The Journal
Destination Guide
Where to go, when to go and how the options really differ — written around the retreats in our collection.
Scotland's Highlands and Islands: planning around ferries, distance and light
From Skye and Harris to Orkney, Sutherland and Speyside, Scotland's remote north and west reward careful planning. How to pace the distances, book the boats and choose where to stay.
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The Cotswolds and the southern country house hotel, reinvented
The English country house hotel has moved well beyond chintz and formal dining. How the Cotswolds and the southern counties now offer farms, bathhouses, great gardens and private-house stays.
Australia and New Zealand's luxury lodges: tradition, pricing and seasons
Small, remote and often all-inclusive, the lodges of Australia and New Zealand are a way of travelling in their own right. How the tradition works, what the rates really cover, and when to go.
Beyond Bali: Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Bhutan
Four countries, four very different trips: a long food-led journey, a temple-and-jungle circuit, a compact island loop and a slow Himalayan lodge route, plus the monsoons that decide when to go.
The Caribbean, island by island: eight islands and how they differ
Barbados or Antigua, St Barths or Anguilla? How eight islands differ in character, access and style, and why so many of their best resorts close for part of the hurricane season.
The English coast, from the Isles of Scilly to Northumberland
England's coastline changes character every few hours of driving. A clockwise guide to retreats by the sea, from Atlantic islands and Cornish coves to Norfolk saltmarsh and Northumberland castles.
Gorillas and chimpanzees: trekking in Rwanda and Uganda
How primate trekking works, how Rwanda's short, polished trips differ from Uganda's longer, wilder circuits, and the lodges that make the early starts easier.
Iceland: geothermal luxury, remote lodges and the question of light
Northern lights or midnight sun, the Golden Circle or the far north? How Iceland's best places to stay differ by region and season, from a lava-field spa to a highland base.
Ireland's castle and country house hotels: how to choose, region by region
The Republic's great houses range from Victorian castles with falconry schools to fishing lodges with open fires. A guide to the grandest stays, from Mayo and Kerry to Kilkenny and Wicklow.
The Mediterranean in summer: how the coasts differ, and when to go
Amalfi or the Cyclades, Mallorca or the Algarve, Provence or the Riviera? How Europe's summer coasts compare, and how to time a trip to miss the worst of the crowds.
Mexico, Costa Rica and Belize: beaches, rainforest, reef and colonial towns
How to combine colonial Mexico and the Yucatán, Costa Rica's volcanoes and forests, and Belize's reef and ruins, and why the wet and dry seasons matter more here than the calendar suggests.
The North of England: Lakes, Dales, Moors and the kitchens worth the drive
From Windermere to the Peak District, northern England pairs big walking country with some of Britain's most serious cooking. How to choose a base, and where to book dinner.
Wales: country houses from Eryri to Pembrokeshire, the Gower and the Wye
Wales rewards choosing one region rather than touring the whole country. A guide to its country houses and restaurants with rooms, from the mountains of the north to the far south-west.
Wild North America: ranches, wilderness lodges and coastlines
From Montana cattle valleys to the North Atlantic rock of Fogo Island, nine places in the US and Canada where the landscape is the point, and how their short seasons shape a trip.