The Savvy Traveler :: Charles

[trip style = urban + weekend getaways + staycation]

Charles Yap is an influencer, traveler and tea drinker. He talks the talk, walks the walk and lives up to his snazzy title as the Director of Global Brand Communications for InterContinental Hotels Group. His position is a tall order, heading up the social media strategy for each of the group’s seven hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo. It's no wonder he's a top-ranked online travel influencer who's built his loyal following with dedication and smarts---and as a nice guy. For all of these reasons {plus his awesome street style}, we're ecstatic to feature him as this month's Savvy Traveler! Charles tweets at @HotelPRGuy.

1/ What are your top 3 trip styles and why? 
[trip style = urban + weekend getaway + staycation] I am very much a city guy and I've been living in London for three years. During weekends, I try to take short trip style = weekend getaways to neighbouring European capitals. I also love trip style = staycation exploring London---you can live here for an entire lifetime and still find new things to discover. Whether traveling or at home, I'm a fan of photography, architecture, exploring museums, going to the markets and checking out new restaurants and bars.

2/ What items are always on your packing list?
I travel light and avoid checking my bags, so packing wisely is essential. I never leave home without:
- My jeans by 7 for all mankind
- Dunhill reversible belt
- Chinese travel tea set from Teanamu
- Elemis Men SOS Survival Cream
- An extra BlackBerry battery

3/ Hometown Saturday must-stops?
My two favorite markets in London are Broadway Market in East London and Borough Market near London Bridge. Both are foodie markets and great places to stop for lunch and coffee. I also like exploring the historic pubs of London; my top three are The Grenadier in Belgravia, Windsor Castle in Notting Hill and The Dove in Hammersmith.

4/ Favourite destination, hotel or resort in the world & why? 
My love of big cities and amazing architecture draws me towards destinations like Paris, Prague and Rome. I also love historic hotels and one of my favourites is InterContinental Paris Le Grand, opened in 1862 by Empress Eugenie. During the hotel's opening, the neighbouring Opera Garnier was still under construction. I recommend one of the 82 rooms or suites overlooking the Opera, and ordering the Fashion Pastry at Cafe de la Paix. This year, the focus is on fashion designers from Brazil, India, China and Russia, and the current pastry is by Indian fashion designer Manish Arora.

5/ Best trip you've ever taken? 
My visit to Hanoi in January 2008 is probably the best trip I've ever taken. It was extra special because it was a reunion with friends who had moved to other parts of the world. We spent our time exploring the old city, navigating the busy traffic, eating where the locals eat and watching the sun set over Westlake!

6/ Best way to secure a fabulous stay with an InterContinental or IHG Hotel online?
Follow @IHG_Deals on Twitter for special deals and fun giveaways. We also offer a best price guarantee on www.IHG.com, which means that if you can find a lower price elsewhere online, you get your first night free.

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

More Savvy Travelers
Rachel, The Suitcase Siren
Tiffany, The Luxury Travel Inspector
Lora, The BC & OR Family Travel Expert

[photo of Charles by @jennkol]

The Savvy Traveler :: Rachel

[trip style = sun + weekend getaway + luxury]

Rachel is passionate about packing right and bringing the most stylish and apropos ensembles for every trip style. As a freelance fashion writer who has graced the pages of publications like Seventeen.com and Thehuffingtonpost.com, she comes by this obsession naturally. We knew she was The Savvy Traveler's go-to gal for jetsetting in style when we read this: "all the packing advice I came across online was generic and formulaic – not at all the whimsical glimpse into stylish global attire I was hoping for." So she fixed the problem when she started her blog, Suitcase Secrets, where she documents her packing techniques and lists each time she jetsets near and far.

1/ What are your top 3 trip styles and why? 
[trip style = sun + weekend getaway + luxury] I love my home in NYC and think it’s one of the greatest cities in the world, but I get antsy if I don’t head out of town every couple of weeks. Even if it’s just for a couple of days, I love exploring new places and stepping away from my daily routine. Whether it’s trip style = wine touring in Napa to quench my food and wine cravings, trip style = weekending at the W Hotel in Miami for some fun in the sun, or a romantic trip style = luxury getaway to Paris, where my boyfriend and I can stroll through the streets all day and night, traveling is a true treat for me. And when I get to plan an extended trip, it’s even better! I’m off to Italy in a few weeks, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make it a dream trip—first class flights, five star hotels, food and wine tours galore. It’s going to be unreal.

