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ANGELINA VILLA-CLARKE

Freelance Travel & Lifestyle Journalist

Recent work

Forbes •

Forget Tuscany, Why You Should Put Umbria On Your Radar Instead

From the pilgrims of the Middle Ages to the aristocratic Grand Tours of the 18th century, tourists the world over have long had a love affair with Tuscany. The passion for its art, culinary offering and historic cities, have not waned, with this sun-kissed region hosting some 134 million tourists in 2023 (amounting to a total of more than 450 million overnight stays). As a result, overtourism has become a real problem, not only for visitors but for residents, with overcrowding and rising pressur...
Forbes •

It’s The Return Of The Jazz Age At The Grand Hotel Birmingham

In the UK, the Victorian era was the heyday of the grand hotel. Coinciding with a new appetite for travel, especially by rail, architectural wonders, in the form of grandiose hotels, sprung up across the country, with most major cities boasting their own elaborate versions.
The Langham, which opened in London in 1865, is regarded as the UK’s (and, in fact, Europe’s) first grand hotel, with the Savoy, opening in 1889, following its lead. Birmingham was no exception and its own grand dame property...
Forbes •

Why Sleep Tourism Is The Trend We’ve Been Dreaming About

According to travel trends forecaster Skift, as well as trusted magazines, such as National Geographic and Conde Nast Traveller, sleep tourism is one of the biggest trends for this year and beyond.
But, what is it exactly? “Sleep tourism is the art of travelling specifically with the goal of improving your sleep,” says Accor, the hospitality company that has the trend on its radar. “In other words, to make rest the reason you travel in the first place.”
Hilton hotels also highlighted the phenome...
Forbes •

Welcome To London, Through The Eyes Of New York

When NoMad London first opened in Covent Garden in 2021, by the New York-based hospitality company Sydell Group, it brought with it a renewed optimism to the city’s hospitality scene. Post-Covid, this little slice of New York (the first NoMad property opened in 2012 on Broadway and has now morphed into The Ned NoMad) was ingeniously carved out of The Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station and made much of its grand Grade II-listed architecture with a NYC irreverence coupled with a Lond...
Forbes •

Finding Italy’s Suite Spot For Shoulder Season

Mild weather, fewer crowds and foodie highlights from the country’s harvests are just a few of the perks of taking a trip to Italy in the fall. What’s more, there’s been a flurry of new hotel suite openings, offering the ultimate way to soak up the country’s charms without the crowds.
Dating back 163 years, Palazzo Daniele, a Neoclassical palazzo in Puglia, and part of the GS Collection, has recently undertaken its biggest expansion to date, including the addition of four new suites (taking the...
The Standard •

Fairmont La Hacienda is proof the Costa del Sol can do high-end

The culinary offering is a real highlight at Fairmont La Hacienda, making it feel like a true gourmet destination. There’s a choice of five restaurants including El Faro, which is open for breakfast and dinner. Overseen by chef Iker Gonzalez, the menu has a Basque influence (where he trained), and includes hyper-local ingredients to create dishes such as oxtail croquettes, platters of Jamon Iberico and tomato and burrata salads. The concept is all about simple fare for sharing. Don’t miss bookin...
Forbes •

Explore The ‘King’ Of Jewellers With A Stay In An Unsung Gem

In the tiara room, the lights are dimmed because the diamonds on show are so brilliant that they need no extra illumination. In more ways than one, the Cartier show (until 16 November 2025) at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is simply dazzling.
Known for its blockbuster summer exhibitions, spanning everything from Dior’s exquisite fashion to the influence of supermodel Naomi Campbell, the latest must-see show at the V&A is one that shines a light on the history of the French jeweller, Cartier...
Forbes •

Soak Up Slow Travel In An Undiscovered Corner Of The Costa Del Sol

Spain’s Costa del Sol is no stranger to hotel openings and, this summer, the Andalusian stretch of coastline is practically buzzing with newness. Already this year, Kimpton, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, has opened Kimpton Los Monteros Marbella, reviving one of Spain’s most distinguished hotels located in Marbella. This month, the Iconic Luxury Hotels collection, which includes some of the world’s most legendary hotels, including British icons Cliveden House and C...
Forbes •

Nature’s Calling: JW Marriott Opens On The Island Of Crete

The Greek island of Crete is no stranger to outside influences. It was, perhaps most famously, home to the ancient Minoans (2600-1150 BC), considered one of the most important civilisations of the world, and has been occupied and ruled by many, including the Ottomans and the Venetians, with the island only formally joining Greece in 1913.
The latest arrival to set down roots is the American hospitality brand JW Marriott, which, this month, has opened the doors at its first address in the Mediter...
The Independent •

Sorry, Mr Bezos, it’s no wonder you’re not welcome in Venice in June

“If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax,” screamed an enormous Greenpeace banner covering the historic paving stones in Venice’s St Mark’s Square earlier this week. The sign is one of many which have dominated La Serenissima’s heritage buildings (and been quickly taken down by police) in protest against the Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos’s upcoming wedding to the media personality Lauren Sanchez – a three-day city takeover which kicks off today.From a pre-wedding foam party...
Forbes •

