Bric-a-Brac 21
JBF...Edinburgh, my favorite travel shoes, our Navigator knows all of the family-owned hotels across Europe, and AMA about France!
ASK ME ANYTHING…ABOUT FRANCE!
You know the drill—last month we took your questions about planning travel to Italy. We got so many of them that we had to break up our answers into three posts! (ICYMI, the South is here, Central is here, and the last one comes out this Sunday.) Next, let’s hear your questions about France: Road tripping in the South? Charming hotels in Provence? How to navigate wineries in Bordeaux? Which islands to visit in Brittany? Ask them all, but please ask in the comments—no emails or DMs, please!
Also, super exciting news regarding Substack (the platform you’re reading this newsletter on)—they launched an app! Why is this exciting? It takes this newsletter out of the “one more email” category, you don’t have to go searching for it in your junk folder, and it also tells you how long the read is! It’s available for iOS on the App Store and it’s coming soon to Google Play.
JUST BACK FROM…EDINBURGH
At the tail end of our recent trip to Europe, we stopped in Scotland to spend some time with our daughter. I planned a weekend trip to Skye for us and a couple of her friends, but we flanked that with several nights in Edinburgh. On the first leg of our trip, we checked into the iconic Balmoral, which we stayed at once before. The location is great if you’re coming in by train (it’s literally above the train station); it has a pool/sauna/steam room and one of the most on-it concierge teams we’ve experienced. We saw our friends at one of our favorite stores, Walker Slater—the best Fair Isle sweaters, tweed jackets, and I particularly love their socks. We always make a stop at the W. Armstrong & Son vintage shop and the fabric store for small-production Harris tweed lengths to bring back to NY to get a jacket made at J. Mueser (I’m not hyperlinking to the fabric shop—you have to be a subscriber to get that link!). We finally got into Timberyard, and although I’m not so into coursed meals, the food wasn’t super fussy and the space itself is so well done, a sort of minimalist Scottish chic but with warmth, and a wood-burning center fireplace. On our return, we checked into The George, a grand 19th-century hotel, which was delightful. It’s super central but not on a busy road; the room we had was lovely—floor to ceiling windows, and it had some thoughtful touches like a pour-over coffee setup in the room and Byredo large-format products in the bathroom (bravo to every hotel that isn’t putting the mini bath products in their rooms!). Their staff was very warm and helpful as well—especially when we checked out in the early morning and I somehow left my laptop in our room, only to discover it was missing when going through security. (I’ve decided that I’m going to put all of my hotel tours onto Reels on @yolojournal, because a walk-through is really the best way for you to see the place.)
Other highlights from our time in this beautiful city: we had a great (and incredibly cheap) lunch at Chez Jules, where you can get a steak frites and a bowl of delicious French onion soup for 8£. We stocked up on beautiful Scottish sweaters at Dick’s, where every single product has a deep provenance story, had a great Vietnamese dinner at Sen, did some solid antiquing at James Scott, walked around the Stockbridge neighborhood and had a lovely tea at Howdah, picked up some great skincare at MODM (made locally), checked out Jorum Studio for Scottish perfumes, and found some great treasures at the many charity shops on Deanhaugh Street. I’ll be adding all of these into my Edinburgh Black Book (I always add in new spots into my posts as I find them!).
TRAVEL UNIFORM
On my recent trips to Europe and California, I wore these Paraboots nonstop. I bring the blue ones with me the most, because they dress up a bit better, but I love the classic Michael, too. They are a great shoe for pretty much any season, except summer—and I wear them on the plane as they are somewhat heavy to pack. These are travel workhorses for me, as the sole means I can wear them in the rain, on cobblestones, in vineyards—they aren’t precious, they’re rugged. They’re also incredibly comfortable, and while some people say they look “nurse-ish,” I say they look chic.
THE NAVIGATOR
Sebastian Schoellgen, Founder of Eighty Four Rooms
Tell us about you and your company
84 Rooms is a boutique travel collective launched 10 years ago. We started our journey as a collection of beautifully designed and family-run hotels across the Alps and Mediterranean. Since then, our collective has expanded to include chalets and private homes, experiences, and a creative consultancy. Everything we do is rooted in a love for connecting our tastemaker clients with unique and authentic experiences of the highest quality. We are based between London and Switzerland.
