My Five Favorite Stays Around the World

I slept in a pillow-lined bathtub the first several months of my life. As my momma always said, necessity is the mother of creativity and invention. That’s why I’ll never bother to buy a rolling pin. Just grab a bottle from the wine cellar. Make that pie.

From a bathtub to sleeping in barrels and bubbles, I’ve stayed in some interesting places. Here are my favorite five!

Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà

Whimsical and wild, Hotel Byblos is the epitome of Italian style and hospitality. Truly luxurious.

My favorite stay adorns the outskirts of Verona in Italy’s Valpolicella wine region—think Amarone. The entire property is an art gallery, an insane curation of bold colors and curiosity!

Just minutes from wandering through vineyards in the foothills of the Alps or upon the very streets where Romeo and Juliet fell in love, Hotel Byblos is a delicious base for your time in the Veneto. They have it all! A wine cellar with more than 1,600 labels, an amazing pool with endless Prosecco, a Pompeii-inspired spa, and two restaurants led by Chef Donato De Leonardis, one of which has a Michelin star. Plus all the art and 20,000 square meters of surrounding grounds to wander!

No room is the same, but each is a dream. And then, by far, they put on the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. Trust me, it’s real good to start the day their way…

Because it was only a two-night stay squished between working with Marjan Simčič in Slovenia and Fumanelli in Valpolicella, I focused on enjoying every second I had, rather than curating content, as I am certain that nothing can prepare you for the joy that Hotel Byblos will bring you.

Finca Malvasia

Upon venturing off the main road, you know you’re in for an amazing experience, driving along black volcanic sands surrounded by concave circles walled with pumice to protect a grapevine in the center of each. It’s a wine nerd’s paradise and a geological wanderland.

Not going to reinvent the punchline here: “Finca Malvasia is a collection of stylish, self-catering vineyard apartments, suites & villa in the heart of the Lanzarote wine region, and is only 10 minutes from the beach.”

Right in line with the design and style of visionary Canarian artist and architect Cesar Manrique, the whitewashed properties and lagoon-like pool surrounded by cactus-green and azalia-pink create an oasis within a vineyard while ancient volcanoes show off in the distance.

Any time I can pee and see a volcano out the window is about as good as it gets for me. Luxury. The apartments have everything you need and then some. I cooked meals there, cuddled soft linens, took late-night skinny-dips, and used their remarkably strong internet connection to do what the internet does best: work under the stars off the coast of northwest Africa.

Lanzarote is a fascinating island, and this is the place to stay when you visit.

Matices Hotel de Barricas

Let’s start with the obvious: YOUR ROOM IS A BARRIQUE!!! You’re in Mexico and surrounded by agave plants!

Matices Hotel de Barricas is a well-thought-out experience that is just what you’d expect, yet salted with fresh takes, too. Tequila, my friends, is more than alcohol; it’s a place on a map that slaps and smacks, a destination rich in culture, flavor, and fun. Just an hour from Guadalajara, Matices is the perfect place to experience Tequila in Jalisco.

From the cute jimador bell boys to fire cocktails and food, to lush, colorful surroundings and, of course, sleeping in a barrel, this hotel is a real good time. And the huevos rancheros at breakfast are a must.

Developed around the La Cofradia distillery and ranch, the property offers two restaurants and an array of activities, including fermenting your own tequila.

This is the place where you redefine your relationship to Mexico’s Holy Water. Gone are the endless-margarita-pitcher and tequila-shots hangovers of your youth. Here you can find quality tequila worth sipping like a Scotch, and delicious cocktails incorporating homemade infusions and naturally sweetened with fresh fruit.

And upon buzzing back to your barrel, you can expect a great night’s sleep with cozy bedding and plenty of water to wake up refreshed.

Granted, I went during a time when you still had to walk through a flimsy tent at the side of the entrance that downed you with some “Anti-Covid mist,” so we had the luxury of enjoying all the beauty at half capacity, but I have a feeling this rec and my experience still hold up.

Cava & Hotel Mastinell

Just like a barrel, sleeping in a bubble is way cool too!! Especially when you’re in the heart of Spain’s Cava production, Vilafranca del Penedès.

The Cava & Hotel Mastinell is true Catalonian luxury, where wine, food, design, and comfort combine to create one of my favorite stays in all the world.

As a “sinuous arrangement of cava bottles in the riddling process,” roofed in tribute to Gaudí, it’s certainly unique. The rooms, named after local grapes, are oh, so cozy, even the single, a tiny space for one. You’re a bubble inside a bottle!

And you’re surrounded by vineyards!

The staff will adore you, the pool has plenty of chilled Cava to pour as you please, and En Rima’s ever-changing tasting menu with killer wine pairings will leave an impression. Plus, the breakfast is FIRE, mimosas included.

It’s an easy, 15-minute walk to the city center, perfect if you’re there during the annual Vi Jazz Festival. A tribute to jazz and Cava, count me in! Plus, it’s a mere hour’s drive from Barcelona, so if even just for a night, you should really give it a try!

Can Marlès

Spain for the win! Wrapping up my top five stays is a secluded haven up in the mountains of Penedès, where alpacas, goats, and wine delight: Can Marlès.

I came upon this one via wander, while driving around Alto Penedès with no plan whatsoever, intrigued by a remote dot on Google Maps that clearly had vineyards tucked between mountains. I sent a WhatsApp message, then soon set my destination. I was in luck; there was a “stable” available for the next three nights.

Never would I have imagined waking up that morning that I’d soon be helping herd and feed alpacas for a discounted place to rest my head that night. And that’s the beauty of wandering. Not wondering how it’s all going to work out, rather flowing with what unfolds.

The property is perfectly perched in El Montmell Valley, where you can find a modern boutique winery and a “Farmhouse” plus a “Stable” to sleep, both completely modernized with their own pools and lots of privacy. And did I mention the alpacas?!

You can feed them, pet them, and even help herd. Goats are all over, too! You can sip well-made wines with some standout Chardonnay. You can plan dinners and other activities with them, or be like me, and cook with local ingredients procured throughout the journey.

It’s the type of place where you can lie topless in a hammock and enjoy the breeze, swim naked in the rain during a solid summer storm, and soak up Mother Nature’s bounty. Better suited for groups, but if you get lucky like me, maybe you can feed some friends and fill the stable for a few nights, too! Clothing optional :)

I’m working on a video from the way-too-much footage I took of the alpacas and goats, but in the meantime, Can Marles:

Choosing five was difficult. I’ve stayed in a lot of cool places, hence my limit to the past five years. Here are some other recent top experiences without getting into details:

Villa Antica Macina in Postiano, Italy

One of the best views and breakfasts in all of Italy, Amalia’s stunning stay at Villa Antica Macina. Perfect for a cute mother-daughter trip! 

Tunisia was a bit rough for me as a female solo-traveler, but I really LOVED my first two nights at the Royal Victoria. At the heart of Tunis, it’s perfect for exploring the city!

The place, the wine, the food, and the kindest souls, I have nothing bad to say about my stay at Agriturismo Emidio Pepe.