Thursday April 22 marks Earth Day, a global day of celebration for all things green which honors the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. So much has changed in the travel industry in the past year, never mind the past 50 years. But one phenomenon growing in prominence amongst travelers the world over is a desire to travel more responsibly. A recent study by online travel giants booking.com into the future of travel revealed that over half (53%) of global travelers want to travel more sustainably in the future, citing the  Coronavirus pandemic as one of the...

Ultima Collection, which offers a number of ultra-luxe and super-exclusive hotels, residences and spas across Europe, has recently announced a partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization dedicated to global reforestation. The partnership launched with the planting of an initial 10,000 trees, which were distributed across areas susceptible to deforestation, including Iceland, Scotland, Denmark and Italy. Moving forward, Ultima Collection has pledged to fund the planting of one tree per guest, per night across each of its locations. “Ultima Collection prides itself on giving...

Disappointed 2020 travelers with dashed plans? We all know a few. Some of us are among them. We are those who had been planning honeymoons, benchmark birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries and more. We’ve postponed, canceled and rain-checked. Dismayed and impatient, we’ve shelved long-anticipated scenarios, while we wait for the world to get well. Now there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but the mere idea of re-planning that grand fete may overwhelm you. We’ve got a cure: The Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo ‘Rescheduled Milestones’ offer. It reigns as 2021’s most triumphant godsend. Whether...

Our homes are one of the most important places in our lives. They are the places we feel safe and where we can relax, where we entertain friends or family and (as the last year can attest to) where we spend much of our time. Although the residential construction and design industries previously haven’t had a good reputation when it comes to environmental factors, this status is thankfully changing – thanks to the introduction of eco homes. Broadly used to describe a property that has been designed with environmental responsibility and sustainability in mind, eco homes can range from an old-fashioned...

Never afraid to push the boundaries, American music superstar Lady Gaga has paired with Dom Pérignon for a bold new artistic collaboration in aid of the singer’s Born This Way Foundation.  Aptly named ‘The Queendom’, the French champagne house claims the striking new project is a celebration of creative freedom and the embodiments of “the shared universe of Dom Pérignon and Lady Gaga.” And that universe certainly is an eye-catching one.  [See also: New Clase Azul Mezcal Guerrero Celebrates Mexican Heritage] The artistic venture, which includes fantastical pink-hued portraits of Gaga clutching...

Encircled by the towering Andes Mountains and molded geographically by the Mapocho River, Parque Forestal and Parque Balmaceda, Santiago has been the capital of Chile since colonial times. Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia and named after the biblical figure St James, Santiago remains the cultural, financial and political epicenter of the country. It’s also been the hot spot for a recent revolution: Chileans voted to rewrite their constitution in 2020 and will soon select a convention of 155 citizens to pen it. Seven million people call the city, with its 19th-century...

Some stereotypes and misperceptions around US wines persist, but a new generation of innovative US winemakers, from California to Oregon, are producing wines that rivals that of the Old World, while carving out their own distinct identities. In the spring of 1976, a select group of France’s top wine critics gathered in the cellar of a Paris wine merchants for a blind tasting. Much to everyone’s bewilderment – and horror – the elite judging panel’s highest scores went not to the revered French châteaux, but to 1973 vintages of a Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay – both from California. The tasting...

A new survey by Virtuoso, a global network of luxury travel agencies, has revealed that the pandemic has made 82% of some of the world’s most discerning travelers keen to vacation more responsibly. Heralded as the ‘conscious comeback’ by Virtuoso’s vice-chair and sustainability strategist Jessica Hall Upchurch, the survey results suggest that after a year of lockdowns and staycations, people are becoming increasingly aware of the impact travel can have on the environment and are seriously considering a change in behavior to help protect the planet. [See also: The Best Family-Friendly Hotels...