Depending on when you travel to Uruguay’s José Ignacio, you could either find a sleepy fishing village or a crowded jet setter’s playground. Chances are, you will love José Ignacio either way, as there is just so much to fall in love with. Well off the beaten path and fantastically difficult to get to, José Ignacio combines some of our favorite things in one place: untouched beaches, casual but fabulous food, and a chill vibe. Lunch at the rustic beach shack Parador La Huella, a Jose Ignacio see-and-be-seen scene, starts at 2pm and runs into dinner.
Travel to Uruguay For José Ignacio’s Under the Radar glam
Dirt roads with hand-painted signs add to the casual chic-ness of José Ignacio. But don’t be fooled, it is incredibly under-the-radar glam. Tiny pop-up boutiques along the beach roads are charming and then juxtaposed with a bright red Ferrari, which you soon realize isn’t unusual in José Ignacio. Imagine the Hamptons fifty years ago, as that starts to give you an idea of what to expect from this tiny strip of land, sandwiched between two beaches, a little over an hour from Montevideo.
As we decided to travel to Uruguay in the off-season, there were fewer Ferraris and more bicycles, and we were able to get around easily enough. Our resort, Bahia Vik, had bikes on hand for all of us, but we could have just as happily walked into town. The long vast beach line was so untouched and relatively tourist-free in March, perfect for kite flying as we soon discovered. There are so few people and so much to explore along the craggy coast.
At one point, my husband started to look for music to accompany his beach yoga session and quickly realized that he was already listening to the perfect playlist, the beach sounds were soft and soothing. No Spotify is necessary.
Travel to Uruguay For José Ignacio’s Estancia Vik
My daughter and I took advantage of Bahia Vik’s sister property, Estancia Vik, which is ten minutes away, for a half-day horseback ride. Horses are generally not my thing, but the riding was gentle, and the scenery majestic. Trotting along the expanse of rolling hills of the estancia for a few hours was incredibly peaceful and serene. It is surprising to see the landscape change from sand, dunes, and rock to pure forest in the span of a few miles.
We spent six nights in this little corner of Uruguay and could have stayed longer. It was a lifestyle I could see myself adopting. I imagine the high season is as crazy as the low season is sleepy. About a mile down the beach from us was the third Vik property, Playa Vik, which was severe and angular, and thoroughly modern in design.
The pool, with its dark blue water and underlighting of stars, jutted out towards the sea like a knife. I have never seen another pool like it. We ordered the house wine and sat on the pool’s edge for sunset more than once. Then, we retreated to the nearby firepit to get warm as the sun disappeared.
Travel to Uruguay For A touch of France in José Ignacio
One restaurant that kept drawing us back (until the waiter knew not only our wine choice but our kids’ names) was Almacen El Palmar. The menu is French, surprisingly. Part bakery, part market, part outdoor garden, it is intriguing mostly because of how unassuming it looks.
A hand-painted group of signs greets you on the path, pointing you toward Peru, Spain, and Japan. The France sign points you to the front door. It looks so low-key you might not expect anything from the food. We loved the low-buzzy atmosphere (and the food!) so much that we went back three times. An unusual move for a family that prides itself on never doing the same thing twice.
While there was much to do in and around José Ignacio, such as horseback riding, olive oil tastings, and touring nearby Punta del Este, we realized the most beautiful thing about José Ignacio was just settling into it and letting go.
Tannat is the bold, savory, spicy red grape that has put Uruguayan wines on the map. Bodega Garzón is a perfectly modern, slick, 85-million-dollar property from which to taste it. Uruguay has much to offer oenophiles the world over. Lovingly called the Tuscany of Uruguay, wine lovers travel to Uruguay to experience the unique wines and admire the rolling hills and hectares of vines.
Travel to Uruguay
Travel to Uruguay for the wine, the beaches, the beach shacks, and the remote hotels. Stay for the vibe and the scenery. José Ignacio’s under-the-radar style is a breath of fresh air—miles from the expected. Time to get there before the secrets of José Ignacio are secrets no longer.
