Lucie Grace

Embrace the easygoing pace of life in the Kingdom of Thailand with a stay that brings its finest foods, lavish spas, and natural sites to your doorstep.

With dazzling cities and tropical islands, it’s tempting to plan a whistle-stop tour of Thailand’s varied regions, but its real appeal is in slowing down to a local pace. You’ll often hear “sabai sabai” (relax, relax), which is how things are done in the Land of Smiles. There’s no rush; life should be relished, one delectable bite at a time. ...

Since its 1999 inception in LA, boutique-hotel mega brand The Standard has become renowned for retro, midcentury-modern-inspired interiors, edgy parties and bold architectural moves. Its expansion into Southeast Asia is relatively recent, with five openings in the past five years. The fourth in Thailand, The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien, opens its doors as a luxury beach resort of ten buildings, oozing sass, humour and creative flair, with signature details at every turn.

Gazing out of the train window at fields filled with palm trees, I daydreamed about wandering along Hua Hin’s four-mile-long, pale beach, feeling sand crunch beneath my feet as the sun set.

I’m not sure how I ended up going straight from the train to an ice bath, but then wellness is a growing attraction in Hua Hin. I let out a sigh of relief as Katie, my spa therapist at The Standard hotel, said my five Baltic-cold minutes were complete, and that I could thaw out in the sauna.

A record renaissance is putting the city on the global music map

Arriving in a very sleepy Chiang Mai one bright November day in 2021, it was clear to this newcomer that I’d rocked up in a creative city, but perhaps one that was slowly stretching its limbs and coming out of hibernation.

Nicknamed ‘rose of the north’, the mountainside wonder Chiang Mai is a temple-packed, nature lined, creative oasis. Much loved by Thai people across the country for its proximity to waterfalls, hot springs and hillside escapes, the city center itself is just as appealing. Founded in 1296, the ancient heart of town known as the Old City is the best place to base yourself and explore in 24 hours. The erstwhile capital of the Lanna kingdom that once spread across the north of Thailand, it's a mi...

Slovakia is gaining an international reputation as a hot spring haven, offering affordable and high-quality spa treatments in breathtaking buildings.

“Lošinj is the island of vitality; it’s not just wellness, you have to exercise too,” my guide Dunja Sladic says, chuckling and shaking her head at the state of me. I’m panting after a 45-minute coastal walk between Veli Lošinj and Mali Lošinj, the island’s two towns.
Kvarner Bay, northern Croatia, is home to a swath of islands. Krk is the most accessible, linked to the mainland by a bridge, but Lošinj, 50km south and a ferry or catamaran ride from the mainland, is Croatia...

Fire dancers, drummers and painted pagan gods bring ancient Celtic traditions blazing back to life in Edinburgh as Lucie Grace joins the crowds at Beltane Fire Festival – and promptly gets lost in the magic

You probably haven't heard of Šibenik. And that's not your fault. How this city has managed to stay so low-key is truly one of Croatia's great mysteries. It's a stunning, coastal, affordable gem that's culturally rich, in close proximity to natural wonders and full of top-tier restaurants and cafes — yet it remains under the radar. Šibenik is just as magical as Dubrovnik and the country's second-largest city, the historic Split — if not more so, as it lacks the huge crowds and has managed to ...

Pedal your way through northern Dalmatia, where dramatic cycling trails weave past ancient olive groves, medicinal bathing spots and the glistening waters of island archipelagos.

Cosy in a reclining seat, watching the white-washed, black roofed houses of hillside villages whizz by at 180 miles per hour, I smile broadly. Bullet trains, shinkansen, never fail to amaze me, even after a decade of visiting Japan. I’m on the Nozomi service, which starts in Tokyo and speeds south-west through Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and all the way down to Fukuoka on Kyushu island.

My destination is Yamaguchi prefecture, in the south-west of the main island, Honshu. Its capital is dubbed th...

Split is truly unlike anywhere else in the world thanks to the vast Roman palace that encloses the old town center. Built in 305 CE, Diocletian’s Palace is a dazzling bric-a-brac of marble that’s been added to over the millennia and is now made up of over 200 buildings that are home to 3000 people who live within the vast walls. It’s one of the largest Roman remains in existence yet is labyrinthine in layout, full of thin alleys that could just as likely lead you to a hidden courtyard as a co...

If you’re planning a Mediterranean getaway, you’re spoiled for choice. Not that such a choice is ever an easy one.

And if you’re picking between a trip to timeless Italy or dazzling Croatia, the decision is all but excruciating. Which is why we’ve asked two of our most informed and ardent correspondents to lay out the case for why their pick holds the edge.

Thailand’s capital of culture mixes heritage with modernism, such a vibrant city also offers a wide array of hotels that will suit every traveller
open image in gallery
The Four Seasons in Chiang Mai feels like a remote Thai village (Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai)
Often referred to as Thailand’s “second city”, loved by locals for its creative spirit and serene ambience, Chiang Mai is a place where ancient meets modern. On first impression it doesn’t seem particularly large, as its buildings ...

You may have heard of forest bathing, the wellbeing practice that’s gaining ground in the UK, but the Western name comes from the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku. Health resorts and wildlife organizations across the world have started offering the soothing pastime in recent years, a therapeutic activity that’s rooted in Japan, but with surprising origins.