HOTEL IL PELLICANO
Monte Argentario, Italy
Lindsay Speace

When Lindsay Speace and her husband traveled to Tuscany earlier this year, she was in search of something that would offer relaxation and inspiration. She found both in the classic Italian region of Tuscany, known for its rolling hills, red-roofed villages, and spectacular food and wine. Her favorite stop on their travels was the Hotel ll Pellicano, a spot perhaps known best as the backdrop for shots by the famed fashion photographer Slim Aarons.    

“The hotel maintains a cool but casual glamour, and I left most inspired by the exuberant color palette and attention to detail,” Speace says. She suggests ordering the region’s famed Aperol Spritz cocktail, which is served at ll Pellicano in hot-pink glasses that contrast perfectly with the hotel’s canary-yellow striped beach towels and the turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea beyond.   Tucked into the cliff over a bay, the hotel’s almost fifty rooms and cottages have played host to names ranging from Jackie Onassis to Bono. Its saltwater pool sits above a private beach, and its restaurant with an elegant stone terrace has two Michelin stars. But it’s the hotel’s views of azure water and stunning sunsets that have made this spot one of Tuscany’s top treasures since 1965. pellicanohotel.com

SPEACE’S TUSCANY TOP SPOTS
THE BOUTIQUE “When you’ve had your fill of the sun, head down to the boutique,” Speace says. “I likely confused the staff, taking as much time photographing the millwork and dressing room drapery as I did admiring their collection of punchy dresses from Italian label  La Double J.”

PELLICANO TUSCAN GRILL
“In the mornings, have breakfast  on the patio underneath a scalloped and tasseled awning overlooking the entirety of the property, out onto  the Tyrrhenian Sea,” Speace says.  “It will have you feeling like jet-set royalty yourself.”

PELLICANO RESTAURANT
“The dining room is inspiring,” Speace says. “Its Fornasetti wallcovering features birds in vining branches, trellis millwork, and tole sconces with oranges that appear to jump right off the wallpaper.”

WINE TASTING
Get off property and enjoy the  Tuscan countryside by touring its Maremma region. A private driver from the hotel will take you to the area’s top local wineries, including  the Antinori family’s Le Mortelle  and Tenuta di Monteverro wineries. You’ll also visit medieval hilltowns  and stroll through artistic gardens on this countryside tour.


L’HOTEL PARIS
Paris, France
Tula Summerford

Each year Tula Summerford takes at least one trip to Paris, and each time she stays at L’Hotel Paris. The historic hotel—known as the last home of famed writer Oscar Wilde—is nestled in the iconic Left Bank neighborhood of SaintGermain-des-Prés. “The area is the perfect place to experience the art and culture of Paris,” Summerford says of the neighborhood that Monet, Renoir, and Hemingway all
once called home. Today, its bustling streets are lined with chic cafes and galleries—and, most importantly to Summerford—fabric  houses. “L’Hotel is within walking  distance of Holland & Sherry, Pierre Frey, Dedar, and Nobilis.”  But L’Hotel offers more than just an enviable location. Jacques Garcia designed each of the five-star property’s twenty bedrooms differently in opulent themes like Japanese Pagoda and Italian Baroque. An ornate spiral staircase that winds beneath a domed glass roof and an indoor hammam pool round out this sumptuous boutique property. l-hotel.com


SUMMERFORD’S PARIS TOP SPOTS
CAFÉ DE FLORE
“This café is famous and photographed constantly,” Summerford says. “I could sit and people watch for hours.” cafedeflore.fr

LOULOU
“It’s in the Louvre,” she says. “You sit outside, and it has this amazing ambiance right there at the Louvre.” loulou-paris.com

MUSÉE DE I’ORANGERIE
“The one thing I do every single trip is walk to the I’Orangerie Museum by Tuilleries and go to the Monet  exhibition,” Summerford says. “It always inspires me.” musee-orangerie.fr

MARCHÉ AUX PUCES PORTE DE CLIGNAN COURT
You could easily spend more than a day scouring this flea market that features more than 2,500 vendors. Here you’ll find an extensive selection of antiques from around the world, crystal chandeliers, textiles, and more.

FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON
The building itself, designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, is a work of art in itself. But inside, you’ll also find works belonging to LVMH including some by artists Basquiat and Jeff Koons. fondationlouisvuitton.fr

THE MARLTON HOTEL
New York, New York
Jessie Short

It may not be New York’s grandest hotel, but what it lacks in size, The Marlton Hotel more than makes up for in character. Just a block away from Washington Square Park, this elegant hotel has played host to guests like Jack Kerouac and Lenny Bruce during Greenwich Village’s heyday.  Today, the hotel, which was designed by hotelier Sean McPherson, features just over one hundred rooms. While small (many around 150 square feet), most of the rooms are decorated with elegant molding, gold accents, and herringbone floors that hearken another era. “The rooms are small but beautifully designed,” Jessie Short says.

