Unpacked: World's 50 Best Hotels, Belmond Splendido, AlUla, Listener Q&A & more with travel editor, Lauren Ho

This week on The Travel Diaries: Unpacked, I’m joined by Lauren Ho, one of the world’s most well-travelled luxury hotel experts. Lauren is Travel Director of Wallpaper*, a contributing editor at Country & Town House and the Academy Chair for Western Europe for The World’s 50 Best Hotels.

Recorded just days after this year’s list was revealed in Paris, Lauren shares her reaction to the results, why Asian hotels continue to dominate the top 10 and which new entries she was particularly pleased to see recognised.

We also journey to AlUla in Saudi Arabia, where ancient Nabataean tombs, dramatic desert landscapes and extraordinary new hotels are putting the destination firmly on the travel map. Lauren shares her recent stay at Six Senses Amaala on the Red Sea and takes us inside her trip to Georgia, from the hidden corners of Tbilisi to Kakheti’s vineyards and traditional amber wine.

My Hotel of the Week is the newly restored Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, overlooking the impossibly beautiful harbour of Portofino.

Plus, in our listener Q&A, Lauren recommends the perfect luxurious but not completely bank-breaking destination for a special family celebration.

Destination Recap

The Peninsula Paris, Paris, FranceRosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaMandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Bangkok, ThailandChablé Yucatán, Chocholá, MexicoUpper House Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaMandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing, ChinaRosewood São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilPassalacqua, Lake Como, ItalyAtlantis The Royal, Dubai, UAEFour Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, ThailandCapella Bangkok, Bangkok, ThailandAmangiri, Canyon Point, Utah, USAMonument Valley, USAAlUla, Saudi ArabiaBanyan Tree AlUla, AlUla, Saudi ArabiaOur Habitas AlUla, AlUla, Saudi ArabiaThe Chedi Hegra, Hegra, Saudi ArabiaPetra, JordanThe Peninsula Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaFORESTIS, Brixen, ItalyVilla Treville, Positano, ItalyCarlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, Cannes, FranceSplendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino, ItalySix Senses Amaala, AMAALA, Saudi ArabiaRosewood Amaala, AMAALA, Saudi ArabiaTbilisi, GeorgiaThe Telegraph Hotel, Tbilisi, GeorgiaKakheti, GeorgiaEstelle Manor, The Cotswolds, England

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