insights from the Condé Nast Travel Summit | WTN - Canaves Ena | Highlight - Tribeca and the Warren Street Hotel

WHERE TO NEXT?

Dear Traveler,

Walking into the Condé Nast headquarters at 1 World Trade Center was a bit emotional for me. The last time I was in a skyscraper in downtown Manhattan was when I worked in the Twin Towers in the early 90s. The beautifully done 9/11 Memorial now sits in their place. Jason and I walked through the memorial the day before on Veteran’s Day.

If you have not been, I suggest a visit. It’s a visual reminder of the sacrifices of our servicemen and women and everyday Americans. The world is a fragile place.

Condé Nast just published their Best Places To Go 2025. Click the photo below for the list. Read about my experience at the Summit and key takeaways below.

Last week’s most popular article was not surprisingly 10 Post-Election Vacation Ideas for Every Emotional Outcome.

This week’s inspirational articles include the best resorts in Greece, golf tourism and Europe’s most challenging hiking trails.

Also articles on Canada, Vietnam, Slovenia and the USA.

The informational articles include how to get your lost luggage back from an airline, using accumulated miles for a trip and what to do instead of going full expat from the US.

Where am I going next?

Home! I look forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.

Where to next for you?

Warmly,

P.S. Reminder – the last year+ of newsletters are now fully searchable (the prior ones are just searchable on the title), so head over to this page and type in a destination you are interested in or a topic to see what’s been written about it.

Below:

Takeaways from the Condé Nast Summit
Highlight – The Warren Street Hotel & Tribeca
Where to Next? Canaves Ena
Articles to Inspire+Inform

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE CONDÉ NAST SUMMIT

Hearing from the panels of experts – Samantha Brown, host of Places to Love, to Jesse Ashlock, US Head of Editorial Content for Condé Nast Traveler, to Jamila Robinson, Editor in Chief of Bon Appétit was a treat. Many of the insights, I experience on a daily basis working on your trips. I think you will enjoy reading about some of the topics, so read on…

Panel #1 was The Shifting Travel Season.

In some areas peak season has encroached on the previous shoulder season (think Lake Como and Amalfi Coast). In other areas because of changing weather patterns, the season has shortened (Nepal).

Samantha described destinations like two sides of a record. The A side – those places everyone knows about and the B side – places that don’t get as much attention, but there are gems in there!

When you travel to an A side destination in peak season, your ability to have real impromptu connections with the local taverna owner or the market stall worker decreases – they are just too busy trying to keep up. Samantha suggests seeking out the B side places to have a more relaxed experience and increase the local feel and connections of your trip.

Luxury means different things to different people. For many it’s about having a carefree trip where everything is taken care of. For others it’s a 5* hotel. The panelists emphasized that for many it’s more exclusive access (ie private or uncrowded places) with more options to make deeper connections with local personalities. If travelers are in the bush in Australia they want to hear from a native aboriginal sharing the history of that place and their people.

Panel #2 was The Next Big Food Trends in Travel.

Culinary experiences are often at the top of the list for your travels, and that interest is shared by many!

How interesting is a pile of caviar on your dinner plate?

Hmm not so much.

How about eating struffoli in Sicily made with honey from the beehive tended by the beekeeper introducing the dish?

Or tasting an oyster straight from the sea after you harvest it with the oyster farmer who is sharing his family’s stories going back generations?

Travelers enjoy connecting to the people behind the food – the chef, the farmer, the cheese monger. And they are seeking more of that.

Panel #3 was Entertainment Travel.

Guess who was mentioned most?

Taylor Swift.

One of the panelists was an Editor from Bloomberg in Personal Finance. Because her focus is broad (how people spend their money), and the phenomenon of people spending large sums of money for tickets and for many, entire trips to see Taylor Swift, she wrote a lot about that this year.

Taylor Swift had a HUGE impact on local economies. As do shows like White Lotus and Emily in Paris. (Fun fact: read about the almost international incident about Emily in Paris between the president of France and the Mayor of Rome)

The other big events people travel for are sports. The NFL playing in Europe, the World Cup, Wimbledon, the F1.

A panelist said “It’s not just what’s happening on the track. It’s what’s going on around the events – the concerts, live outdoor music, festive atmosphere in the hotel bar.” The overall experience leads to joyous and memorable fun!

After people go to a big concert or sporting event their reaction is often “We should do this more often!” Which is exactly how I felt after taking my daughter and her friend to TSwift in Madrid earlier this year.

When you get a group of travel industry people together, sharing favorite places and experience happens often.

Here are a few I wrote down for you:

Le Doyenné outside of Paris (this was already on my personal list. “A restaurant with an accommodation”)
Stissinghouse in upstate NY (near some incredible hotels!)
BST – British Summer Time – an annual concert in Hyde Park with famous headliners (at the same time as Wimbledon – so you get great bang for your buck on this one). I just looked – Olivia Rodrigo, Zach Bryan and our favorite Noah Kahan, have already been announced.

I heard a new acronym – SKI – Spending Kids Inheritance (perhaps those parents read the book Die with Zero I highlighted here). “This is what we worked so hard for. Now it’s time to enjoy it!”