Five reasons to get lost in José Ignacio, Uruguay:
The starry-bottomed architectural and gravitational wonder of a pool at Playa Vik.
Trying the Tannat, Uruguay’s star red grape.
Sinking into a three-hour lunch at Parador La Huella…barefoot.
The nightly fire pits at Bahia Vik and Play Vik will motivate you not only to have one more drink but to maybe engage in conversations with strangers.
Opening the doors to Playa Vik around sunset, and being temporarily blinded by rays as you head out towards the pool. Remember that scene in Indiana Jones when the sun finally hits the staff in the right place to reveal the location of the ark? That kind of blinding light.
(Please note a few affiliate links above. But rest assured—I only recommend products and hotels I fully support.)
I’m at Black Coffee, sitting on a cushy, green leather banquette—my usual spot. On my right are two well-heeled Washingtonians talking about Koks, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in, wait for it—the Faroe Islands. I can’t contain my excitement! I know Koks–it’s on my travel wish list! How in the world do they know about Koks? I’m dying to ask. Then reconsider.
That would be weird.
My excitement manifests physically. It’s like I’ve had six espresso shots in as many minutes. I’m quite literally bouncing off the banquette. The women leave rather suddenly. I wonder if my bouncing has something to do with it.
What’s the point?
Let me back up a few hours—to 8am in my kitchen. I settle into a swivel chair with an oat milk cappuccino. I swirl, twirl, and sip while playing Worlde, Quordle, and Spelling Bee. This perky combination of caffeine and wordplay ignites my brain on even the dreariest DC mornings.
That the outcome of these games determines my mood is an overstatement. But I’d be lying if I said the days I get Wordle-in-two doesn’t feel good. Combine that with ‘genius’ status on Spelling Bee and a winning Quordle, and it’s the trifecta of morning happiness. Sometimes I go right back to bed, exhausted from having overachieved so early in the day.
I’ve devoted a paragraph to my New York Times-centric morning routine for good reason. ‘Geez, get to the point already!’, you’re thinking. The point is, while most mornings are uneventful and dominated by a trio of silly brainteasers, some days I overhear a pair of chatty women in a coffee shop, and my brain kicks into overdrive.
Travel talk gives me a jolt as powerful as those six shots of espresso. It fuels me in a way that can only be described in multiple coffee-related metaphors. As illustrated by my encounter at Black Coffee, being a participant in the conversation is irrelevant.
Travel Wish Lists
My travel wish list has been curated from multiple trustworthy sources. Sources likeCondé Nast Traveler’s ‘Gold List’, Travel+Leisure’s ‘It List’, Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Award Winners, and San Pellegrino’s ‘World’s Best List’. And increasingly more often from the most-addictive travel resource ever—Instagram. My wish list is always at hand, by which I mean is on my phone, which is always in my hand.
‘But, where to begin?’ My travel wish list is a lengthy, unorganized account of hotels, lodges, countries, cities, ranches, and restaurants. An inventory of adventures, experiences, and expeditions. Describing them all would far exceed my typical 2500-word count.
I pause to think. (This pause lasts a week). My brain, only moments ago on a Quorldle high, is now creatively stuck. I’m swimming in mental cement.
Aha! I’ll list my top five travel wish lists. Not only will it be entertaining to write, but it will also force me to organize this ongoing, unsystematic list that has been vexing me for years.
PC: Hotel Esencia
Wish List v. Lust List
Years ago, I created an entry in my ‘Notes’ app called, ‘Travel Lust’. For the sake of SEO, I’m renaming it Travel Wish List. If you think the words Travel Wish List are being overused already, it’s not by accident. Anyone who’s had experience with Search Engine Optimization will understand why. And, I certainly don’t want this post to rank for ‘lust’. That’s someone else’s blog, I mean, website.
My top five travel wish lists in five categories follow. Hotels and Resorts, Lodges and Retreats, Experiences, Countries, and Culinary Adventures. One winner and four other winners per category. There are no losers, it’s a wish list remember.
This is going to be fun, and possibly very expensive—for all of us.
Last month, a friend sent me an article about Hotel Esencia, in Mexico. After reading it, I sent it to my husband Daniel, explaining my deep need to go there. He now deeply dislikes her.