It’s Food For Thought At The Newt In Somerset

“The Newt is more than just a hotel, it’s a legacy,” says Arthur Cole, head of programming at The Newt in Somerset, as he rumbles across picturesque farmland in a mud-splattered 4x4.
Read any of the reviews of The Newt in Somerset, a Palladian house hotel, farm and garden, owned by hoteliers Karen Roos and her husband, Koos Bekker, (both also preside over Babylonstoren in South Africa), and you’ll come across a whole raft of superlatives to describe it: astonishing, magical, charming... All of t...
Wanderlust •

Authentic adventures: 8 ways to uncover the real Maldives - Wanderlust

Dotted within cerulean seas, like a haphazard collection of pearls on a necklace, the Maldives is made up of some 1,200 islands. These tiny, sandy outposts rarely rise more than six foot out of the sea, and are found scattered across a huge expanse of some 35,000 square miles.
Whether you stay in the Baa Atoll, to the north of the capital of Malé, or in the Laamu Atoll, to the south, it’s a mistake to think that this Indian Ocean region is simply all about the beach. Once you tou...
Wanderlust •

A world of Wonder Awaits - Wanderlust

Arrive in style by flying with Emirates. The award-winning airline flies to more than 140 destinations and connects to over 1,700 cities through its airline partners. So, wherever you want to go in 2025 and beyond, Emirates can get you there. Flying via Dubai? Be sure to make the most of your stopover too, as Emirates has made it easier than ever to explore Dubai either on the way to or back from your final destination.
Onboard, you can expect comfortable cabins and hospitable cr...
The Standard •

Think Dubai's hotels are gauche? This one might just prove you wrong

You’ll stay in one of 29 Arabian-style ‘summer houses’, with spacious rooms arranged around a pretty inner courtyard, a traditional majlis (or living room area) and private swimming pool (larger groups can book exclusive use of the villas). The new interiors by Sahar Al Yasser, the award-winning Dubai-based founder of La Bottega Interiors, feels refined and pretty. Textiles and surfaces are designed in a palette of shimmering silver, pearl and opal. There’s also sumptuous detailing with velvet o...
CN Traveller •

The best hotels in Barbados

Barbados may have its own laid-back Caribbean island charm, where languorous afternoons stretch out along white-sand beaches that slope into surreal turquoise bays, but there’s more to this coral island than sand and sea. UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bridgetown thrums with independent stores, markets showing off Bajan fruit and art and buildings steeped in history (and invariably, rum) such as St Nicolas Abbey. Community roadside rum shacks are as prolific here as tropical gardens – the Andromed...
Forbes •

Regent Seven Seas’ Immersive Overnights Appeals To Younger Travelers

In 2023, an estimated 31.7 million people cruised worldwide (according to Cruise Lines International), with forecasts predicting this number will grow to around 40 million cruise passengers by 2028.
But what is the enduring allure of the classic cruise? For many aficionados, it offers a step back to a bygone, golden era of travel: days spent at sea with nowhere to rush to; looked after by a fleet of staff, with elevated food and entertainment on tap. For many, however, it is all about the thrill...
Forbes •

Behind The Reinvention Of The Palace, Madrid

From The Gritti Palace in Venice to The Savoy in London, some of the world’s most sought-after hotels date back many years. They may ooze heritage from their walls, yet they remain relevant in a modern climate due to their continual reinvention. One such hotel is The Palace in Madrid, recently metamorphosed as a Luxury Collection Hotel after a two-year renovation.
Dating back to 1912, The Palace is one of Spain’s most important hotels. Not only was it the first to have telephones in its rooms (y...
Forbes •

How The Lana Is Tapping Into Middle Eastern Wellness Trends

From The Lana’s rooftop pool, Dubai’s skyline shimmers in the cloudless sky. In the distance, towering over Downtown Dubai is the iconic Burj Khalifa, and down below, the city’s Marasai Marina gleams as the sunlight hits its pristine fleet of luxury yachts.
When The Lana, The Dorchester Collection’s first hotel in the Middle East, opened last year, it bought a new approach to hospitality in the region. Rather than shouting ‘luxury’, The Lana whispers it. The building—a bold, interlocking H-Shape...
Forbes •

How The Women Of Savile Row Are Tailoring Bespoke Fashion For A New Era

The great and the good of the tailoring world came together at Merchant Taylors’ Hall for the Golden Shears Awards last month. Known as the Oscars of the tailoring world, the biennial competition, which was founded in 1974, celebrates the next generation of U.K. tailoring and fashion talent, showcasing their creative vision and technical excellence.
From almost 90 entries, 25 finalists were selected to compete in the Golden Shears Final 2025. Competition was stiff with the exacting judges—includ...
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