Got those “after the holidays, back to reality” January blues? Here’s a Top Ten Travel List to get you excited about 2024:

1. Global Entry has now come to us, oh glory days!!!! Our NYC office at 1633 Broadway will be offering Global Entry enrollment appointments on Wednesday, March 6 from 9AM-1PM, with Homeland Security Officers processing applicants every seven minutes.

To get started, you must first submit a Global Entry application on the Trusted Traveler Program website to be conditionally pre-approved to request an appointment. Pre-approvals must be submitted to me by Friday, February 9. Appointments are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Space is limited, so please act quickly.

Please contact Jody Bear for details: info@bearandbear.travel

2. Trancoso is still magical and one of the top choices for a high-end Bahian beach holiday, but for those in the know, a couple of fabulous new properties have recently opened in lesser-known stretches of this Brazilian coastline:

• Serra Grande villa, located in Serra Grande—previously known as a surf destination with a low key, boho-chic hippy village—is a bamboo sanctuary that will take your breath away.  Located on a private beach with a rain forest, waterfalls and mountains as your backdrop, this will be the go-to destination for those seeking privacy, pampering and the perfect hideaway. Contact info@bearandbear.travel for details.
• Itacaré, once a mecca for the backpacker/surfer crowd, has now become the must-visit destination for the “quiet luxury” international crowd with the opening of Barracuda Hotel and Villas. One of the villas is owned by a member of the Swedish Royal family which adds a regal touch to the community!  Aside from the pristine beaches, there’s hiking in the Atlantic rainforest, canoeing in the mangroves and a host of cultural and sporting activities that make this the ideal warm weather destination.

3. Some sceptics say NYC is not the same as it used to be, but these iconic brands are betting 2024 will be a blockbuster year:

• Firmdale’s latest edition to the NY scene is the Warren Street Hotel, due to open February 1 in Tribeca.  This boutique hotel will feature 57 individually designed bedrooms and suites along with 12 exclusive upper floor residential suites, many with private terraces and skyscraper views of lower Manhattan and the Hudson River…all designed in the whimsical, fashionable style Kit Kemp is known for.
• The Surrey Hotel, located on the Upper East Side, has been taken over by the Corinthia Hotel and will be open in late spring/early summer.  There will 100 accommodations, including 70 rooms and 30 suites; 4 of the suites will be themed after the iconic bridges of Central Park.  (Ironically, the Bow Bridge, one of the most popular bridges in Central Park, was just reopened after a 2-month renovation, which just goes to show you that NY is on the upswing)! Casa Tua will oversee the Surrey’s restaurant and bar while operating a private member’s club on the 2^nd floor of the hotel.
• I am excited to report that, after being shut down since 2020, the Four Seasons Hotel on 57^th Street will finally reopen in the fall of 2024.  Ty Warner will remain the owner, so there may be some surprises in store! As always, I will keep you posted with further developments.

4. ‘Tis the year of private…private stand-alone clubs, private restaurants, private clubs within hotels, speak-easy bars…I’m getting dizzy, and we’re only in January! The Albany in the Bahamas is a luxury resort community with a collection of single-family beachfront residences ranging from 2 to 7 bedrooms, villas and marina homes. Spread over 600 acres, this is the perfect quiet getaway, and yet there is so much to do. There are 8 restaurants, a 15,000 sq ft fitness club, a 71-slip mega yacht marina, an equestrian center, pickle ball and tennis courts, a movie theatre and a sanctuary recording studio (did I mention that there are some larger than life rock stars who record here? … just saying)!  The membership price tag?  $6000, but consider that an upgraded resort fee. LOL!

5. Everyone is talking about the Summer Olympics in Paris, so please accept my apologies if I am jumping on the bandwagon! Since the Château de Versailles will host the equestrian and modern pentathlon events, I would be remiss if I didn’t include Airelles Le Grand Contrôle. Originally constructed in the 17^th century under Louis XIV’s reign,  the building has undergone various transformations; but after an extensive renovation from 2016 to 2021, the site is now a 13 room luxury hotel overlooking the gardens of L’Orangerie and furnished with authentic royal artifacts and priceless works of art.  There is even an Alain Ducasse Michelin star restaurant, a pool which can be privatized, Valmont spa and fitness center.  The best part, you ask?  The hotel is located on the grounds of Versailles, so all guests are allowed to enter the Chateau before and after normal hours and enjoy private visits with their own personal guide to the chambers of Queen Marie Antoinette and the Hall of Mirrors. And for history buffs, if you want to really immerse yourself in the royal life of Louis XIV’s court, you have the option to dress in costumes and reenact their daily routines—I think I watched too many episodes of the Crown!

