All the better then that she has launched Indagare, a travel website and members service dedicated to sourcing some of the most authentic and special trips around. Together with her team, she scouts out remarkable travel experiences from Berlin to Bangkok, Chile to China, giving Indagare members the inside scoop on some truly wonderful holidays. Here, she rounds up some of her most trusted recommendations.

Best for: A Family Holiday: The American West

Stay: Located on 6,600 acres, the lavish Ranch at Rock Creek offers incredibly stylish rooms, suites, houses and tented accommodations in what is a personal and gorgeous interpretation of a Wild West adventure.

Eat: Chef Josh Drage whips up delicious farm-to-table dishes using produce, herbs and meats all sourced from the local community. Special themed dinners (think a Dutch Oven night), the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and s’mores at night are not to be missed. Tip: reserve fireside seats for chilly evenings.

See & Do: Clay shooting, fishing, paintball, skiing, snowmobiling, bowling and foosball at the Saloon.

Best for: A Romantic Getaway:  The Amalfi Coast

Stay: The sixty-two-room Le Sirenuse is built into the steep hillside of Positano and exudes an uncanny mix of serenity and elegance. Romantics, sybarites, art aficionados and those willing to splurge on one of Italy’s most iconic resorts will enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Eat: The most memorable lunch spots are accessed via boat only. Our favorite spots for romantic dinners—filled with truffle pastas and uber-fresh seafood—are the restaurant at Il San Pietro hotel, La Tagliata for a casual hilltop meal and Palazzo Murat, set in a beautiful garden in Positano town.

See & Do: The stunning coastline is equally beautiful from the water, and first-time visitors should not miss a day trip to Capri, arriving just in time for lunch at famed beach club La Fontelina.

Best for: An Adventure Holiday: The Atacama Desert

Stay: Located off of one of San Pedro de Atacama’s main streets, Awasi is the area’s most exclusive property with only eight rooms and offering private excursions, perfect for families and couples.

Eat: The Relais & Chateaux hotel fuses typical Altiplano flavors with international influences. Dishes tend to incorporate purple potatoes, quinoa and chañar (a sweet fruit from the local palo verde tree).

See & Do: Come to the proclaimed “driest place on earth,” 5,000 feet above sea level, to take in the striking topography and biological rarities during days spent horseback riding and mountain biking. This unique ecosystem is also home to several astrological observatories and boasts incredible stargazing.

Best for: A Once in a lifetime trip: A Tanzania Safari

Stay: The ideal Tanzania itinerary combines such highlights as the Great Migration, the Serengeti and a visit to a Maasai village. Our favorite properties include Singita Sasakwa and Mwiba, combined with a few nights at a tented mobile camp.

Eat: Guests of Sasakwa can enjoy breakfast in the bush or a romantic fireside dinner in their room.

See & Do: Game drives and bush walks occupy most days. To change your vantage point, take a hot air balloon ride over the plains to see the migration.

 Best for: That Cultural Escape: Berlin

Stay: Occupying a former bank building in Mitte, Berlin’s most luxurious property is the 146-room Hotel de Rome.

Eat: Like the rest of the city vibe, Berlin’s dining scene is casual and laid-back. Our favorite picks for a fun night out include The Grand, a former school house­–turned restaurant; Lavenderia Vecchia, an Italian hot spot that occupies an old laundromat; and Neni, a Middle Eastern rooftop restaurant overlooking the Berlin Zoo.

See & Do: Getting a handle on the enormous cultural and historic offerings of Berlin can be overwhelming (there are more than 170 museums). To complement more historic sights like the Berlin Wall, add in visits to Templehof (the old airport is now a park that visitors can explore via scooter) and Sammlung Boros (a contemporary art gallery in a former bunker), and contact Indagare to arrange a city graffiti tour.

For more information on all of the above, visit  www.indagare.com

Photo Courtesy of Indagare

1. Melissa in Egypt
2. Melissa in Zimbabwe
3. Josh Drage at the Ranch at Rock Creek
4. Beach Club La Fontelina in Capri
5. La Tagliata at Il San Pietro hotel, Amalfi Coast
6. Awasi at the Atacama Desert
7. the Atacama Desert
8. Tazania Safari
9. Lavenderia Vecchia, Italian hot spot that occupies an old laundromat in Berlin
10. Melissa at the Templehof, Berlin

Bed down in an igloo under the world’s most spectacular lightshow

Make like an Eskimo – and your way to Lapland – for a night in your very own igloo.  At the Levi Igloos in Finland, small glass roofed pods for two are nestled amongst the trees and feature snug bedrooms and little kitchens, all with warm (and extremely necessary,) furnishings – it could well be -22 degrees outside. The star attraction, however, is what happens in the sky above you as you cozy in for the night. For, located on the edge of the Arctic Circle and under the sky responsible for the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis, these modern igloos with their specially designed glass viewing roofs are also in fact front row seats to greatest lightshow on earth.

