Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel 'Best Travel Influencer' Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted "one of the world's best travel blogs" and "best for luxury" by The Daily Telegraph.
For many Bran Castle may be synonymous with “vampires” or “horror stories” but in reality is more of a beautiful medieval castle than a haunted place. How did its association with Dracula come by then? We might attribute at least part of the reason to its location. Bran Castle is set in Transylvania region, Romania, […]
In times such as these, where sheltering in place is the norm, and socializing feels like a distant memory, it can feel like we’re living under a rock. There is something to be said for rock-dwelling however… Just take Matera, Italy: a place where the cliffs and rocks of the surrounding landscape have been transformed […]
These are certainly unprecedented times for the entire travel industry. Although businesses are incredibly good at dealing with all kinds of situations thrown at them, the world has absolutely changed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The last coronavirus to largely affect the travel industry was SARS in 2003. This mainly impacted the […]
Could this one day be a scene that will once again be familiar to us all? The current state of emergency in many parts of Japan, including Osaka, is due to remain in place until the end of this month, but is also due to be reviewed tomorrow. Osaka is a bit like Betty to […]
While there is no escaping the devastation caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus – both from a global health perspective and from a financial viewpoint – sometimes it is important to take a lighthearted look at the world around us, and to remember that better times lie ahead. I’m sure many of you have been sent […]
The cruise industry has taken nothing short of a battering in recent months with the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but thin shards of light are starting to emerge that suggest cruises may one day resume. So that you can find the information all in one place, here are extracts from the latest official statements […]
Here’s a round-up of luxury travel stories that have caught the eye this week. To make sure you receive these new weekly alerts in your web browser, please click on the red bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page and click ‘subscribe’ (works on desktop only – for other ways to […]
Recently, I sat and thought about some of the reasons why I travel (and these days I have more time to sit, and think, than to travel). I realized a few interesting things. Why do I travel? Well, clearly to escape and explore. But, also to embrace and understand other cultures, to free my mind, […]
Whether it’s baking bread or putting paintbrush to paper, many of us are keeping busy at the moment by trying out new activities and rediscovering the excitement of acquiring new hobbies. Once lockdown ends, travellers looking to chase that thrill of learning a new skill should keep Austria’s Saalfelden Leogang, Ötztal and Ski Juwel Alpbachtal […]
Whilst Italy starts to see a partial easing of its lockdown restrictions, amidst mixed emotions of fear and joy, we hope that scenes like this will soon be more accessible to everyone. On August 21, 1869, Paul Grohmann (alongside guides Franz Innerkofler and Peter Salche), completed the first ever ascent of Cima Grande, the highest […]
They say good things come to those who wait and that is exactly what we are having to do at the moment. And while we don’t (seriously) propose waiting 50 years to see a geyser erupt – quite literally: the Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park lay dormant from 1911 to 1961 without so much […]
It’s hard to escape the turmoil that the world is in right now and the uncertainty that we all face. But rest assured, one thing is sure… the travel industry will bounce back. And when it does, Accor will be waiting to welcome you. If your travels happen to take you to Australia, here are […]
A stunning video that captures the beauty and stillness of Auckland, New Zealand is being shared across the world. Produced by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) while New Zealand is in lockdown to tackle COVID-19, Papatūānuku is breathing has resonated with New Zealanders and the global community – so much so that the […]
Here’s a round-up of luxury travel stories that have caught the eye this week. To make sure you receive these new weekly alerts in your web browser, please click on the red bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page and click ‘subscribe’ (works on desktop only – for other ways to […]
Whether it be the global financial crisis, war and political stability, terrorism or other virus outbreaks, the travel industry has been through the mill at times but it has always demonstrated its resilience and bounced back. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has a rather different feel to it, though, with the impacts upon the industry being […]
As Thomas Merton, famed writer, poet, and American Trappist monk once said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. Never has there been a better time to lose ourselves in art, to admire and acknowledge perspectives different from our own. To be in awe of another’s talent, whether past, […]