This happens often, much to my husband’s chagrin. Many of these seemingly harmless emails turn into future three-night, non-refundable deposits. My list is longer than I have time or money to accomplish. But please, keep sending. Daniel will need to postpone retirement for a few more years. I’m sure he’s ok with that.
PC: Hotel Esencia
Esencia sky-rocketed to the top of my travel wish list. Conceptualized by a Hollywood producer and entrepreneur, the hotel’s 45 rooms and suites, and three uber-sophisticated villas were once the private hideaway of Italian duchess, Rosa de Ferrari. Lucky duchess.
Quiet, unassuming, and refined luxury abounds. Located between Tulum and Cancún, Esencia’s home-away-from-home vibe is intentional (that is, if your home is beachside, flanked by jungles, and includes sea turtle nesting grounds).
Morning treats are delivered to rooms through secret cubby holes. That’s pretty irresistible. I imagine enjoying warm brioches and flaky croissants while lounging in my pjs. The bold, bright tropical decor adds to the hotel’s glamour. It reminds me of Mondrian, the Dutch painter who rejected perceived reality and stripped form down to its most basic elements. Esencia’s palette is a refreshing change from most Mexican resorts which rely heavily on traditional colors and rustic furnishings.
The yoga loft is insta-perfect, with ecru, crocheted hammocks hanging below an open-air wooden platform. My savasana would surely last hours, which would put me at risk of missing afternoon cocktails. I’d best leave the chaturangas to Daniel.
PC: Hotel Esencia
USP (Unique Selling Point):
Esencia’s two-story, Rooftop Wellness Suite is the ultimate in modern Mayan jungle luxury. With a full-sized pool, multiple terraces, and a private fitness studio (including a Peloton bike and The Mirror), I see no compelling reason to leave it. As an aside, I see no compelling reason for a private fitness studio, either. I’m on holiday. I’ll punish myself with The Mirror when I get home, thank you.
This premiere suite acts as a ‘hotel within a hotel’ at this sweeping 50-acre estate. So, if you’d like to go on a resort holiday without having to see another soul, Hotel Esencia is the place for you. It’s most definitely the place for me.
PC: Hotel Esencia
Note: August 26, 2022. As I place the finishing touches on this post, Forbes Travel Guide has just announced today that Hotel Esencia earned its coveted five-star award for 2022. Well deserved Esencia, but now I’ll never be able to get a reservation.(See how I’m able to be both topical and tropical at the same time here?)
Each of these hotels and brands is not only top of its class in terms of service and accommodations but also takes style and artistry to innovative levels.
Swoon over the organic architecture and natural coastal beauty at Post Ranch Inn. Spot the elusive Quetzal in Costa Rica at Hacienda AltaGracia. Prepare to get lost in the Montana wilderness, at One&Only’s first US-based resort. The Four Seasons’ San Domenico Palace in Italy is a restored 14th-century convent with views of Mount Etna. Enough said.
Click the links at your own risk. Yes, they are expensive. Whoever said, ‘you can’t take it with you,’ is my soul mate.
I’m reluctant to write about Islas Secas. I don’t want you to know about it. Yes, that’s how selfish I am. That I’d rather not write about a hot, new destination for fear that you get there before I do is indefensible.
I’d like to go to Panama before every else has it on their radar. Ten years ago we told friends we were headed to Costa Rica. We may as well have said we were taking the kids to North Korea on a beach holiday. Look at Costa Rica now—the epicenter of spring break family travel.
As is evident by its name, Islas Secas is an island. An archipelago, to be more clear, comprised of 14 volcanic islands off the Pacific coast of the country. With iconographic names like Isla Barracuda, Isla Iguana, and Isla Coco, I imagine days snorkeling beside shiny, snake-like fish, photographing colorful reptiles, and drinking from oversized coconuts. Over-caffeinated yet again, my imagination runs wild.
Panamanian design is everywhere; light, breezy tactile fabrics, plantation shutters, and thatched rooftops. The four-bedroom Casita Grande looks especially captivating. I daydream about a milestone birthday there. It could be mine, a friend’s, or a neighbor’s. I’m not going to be picky.
