Living Consciously and Engaging Locally with Experiential Travel

The organic forms and elegantly simple design of Hotel La Semilla in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, reflect a sense of the surrounding Mexican history and heritage. A garden terrace features palm trees and lush vegetation, including a grand Copal tree—a type of tree highly valued by Mayans who use its resin as a sacred incense. Nearby are Mayan ruins and cenotes for exploration, with the hotel offering customized Riviera Maya itineraries complemented by bespoke onsite experiences ranging from private spa treatments to outdoor yoga sessions. Originals Angie Rodriguez and Alexis Schärer also developed a spiritual initiative called Zemillas, which aims to help guests develop self-knowledge for self-transformation and turn obstacles into opportunities.

On the Indonesian island of Sumba, Cap Karoso acts as a holistic bridge between Parisian fine living and the local Marapu culture. Modern architectural spaces are augmented by five traditionally styled buildings constructed like a village at the center of the property. Visiting international chefs at the restaurant Julang apply their expertly honed craft to local ingredients and flavors for intimate fine-dining experiences. And the three-hectare Cap Karoso Farm feeds not only the restaurant’s kitchen but also the minds of locals and guests through an artist-in-residence program, craft ateliers, and workshops. With the help of local communities, guests can also immerse themselves in aspects of the long-preserved Marapu culture through activities like ikat weaving and Sumbanese sandalwood horse riding.

With three villas carved into caves and cliffs suspended high above the sea, Santorini’s Vora places guests at the center and highest point of the caldera’s rim. Bespoke excursions to off-the-beaten path destinations as well as private dining experiences and caldera candlelight dinners are offered, with the surrounding area of Imerovigl boasting everything from ancient churches built in traditional Cycladic architectural style and the remains of an 11th-century Venetian castle to numerous sleek bars and unbeatable restaurants. “I want guests to know the Santorini that my parents showed me, the still-secret locations, the smells, and the food that I grew up with,” Original and Santorini native Yannis Bellonias says. 

Set across six Georgian-era townhouses, London’s Inhabit offers a sublime retreat to experience the city at a restorative pace. Encouraging mindful living, the hotel has a peaceful library, an atrium for yoga and fitness, a meditation pod, and an infrared sauna. Such spaces are activated and extended through a wellness program that includes nature walks, fives styles of yoga, Pilates, and morning meditation sessions. Special workshops are also hosted in collaboration with local conscious thinkers at the property, with previous themes including mindfulness, the creation of sustainable spaces, and gut health.

With several properties located in South Tyrol, Originals and natives of the region Klaus and Mortiz Dissertori expertly create unique experiences at each of their hotels. Set in the heart of Bolzano’s Old Town, Parkhotel Mondschein reimagines a building originally constructed in the 14th century and expanded in 1890 in the Belle Epoque style. Many exquisite original elements—including wide corridors, high ceilings, and stucco—are now paired with contemporary artworks, oak floors, walnut furniture, and textiles with colors that echo those of the surrounding urban park. The park itself also becomes part of the hotel, with the in-house yoga studio hosting sessions in the grass under the trees and the lobby’s Luna Bar spilling out into the open air. And while the historic Alpine city offers the comforts of urban amenities, it is also an ideal gateway to the hilly vineyards and Dolomites beyond.

Set in Lana, directly amidst such vineyards, is the Dissertori brothers’ Hotel Schwarzschmied. Offering e-bike, mountain bike, and Pelago bike rentals, as well as running seminars and guided themed hikes, the hotel is the perfect place from which to discover the Ulten Valley, the Gampen pass, Vigiljoch pass, and Merano basin. To recenter at the start or end of the day, the spa features three saunas and an onsite yoga studio offers a program for guests to cultivate inner gardens: at least two yoga classes are hosted daily, alongside special events including yoga soundtracked by live cello, yoga paired with a tea ceremony to develop “awake consciousness,” and breath and cacao journeys inward. From mountain to mind, the focus here is on providing moments for the soul and body to converge.

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