My travel essentials for long-haul (or any!) travel in 2026. I spend a lot of time in the air, hopping between hotels, scouting out the best places to stay, and writing about them. And after years of perfecting my packing routine, I’ve nailed down the travel essentials that I won’t board a flight without and my recommendations on what to bring. It’s a bit of a mixed bag—some practical, some indulgent—but they all make long-haul travel that little bit easier.

Chapel House in Penzance is my new happy place. Just six bright and spacious rooms in a gorgeous Grade II listed house, totally renovated and transformed by owner Sue. There’s a hot tub and sauna in the garden, art by local artists hanging on the walls and open fires in both sitting rooms. Breakfast is delicious and made by Sue as are the homemade jams.

There's nothing quite like setting off on a luxury getaway, whether it's a scenic drive through the countryside or a long motorway stretch to the coast. But even the most beautifully planned trip can be spoiled by a stuffy, overheated cabin. That's why a car air con regas should be at the top of your pre-holiday checklist. A well-maintained air conditioning system keeps you and your passengers cool, relaxed and ready to enjoy every mile of the journey, rather than arriving flustered and uncomfortable.

The house you book by writing a letter…

Luxury in Indonesia is at its most convincing when there is no rush to reach the next place. The country rewards travellers who allow a destination to unfold gradually: several mornings in the same Ubud villa, an unhurried lunch overlooking rice fields, or a few days aboard a private yacht where the route is shaped by weather and water rather than a rigid timetable.

One of the best boutique hotel openings of 2025 is here! The House of George W. Davies in Broadway in the heart of the Cotswolds is the much awaited, latest project from George Davies, iconic fashion entrepreneur and founder of Next and Per Una. Read on to find out more and learn George’s top tip in business.

Ardbeg House, The Times Hotel of the Year, UK and Scotland

Sri Lanka is the world’s top wellness destination. Ulpotha, Sri Lanka’s original yoga retreat has been here since 1997 and sits in one of the oldest continuously inhabited regions of Sri Lanka. Its story stretches back over 5,000 years and is carried in the soil, the water and the hills that surround the village.

From the Connection Economy to cooler destinations and pet-friendly travel, here is what discerning travellers are actually booking right now, and what they're walking away from.

Are you and your favourite person looking for a special way to celebrate your love? Maybe your anniversary is coming, or you just want to escape the stress of daily life and focus on each other.

Luxury travel is worth exploring. The luxury travel market, worth $93.88 billion in 2023, is expected to grow by 8.2% by 2030. This growth is happening because high-end trips are changing for the better.

Here are my favourite places to stay in Cornwall… so far! Including The Nare, Chapel House in Penzance, The Alverton and more..

For someone who writes about slow luxury, about boutique hotels with linen-soft mornings and the discipline of doing fewer things beautifully, the cigar has quietly become a kind of compass. It asks for time. It refuses to be rushed. And in a culture that confuses speed with quality, that seems to me an act of small, lovely rebellion.

The Nare is the best country house hotel in Cornwall. It’s right by the sea too, making it the perfect family holiday with dogs in tow. Traditional hospiality at its best hotels like The Nare are where memories are made generation after generation.

One of the most beautiful boutique hotels in Italy, Paragon 700 is the only Palazzo Rosso (red palazzo) in the White City of Ostuni, Puglia.

Less than an hour from Exeter where my youngest is at Uni is Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa a wonderful country house hotel with spa and Acléaf a Michelin Star restaurant. The perfect two-night break for couples or solo travellers looking for some down time.

If you’re an Audi driver like me, you’ll appreciate the value of replacing your tyre with a like-for-like Audi tyre, especially when you’re driving thousands of miles a year.

Villa Eden in Merano, South Tyrol, is one of the best private longevity clinics in Italy. With just 25 suites it offers a totally bespoke approach to your preventative health programme which starts with a meeting with the doctor and advanced diagnostic tests.

Sleep tourism is one of the fastest-growing hotel trends for 2026. Hotels are building entire programmes around helping guests sleep better. Lulu Townsend explains what it means and where to find it.

Slow travel is one of the defining hotel and travel trends for 2026. Lulu Townsend explains why staying longer, going deeper, and resisting the urge to see everything is the way to travel now.

Frequent travellers around the world have figured out something that casual tourists often miss: the credit card in your wallet can be just as important as the itinerary you're flying into. The right travel credit card doesn't just earn you points, it reshapes how you experience travel entirely.