Find yourself shipwrecked above the city of London

A Room for London is unique in so many ways; it’s hard to list them. A boat like structure that seems to have been shipwrecked on the roof of London’s cultural Southbank centre, it has just one room and a design inspired by the riverboat that wound it’s way down the Congo in Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness. Conceived as a place of refuge and reflection perched high above the hectic city below, visitors have to apply for a stay by ballot, and are permitted one night only. Once inside, it’s all cozy cabin furnishings and with views that stretch from the Houses of Parliament to St Paul’s Cathedral and beyond.  One night, one amazing view, one totally unique experience.

Take to your very own Tower

Positioned on England’s dramatic Jurassic Coast, the cliff top Clavell Tower was built in the 1830’s and used by local coastguards as a lookout.  Now you can follow in the footsteps of Thomas Hardy, who used to take the coastguard’s daughter and his first love Eliza Nicholl here with a weekend perched on the edge of England. Renovated after it was decimated by fire in the 1930’s and reachable only by foot, it now features just one small room on each floor, all curled around a spiral staircase that leads to a sitting room at the very top complete with a roaring fire and quite possibly the best views in England.

 Dine like a Maharajah, or a King, or James Bond…

If it’s glamour, history, romance and drama you’re after, then the Lake Palace in Udaipur has them all in spades. Built by the Maharajah in the 1740’s as his summer palace, this ice cream castle of a building floats on Lake Pichola, accessible only by boat. With it’s opulent interiors, amazing lily pond filled courtyard, gilt and marble inlaid pavilions and hand painted motifs, the Lake Palace has played host to everyone from Jackie Kennedy to Queen Elizabeth and even James Bond in Octopussy. And if it’s good enough for them…

 Be a modern day Robinson Crusoe on the shores of Lake Malawi

Tucking up for the night on a driftwood four poster bed positioned on it’s own tiny rocky island under the huge, star-filled African skies on the shores of Lake Malawi has got to be about as romantic as it gets. Guests are taken to their remote Lake of Stars bed for sundowners and a specially prepared dinner before being left all alone in the wild for the night (well, nearly left alone – hotel staff are always close on hand to make sure this is solitude with a heavy slice of luxury.) We’re talking is Robinson Crusoe style living, with a bit more romance and hotel service. What on earth is there not to like.

And here are our KOTUR picks for Ibiza:

Play: Pacha or Aura
http://www.pacha.com/
http://aura-ibiza.ibiza-bars.net/

Sleep: Hacienda Na Xamena or Cas Gasi
http://www.hotelhacienda-ibiza.com/en/index.html
http://www.casgasi.com/en/

Shop: La Dalias Hippy Market
www.lasdalias.com

Eat: la Paloma
http://www.palomaibiza.com/

1. The Ballet Russes costumes
The costume designs for The Ballets Russes are a continuous source of inspiration for me. There was such freedom around colors and proportions. It all came together in a stunning presentation that revolutionized the art form.

2. Elephants
I have loved elephants my whole life. They are incredibly powerful, yet gentle creatures that can teach us so much. We have a few pieces in the collection inspired by elephants that allow us to give back to the David Sheldrick Trust in Kenya.

3. L’Isola dei Galli
When I was a little girl, I would visit my grandfather on L’Isola dei Galli off the coast of Positano. I still remember the feeling of the warm wind and the bright blues of the Mediterranean Sea.

4. Live In The Sunshine, Swim In The Sea, Drink The Wild Air
This Emerson quote truly embodies the spirit of Figue! We have it hanging in the studio as a reminder.

5. Luxe Guides
Luxe Guides are right on point. They are cheeky, fun and loaded with great destination spots.

6. Lamu, Afica
Lamu, a heritage site off the coast of Africa, has an incredible authentic spirit that I love. From the architecture to the way of life, it is as if you are transported to another time.