6. Nick Steward, founder of the British perfume house, Gallivant, chose travel as a theme for his new scents because he wants the powers of perfume to transport you globally! As a way of celebrating the boldness and beauty of Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, London and Los Angeles, these new perfume oils will transport you to these cities without ever leaving your home…if you’re on a budget, that’s one way of saving on airfare!

7. I just returned from Courchevel in the French Alps, and I am here to report that, when you read how fabulous this destination is, believe it! All the ski-in, ski-out luxury hotels are located on the pristine pistes of Courchevel 1850, which means you are pretty much guaranteed snow because of the high altitude.  How do you choose where to stay?—since all the hotels are small and intimate, with spas, fitness clubs, pools, and impeccable service, just pick the style you are looking for and, voilà, it’s that simple.  Cheval Blanc is the epitome of elegance—you are showered with gifts from the moment you arrive, which definitely appeals to me! Aman Le Melezin has a very zen, chill atmosphere (and the most fabulous Asian restaurant). If being in a gingerbread-like, whimsical hotel is more your style, Les Airelles is for you…fun fact, it is owned by the Aman Hotel. The alpine-modern fusion L’Apogée is part of the Oetker brand—which is always a sure bet—and Barrière Les Neiges is located on a beginner slope so it is a great choice for families. I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to K2 Palace, which has a colorful, exotic, Tibetan-inspired theme throughout.  The chic village has more Michelin star restaurants and upscale boutiques than I’ve ever seen in a few blocks’ radius, so, if you’re looking for an over-the-top winter wonderland holiday, Courchevel is your ticket to paradise.

8. Wellness vacations have always been popular, but instead of the typical spa retreats, feel-good resorts with a twist are trending in 2024. Nihi Resort in Sumba, Indonesia offers a “wild wellness” experience —underwater rock-running for fitness buffs, rainforest foraging for budding botanists, and even equine therapy with the region’s native horses for animal lovers. Lily of the Valley Hotel just outside of St Tropez combines customized nutrition programs with high-intensity sports, manual muscle recovery and cryotherapy, and Black Tomato is offering a “See You in the Moment” hiking challenge across the ancient road of Via Francigena and beautiful landscapes of Tuscany. I’m getting exhausted just writing about these off-the-beaten-track-but-exhilarating wellness destinations!

9. Looking for an out of this world, once in a lifetime experience? On Monday, April 8^th, a total solar eclipse will cross over North America, spanning the US from Texas to Maine, and you will be able to experience approximately 4 minutes of complete darkness as the moon obscures the sun. The next total eclipse will not be visible again until 2044, so, unless you have 20 years to kill, you should experience the eclipse now! The largest city in the path of totality is Dallas, so please check in and check out two new fabulous hotels that recently opened:

• Hotel Swexan in downtown Dallas will be celebrating its one-year anniversary in May. Featuring a unique Swiss/Texan style, this boutique luxury property includes five dining options, a year-round heated rooftop pool and a spacious fitness center, as well as a private social club with exclusive lounge access. Again, ’tis the year of private!
• In nearby Fort Worth, Auberge Resorts opened Bowie House in December 2023, blending the classic cowboy aesthetic with artistic modern design. Along with its 88 studios, 12 lofts, and 6 suites, the property has many enticing offerings—a signature steakhouse, outdoor pool, whiskey bar, stylish spa, and even line dancing classes if you’re feeling adventurous!

The eclipse will reach totality over the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area around 1:40pm, so bring your eclipse glasses or pinhole projector and contact info@bearandbear.travel for additional details.

10. Private villas are still in popular demand, so I am always scouting out WOW villas in exotic locales; Casa Botero in Cartagena , Colombia definitely fits the bill! Inaugurated in 2023, this brand new 5-bedroom villa combines Cartagena’s historic and architectural past with modern day amenities. In addition to a grand salon and dining room, the courtyard swimming pool is surrounded by lush gardens and beautiful colonial architecture. The pièce de résistance, however, is the private art collection by some of the top artists in Colombia, including Fernando Botero, Olga de Amaral and Ana Mercedes Hoyos amongst others.  The villa feels like an oasis in the middle of the buzzing Old City of Cartagena.   

For those in-the-know,  Casa San Agustin is a fabulously chic, boutique hotel in Cartagena, but what you don’t is they are opening Acasi , a barefoot luxury beach getaway on Baru Island which is known for its white sand beaches and crystal blue waters.  Only 45 minutes away from Cartagena,  this beach retreat will have luxurious day loungers & accommodations with a capacity for a select group of guests(contact me to make sure you’re one of those VIP guests !), mouth-watering Caribbean gastronomy and personalized service that Casa San Agustin is known for. This will be an exciting addition to luxury beach experiences in Colombia. ¡Qué chévere!