The Summit finished with an all Condé Nast editor panel. They mentioned that just yesterday they published their Best Places To Go 2025. Click the photo below to read it. That night we reconvened to celebrate the Condé Nast 2024 Reader’s Choice award winners. It was a fun night with industry colleagues and more Condé Nast editors. I love making and nurturing these connections.

They all expect the trend of a desire for off the beaten path destinations, quiet places and wellness experiences to continue. The 2025 list includes many of those. Enjoy reading through it!

THE WARREN HOTEL & TRIBECA

This was my first time staying in Tribeca. And I loved it!

I actually just love being in NYC. Having lived here for three years in my 20’s I am comfortable getting all around the city and simply love to explore new neighborhoods.

My strategy – walk. Just walk with a direction in mind but not a structured route.

On Monday Jason and I went to walk on the Highline. We walked on it from Chelsea Market to Hudson Yards.

We wandered. We went in Mercado Little Spain for a Spanish bite (tortilla española, jamon and manchego cheese). Then we walked back on the Highline because it was so lovely.

As we exited at the Whitney Museum of Art (next time we’ll go inside) we decided to walk to the path next to the Hudson River back to our hotel.

The day was spectacular – sunny and warm. There is a dedicated/separate lane for bikers apart from the walking path, making walking more enjoyable. It was vibey but not crowded. We came upon a display of the photos before the development of area and after. What a difference! NYC is looking beautiful!

For those of you who have never been – plan a visit!

Choose from the thousands of restaurants in every cuisine on the planet
Book tickets for a show
Stroll through Central Park or on the path next to the Hudson River
Rent a bike
Go shopping (note: leading up to Christmas is one of the most popular times to be in the city so be prepared for higher prices and more people)
Visit the 9/11 Memorial
Explore one of the many museums
Take a tasting tour through ChinaTown
Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge
Explore some of the smaller neighborhoods

There are endless possibilities!

If you have been to NYC before and you want to try staying in a new neighborhood, consider The Village, SoHo or Tribeca.

If you want to stay in SoHo I love the Crosby Hotel.

Tribeca? The Warren Street Hotel (my choice for this trip).

Both have the most fun, eclectic design sense, delicious breakfasts and a signature drawing room.

With only 69 rooms, the Warren Street Hotel, is a lovely size, where the front desk staff personally greet me each time I return. Their concierge was so helpful with dining recommendations based on my interests and setting up our reservations. I loved lounging in the drawing room with coffee in the morning and reading The NY Times in the afternoon. They also have a relationship with Nexus, an exclusive club and gym 2 blocks away. This morning I went over for a workout. It’s so well equipped and you feel the quality in every corner, including the Dyson hairdryers in the locker room.

I love a healthy welcome amenity..

Our choices for dining on this trip:

Mary Lane for brunch with my colleagues
BeefBar – (definitely get the Kobe beef gyoza with jalepeño sauce, the KFC and the Hamachi Pastrami – all delicious!)
Grand Morsi a local Italian place we ate at with friends. Homemade pastas and delicious pizzas (get the mushroom and fontina)
TAQ – for tacos and margaritas – my favorite!
Mercado Little Spain – so many Spanish dishes and products.
Lewelyn ice cream – the only disappointment of the trip. It’s famous. We shared 3 flavors – carrot cake, cookies and cream and brown sugar cookie dough brownie. They all sounded delicious. But they were disappointing. Overly cold (yes that’s a thing) and unmemorable.

I can’t wait to return to NYC again and try even more places!

🌟 We love the Canaves family of hotels and wrote about Canaves Oia Suites in an October 2023 edition of the newsletter. In September, our clients spent two weeks exploring Paros, Milos and Santorini. While on Santorini, they stayed at Canaves Ena.

Why is Canaves Ena so special?

Located in Oia, one of the most picturesque towns on Santorini, Canaves Ena boasts unparalleled views of the caldera, the Aegean Sea, and the island’s famous sunsets. The hotel’s design capitalizes on these natural assets, offering breathtaking vistas from its suites, terraces, and pools.
The architecture is a beautiful blend of traditional Cycladic style and modern luxury. Whitewashed walls, minimalist interiors and sleek design elements create a serene, elegant atmosphere. The suites are often cave-style, built into the cliffside providing a unique blend of luxury and local heritage.
The hotel features spacious, well-appointed suites with private plunge pools or hot tubs, allowing guests to enjoy an intimate, tranquil experience. The service is highly personalized, with staff attending to every need to ensure maximum relaxation and comfort.
The hotel’s restaurant Adami focuses on fresh, local ingredients and Mediterranean flavors. Enjoy exquisite dishes while overlooking one of the most stunning landscapes in the world.

Do as much or as little as you like:

Canaves Ena offers spa services, including massages and beauty treatments that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your suite. You can also indulge in yoga or meditation sessions if you’re looking for a more rejuvenating experience.
For outdoor adventures, take a hike along the caldera trail that connects Fira to Oia. The walk offers incredible views of the coastline and the sea.
Head to the black sand, volcanic beaches like Kamari or Perissa.

‼️ Don’t miss…. a private sailing trip around the island. Explore hidden coves, swim in the Aegean Sea and watch the sunset from the water, an unforgettable sight!

Note: also see Canaves Ena highlighted in the top article below in AFAR’s best hotels in Greece.