7. Bob Marley
Bob Marley is almost always playing on my iPod. It makes me feel like I am on the beach even when I am not.

8. Malick Sidibe’s photographs
Malick Sidibe’s photographs are a constant source of inspiration for me. I have many of his books at home and displayed around the office.

9. Open Air Markets
I love browsing open-air markets (like this one in Masai Mara, Kenya) for beautiful hand-beaded jewelry, art and crafts.

1. Bagan, Burma
Bagan is an incredibly beautiful valley in Burma littered with thousands of 11th century Buddhist temples.  The view just takes your breath away.  I went in the late 90s, before there were many tourists, and I truly felt like I was in another time another world walking through those ruins.

2. Cantonese Food
Canto food just transports me straight home to Hong Kong!  I was traveling in Peru for 2 weeks with my sister, by the end of the trip, we had to make a dash for Chinatown in Lima.  We were sitting with a Peruvian crowd, but it felt like any lunch-hour in Tsim Sha Tsui.

3. Invigorate Lotion from Como Shambhala Estate, Bali
Its sits on my desk in the office, & transports me every time to their Spa Pavilion in Bali.. it is truly heavenly.

4. Bombay, India
Bombay is a magical city.  I love the Indian characteristics of the city that over-run its Victorian architecture back-drop.

5. Turkish Towels
We spend a lot of time sourcing in the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul.  I’m always knee-deep in Turkish textiles, so the amazing Turkish towels in my bathroom transports me back to Istanbul.

6. KOTUR’s Guzel Heels
Guzel in Turkish means “beautiful”. I love KOTUR’s reinterpretation of the ottoman sandals.

7. La Mamounia Hotel’s Lobby Scent / Candles
The written word cannot describe the amazing scent in La Mamounia’s lobby in Marrakesh.  It transports me to magical tents, Berber tribes, exotic orchards….  I went on a hunt to find the scented candles and brought boxes of it home.

8. Instagram
The secret voyeur in all of us comes out through Instagram.

9. Shop Latitude’s Blog
I’m personally obsessed with all the amazing travel stories of the designers & globetrotters we interview.  I experience the world differently through their eyes.

Kamalaya, Koh Samui

This Thai retreat on the island of Koh Samui is known for it’s comfortable, luxurious approach to wellbeing. From their special sleep clinics to yoga classes on the beach, their delicious thai inspired but extremely healthy menu to their beachfront bungalows, Kamalaya shows how to spa in style. www.kamalaya.com

The Farm at San Benito

Fans of a total cleanse like to head to the Philippines Farm at San Benito. Nestled in the jungle, this small resort of cabanas and villas focuses on cleanses – fasts, juice diets and more. The sort of place that people come back from looking 10 years younger (and 10lbs lighter,) it’s a must visit on our list for 2013. www.thefarmatsanbenito.com

The Viva Mayr Clinic, Austria

For a clinical, doctor lead approach to cleansing, it doesn’t get much more thorough than the Mayr Clinic in Austria. Nestled on the shores of Austria’s Lake Worthesee, patients here follow the Mayr ‘Cure’ a week or longer approach to a full overhaul of our digestive systems. Fasting, carefully controlled meals and rigorous Austrian spa techniques (brushing, saunas, hot and cold baths, infusions and the like) not to mention dips in the freezing cold yet extremely invigorating fresh water lake all leave Mayr disciples feeling shiny and new. www.viva-mayr.com/en.html

Treepod dining at Soneva Kiri Koh Kood, Thailand

Got a head for heights? Book Treepod Dining at the heavenly Soneva Kiri and be seated in a bamboo pod winched up to six metres in the air so you can gaze down on the rainforest and waves below while an acrobatic waiter serves your meal via a zip line.

Dress code Soneva Kiri’s motto is ‘no news, no shoes’, so think casual – sundresses, shorts and sandals are perfectly acceptable.

Top table Seriously, you can’t beat star gazing from your private pod nestled high in the jungle’s canopy. 

Dress code International urban chic (linens, neutrals) with a colonial flourish (blazer, shiny shoes)

Top table All tables come with jaw-dropping vistas, but window seats offer pole-position, especially the more copious corner spots. Book ahead for intimate booth tables adjacent to the bar or one of the private dining pods lining the open kitchen.

