Chewton Glen in Hampshire, England

When I was writing this piece for my National Geographic Urban Insider blog, I realized that I never posted pictures of Chewton Glen, an iconic British hotel in Hampshire, England with gorgeous grounds, gardens, and rooms. It was an absolute whirlwind of a visit (less than 24 hours) but I fell madly in love and will go back, especially since they recently unveiled Treehouse Suites - think breakfast in a hamper and your own private balcony in the forest. My friend Hanna, who was living in England at the time, came and stayed with me and I was so tempted to cancel the next portion of my trip and catch up with Hanna for 3 days here.

The first thing I noticed were the green Hunter wellies lined up in the lobby. I wanted to throw on a pair and go on an English walk to the seaside, which was close, or go clay pigeon shooting. There are deliciously cozy corners of the lobby to sink into, fine dining at Vetiver (Hanna and I ate dinner there and then ordered dessert in our room), tennis, golf, a spa, and hiking trails. It really is the most beautiful country house hotel, privately owned and also part of Relais & Châteaux.

Hanna lounging in our roomLight streaming in our roomThe spa pool Cozy couchReception areaBreakfastMain Entrance

2012 to 2013: Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Oh, The Places You'll Go! There's no better book for a graduation gift than this Dr. Seuss classic. I've cherished my three copies for years and love reading it at the end of each year. And oh, what a year this was! Here's to more adventure in 2013 - Happy New Year!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”

“You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!”

San FranciscoPenzance, Cornwall, EnglandIsles of Scilly, EnglandLondonCoworth Park, EnglandChewton Glen, Hampshire, EnglandBath, EnglandStratford, EnglandThe Cotswolds, EnglandHighclere Castle aka Downton AbbeyColonial WilliamsburgFlorence, ItalyVenice, Italy Ravello, Amalfi Coast, ItalyScottsdale, Arizona (hometown!)Kiawah, South CarolinaMiddleton Place - Charleston, South CarolinaNevis, Caribbean

Gold Coast, AustraliaO'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, AustraliaHamptonsLake George, Adirondacks, New YorkThimble Islands, ConnecticutNewport, Rhode IslandMission Hill, British Columbia, CanadaLas VegasLos Angeles (twice!)Cusco, PeruMachu PicchuSacred Valley, PeruBarcelonaZurichHudson Valley, New YorkBudapest, HungaryVienna, AustriaPrague, Czech Republic

Washington, D.C.New York City - Home