We’re not much for boring weather banter… but c'mon, it’s cold out there! And winter is just getting started. No need to worry your pretty little bundled up head over it, though – we’ve devised a plan for you to flee the frost and escape to sun-soaked Miami.
And the best part? It’s totally weather driven – as the mercury drops, so do our rates. You’ll get an American Airlines flight from your home city plus your pick of three Miami hotels – the price is set by the dropping temperatures in notoriously chilly Chicago (a city that really knows about cold).
Last month, our New York team just happened to have tables booked at Amor Cubano for a festive feast on the same day that the US reinstated diplomatic relations with Cuba. Needless to say, we raised many mojitos to toast the occasion (well, it was also our office holiday bash – but what a bonus, right?) as we tucked into pillowy empanadas, crispy plantain chips and heaping plates of ropa vieja.
Cuba is of course topping our must-visit list, but just how to do that from the States? This New York Times piece answered many of our questions. Now we’ll have to go scout a chic hotel where we can all stay …
This magazine spread-worthy photo was snapped by one of our globe-trotting NYC team members on a recent Cuban escapade.
One of our New York editors, Amelia Mularz, took a trip to London and returned with an iPhone full of snaps and a taste for Scotch eggs. This is just a small sampling of the details she dug across the pond. Here, she explains…
From top left:
1. Coffee! Yes! I’ve never accepted caffeine as enthusiastically as I did here in the lobby at the Dean Street Townhouse. It was my first stop after a redeye flight and that little cup saved my sanity (for at least 45 minutes).
2. When a friend suggested Columbia Road Flower Market I thought, meh…plants? But I ended up walking the length of these gorgeous stalls at least four times and seriously lamented the fact that I couldn’t fill my suitcase with decorative cabbage.
3. I did, however, fill my suitcase with gifts from the shops that surround the flower stalls. Shoutout to American Airlines for being so reasonable about my overstuffed bag.
4. The cosy cocktail bar at The Zetter Townhouse stole my heart with their vintage apothecary jars. The taxidermy cat in Victorian garb by the fireplace was just icing on the cake.
5. Scotch eggs, how have I lived so long without you? This was my very first tasting (it had to be documented, of course) at a pub near Smith’s headquarters in Shepherd’s Bush.
6. The only in-room item that excited me more than the retro-style Roberts radio at the Dean Street Townhouse was the tin next to it that had my favorite word, ‘Treats,’ engraved on the lid. Each day housekeeping filled it with fresh cookies…er…biscuits, as the Brits say.
7. These swatches were framed and hanging outside my room (#103) at Number Sixteen hotel. Seeing the inspiration behind the decor was like taking a peek inside design guru Kit Kemp’s brain.
8. Meet my buddies Nelson and Nancy. Town Hall Hotel & Apartments has a goldfish pimping program (I couldn’t make this up). If you donate 10 quid a night, the fish can sleep in your room. But don’t worry, these are critters with hearts of gold. All money raised goes to a local charity.
9. This tasty tray, including rabbit and pork rillettes, at Bistrot Bruno Loubet in The Zetterhotel was so much more scrumptious than my typical PB&J work lunch.
10. Eenie meenie miney mo… I grew up vacationing in Wisconsin motels where the most you could hope for, in terms of bath products, was a bar of soap the size of a butter pat. That’s probably why I feel pure jubilation each time I see the spread of Cowshed shampoos and shower gels at Soho House hotels. High Road House, here, was no exception. Cue the Jeffersons theme song ('Well we’re movin’ on up…’).
Few things are more comforting on a dark winter’s night than a flickering fireplace, a shock of bright vegetables and potent warm-you-right-up libations. All of which can be found at Little Park, Andrew Carmellini’s new standout eatery at the Smyth a Thompson Hotel in New York's Tribeca neighbourhood.
Well, if you call ahead for a table, that is – this downtown spot has been consistently booked since its much-anticipated opening in November. And, as our New York editors discovered, the hype is with good reason.
Starting with the spent grain bread (made with leftover grains from their house-label beer) with a swipe of salted butter. There were perfectly plump Peconic Bay scallops basking in their fan-like shells and creamy Vermont burrata tucked beneath silky covers of butternut squash.
Oh, and a meaty lobster tail with curls of spaghetti squash… a toothsome hangar steak… and a tart pear and rich chocolate tart. All expertly paired with wine by the friendly sommelier, of course.
We should have stopped right there, but we couldn’t resist sliding back the pocket doors for a peek at the hotel’s Evening Bar … and a nightcap.
Styled like a modern-Speakeasy, it’s an intimate den with love seats, low cocktail tables, a cosy fireplace and a sleek bar with a clever drinks menu from Chef Carmellini. In other words, our new favourite spot.
When it comes to discovering the the inside scoop on a Smith stay, don’t look for fuzzy stars, a rating system or cutesy icons to tell you what’s what.
Instead, you’ll find a first-hand account from a real person. Once a hotel is part of our collection, we dispatch anonymous reviewers to slip beneath the billion thread count sheets, splash around in the rainfall shower larger than most New York apartments and sample cheeseburgers from room service.
Last year we sent out like-minded travellers – actors, designers, artists, editors, comedians – all in the name of serious boutique hotel research. With that, here’s a handful of our favourite anonymous reviews from 2014.