Underwater dining at Anantara Kihavah’s, Maldives 

The Sea restaurant at this boutique oasis of luxury ocean facing villas in the impeccable Maldives excels in seasonal five-course lunches and four-course dinner menus, all served in glass-walled splendour three metres below the waves.

Dress code Crisp linen for him; billowing silk for her.

Top table Book a window seat in Sea for oceanic submersion without getting wet. Fish will float dreamily past as you dine on lobster lunches and degustation dinners, paired with the sommelier’s choice of 6,500 bottles of wine.

Dinner on the Mekong at An Lam Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

French-Vietnamese cuisine is served on tables overlooking Mekong river life in this Saigon boutique hotel that steps back in time. In it’s open air Tram dining room, Vietnamese lanterns typify the hotel’s fusion of French and Vietnamese elements whilst boats float dreamily by. There are comfy rattan chairs with big cushions to sink into, perfect for long romantic dinners. (Start with gỏi cuốn, rice-paper rolls, and move on to succulent duck magret).

Dress code Cool and Continental: think a shift dress and Chanel references (pearls, ballet flats) for her; chinos, linen and cologne for him.

Top table Bag one of the three tables along the river in the ‘Luc Binh corner’ overlooking the water and the Buddhist temple surrounded by palm trees on the other side of the river bank. (Lucky Smith members get first-dibs on one of these tables each evening).

Country Splendor at Le Manoir aux Quatre Saisons, Oxfordshire UK 

Celebrated chef Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is the grandest, oldest house in a small, secluded Oxfordshire village whilst his two-Michelin-starred restaurant serves a deservedly celebrated menu of modern French dishes. If you’re going all-out (and while you’re here, why not?) go for the nine-course Menu Découverte; if you’ve a smaller appetite, there are five, six, and seven course tasting menus, too. Think english country chic meets delicious french cuisine and you’ll get the drift.

Dress code Très élégant.

Top table Every table’s good, but the conservatory’s views of the gardens make it a top choice. Tables for two predominate; if you’re dining as a group, request the long table in the restaurant’s semi-private La Bourgogne room (for up to 12 guests).

Stunning sea views at Cape La Gala, Sorrento, Italy

Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, the main restaurant at five start Capo La Gala sits above the pool, with various seating areas dotted around the hotel, inside and out, including one down by the beach. Crisp navy tablecloths stand out against the white Panton chairs, and there are stacks of stripey blue and white cushions. It has a Michelin star to its name, so expect fine flavour combinations, such as tuna steak in herb pastry with caponata and candied tomatoes and ravioli with caciotta cheese and marjoram.

Dress code Pucci and Prada, worn with a tan.

Top table By the windows in the main restaurant, with views straight out to sea.

View details for all hotels on www.mrandmrssmith.com

The Film: Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine opens on July 26th. Starring the impeccably chic Cate Blanchett, it promises a return to more serious form for the director. Telling the story of a fashionable Manhattan housewife (Blanchett, of course,) who’s husband (Alec Baldwin,) turns out to be a crook, it examines her move from the upper eschalons of society to a life lived with her sister in San Francisco after the collapse of her marriage. Poignant, timely and with signature Allen razor sharp social observations and what’s being billed as a knockout performance by Blanchett, it’s one not to miss this summer.  Out July 26th.

The Book: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams. A love affair, a betrayal and a story set in the picture perfect Rhode Island seaside community that is 1930′s Seaview give this all the perfect ingredients for beach read of the summer.  www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Summers-Beatriz-Williams/dp/039916216X

The Exhibitions: London is having a moment. Photographer Miles Aldridge’s exhibition at Somerset House shows his extraordinary colourful prints from now until September, whilst ‘David Bowie Is’ at London’s Victoria and Albert museum is a biopic of his extraordinary life as told through his extraordinary fashion. On show also until September, it’s a must see for anyone passing through the city this summer. Or, for travellers keen on further flung inspiration, Mate, Mario Testino’s non profit Arts Foundation based in his native Lima, Peru has a show featuring the supersnapper’s extraordinary shots of his country’s indigenous tribes from Cusco. (And, for those who cant’ quite make the trip, there’s always the T Shirt to buy via Net-a-porter.com here!)

The Album: When it comes to the feelgood factor, it’s all about the Great Gatsby Soundtrack this summer. From Lana del Rey to Florence and the Machine, Beyonce to Bryan Ferry, it features too many of our favorites not to be our pick for sound of the season.

