Designer Melissa Morris, founder of Métier & Art Advisor Silka Rittson-Thomas, founder of TukTuk Flower Studio are often on the road. For business or for pleasure, they are no strangers to discovering new destinations. Both based in London, they found themselves in an endless love affair with Zurich.

As lockdowns begin to ease, it’s tempting to book those trips you’ve been daydreaming about over the past few months. However, it’s important to remember that the pandemic is far from over. It would be wise to travel closer to home this summer; to take advantage of open borders between neighbouring countries, to visit places accessible by road or rail, or to explore more of your own country.

Cover photo: Valentina Barabuffi

Italian globe trotter & HW style muse Valentina Barabuffi inspires us daily - from her hidden gems finds around the Mediterranean to her family life in Florence with her 3-year-old little guy. We followed Valetina during her last trip to Venice. Below, her favorite spots.

Cut off from the easy ways of travel (a few taps on your device and you’ve just bought yourself a ticket to that country across the globe) and socially isolated from places we had planned to travel to either this Spring, Summer or even this year, it has never been a more fitting time to return to the original form of slow travel: reading. Long before travel became affordable and accessible, people were reading their way to the rice fields of India, the rainforests of South America, and the tiny archipelago dotting the Mediterranean. It was the way to escape the doldrum of daily life, if you had no disposable income to afford that train or plane ticket.

We spent a virtual day with Belize designers Valeska & Fiona between London & Berlin, read below for their favorite spots on where to eat, shop & get inspired.

We’re all in different situations at the moment depending on where we live, but for the majority of us travelling still feels far away. Here at Hôtel Weekend we’re staying safe indoors but missing the joys of taking a holiday. Social distancing may be a far cry from the travels we’re craving, but there are steps you can take to give your lock-down a bit of a vacation vibe.

When you imagine the Amazon, you visualize an immense space, an infinite green. But reality exceeds the limit of your imagination.

Interior designer & founder of Unna, Vianca Soleil Roquero calls Puro Island home. She grew up in busy Manila and lived in Dubai, USA and Kenya before settling in last year in this idyllic island in the Philippines, where life feels just so pure, simple & unrushed. This beach project called Unna has been over four years in the making, and is now in the construction phase. We cannot wait to visit Unna but while it’s ready, let’s step into Vianca’s blissful world.

For now, travel is on pause, but we are looking forward to a time in the near future when we can once again pack our suitcases. We’re making lists of the places we want to visit and travelling through our screens and the pages of our books for now. One thing we are conscious of, is that when we do begin to travel again, we look at the way we used to travel and make positive changes, learning lessons from this time of contemplation.

The beginning of the year is the time when we take a step back and look at our lives with a critical eye. Resolutions can be hard to keep if you’re making them for the wrong reasons, but they’re also a useful way to focus your intentions for the year ahead. You don’t have to set resolutions on the first of January; you can assess the ways you wish to change aspects of your life at any point in the year. It’s easy to get stuck into a rut with the way that you see the world, hence our following suggestions for resolutions to set a slower and more sustainable focus on your travels for the year ahead.

Vianca Soleil Roquero, the creative soul behind one of our favorite Instagram accounts, lives a true island life in Romblon, Philippines. Slow and peaceful, her home has truly a Hôtel Weekend spirit. During quarantine times, she is lucky to live in an isolated land by the sea, so we asked Vianca to show us a mini tutorial of what you can do with nature around you, like a palm leaf.

The endless love letter to Latin American culture, From Latin America with Love , curated a playlist for Hôtel Weekend’s community. Tune in for a nostalgic journey through Latin America’s dancehalls, clubs and barrios. Made for intimate afternoons of rum sipping and FaceTime serenades. #HWatHome

Júlia Juste, the mind behind Out Liers was born and raised in Barcelona. Passionate about finding unique and beautiful places, we asked her to show us her favorite hidden gems around Spain with the goal of promoting local tourism.“These days of quarantine I am on the hunt for places around Spain. We are lucky to live in a beautiful country, with very diverse landscapes and traditions and very special accommodations. Whenever I think of traveling, it comes to my mind to go far, the farther the better ... But there is nothing more exotic than discovering how beautiful it is at home” See below Julia’s secret places, now high-up in our wish list.

Clara Diez, #HWTraveler & Style muse Is one of the minds behind a soon-to-be-launched artisan cheese project in Madrid: Formaje. We We spoke with this inspiring creative, whose eyes light up when she speaks about her passion for cheese, her latest trips and future projects coming up with her husband, Adrián. Below, she will show us how to make a cheese platter that will immediately transport us to the African Savannah through exotic flavors.

The ultra inspiring woman behind organic skincare brand LESSE, Neada Deters, captivated us with her all natural approach to beauty and life. We had a chat with her about her home & daily rituals.

#HWTraveler & style muse Alice Moireau is here to inspire you to have a beautiful Italian summer dish from the comfort of your home. Dancing in the kitchen is optional but very recommended, preferably to our Under the Mediterranean Sun playlist. Read below to discover her world, follow her homemade gnocchi recipe & pretend you’re basking under the Italian sun.

The sun cheekily slips through the curtains gently flapping against the calm, sea breeze. It catches my skin and a warm sensation rushes over me. It really does know all the slick moves to get me out of bed. As does the sea - with its fresh winds and distant sounds. A seasoned team they both are.

All around the world, many of us are staying indoors, cancelling our travel plans and practicing social distancing. It’s certainly disheartening to abandon or postpone eagerly awaiting trips, but it’s a time for putting our health (and the health of others) first. It’s not all doom and gloom though – we’ve been pleased to see so many people helping others and it’s especially heart-warming to see people singing together on their balconies in Italian towns. To keep you all inspired and looking forward to future travels, we thought we’d share some ways that you can continue to enjoy travel while you’re at home and social distancing.

There are few voyages more glamorously bohemian than escaping to Marrakech with its beautiful riads, bustling souks, and astonishing monuments. Follow Clementina Calleri, the palmist’s designer and ultra inspiring globe-trotter, as she gets lost in those narrow paths in a world of wonders.

Julia Melbourne is one of those stylish globetrotters that is transforming Los Angeles into a new style mecca. After an extensive career in London and Paris, working with brands such as Stella McCartney, Maison Martin Margiela and Tabitha Simmons, she is now bringing her experience to the west coast with Iris Public Relations, her bespoke VIP, Events and Communications Agency. Below she shares her guide to the best of what LA has to offer: