KiwiCardio

Dreaming of Kyoto but dreading the crowds? Same. This is my answer.

Aman Kyoto occupies a hidden forest garden in the hills of northern Kyoto, assembled decades ago by a textile collector and closed to the public ever since. It's the rarest kind of real estate in this city: total privacy, minutes from the icons.

Why I book it:
• Location without the chaos. The Golden Pavilion is minutes away, yet the property feels like a private national park. No lines, no tour groups, no noise.
• A true onsen. The bathhouse is fed by natural hot springs, something almost impossible to find within Kyoto itself.
• Space, finally. Kyoto hotel rooms are famously tight. These pavilions are among the largest in the city, with forest views from every window.
• The Aman guides. Private access and after-hours temple experiences that guests can't arrange on their own.

Advisor tip: November here is astonishing. The maples turn, and the whole garden glows red and gold.

Kyoto is the trip everyone wants right now. Reach out to start planning!

“Wait, hotels have Michelin ratings now?” I’ve been asked some version of this a dozen times this year, so let’s decode it.

Michelin Keys: launched in 2024, awarded to hotels rather than restaurants. One Key means a special stay, two means exceptional, and three places a hotel among the world’s very best.

Forbes Travel Guide Stars: the long-standing gold standard for service. Inspectors visit anonymously and grade hundreds of touchpoints. Five Stars is the top honor and genuinely hard to earn.

Here’s my take as an advisor: awards are a useful signal, not the whole answer. Plenty of Three Key hotels would be wrong for your specific trip, and some of my favorite properties fly below the award radar entirely.

The ratings tell you a hotel is excellent. I tell you if it’s excellent for you. That’s the difference. Reach out anytime to learn more!

If Australia has been on your list for years, consider this your sign. Here’s the geography quirk that trips people up: their summer is our winter.

December through February is Australia’s peak season, and it’s booking right now. The dream version of the trip: Sydney Harbour on a warm evening, the Great Barrier Reef in prime visibility, wine country lunches in the sun, during our coldest months, and the best properties are small enough to sell out nearly a year ahead.

The distances are the other reason to start early. A well-built Australia trip usually covers three or four regions, and the internal flights, island lodges, and reef experiences all need to line up.

August is exactly when this planning should happen. Message me and let’s get started!

Wrote off Punta Cana as all mega-resorts and swim-up bars? I did too, once. Then there’s this place.

Eden Roc Cap Cana, a Relais & Châteaux property inside the gated Cap Cana community, is built around freestanding suites, most with their own private pool, spread through tropical gardens a short ride from a swimmable, white-sand beach club.

Golfers, take note: Punta Espada, the Jack Nicklaus signature course with eight holes along the Caribbean, is minutes away and consistently ranked the best course in the region.

The practical part matters too. Punta Cana’s airport has nonstop flights from most major U.S. cities, so you can be at the pool by early afternoon.

Big Caribbean ease, boutique Caribbean feel. Message me to start planning.

"Which Greek island should I pick?" is my favorite trick question. There are over 200 inhabited islands, and the right one depends entirely on who's asking. (And no, the answer isn't automatically Santorini or Mykonos.) Four I keep matching clients with:

Paros: for the traveler who wants the classic Cyclades, but livable. Whitewashed villages and great beaches, plus real ferry connections, a walkable main town, and prices that haven't gone Santorini yet.

Milos: for the geology nerd who doesn't know it yet. The island is volcanic, so its 70-plus beaches come in white moonscape rock, gold sand, and silver cliffs, many reachable only by boat.

Crete: for the traveler who gets bored on beach trips. Minoan palaces, mountain villages, a food culture Greeks themselves rave about, and resorts big enough to swallow a full week.

Corfu: for the one who wants Greece to look different. This is the green island, Venetian architecture instead of white cubes, cypress hillsides, and a run of new five-star openings.

Island-hopping between them is where trips get complicated: ferries, flight connections, and hotels that sell out by spring. Tell me which island sounds like you, and I'll start planning.

The whole family, one roof, zero hotel hallways. Private villas are how my favorite families do the festive season, and the best ones are booking right now.

A villa solves what hotels can't for multi-generational trips: everyone together under one roof, a private chef instead of restaurant reservations for twelve, space for the grandparents to nap and the kids to run.

Where I'm sending families this year: jungle villas in Costa Rica with monkeys in the trees, catered chalets in the Alps with ski-in access, staffed oceanfront estates in Cabo, villa compounds in Hawaii where three generations can spread out, and private safari villas in South Africa with their own guide and vehicle.

Festive villas require the longest lead time of anything I book. The question worth asking at the dinner table this month: where does the whole family want to wake up this holiday season?

“Wellness travel isn’t really for me.” I hear it constantly, usually right before I change someone’s mind. A few myths worth clearing up:

Myth one: it’s just spa days. Modern wellness travel includes sleep programs, longevity diagnostics, fitness retreats, and medical-grade health assessments at some of the world’s top resorts.

Myth two: you have to give things up. Plenty of programs come with exceptional food, wine with dinner, and zero judgment. Wellness and enjoyment are not opposites.

Myth three: it requires a dedicated trip. Some of my best results come as a layer: two spa days built into a safari, a sleep program at the start of a long Asia itinerary, a few days of movement and recovery after a busy city stretch.

Myth four: it’s only for wellness people. The skeptics tend to come back the most converted.

Curious what this could look like on your next trip? That’s a conversation I’d love to have.

“How far in advance should I book?” It’s the question I hear more than any other, and the honest answer is: it depends on the trip. So I made you a cheat sheet.

12+ months: safaris, Antarctica and expedition cruises, Japan in cherry blossom season, festive holiday weeks, and river cruises.

9 to 12 months: Australia and New Zealand, European summer at top-tier properties, and multi-generational trips needing connecting rooms or villas.

6 to 9 months: most European trips, Southeast Asia, and Caribbean winter.

Under 6 months: city breaks, shoulder-season Europe, Mexico, and last-minute magic I can occasionally pull off through my relationships.

The pattern is simple: the smaller the property and the more specific the dates, the earlier you book.

Not sure where your dream trip lands on this list? Ask me. That’s what I’m here for.