Sending out wishes for a #MerrySmithmas. This season we took a festive Instagram tour of celebrations at Smith hotels around the globe – from Argentina to Thailand. Here’s to all things merry and bright…
Malin + Goetz co-founders Matthew and Andrew travel in style, so it’s little wonder that their darling dog Mr Greenberg does, too …
Last tripSan Francisco (all business), but I go up to the Hudson Valley (all fun) every weekend with Andrew and Matthew.
Next tripLos Angeles – apparently Malin+Goetz are opening two new stores there early next year. I’ll be happy to get out of the snow, and maybe they’ll splurge and rent a convertible…
You never leave home without… Andrew or Matthew.
Best souvenir Osso buco bones. I can spend hours chewing on them, days, even. It’s very Zen for me.
Quintessential New YorkNew York is all about walking and fire hydrants. There are so many things to mark here; it’s a smorgasbord of pleasure.
Favourite in-room or travel lotions and potions (other than your owners’) Quite honestly, I’m off the lotions. I once chewed a bottle of something – I was sick for days. I’m sticking to sticks from here on out.
Favourite destination I’ve spent some time in Vermont, I’m actually from there. But those were not happy times for me as I was sent from foster home to foster home until Andrew and Matthew rescued me. My favourite place is wherever they go: to the office, on business trips and our house in the country. As long as there are good restaurants and 300-count linens, I’m very happy.
Favourite hotelChateau Marmont, I really felt like a celebrity there. Everyone wanted to take a picture of me… although it did become a little annoying after a while.
Do you have a peripatetic pup? Check out our collection of pet-friendly properties around the world.
Favourite destination We have a weekend house in Hudson, New York two hours north of Manhattan. I look forward to going there every Friday. It is spectacularly beautiful, rural and easy, and while so close, it still feels so far away from the hectic pace of NYC.
Favourite hotel So far, I would say it’s the Park Hyatt in Seoul, Korea. The best part was the bathroom. It was about equal in size to the living area, and featured a ceiling-to-floor glass wall with an incredible view of the city below from the huge soaking tub – it felt like bathing on top of the world. I dream about that bath.
After a whirlwind few days in the Windy City, we’re with Mr Sinatra: Chicago is our kind of town, too. James and Tamara Lohan, our company founders and the original Mr & Mrs Smith, made the trip – complete with a travel segment on a morning news programme and a splashy welcome dinner.
We made fabulous new friends, discovered the most cleverly-curated boutiques and let our appetites be our guide. Of course, it helps when you have the inside scoop on the best places to bunk when in town, too. With that, here are some of our picks for your next Chi-town tour.
See: Chicago’s Magnificent Mile will satisfy power shoppers with its luxury shops and culture vultures in search of globe-trotting exhibits, alike. The MCA is currently hosting David Bowie Is, a retrospective of the pioneering glam-rock artist’s career, and further south on Michigan Avenue, commune with the Art Institute Chicago’s world-class collection. And no visit would be complete without a hand-in-hand stroll through Millennium Park to pose in front of Anish Kapoor’s mesmerizing Cloud Gate sculpture.
Snack: Given more time we would have dedicated every lunch to exhaustive taqueria research (all the more reason for a return trip). Making the short list this time: Big Star for spicy pollo pibil washed down with a house barrel mezcal and Antique Taco for a crispy tempura-battered fish or grilled ribeye taco. For a juicy cheeseburger and other comfort fare with a twist, Au Cheval is all the rage or, if barbecue (brisket, pulled pork, ribs) is your thing, duck down the alley to the hip and just-hidden-enough Green Street Meats. Never indulged in goat liver mousse (slathered on warm, lightly fried crumpets), you say? Then do not miss the chance to dine on the inventive dishes that Stephanie Izard turns out at her West Loop eatery Girl and the Goat. Tables can be difficult to come by, but you can still experience the whole menu by snagging seats at the lively bar.
Shop: You heard it here first: the next big name in American fashion is Azeeza Khan. The talented Chicago native’s way with beads and baubles has turned the heads of fashion editors everywhere. For a smart mix of vintage finds and instant classics, browse the well-curated shelves at Una Mae’s in the Wicker Park neighbourhood, and stroll a few blocks over to the Ukrainian Village ‘nabe for the latest emerging and indie-design labels at Penelope’s.
Can you believe all of these goodies come from hotel gift shops? It’s true. You can simultaneously travel the world and complete your holiday shopping in one fell swoop. See, the real reason you planned that far-flung beach bonanza is because you are a giver.
Now, as for where in the world to get these travel-worthy treats, see below. But for the wanderer who has everything, there’s the always-coveted Mr & Mrs Smith gift card.
From top left:
1. Claska, Tokyo: Stay in the shop-stuffed Meguro District and snag a super-cool Sway Tokyo tee.
3. Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Albuquerque: This pueblo-perfect New Mexico hotel brings you fields of lavender, cosy kiva fireplaces and this cast iron flying donkey bank (clearly a must-have for the fiscally responsible).
4. Gramercy Park Hotel, New York: The smoky notes in this custom tin candle (made exclusively for Gramercy Park) match the hotel’s seductively boho stylings.
6. The Drake, Toronto: The cafe at this hip Canadian hideaway is a favorite among locals, so it makes sense to pay homage by carrying your brew in a Mountie-covered thermos.
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