Italy

Lake Como

Italy is a much sought-after destination that can vary from sightseeing in Rome, to beaching on the Amalfi coast. One of Spinner’s most frequently requested Italian destinations is Lake Como and he highly recommends visiting the intimate, 24 suite Passalacqua, which Frederick Eklund has described as “the most perfect hotel.” Here, there’s a strong sense of history and place in this 17th century palace sitting on land once owned by Pope Innocent IX and on which Count Andrea Lucini Passalacqua built a sprawling villa in the early 1800s. Across the lake, a more contemporary option is the Mandarin Oriental, a chateau that once belonged to a count. The whole lake is what Hillel describes as his “idea of paradise.”

From the far north, Spinner suggests travelling to the opposite end of the country; Sicily. Specifically, to check out the setting of the popular HBO series “The White Lotus” at the luxurious Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel, the perfect staging point to enjoy Sicilian architecture, volcanoes, beaches