2/ What items are always on your packing list?
I obviously put a lot of thought into each and every suitcase I pack, but some items are so versatile, I never leave home without them. These include:

• Oversized Jee Vice sunglasses
• A pair of skinny jeans from James
• A Tolani scarf
• Intelligent Nutrients bug repelling perfume
• Evian spray
• My laptop and camera
• Goody hair ties and clips
• A pair of Havaiana flip flops

3/ Essential travel gadget or app? 
It’s a toss-up between my computer and camera. As a blogger, I love to document my journeys, and I enjoy looking back on photos from past trips to keep the memories fresh. I also try to stay very connected—the last time I was without my laptop was in South Africa. It was liberating, but also took a lot of adjusting!

4/ Hotel or destination that’s on your radar and why?
I’m normally dying to get to Europe, and have been desperate to go to the south of France for ages, except the timing never seems to work out. Right now I’m really fascinated with staying at the Sofitel Cartagena in Columbia. Between the festive culture, restored colonial mansions and exotic cuisine, I’m pretty excited to check it out. On the other hand, my boyfriend really wants to go to Papua New Guinea. We’ll see which one happens first...

5/ Best trip you've ever taken?
The best trip I’ve ever taken was to St. Lucia and Anguilla back in February. We stayed at Cap Juluca in Anguilla for four nights, and felt so lucky to be able to step out of our suite and straight onto the beautiful white beach. And St. Lucia was seriously magical—we had a breathtaking “sanctuary” with our own private plunge pool at Jade Mountain. There’s no fourth wall in your room, and the views are like nothing you’ve ever seen in your life. Plus, the service was truly extraordinary. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming!

6/ What are your best practices for packing quickly?
While sometimes packing quickly can be necessary, I actually prefer to spend a bit more time prepping, so I don’t have to stress about what to wear once the trip is underway. Sometimes I try on outfit possibilities and photograph things I like, so I can slip them on exactly as-is once I get to my destination. I also suggest packing wardrobe pieces you wear often and love. It’s great to add in new items or extra special garments as well, and if you bring a bunch of go-to basics, you’ll end up with a ton of options during your trip.

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

More Savvy Travelers
Tiffany, The Luxury Travel Inspector
Lora, The BC & OR Family Travel Expert
Bryce, The Pilot

[photo via rachel]

The Savvy Traveler :: Tiffany

Tiffany's lifestyle and work are the true definition of trip style = luxury. This Southern California-raised blond-haired, brown-eyed jetsetter is on a mission to inspect and perfect stylish hotels throughout North America and the Caribbean for the international luxury hotel guide Condé Nast Johansens. Sometimes her business attire involves donning a favorite Melissa Odabash swimsuit, other times a Thakoon or Mike&Ton dress---it depends whether she's working beachside in St. Barths or around town in Boston, Miami or Vancouver.

She's also connected. Really connected; with 10,000+ Twitter followers {@LuxeTiffany}, as well as a founding member of Luxury Travel Twitter Chat {@luxchat} drawing thousands of luxury travel enthusiasts each month. For all these reasons and more, I thought Tiffany would be the perfect high-end travel ambassador for this month's The Savvy Traveler. If you don't spot her on the beach in The Turks and Caicos adorned with the season's hottest beach cover-up and 'it' nail polish color, you’ll find her in Boston where she’s involved with many animal rescue organizations and the stylish Boston social scene.

1/ What are your top 3 trip styles and why? 
[trip style = luxury + Beach + Spa] I grew up in Palos Verdes Estates, CA and was always a beach kid and a Junior Lifeguard in the summers. I have been scuba certified since 12 years old, and every summer we went diving as a family in the Cayman Islands. I love any vacation that includes relaxing on a white sand beach, snorkeling and diving, an innovative spa treatment and great local cuisine---whether it be at a beach bar or gourmet restaurant. Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos was the ultimate honeymoon.

2/ What items are always on your packing list? 

