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Join our travel editors as they lift the lid on some of their favourite UK self-catering stays, from twee Cotswolds cottages to Pembrokeshire houseboats. No longer just a crash pad for laying your head, this is the kind of accommodation at the forefront of the staycation stampede. Expect design-driven bothies in the Highlands, the South Downs’ most swanky stately homes and Norfolk cottages that have been given extensive makeovers.

We’ll also be joined by one half of the dynamic duo behind the award-winning Brownber Hall, arguably the plushest pad in the country. After upping sticks and moving from Hackney to Cumbria, Peter and Amanda Jaques-Walker opened Brownber Hall to rave reviews. Then the pandemic hit and they pivoted from running a boutique hotel to a self-catering bolthole. Peter shares their journey with us, his top Lake District picks – including a secluded wild-swimming spot – and introduces their new property, Brownber House.

We’d love to know where you’re going next and how you think the travel landscape might change as lockdown restrictions ease. Send your voice notes to fleur@suitcasemag.com or drop us a DM on Instagram @indiadowley and @fleur_rm. For a daily dose of travel inspiration, check in with us at suitcasemag.com. 

Links and notes from the episode 

Peter Jaques-Walkers top Lake District tips:

Pendragon Castle with its River Eden swimming spot next door

The Black Swan for grub

Black Bull for Japan-meets-Cumbria food 

The bothy India waxed lyrical about?

Inverlonan, Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Fleur’s glamping pick:

Glen Dye, Kincardineshire, Scotland

The glass-fronted homes hidden in the Scottish Highlands:

57 Nord

Croft 103

That dreamy Pembrokeshire houseboat…

Pembrokeshire Houseboat, Kip Hideaways

The most elaborate folly with Notebook-worthy boating lake:

The Walled Gardens, Bath

Fleur’s heading to this Cotswolds barn with her family in tow:

Bibury Farm Barns

… and India to this Pinterest-worthy darling in Norfolk:

Eden Hall

The showstopper of the episode:

Cadence, Petworth, West Sussex

Our pick of self-catering booking platforms:

Canopy & Stars for treehouses, airstreams and other quirky accommodation 

Airbnb Plus (obvs)

Living Architecture for Grand Design-worthy properties

Fish & Pips for all-out countryside party mansions 

This week we chat to trailblazer Jessica Nabongo, an influencer with actual influence. Her following – 197,000 and counting – watched her, as we did, become the first Black woman to travel to all 195 countries in the world. She slept in a yurt in Mongolia, toured pyramids in Sudan and broke bread in Pakistan before finishing her two-and-a-half-year race around the world on the shores of the Seychelles. We couldn’t think of a better guest to have on Episode 6 of The Upgrade podcast, which coincides with the launch of our Volume 31: The Freedom Issue. 

It comes at a time when the idea of “freedom” sits awkwardly with our social, political, economic and mental realities. Nevertheless, we believe that the culture of travel, of building connections across the world and immersing yourself in other countries and communities can be incredibly freeing. 

We chat to the influencer, travel expert and businesswoman Jessica Nabongo about her thoughts on diversity in the travel industry, the highs and lows of her journeys and how we can support African artisans through her new business venture, The Catch. 

We’d love to know where you’re going next and how you think the travel landscape might change as lockdown restrictions ease. Send your voice notes to fleur@suitcasemag.com or drop us a DM on Instagram @indiadowley and @fleur_rm. For a daily dose of travel inspiration, check in with us at suitcasemag.com. 

Links and notes from the episode 

You can follow along with Jessica Nabongo’s 50-state US road trip here

https://www.instagram.com/thecatchmeifyoucan/

Want to fill your home with Jessica’s well-curated selection from artisanal items from around the world? Shop The Catch. 

https://www.instagram.com/thisisthecatch/

And these are the Black-owned businesses Jessica recommends:

The Honey Pot Company

https://thehoneypot.co

The Lip Bar (for your seven-minute full face) 

https://thelipbar.com

AJ Crimson 

https://ajcrimson.com

Coco and Seed (for Jessica’s plant babies)

https://cocoandseed.com

Essie Spice 

https://www.essiespice.com

This is the article about passport privilege India and Fleur urge you to read: 

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/the-right-to-travel

And these are the articles we take a look at to help you become a better ally: 

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/otherness-superpower-journey-belonging

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/blackness-becoming-and-breaking-barriers

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/us-cannabis-industry

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/neocolonial-tourism

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/breaking-into-travel-journalism

Want to be one of the first to receive our brand new issue? 

https://suitcasemag.com/shop/subscriptions

Summer 2020 might not be what you hoped for, but we’re here to salvage what’s left of it. The travel industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, so we’re spotlighting the destinations we’re keen to help get back on their feet as and when travel restrictions allow. Rattling through a whole host of recommendations for this (or next) year’s summer jaunts, we lift the lid on our treasured European hotspots and dive into the reasons why we’re returning to these nostalgic destinations.