The Destination: Dedon Island, found on the Siargo island in the Philippines is the latest barefoot luxury hot spot on the map. Conceived by it’s German founder Bobby Dekeyser, who runs an outdoor furniture company with the same name and designed with a ‘barefoot state of mind’ at the forefront of it’s concerns, it has just nine eco friendly villas perched on the edge of it’s perfect white beach. Add in crystal clear waters, mangrove filled forests, it’s hanging wicker day beds, cotton voile adorned rooms, open fronted villa porches and infinity pools, and this place is a million miles away – in all senses. www.dedonisland.com

And the one to keep the kids occupied on the plane: The National Parks Pop Up Book. Just out this month, this brilliantly conceived compendium features fabulous pop up imagery and ‘who would have thought it’ facts on 18 of America’s most famous national parks. From Yosemite to the Everglades to the Grand Canyon, it’s a kid’s book designed to provoke a bit of old fashioned wonder – and one that donates it’s profits to benefit the parks, too.  www.nationalparkspopup.com

www.luxecityguides.com  Along with our passports and SPF, a Luxe City Guide is a total travel essential as far as we’re concerned (see our interview with their founder Grant Thatcher here.) With guides to pretty much any city you might wish to visit, these pocket sized notes full of insider info and the odd quip do the same job as your fabulously travelled best friend might on holiday – they get you to the best of the best, quickly, and with a few adventures along the way.

www.mrandmrssmith.com The Grand Dame of boutique luxury, the places this website doesn’t list in locations all around the world almost aren’t worth considering. Brilliant for great reviews with incredibly handy hints on everything from room choices to local restaurants to kid friendly holidays, plus very easy bookings and totally tantalising pictures.

www.ahotellife.com  Newly launched A Hotel Life is the brainchild of Ben Pundole, the man behind Montauk hotspots Ruschmeyer’s and the Surf Lodge and features a highly edited selection of hotels with an emphasis on the cool. Each reviewed by tastemakers including interior designers, DJs and magazine editors, Pundole’s website is where to find out where the hip crowd are holidaying this summer.

www.theluxenomad.com A new flash sale website, The Luxe Nomad runs short sales on stays in heavenly resorts around the world with a special focus on Asia. From last minute trips to Thailand to jungle stays in Laos, this website will help get you there quickly – and on a fabulous deal.

Pictures: The Luxe City Guides, The Borgo Santo Pietro in Tuscany as shown on mrandmrssmith.com, Deetjen’s Inn as pictured on ahotellife.com and The Danna in Langkawi, Malaysia from luxenomad.com

Visitors flock to Luang Prabang mostly for its temples. Small the city may be, with the old part consisting of just a few streets nestled in between the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, but there are intricate temples at almost every turn, ranging from the new and rather flash to the old and handpainted, each filled with statues of Buddha and, between them, home to thousands of monks. Around the temples has sprung some lovely architecture. Remnants of Laos’ French colonial days are evident in lovely shuttered villas complete with verandas and balconies that seem frozen in time. Higgledy piggledy side streets full of climbing bougainvillea and traditional Laotian houses are peaceful, quiet and completely charming to wander through.

Hotel options are plenty. There are endless guesthouses throughout, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to the more upscale Villa Santi, owned by the last King’s daughter. The super luxe Aman group have opened a hotel here, but for a perfect blend of Laos living and luxury, the Residence Phou Vao where we stayed would be pretty hard to beat. A small hotel that was all mosquito nets and flowing white linen, dark teak floors and beautiful views, it gave a stay that will be hard to forget. Restaurants in town are simple, outdoorsy and completely charming. Two highlights of our trip were the french bistro L’elephant and the Blue Lagoon Cafe, one specialising in more fusion Asian food. By night, it’s all about the market, where people from the North pedal their wares – embroidered cushions and clothes, hand tooled silver artifacts and paintings are all on show.

So, next time you’re looking to check out for a little, wanting to head somewhere different for a total break from life, think of this. For peace, quiet, beautiful surroundings and a total getaway from city life, it doesn’t get much better than magical Luang Prabang.

http://www.residencephouvao.com/web/plua/la_residence_phou_vao.jsp

http://www.amanresorts.com/amantaka/location.aspx

http://www.blue-lagoon-cafe.com/contact.htm

http://elephant-restau.com

Pictures: All taken by Kotur