• Tumi Voyageur Quintessential Tote
• Dianora Salviati cashmere scarf {stylish and warm when on chilly planes!}
• Visine rewetting eye drops to combat airplane dry air
• Clarins sunscreen SPF 30
• Granola bars
• Extra zip lock bags
• Bug spray

PS - I’m not into fancy passport covers. The more worn looking, the better.

3/ Essential travel gadget or app? 
My Tumi Electric Adaptor that works in 150 countries. I travel with an iPhone, Blackberry, laptop and/or iPad and something always needs to be charged. I love staying connected with my Twitter travel friends while traveling abroad.

4/ Hotel or destination that's on your radar and why?
Mustique is one of the best kept secrets around and incredibly private (why it’s so popular with the Royal Family). It’s an island located in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is surprisingly easy to get to with daily flights from St. Lucia and Barbados. There are some of the most breathtaking villas available to rent, each more beautiful than the next and one hotel called Cotton House. I’m going back next year for the annual Basil’s Blues Fest. I also just returned from Jade Mountain, in St. Lucia, one of the most romantic hotels in the Caribbean. Rooms are called “Sanctuaries” with private infinity pools overlooking the breathtaking Pitons. It has total “Wow Factor.”

5/ Tell us about a cool travel experience.
I was a “Potcake” courier in the Turks and Caicos. 'Potcake' is the name given to dogs in the Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos because locals fed them the caked remains at the bottom of the cooking pot. Potcake Place is a wonderful animal rescue organization that helps rescue, foster and find homes for the Islands' dogs. I couriered a puppy from Providenciales to Boston to its new owners who lived on Cape Cod. What an incredibly rewarding experience, and anyone can volunteer to do this! When I visit a Caribbean island, I always try to make a donation to the local animal rescue organization such as AARF in Anguilla. Every little bit counts.

6/ Best ways to take advantage of luxury travel without spending $1000+/night? 
Travel during the off-season. You’ll find the best rates and deals available in the Caribbean during the summer and no peak season crowds. Also, try using a luxury travel professional. They can sometimes get you perks such as resort credits and spa treatments that you wouldn’t have received if you booked directly. Happy “luxe” traveling!

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

More Savvy Travelers
Lora, The BC & OR Family Travel Expert
Bryce, The Pilot

[photo via tiffany]

The Savvy Traveler :: Lora

Lora is a Seattle-based freelance journalist who among other literary pursuits, writes a lot about traveling in Oregon, Washington and BC. Local travel is one of her first loves, and she regularly packs up to explore the region's city, country and seaside destinations with her husband and two kids. Many of her family travel tips and adventures can be found on CascadiaKids.com. As if she's not busy enough, in addition to all this, she's also written a book: Northwest Kid Trips: Portland, Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver. Here are her trip styling, Savvy Traveler picks...

1/ What are your top 3 trip styles and why?
[trip style = weekend getaway + urban + budget conscious] On perfect weekends, I do all three---staying in a four-star hotel I scored through Priceline in either Vancouver, BC or Portland. But budget conscious doesn’t always mean “cheap.” I’d rather stay in an upscale hotel or vacation rental than a super-discounted motel with a moldy fridge.

2/ What items are always on your packing list?
- Our picnic backpack (so we can eat anywhere, anytime)
- My iPhone (see why below)
- A great map and a swimsuit---you just never know when you're going to encounter an awesome mountain-fed stream for a quick dip

3/ Essential travel gadget or app?
My iPhone, which helps us navigate through cities, check in on work while I’m away, and gives the kids something to do while we’re sitting in border traffic.

4/ Favorite destination, plus what's on your radar and why?
Oh, my favorite? That’s so hard to decide. I love the Parisian alleys and cafes, Rome’s history and cafes, Florence’s art and cafes…hmm, I guess cafes are the deciding element.

On my radar: I intend to take a week-long trip up Vancouver Island this winter. I also hope to go to Japan---we had a planned trip for last March when the terrible Earthquake happened. We ended up going to Ireland instead, which was fine, but we still really want to go to Japan. Our Pacific Rim culture is so influenced by Japan, and I’ve always wanted to visit Japan---since my childhood, in fact!