Is there a trip cost minimum or planning fee to talk to you?
There is no cost minimum, but most of the hotels on our site start around EUR 400/room per night, depending on the season, and private chalets or villas can easily cost up to 30k a week to offer our clients a range. Due to increased demand, we recently added a consultation fee for trips and itineraries, especially for new clients that are just getting to know us.
What is the first “room” you fell in love with and that inspired you to start your business?
Growing up, I was lucky to have parents who enjoyed traveling. They would take us on many road trips, mainly to the Alps in the summer and Mediterranean during colder months. I always loved our summers in the Alps. I think a lot of people underrate the beauty of the mountains in the summer, as many only see the mountains during winter sport season. But mountain travel has increased, with almost as many requests for these destinations as beach or Mediterranean summer requests. The Brits have been doing mountain summer trips for nearly 100 years, and our team really sees this as the new summer designation. Lakes and mountains are really heaven, especially in our home of Switzerland.
Underrated location, overrated location?
Underrated location: As mentioned above, the Alps during summer and early fall. Also, the island of Pantelleria. Hard to get to, but worth the experience, like no other.
Overrated location: The Emirates for winter sun. Fake beaches don’t quite do it for me.
Do you have a favorite wellness hotel?
Almost all of the good to excellent hotels in Switzerland have incredible wellness offerings, some of the best in the world. One of the most raved about is the Stanglwirt in Kitzbuhel, Austria, the Mecca of wellness in the Alps. There’s just one thing: it's almost impossible to book. They are open year-round, but if you call now and want a room on a Monday in November, they are booked.
How about a family-friendly hotel?
I don't have kids yet, so ask me again in a few years :)
The hotel you most want to steal something from—and what?
That's easy: Maison La Minervetta in Sorrento, on the Amalfi Coast. Marco, the owner, is a friend and the architect/interior designer. Everything is so beautiful, from the plates to the azure-colored tiles; the kitchen is a dream. Also, La Colombe d’ Or in St Paul de Vence—who wouldn’t want to steal the art?
Hotel with the most epic view?
There are many hotels with amazing views. An epic on is Punta Tragara in Capri, overlooking the Faraglioni. But skip high-season, as it is overcrowded with Insta-models. More under the radar is the Bellevues des Alpes in the Bernese Mountains, very Wes Anderson, right at the foot at the mighty three mountains: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The Matterhorn in Zermatt gets all the fame, Mont Blanc might be the highest peak, but these three are the real deal in the Alps.
Food worth traveling for?
Mexico City. I went in November for the first time and I was blown away by the cuisine. So many superb restaurants; everything is so fresh and incredible tasty. Contramar for lunch is epic. For Italian, the Dolomites can’t be beat.
How about a hotel that most defines a destination?
The Hotel Sacher in Vienna. Feels like stepping back in time to the Austrian Empire. Their Blaue Bar (blue bar) is one of the most beautiful hotel bars in the world.
What is your biggest pet peeve in a hotel?
I don't have any. But I tell you this, there is a small hotel in Venice, I won't mention the name here, but they know everything about you before you check in. They know if you like to sleep in, if you drink sparkling or still, they know which newspaper you read in the morning—it's almost illegal, but I love it. Will reveal the name in our April Newsletter (you can sign up here).
What is something you wished we all knew or were better at as travelers?
Addressing people in their first language. I am lucky I went to a Swiss hotel management school, where three languages where mandatory. But before going to a foreign country, I think it's not too much to ask to know a few words of its language. Every local would appreciate it, and respect you trying. There is nothing I hate more than going to the Amalfi Coast or Mallorca and the waiter hands you an English or German menu. Why do you travel, then? That's the same experience as any Italian restaurant in America, just with a better view.
How would you like people to find you?
Web, Instagram, or email: sebastian@eightyfourrooms.com
If you had one quintessential, smaller city/town/village that you could spent the day in (maybe even the night) and get there via train from Paris, what would it be? My son (almost 17) and I will have one free day and I want him somewhere that breathes local France. Thank you!
Roadtripping from Cannes to Portofino (Splendido Mare) Need somewhere to stay in between for 2 nights, not as expensive as splendido maybe something small and charming in a small coastal town. Could be France or Italy just somewhere in between.