PC: Islas Secas
USP:
The website affirms Islas Secas’ devotion to sustainable and nature-driven tourism. It tempts me with stats like 750 species of fish, 80 species of birds, and humpback whale-watching.
When I read the website, I almost can’t bear it. I bounce again, the universal sign for overexcitement.
I think you should go. And I think you should take me with you.
It’s a secret to no one who keeps up with luxury and adventure retreats that these four make the list. Known for tailor-made, one-of-a-kind experiences, Eleven Experience owns 13 remote properties around the world. Its Colorado-based Taylor River Lodge was once a local fishing and tackle shop before it became an off-the-grid, eight-cabin river retreat.
Auberge-owned Bishop’s Lodge in Santa Fe embraces the rich mountain colors of New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo range. Each room, with woven Navajo rugs and textiles, is a sanctuary unto its own.
Kachi or Mashpi? Both/and, please. This duo of South American lodges is equally breathtaking. Mashpi Lodge is set deep in the Chocó-Andean Cloud Forest. No, I didn’t make that up. Conversely, Kachi Lodge sits at the foot of the Tunupa Volcano, and atop Bolivia’s famed Uyuni Salt Flats. Cloud Forest or Salt Flat? How to choose? I’ll repeat. Both/and.
Wish List Winner: Explore the Galápagos Islands via Pikaia Lodge
I must have a thing for archipelagos because here I am adding yet another to my list. Archipelagos are obviously all the rage.
PC: Pikaia Lodge
One thousand kilometers off of the Ecuadorian coast lies 19 islands of marine wonders—the Galápagos Islands. They are often referred to as a ‘unique living museum of evolution’. If that isn’t a tantalizing travel soundbite, I don’t know what is.
That the Galápagos Islands’ wildlife lacks natural predators is pretty well-known. This is partly due to the islands’ volcanic origin and extreme remoteness. I’d love to swim with sea lions, dolphins, and giant tortoises. I want to admire exotic birds and uncover species that don’t exist anywhere else in the world. The animals are approachable and tame (and I hear they love the camera). Sign me up.
USP:
Pikaia Lodge’s prime access to this extraordinary part of the world is why it pairs so organically with a Galápagos Island adventure. Pikaia Lodge is a luxury eco-adventure property with cutting-edge architecture and a strong environmentally conscious mindset. Its 14 rooms sit 450 meters above sea level on the edge of an extinct volcano. I’ve always wanted to stay on the edge of an extinct volcano, (rather than an active one), naturally.
PC: Pikaia Lodge
Pikaia Lodge is entirely carbon-neutral and is made up of stone, lava, glass, and steel. This striking architectural combination doesn’t attempt to steal the limelight from the landscape. It looms high over Santa Cruz Island as if it too is leisurely observing the wonders of the Galápagos.
Hiking at Acadia National Park complements my passion for photographing panoramic views. A vineyard stay in Bordeaux embraces my obsession with cabernets, berets, and soufflés. (I don’t actually like berets, but I’ll do anything for cadence). My love of wildlife would be taken to extremes in Antarctica and Africa.
Narrowing down my top five travel experiences is a challenge. Each time I think I have a final list, another idea emerges. It’s like whack-a-mole in my head. That these five experiences align with my favorite activities is no surprise. What is a surprise is how well these wish lists are acting as birthday, anniversary, and Christmas gift lists, too! I’m nothing if not efficient.
PC: Dylan Shaw, Unsplash
My Travel Wish List: 2 /Countries
Wish List Winner: The Faroe Islands
Do you know where the Faroe Islands are? Despite my current obsession with this self-governing nation, I didn’t know exactly where they were either. I’ve since learned this archipelago of 18 mountainous islands (yes, another archipelago!) is located halfway between Scotland and Iceland and is named after sheep. I love sheep! Now, I want to go there more than ever.
PC: Marc Zimmer, Unsplash
Turf-roofed houses are nurtured by the year-round rainy climate. Even your year-round rain isn’t enough to deter me, Faroe Islands. And I hate getting wet.