5/ Best trip you've ever taken?
One of my most memorable trips was taking our 15-month old on a two-week driving vacation through Southern France and Italy. It helped me to realize that it was OK to travel without reservations, to drive along and let the road unfold. We'd show up in a town and pick a hotel upon arrival. Of course, this approach works best off peak-season, but it’s still one of my favorite ways to travel. We took this improvised approach to our trip along the Oregon Coast last fall and had a blast.

6/ Best destination/hotel/campground to take kids in summer and why?
This is a difficult question! Really, you can’t go wrong with any destinations in Washington, Oregon or British Columbia---especially in summer. In fact, I try to make sure we're always home during the summer, just so we can travel locally.

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

Other Savvy Travelers
Bryce, The Pilot

[photo via lora]

The Savvy Traveler :: Bryce

[trip style = various]

When I introduced the once-monthly Savvy Traveler series last week, I promised pilots, pirates and other travel personalities. And though I'm still working on pinning down a {non-evil} pirate, I've secured a pilot!

Bryce flies big planes. He's got wings on his uniform and he wears a hat and aviators when it gets bright. It's in his blood; he comes from a long lineage of pilots. Like "Carol", Liz Lemon's former pilot-fling on 30 Rock, he's a "doorman to the skies". Bryce is also my go-to guy for all things aviation. Given my keen interest in the biz, I'm always asking him a million rapid-fire questions about flying, take-off, touch-down, storms, turbulence, what it's like to be in the cockpit, etc. He's always gracious and indulges my intense curiosity. This is why I'm happier than 18-year-old Frank Abignale Jr. {of Catch Me If You Can fame} dressed head to toe in a Pan Am pilot's uniform, walking through Miami International Airport with an entourage of ladies to feature Bryce in the inaugural Savvy Traveler post. Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts for take-off...

1/ What are your top 3 trip styles and why?
When my wife and I travel, I would describe us as trip style = urban because we enjoy major cities and their food, culture and atmosphere. We also like trip style = active & adventure because we love to get outdoors---whether we're hiking or doing whatever it takes to get a feel for the area we're visiting. We also do last minute trip style = weekend getaway(s) well! If we have one free - especially long - weekend, we are gone! We love weekending in Portland, Los Angeles and Chicago, but the one that keeps on getting away from us is Paris. If we can someday do Paris in a weekend, we’d be pretty happy… maybe for our anniversary?

2/ What is always on your packing list?
My Bose noise-cancelling headset. Not just the ones that sit on your ears, but the ones that fully engulf them, not allowing in any ambient noise. It's a great way to escape.

3/ What is your essential travel gadget or app?
My iPhone! I frequent Yelp to find the best restaurants as soon as I arrive in a new city. Then I use Google Maps to take me there. Last week a flight attendant and I were in Regina and found a great café-restaurant called 13th Avenue Coffee House. The 20-min walk was worth it! Bustling, it was full of locals enjoying a street-side patio atmosphere with the evening sun shining. I had a pumpkin curry stew with a house salad. Both were excellent.

4/ What is your favorite destination, hotel or resort anywhere in the world and why?
One of my favorite trips was to Cambodia. My wife and I were there for 3 months volunteering with a non-profit organization working with Cambodian youth. At the same time we would go and explore the country. On one excursion we found an amazing hotel called Veranda, overlooking the ocean and the town of Kep in southern Cambodia. It's situated in a rainforest setting with boardwalks connecting all of the bungalows floating in the jungle canopy. The staff was friendly, the food was amazing and we’d love to go back. This hotel resort added to the already amazing experience we were having in Cambodia. We’ve recommended it to friends, who have stayed there since and loved it.

5/ What has been a cool off-the-beaten-track travel experience?
I was vacationing in Mexico City and stayed at a hotel right on Zocalo Square in the historic part of town. I met a student from Switzerland who was doing his masters in archeology and was in Mexico doing several digs. We hit it off and he took me on a guided tour of several prehistoric sites in Mexico City, as well as the Mexican National Museum Of Anthropology, which has one of the largest collection archeological artifacts anywhere in the world. It was extremely fascinating and gave the trip a depth it wouldn't have had otherwise.

6/ Bonus: Preferred pilot perk?
The {flight} passes we have access to are unparalleled, making most of the world accessible at a low cost. The office view isn't bad either!

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly Savvy Traveler series,drop us a line!}

[photo via Bryce]