we went ahead a...

Before 2019, it would have been hard to imagine that the area now known as Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s far west side would be a magnet for trendsetting urbanites. But this far-flung Midtown West spot has emerged not only as ...

Finland natives and co-founders of The Long Drink, Sakari Manninen, Mikael Taipale and Ere Partanen share their tips on what to see, eat and do in one of this year’s coolest destinations.
Finland has been making some serious power moves lately. Not only did the country just elect the world’s youngest head of state (a political coalition comprised almost entirely of women by the way), but the country—who came in at number one in 2019’s happiest countries report—is one of the fastest growing to...

As we make our way on foot along a sandbank in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, dozens of Carmine Bee-Eaters, a reddish bird sporting black eyes and a blue crown, cheerfully zip, dip and dive their way into the hundreds of tiny nesting holes carved into the cliffs. “On walking safaris, you see the small things and learn about the things that nature has left behind,” our guide, Abel, said as we made our way around the park that morning. “You see the big things, too, like zebras, giraffes,...

If you’ve ever wanted to profess your undying love for Nutella, well, now’s your chance. According to an announcement made this week, the world’s most popular Italian chocolate-hazelnut brand will be opening up a pop-up hotel in Napa Valley this January and you could be among one of three lucky winners to get in on all the action.
According to a press release, the ‘Hotella Nutella Weekend Breakfast Experience,’ includes roundtrip airfare for you and guest as well as accommodations for three d...