We also catch up with Marie-Louise Sciò, CEO and Creative Director of the Pellicano Hotels and founder of Issimo – a new digital platform created for Italophiles. She’s spent countless summers at her family’s cult hotel, Il Pellicano, so she knows what’s what when it comes to getting a taste of la dolce vita and finding those lesser-trodden corners of Tuscany. Grab a pen; her recommendations are second to none. 

We’d love to know where you’re going next and how you think the travel landscape might change as lockdown restrictions ease. Send your voice notes to fleur@suitcasemag.com or drop us a DM on Instagram @indiadowley and @fleur_rm. For a daily dose of travel inspiration, check in with us at suitcasemag.com. 

Links and notes from the episode 

Fleur’s service-stop recommendation if you’re road-tripping from Calais to Provence: 

Take a detour and stop off at Arras. Have a lunch-break baguette at boulangerie-pâtisserie Cori Nadège et Laurent. 

In Menton:

Try and grab a table at Mirazur.

If not, Le Petit Port is always worth a visit. 

Bed down at Airelles Gordes, La Bastide

India’s Italian hotel recommendations: 

Le Sirenuse (of course).

And the Amalfi’s darling, Monastero Santa Rosa.

The hotel in Poland Fleur was waxing on about?

Galery69 – trust us, go now. 

Marie-Louise Sciò’s Italian recommendations 

A truly tuscan road trip, visit:

Capalbio 

Pescia Romana 

Maremma 

… and Bolgheri for wine

Here are the Tuscan islands she recommends: Giannutri, Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo and Populonia (where the deer are). 

And her favourite place in Tuscany to eat:

Da Petroio 

And in Rome: 

Da Enzo

Roscioli 

Her guide to Ischia:

Nitrodi thermal baths

La Scarrupata for lunch (you can only get there by boat) restaurant

Casamicciola Terme in the northern part of Ischia

Craving a bit of digital dolce vita?

Check out her new venture Issimo. 

Find the SUITCASE team’s favourite hotels that they can’t wait to return to here. 

In need of some summer escapism? Check out these articles:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/SUITCASE-team-travels-post-lockdown

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/Enneagram-Type-Summer-Destinations

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/european-summer-holiday-destinations

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/destinations-making-comeback

As the world starts to open up again, we’re following the money and making sure your travel pennies are being pocketed by the communities that need them the most. Purchasing power – whether at home or abroad – is so important, even more so now as communities struggle to get back on their feet. Join us, Editor-in-Chief India Dowley and Content Editor Fleur Rollet-Manus as we pick apart what it means to “spend like a local”, while spotlighting the neighbourhood initiatives helping us become more thoughtful travellers. 

We’re also joined by @brucepoontip, the founder of G Adventures, which has been pioneering community-based tourism for more than 30 years. He shares with us his top tips for spending locally, his thoughts on the post-pandemic travel landscape and how he balances being green with his love of venturing around the globe. 

We’d love to know where you’re going next and how you think the travel landscape might change as lockdown restrictions ease. Send your voice notes to fleur@suitcasemag.com or drop us a DM on Instagram @indiadowley and @fleur_rm. For a daily dose of travel inspiration, check in with us at suitcasemag.com. 

Links and notes from the episode 

Keen to support community-led tourism? Read some of these…

https://suitcasemag.com/trailblazers/shofco-kennedy-odede-nairobi/

https://suitcasemag.com/travel/stories/erbil-iraqi-kurdistan/

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/mauritius-beach-sustainability

If you want to know how air bridges can work for you – and find out which Polish beach Fleur was banging on about – read our guide here:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/air-bridges

India & Fleur’s top picks to help you spend locally: 

@spendwiththem

En Via, Oaxaca 

Eat Like a Local Mexico City

Bantu Wax

And their recs for Ibiza and Formentera:

To stay: 

Petunia Ibiza

Can Tres

Atzaro

To eat: 

La Escollera

A Mi Manera

Beaches: Cala Tarida, Cala Gracioneta, Cala Carbo

And this is the secret (don’t tell everyone) Sicilian hotspot India is heading to:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/destination-inspiration-egadi-islands-sicily

What do two travel editors do when they’re faced with months of lockdown and lots of paused plans? We side-step tie-dye projects and sourdough starters in favour of creating our own at-home adventures.

