Dear Friends and Travelers,
Why go to New Zealand when you can have Scotland!? OK that’s not fair to New Zealand because it’s absolutely extraordinary over there. But there is a strong case for making the most of the wilderness on your doorstep. And if you live anywhere within easy reach of Inverness in Scotland, whether you’re flying or taking an overnight train from London, you’ll fall in love with this region called Sutherland.
Emptiness and wilderness, far far away yet still in the UK. I was there two weeks ago to see Hope Lodge before it opens to the world, before the press has it.
On my first morning, I jumped into the loch - it simply means lake in Scottish. Seven am. Seven degree Celsius. Oh I have done wild swimming before, but never in these kind of temperatures. The only reason I did it was because the beauty around me made me brave!! That, and the smiles of my guides Grant and Jamie (who coincidentally is from New Zealand). They both looked with that encouraging smile that made it feel completely normal. Which at Hope Lodge, it is. Water, Earth, Fire, the guiding values of a stay up there.
Hope Lodge is the newest property from Wildland, the ambitious conservation project of Anders and Anne Polvsen. Anders has made his fortune in fashion and retail, including with the fashion brand Toast of which I’ve been a fan for many years (read here an interview I did of my good friend Laura Shippey who is the global creative director).
That detail of the owners being behind the brand Toast says a lot about Hope to me. The staff have that same quiet presence, with fresh air on their rosy cheeks and a calming, considerate approach that has come to define quiet luxury. The kitchen is open. A pot of tea and freshly made scones appear by the fireplace without anyone asking. Art books and poetry are beautifully curated on side tables facing the loch. There’s no performance and no fuss at Hope Lodge. Just like at all their other properties in Scotland, it’s that effortless way of hosting with perfection in the details that reminds you of the essentials: nature does all the talking.
Hope was a hunting lodge back in the 1800’s but has been over 12 years in the making to what it is today: built for togetherness. You can hear children running. Grandparents in armchairs. Fireplaces on all day. And every time I pictured sending someone there, it was a family. Or a group of friends chitchatting and laughing together to celebrate friendship and happy times. The kind of gathering that needs somewhere wild enough and beautiful enough to hold it. Mind you, it would work super well too for a corporate retreat or some sort of wow board meeting!
The concept of Hope Lodge was masterminded by the woman behind the Singita brand in Africa. The GM comes from running lodges in the South African bush. That DNA is in everything, and that is also how the guest experience is approached. All inclusive, with a daily program perfectly curated to take you from the themes of Water (think SUP on the sea), Earth (ie. foraging in the open land…), Fire (ie. cooking on open fire...)
There are seven bedrooms in the main lodge. Next door is Ankala, a contrasting modern three-bedroom lodge. And there are a couple smaller lodges on the banks of the loch, all exquisitely decorated by South African designers Cecile & Boyds . All together, it’s possible to accommodate a total of 35 guests. In peak season, pricing starts from £20,000 per night, all inclusive for the 7-bedrooms. And if you book it through BozAround for a stay before the end of 2026, you will get a five nights stay but pay for four, transfers from Inverness included.
Hope Lodge is one of many stunning places in the Wildland portfolio and each has its particularity, each are for different budgets and purposes. I have visited them all so just ask me.
If there’s a special gathering you’ve been meaning to plan, somewhere that will completely shift your idea of what the British Isles can be, this place exists in Sutherland, Scotland. Let’s talk!
These are a few of the new openings this season that are making a splash for a good reason. Over the last few months, I have visited or met with the owners and managers of all the following new properties:
Casa Bonavita is finally putting Malta on the map! What a pretty new hotel in the heart of the island, exquisitely put together by the founders of The Rug Company. I met with Christopher Sharp recently, ask me for any intel.
Airelles Venezia is the new place to stay in Venice. I love what French hospitality company Airelles does, high luxury completely in tune with their destinations … whether it’s La Bastide de Gordes in my beloved Provence, Les Airelles Chateau de Versailles from where I wrote a few months ago. As with every luxury hotel in the world, BozAround gets you the best rates and perks that you can’t get direct.
Sibbjans rooted in nature and farmland on the Swedish island of Gotland. The owner Anne, who used to work in fashion in Stockholm shared her vision with me over coffee in London, holidays back to simplicity, biking around, yoga, organic food from the farm.
And remember, it’s good karma to book with me any hotel that you’ve heard me talk about. You’ll get your stay flagged to the GM, all the pretty perks such as upgrades, early check ins and $$ to spend at the spa or the bar, and much more. That’s what comes with BozAround Private Travel being a member of the exclusive Virtuoso network and endorsed by Forbes.
The Economics of the Hotel Slipper: did you know that hotel slipper is one of the most visible symbols of luxury hospitality and one of its most quietly wasteful? In most five-star properties, standard procedure requires slippers to be discarded the moment they are unwrapped, regardless of whether they are worn. The unwrapping itself triggers a disposal. Luxury hotels across the US alone discard more than 10 million pairs every month. Accor, the group behind Fairmont, Raffles and Sofitel disclosed that it was consuming over 200 million single-use plastic items annually, slippers among them. So next time you check in a luxury hotel, ask for sustainable alternatives. They exist, they’re just a lot more expensive for the hoteliers, but if only we asked collectively, it would help drive the price down. Never too small to make a difference.
The movie The Secret Agent set in Recife, Brazil is stunning cinematographically speaking and the soundtrack is just the best!
Talking about cinema, Algerian artist Zineb Sedira has been commissioned by the Tate Britain and it’s heartwarming to see not only a woman artist, but an Algerian woman artist being put on the front line of such an esteemed institution. Go see her work if you’re in London! It spoke a lot to me given my Algerian origins.
These are some of the places where we’re sending clients in the next few months. No two itineraries are ever the same so if any of this inspires you, let’s talk!
Scandinavia where the air is pure and the livin’ is Scandi-chic.
Rwanda for the gorillas but not only. It pairs super well with the great expanses of the Kruger in South Africa for a maximum dose of wildlife, or with beach time in the Seychelles or Tanzania.
Greece, always a winner for summer. But also Formentera. Cassis near Marseille. Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany. Menorca in the Balearics. And Puglia, always! There are endless options for a Mediterranean summer.
And an Atlantic summer too, in Comporta, Portugal. In Cap Ferret, near Bordeaux. In Essaouira, a few hours drive from Marrakech.
Hiking in the Italian Dolomites, but also Via Ferrata, e-biking, wine tasting and cheese making.
Or Hiking in higher peaks in the Himalayas in this out of this world region called Ladakh in India.
Indonesia, hopping from one island to the next in search of the best surfing waves
Malaysia where sightings of the orangutang in Borneo complement super well a stay at my favorite beach property in Langkawi island.
Galapagos. Pairs super well with beach time in Panama or in Colombia.
Machu Picchu, with kids and teens, is always rewarding.
Get more inspiration on bozaround.com where I’ve also created a page Find Your Hotel so you can book yours at the same price as if you booked it directly with the hotel, but with all the special perks that I have access to for my clients. Because it would be silly not to.
xx Vanessa
At some point in life, the world’s beauty becomes enough. — Toni Morrison
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