She loves to stay at the hotel on her visits to New York. “The marble and unlacquered brass bathrooms are my favorite.”  The hotel, which features its original brick facade and a terrace overlooking the city, also offers several inviting dining options. The Parisian-inspired restaurant, Margaux, can be found at the back of the hotel, while the cocktail bar just inside the doors is perfect for a drink by the historic hotel’s fireplace after a busy day in the city. marltonhotel.com

SHORT’S NEW YORK CITY TOP SPOTS

BENNISON FABRICS
“This is my favorite showroom,”  Short says of the English company that specializes in hand-printed fabrics. bennisonfabrics.com

ABC CARPET AND HOME
The Manhattan flagship location of this home design and decor shop is worth the visit. “It’s an iconic place where you can find all things design,” Short says. abchome.com

BROOKLYN FLEA
Open every Saturday in Williamsburg, this flea market is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. “The Brooklyn Flea is my favorite place for finds, especially art,” Short says.  brooklynflea.com

PRIMARY ESSENTIALS
This small boutique in Boerum Hill features a finely curated selection of home goods pulled by owner/ stylist Lauren Snyder. Snyder’s eye for design as a former stylist at Bergdorf Goodman is ever present in selections like block-printed throws, geometric brass bottle openers, and more. theprimaryessentials.com

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI
Hanoi, Vietnam
MA Allen

Hanoi has a long and rich history that can be found in details like its stucco facades, oddly angled streets, and quaint parks. Centuries of Chinese occupation overlap with decades as a French colony, which has resulted in an eclectic East-meets-West blend that has inspired the modern city’s food, architecture, and culture. It was this enchanting mix that first drew MA Allen.

“For a designer like myself, who loves to mix various design styles, the impact was profound,” Allen says. “It’s a gorgeous
metropolitan city with just enough of that grit that is Vietnam.”

Tucked in this city’s French Quarter on a tree-lined street filled with sleek boutiques is the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, a luxurious neoclassical hotel that has welcomed guests for more than a century. Allen recommends the stay. “It’s French Indochina meets modern Asia. The green-painted shutters add charm to the white facade, and the wrought-iron balconies are to die for,” she says. sofitel.accorhotels.com

ALLEN’S HANOI TOP SPOTS
HANG GAI
“For anyone on the hunt for textiles, I found a few gems,” Allen says. “Don’t miss Hang Gai, meaning Silk Street, where you’ll find an abundance of silk dealers. Tan My, at 66 Hang Gai Street, has beautiful handembroidered tablecloths.”

THE TEMPLE OF LITERATURE
“I was very inspired by some of the Chinese architectural details in The Temple of Literature,” Allen says. “I even brought back inspiration for a client’s custom stair-rail design.”

54 TRADITIONS
“Visit New Yorker Mark Rappaport and get a great education,” Allen says. Rappaport, who was born and raised in New York, is now a renowned Vietnamese art and antiques collector based in Hanoi. “He sells to museums all over the world.” 54traditions.vn

HOAN KIEM LAKE
This beautiful lake is situated in the center of the city and provides a wonderful respite from the buzz in Hanoi.

VAN TRIBAL HERITAGE
“This store has fantastic products and prices,” Allen says of Van Tribal Heritage, which showcases Vietnam artifacts. “I also bought a good bit of art and tribal antiquities in Hanoi.” vantribalheritage.wordpress.com

THE WARWICK HOTEL
San Francisco, California
Kristin Tharpe

It was the location—San Francisco’s trendy Lower Nob Hill neighborhood— that first drew Kristin Tharpe to The Warwick Hotel. But it was the hotel’s gorgeous Beaux-Arts style architecture that made this spot her favorite for finding design inspiration.

The storied boutique hotel, designed by the architect Arthur Brown Jr., who also designed San Francisco’s City Hall and its
legendary Coit Tower, was originally built as a mansion at the turn of the century but was established as a hotel in 1913. Today,
its sophisticated and modern rooms pair perfectly with its timeless facade.

“Beaux-Arts was popular in the US between 1880 and 1930,” Tharpe says. “It’s classical in nature with Greco Roman
styling. Buildings tend to be massive and constructed of stone, and typically feature decorative columns, arched windows, and
door frames.”

The Warwick checks all of those boxes, giving plenty of nods to its European inspiration. Inside you’ll find BOTA, a Spanishstyle
bar and lounge featuring paella, tapas, wine, and modern-meets-rustic decor. And just off the lobby is The European, the
perfect spot for handcrafted cocktails with a swanky gastropub vibe.

It is the location, though, that continues to make this destination stand out. “Union Square is two blocks from the hotel and
has exquisite designer shops,” Tharpe says. “There are tons of upscale restaurants and bars, such as Benjamin Cooper, with cocktails and spirits you’ll want to write home about.” warwickhotels.com/warwick-san-francisco

THARPE’S SAN FRANCISCO TOP SPOTS
CHINATOWN
“The experience alone is inspirational,” Tharpe says. “There are authentic Chinese dresses, many antique stores
with carved facades, bookstores, and dim sum—a must.”

ANYON
“This is an incredible design shop owned by designer Lindsay Brier,” Tharpe says. “Definitely the coolest
curated range of products from original art to vintage furniture finds. It’s so unique, and I always pop in on each visit to the city.” anyondesign.com

ALEMANY FLEA MARKET
“It’s located in Bernal Heights and has everything your heart desires,” Tharpe says. “Vintage clothing, paintings, books,
architectural finds, vinyl records, vintage cameras, and on and on.”

ANTHEM
“Anthem is as stunning outside as it is inside,” Tharpe says. “Wonderful accessories, the best selection of Alicia
Adams (alpaca wool throws), beauty and spa products, and fun jewelry.” anthemsf.online