For the past few months, we’ve fantasised about travel more than ever. Whether rustling up our favourite dishes from the Amalfi Coast, immersing ourselves in diverse cultures through literature or binging on Netflix’s globe-trotting flicks, we’ve become obsessed with incorporating travel into our daily lives. Join us, Editor-in-Chief India Dowley and Content Editor Fleur Rollet-Manus, as we discuss how you can do the same. 

We catch up with chef Tom Brown, the culinary creative behind Hackney Wick’s hit restaurant Cornerstone. He talks to us about his travels in Japan, secret beaches in Mexico and reveals how to nail the recipe for those crab crumpets. 

We’ll also be revealing the European hotels we’re checking into as lockdown measures ease.

We’d love to know where you’re travelling next and how you think the travel landscape might change post-pandemic. Send your voice notes to fleur@suitcasemag.com or drop us a DM on Instagram @indiadowley and @fleur_rm. For a daily dose of travel inspiration, check in with us at suitcasemag.com. 

Links and notes from the episode 

Peckish and in need of a chef-approved snack? Try whipping up one of these recipes from our favourite chefs.

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/home-cook-recipes

… or one of these global plates: 

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/chefs-reveal-favourite-holiday-dishes

Add to your lockdown library with our Sub Editor Rae’s well-curated selection:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/books-every-female-traveller-should-read

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/best-life-changing-travel-books

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/books-on-sustainability-and-climate-change

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/dismantling-racism-books-podcasts-films

Support your lock bookstore and buy your stash from one of these independents:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/independent-bookshops

Combining our love of food and literature, dig in to one of these SUITCASE-approved cookbooks:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/20-global-cookbooks

Find out when our favourite European hotels are opening here:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/favourite-european-hotels-re-opening

Netflix and chill more your bag? Tune into these far-flung flicks:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/netflix-best-travel-series

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/indie-travel-films

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/favourite-films-to-inspire-your-travels

Or if you’re after something more avant-garde, these are the museums and galleries you can (virtually) wander from home:

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/mueseums-and-galleries-to-virtually-tour

Chef Tom Brown’s favourite spots

Crate

https://cratebrewery.com

Pearl 

https://pearlhackneywick.com

Natura 

http://naturapizzeria.com

Silo

https://silolondon.com

Henne Kirkeby Kro

https://www.hennekirkebykro.dk

Ynyshir 

https://ynyshir.co.uk

… and don’t forget the Shibanuma soy sauce 

https://www.shibanuma.com/en/

India and Fleur’s top picks and recommendations

Books:

Educated by Tara Westwood

Alone in Antarctica by Felicity Aston

Walls of Change: The Story of the Wynwood Walls by Jessica Goldman Srebnick 

What I was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman

Women Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe by Faith Conlon 

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo 

Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights by Gretchen Sorin 

Our favourite European hotels:

La Bastide de Fléchon
Provence, France 

https://www.bastidedeflechon.com

Torre del Marqués

Teruel, Spain

https://www.hoteltorredelmarques.com

Sublime Comporta

Comporta, Portugal

https://www.sublimecomporta.pt

Miramonti

Avelengo, Italy

https://www.hotel-miramonti.com

Introducing The Upgrade, a new travel podcast from SUITCASE Magazine designed to help you travel smarter. 

We’re launching our debut episode on Wednesday 3 June, bringing a dose of escapism to wherever you may be listening. 

Every two weeks, we’ll bring you intel from trailblazing hoteliers, our favourite chefs, off-grid explorers and the local heroes shaping their neighbourhoods – these are the people changing the way we travel.

Editor-in-Chief India Dowley and Content Editor Fleur Rollet-Manus will be dissecting emerging travel trends, deep-diving into up-and-coming destinations and, of course, sharing our recommendations, stories and the odd lost luggage disaster from across the world.

Can’t wait until Wednesday 3 June? Check in with us at suitcasemag.com

Show Notes:

Serena Guen is Founder and CEO of SUITCASE Group, which includes Suitcase Media and Suitcase Magazine. Serena launched Suitcase Magazine in 2012, the world’s first multi-media travel and fashion magazine targeting readers with a global mindset. One step ahead of a tour guide, SUITCASE aims to inspire people, to help them discover different destinations and ultimately to change the way people travel. Serena is on the committee of Unicef’s Next Generation London and set up #CookForSyria in 2016 to aid Syrian children. What started as one dinner, turned into hundreds of restaurants offering a Syrian twist to their signature dishes, a best selling cookbook and fundraising more than £700,000 in process.

In this episode we discuss how you start a magazine, side-hustles, growth, ambition, fundraising and standing by your idea.

Links Mentioned:

• SUITCASE
• Cook For Syria

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