Where the Extraordinary is Reserved for You

I’ve had a wave of questions lately about Blackberry Farm vs. Blackberry Mountain. I’ve been going to both for years, and they each do something very different, very well. Here’s how I think about it: • Blackberry Farm = classic, polished, food-forward, quietly indulgent • Blackberry Mountain = modern, active, design-driven, a little more social If you can swing it, a split stay is the move. It gives you the best of both worlds. I broke down exactly how to choose (and who each is best for) over on Substack.

My middle daughter turns 8 today. She is a gourmand, a critic, and my most discerning travel companion. She would like you to know she has standards. Here are her 8 non-negotiables for a luxury stay: • Welcome amenities are the first impression. Treats (not fruit) please! Kids-sized robes and slippers in the room are an automatic 5 stars. • If a suite with a plunge pool is available, you take it. YOLO. • Room service breakfast at least once. Pajamas, pastries, cartoons in bed. Non-negotiable. • Dinner in the room is a hard no. Unless there is a patio. Then it is the best table in the hotel and she will need to study the menu and order at least 2 desserts. • When the pool waiter offers treats, you say yes. This is not the moment for worrying about too much sugar. This is the moment for mango paletas. • Good bartenders can make fancy drinks with umbrellas for kids too. Her favorite is a Piña Koala 🍹🐨 (I haven’t corrected her yet). • A great kids club should have lots to do without you. If she’s ok leaving the kids club you pick her up it’s not good enough. Kids who want to stay is a good thing. • Turndown service should come when we are at dinner so don’t forget to tell the hotel we eat early😆. Better yet she loves it when they leave a small gift, or a treat. Slippers, sweets, and a little effort. What do you think? What’s your favorite thing about staying in nice hotels with your kid? #luxuryfamilytravel #luxuryfamilytravelagent

I just visited the newly renovated St. Regis Punta Mita, and it’s one of the best beach resorts in Mexico right now. The $45M renovation finished in 2023. New rooms, new pool areas, new restaurant concepts, and local artisan pieces throughout — I loved the touches that truly gave it a sense of place, like ceramics from Oaxaca, textiles from Jalisco. It doesn’t feel like a resort that’s been refreshed. It feels like a different property. A few things that stood out: Every room category includes butler service which is especially helpful to families with little ones. The beach on the north side of the property is swimmable. 🏊‍♂️ For families, the connecting room inventory is extensive - shout out to all my families with 3+ kids, nannies and grandparents. The entourage can all fit comfortably! 35 connecting options, casita-to-casita and suite-to-casita. The two and three-bedroom villas have full kitchens and up to three separate bathrooms. Six great restaurants on property (ask me about the tacos 🌮). The tasting menu at Carolina Lena is a dinner worth planning around. The trattoria by the beach club is where you take the kids. Las Marietas Islands are visible from most of the property and accessible via private excursion directly from the beach. The property sits inside a gated community on the north end of Banderas Bay. It’s a contained, walkable destination — golf, surfing, fishing, and kayaking without leaving the complex. DM me or visit the link in bio if you’re planning a Punta Mita trip and want help figuring out the right fit for your family. #StRegisPuntaMita #PuntaMita #MexicoTravel #LuxuryTravel

I just got back from a long, lazy weekend @fspuntamita with my two of my 3 kids, solo parenting. Here’s what I can tell you: we walked into town, ate at local restaurants, shopped the market, explored on foot. When I told the gate guard we were heading out, his only concern was that we take a taxi back after dark because of the wild little pigs that sometimes scare people (they’re harmless). That was it. Punta Mita is open and vibrant as ever. Now, the resort. This property opened in 1999 and just keeps getting better. It sits on 52 acres at the very tip of the Punta Mita peninsula, with two private swimmable beaches stretching over a mile of coastline. The main Nuna Pool is an infinity-edge overlooking the Pacific. The adults-only Tamai pool area is a different vibe entirely, and then there’s the lazy river, which just got a full revamp including the Drift Bar, a hidden swim-up spot tucked into the landscaping where you can order cocktails while your kids float past you. My kids did laps for three days straight. The Kids for All Seasons program is complimentary for ages 5–12 and is run by a team with a background in child psychology. The schedule is packed and genuinely engaging. The churro cart swings by in the evenings near Dos Catrinas. The ice cream cart appears at the pool on rotation. Kids under 5 eat free at all the main restaurants. The restaurants are excellent and of course there’s 24-hour in-room dining when you don’t want to move (it’s fantastic btw!). As a Four Seasons Preferred Partner I can elevate your stay. Don’t let the headlines fool you - this place is as magical as it always has been. Let me know if you’d like help planning your trip.

Mandarin Oriental is one of the most consistently excellent hotel groups in the world, the hotel brand that many luxury travelers quietly consider the gold standard. Here’s the short version: Asian heritage, global footprint, genuinely high service standards. Properties in Bangkok, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, New York, Barcelona, Marrakech, and beyond. The service ethos comes from a culture that treats hospitality as a craft, not a transaction. You feel it. They’re not flashy. They’re not trying to be the coolest thing on Instagram. They’re trying to be the best-run hotel you’ve ever stayed in. For a lot of guests, they succeed. When you book through me, you get: ✔ Guaranteed upgrade at booking to the next room category ✔ Early check-in from 8am (subject to availability) ✔ Late check-out until 6pm (subject to availability) ✔ Fully flexible, risk-free rates If you’ve been eyeing a Mandarin Oriental, now is a great time to lock it in.

Most American families have never heard of kinderhotels. European families have been booking them — sometimes at the same property, year after year, for generations — for over 50 years. The concept started in the Austrian and Italian Alps for a reason. Serious childcare infrastructure, working farms, Dolomite hiking, and cool mountain air while the Mediterranean bakes. It is a completely different category than a resort with a kids’ club, and once you understand how it works, it’s hard to unsee. Summer vacation planning is in full swing. The full guide — history of the movement, how the certification works, and a deep dive on two standout properties in South Tyrol — is on the Substack. Link in bio.

Daily breakfast for two (up to $120/day at some properties), resort credit, and room upgrades. No rebooking. No rate change. Just more. Here’s what that math looks like for a 7-night spring break stay: 🍳 Breakfast for 2 × 7 nights = up to $840 💳 $100 resort credit = a 60-minute massage. A facial. Poolside cocktails. A spa afternoon for you. ⬆️ Room upgrade = more space, better view, happier kids That’s $900+ in value sitting on the table — on a reservation you already made. Same rate. More experience. DM me your hotel reservation and I’ll tell you if I can make it happen. Spring break is soon — let’s move. 🌴 #SpringBreak #LuxuryTravel #TravelAdvisor

I spent a lot of time talking to people in the industry, I sweet talked my way behind the desk more than one check in, and did some training on the software that most hotels use at their front desks. Read to find out what I know about the best way to get an upgrade.