PC: Lynn Fae, Unsplash
The hamlets of the Faroe Islands are the stuff of fairy tales. Frodo would feel at home in the shire-like countryside. Lakes, lagoons, and lighthouses are all virtually untouched by tourism. At least for the moment. That I’d like to get there before everyone else reinforces just how selfish I am.
Four other winners:
Panama
Bolivia
Ecuador
Namibia
Why did these make the list?
If you’ve read this far, it’s clear why these countries round out this travel wish list. They each have resorts, hotels, retreats, or experiences I would love to visit or do one day. They are also countries not quite on the mainstream travel radar.
What a coincidence! If you believe in coincidences, that is. The restaurant at the top of my culinary wish list is located at the top of my country wish list—the Faroe Islands. A visit there would be a travel wish list twofer. I wonder if I’ve lost Daniel by now?
Chef Poul Andrias Ziska is the culinary creator-in-chief behind Koks (which since my morning at Black Coffee, I learn has been temporarily relocated to Greenland). That’s ok, I’m in no rush. That he uses mainly Faroese ingredients in his Michelin-starred dishes compels me to open up another tab and find out exactly what those ingredients are.
PC: Claes Bech-Poulsen
Being a set of islands should be a significant clue. However, beyond fish and seafood, the Faroese diet consists of organic lamb, fermented meat, and root vegetables like kohlrabi, turnips, and rhubarb. I wonder if the two ladies at Black Coffee are aware of this?
Koks is known as the ‘world’s most remote foodie destination.’ Its imaginative dishes follow the seasons and its architecture follows the traditional Nordic style. I will follow Koks anywhere, even to Greenland, if I have to.
Left, PC: Claes Bech-Poulsen Right, PC: Beinta á Torskilsheyggi
Dine in the gardens of Arles-based, Michelin-starred La Chassagnette or at farm-inspired micro-seasonal Single Thread in Healdsburg, California. Their spectacular settings match their equally spectacular culinary offerings.
With no sign and one table, Restaurant été, run by female chef Natsuko Shoji, is one of the most coveted reservations in Tokyo. Her French-Japanese-inspired menu is considered flawless, as is her sense of style and design.
Finally, Three Chimneys marks yet another impossible-to-reach-but-worth-the-effort restaurant. It’s hidden on the dramatic shores of Loch Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. The Nordic-Scottish epicurean experience can only be topped with a night’s stay at adjoining House-Over-By. Those Scots are nothing if not literal.
On the surface, these lists seem superficial. ‘I want to go here. Eat there. Do this.’ I dig deeper into the ‘why’ and notice it’s the experiences I crave. Would I like those experiences to be in or near lovely places, at nice hotels, and with extraordinary food? Why, yes I would
There are many ways to experience cultures, countries, and food. Less expensive ways and more authentic ways, no doubt. This is my wish list so I get to choose the way I want to explore the world. You get to choose yours.
My lists are both aspirational and inspirational. Reading about them makes me happy. Sharing them with you makes me happier (earlier selfishness aside). Going to them would make me ecstatic.
Go big or stay home
My daily life in Washington DC revolves around a one-mile radius. I go to Black Coffee for golden lattes, Millie’s for overpriced salads, CVS to channel inner patience, and Battery Kemble Park to walk my labs. I like my routine, it centers me.
Sometimes inspiration strikes, whether by eavesdropping at Safeway or reading the Sunday Style section of the New York Times. I write lists. Sometimes those lists lead to trips where I leave my DC bubble and discover a far-flung corner of the globe. Sometimes they gather dust up there on the cloud.
But, the days I get Wordle-in-two? Watch out world, anything can happen.
Author’s Note: I am grateful to the hotels, resorts, restaurants, and lodges who kindly gave me high-res photos for use in this post. I’m also using Unsplash for the first time, and praise the photographers who are giving away their gorgeous photos for free. Typically, I only feature my own photos. But alas, if I had my own pictures of these stunning places, they wouldn’t be on my wish list.
If you ever want to get in touch, ask a question, or discuss a way to partner, please email me at [email protected].
