Handpicked Stays & Experiences Around the World
Personally vetted accommodations and tours from years of slow, mostly solo travel across Europe and Asia.
A quick note: This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps me keep this site running and the recommendations honest. I only link to places I’ve actually stayed at or experiences I’ve actually done. Thank you for supporting the site! 💛
Why these recommendations?
Finding the right place to stay can make or break a trip — and the right tour can turn a destination into a memory. Everything on this page is something I’ve personally booked, stayed at, or done myself, often as a solo traveler, sometimes with my dog in tow, occasionally with friends or family. No press trips, no comped stays, no places I “heard were great.”
If it’s here, I’d book it again.
What you’ll find
🏡 Stays for every budget — from mountain rifugios to boutique city apartments
🌍 Immersive experiences — cooking classes, walking tours, hidden-gem cycling routes
🌱 Sustainable & ethical choices — properties and guides that respect local culture and community
🐕 Dog-friendly options — clearly tagged, because traveling with a pup matters
🎒 Solo-friendly — places that feel safe, welcoming, and easy to navigate alone
Check out Some of the Accommodations I’ve Stayed at
Italy
Il Gattopardo, Catania, Italy -Perfect for someone who wants to stay in the city center close to all the sights and pick up spots for tours.
B&B Villa Angelino, Seceda, Dolomites- I have a whole page dedicated to stays I loved in the dolomites, feel free to check it out here. This page details my favorite stays in the Dolomites organized by area. It’s intent is to help you plan in specific places.
Villa Leo, Ostuni, Italy- Dog friendly and near the beach! Definitely one of my favorite places we’ve stayed at in southern Italy.
Austria
Forest hut in the countryside of Vienna– Dog Friendly stay outside of Vienna with a large yard and a simple and quiet setting. There are trails all around the house as well.
Studlerhof,Innsbruck – This is 20 minutes away from Innsbruck and an incredibly beautiful apartment stay. The rooms are spacious and it’s dog friendly. The views of the surrounding area are BEAUTIFUL in the winter time.
Vietnam
Homestay Hang Tre , Hanoi – This is a lovely apartment in the old quarter of Hanoi and it’s a perfect place for a family to stay.
Thailand
Anahata Resort, Lipa Noi, Koh Samui – if you are seeking peace and quiet, this is the perfect place for you in Koh Samui. We had a beautiful villa right on the beach and easy access to the beach. The food was so delicious at their bar. I think I need to write a post about this place because it is 100% worth it.
Indonesia
Arma Museum and Resort– By far this was one of my favorite hotels to stay at of all time. The owner is dedicated to keeping balinese culture alive and he has many artist work displayed throughout the property. You can even watch them work. The owner invited us to a NYE ceremony where we had such a great time watching traditional balinese dancers, and a fire show. Stay here if you want to help keep the Balinese culture alive!
Germany
Feriendorf Fuchsberg- Schirgiswalde- This is a beautiful dog-friendly stay. Nestled in Saxony, it’s the perfect place to situate yourself if you want to explore trails and the beauty of the area!
Tours I’ve Loved
Italy
Brindisi: Cooking Class and Tasting in the Olive Grove – Antonella treats you like family as you make pasta and learn about traditions in Puglia. The setting is even more magical as the sun sets and she tells you all about how her family established the farm.
Vicenza Secret Walking Tour– I found this through Beescover and I had a blast learning about things to do and see in the city I live in. You’ll love this one as you uncover what makes vicenza, vicenza!
Burano- Guided Walking Tour– Sylvia was an exceptional host and I absolutely loved this tour with her. I would 100% do this again just to see the lacemakers of Burano.
Valdobbiadene: Guided E-Bike Tour in Prosecco Hills– I loved this tour because Massimo , the owner of vagabond bikes takes you all over to uncover the magic of Valdobbiadene!
Netherlands
Amsterdam- 10 Tastes of Amsterdam Tour– This doesn’t need an explanation because food. I was stuffed from all the great food we ate. Stroopwafel was delicious, and the bitterballen were incredible.
Korea
Seoul: Create a Purfume with A Perfumer – I have been meaning to write a blog post about this experience as it was truly a good time. Nestled in a quiet corner of seoul is a hanok where you create beautiful scents.
Inwangsan Sunset Hike Read more about my experience with Lee from HoneyTrail!
Modeling photo tour at a palace– Want to dress up in Hanbok and have photos taken of you. Chan will take care of you as he gets you the perfect outfit and then you walk around the palace. It yielded some beautiful results!
France
Toulouse- Market Tour & Lunch with a Local Foodie
Jessica does a wonderful job of showing you around Toulouse and it’s market. We took this tour in March of 2020 right before the world shut down and I have to say. I think of this tour often because of her friendliness and how much love she had for Toulouse.
Thailand
These Tours in Thailand were so immersive and I felt truly special that I could be apart of these two experiences. One takes you to a beautiful and shared experience where you can learn how to cook some delicious items! The other takes you through Bangkok and into the heart of it all.
Sukhumvit: Hands-on Thai Cooking Class & Market Tour in BKK
Must-try: Hidden Bangkok Bike and Food Tour
Japan
These two experiences were some of my favorites in Japan. I had a blast with Shuji making ramen and the Gion walking tour was SUCH a beautiful one.
Osaka Ramen Experience with Shuji
Gion walking tour & hidden bar experience, private tour
Taiwan
Taipei: 4-Hour Morning City Cycling Tour with Breakfast—There’s no way to describe this bike tour. There was something so magical about Taipei on this Cycling tour. I couldn’t believe how friendly the locals were. Our tour guide was just coming back to taiwan and tracing her roots. It was so awesome to see the passion she had for the country and she did such a good job showing us around.