Avoid The Four Star Trap: A Steamboat on Lake Maggiore
Hotel Piroscafo, Arona, Lake Maggiore. Book it for an occasion that deserves it. Arrive by train for the full effect of walking past the obvious choice. Pack loose trousers for breakfast.
Maybe It's the Airports Causing the Rip-Offs
Filed from Dublin Airport, two hours behind schedule and several rounds down. Park off-site. Eat before you leave the house. And if an airport ever feels suspiciously pleasant and efficient — enjoy it. Somewhere, a CEO is having a terrible day.
Four Stars My Eye: Edinburgh, a Hotel That Lied, and the Brunch That Fixed Everything
Loudons, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. The antidote to a bad Friday night. Arrive hungry and in whatever mood the journey left you with — it'll sort you out.
The Flea Market at the Edge of Paris, or: How My Daughter Made Me Care About Vintage Again
Nobody tells you this about Paris, but the city has a secret second skin. Peel back the croissants and the Instagram archways and the obligatory shuffle past the Louvre, and underneath — if you're lucky enough to be travelling with the right person — something rawer is waiting.