JULIET KINSMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MR & MRS SMITH

Juliet Kinsman, Editor-in-Chief of Mr & Mrs Smith boutique travel specialists, and Kensal Green resident talks to T&H and shares some great travel tips. (Her blog for her West London neighbourhood Park-Life.org celebrates people and places in Queens Park, Kensal Green and the surrounding area – it’s a must for local info).  Juliet wears Classic Long kaftan in teal over black silk Slip.

Juliet has the kind of energy you would expect from a woman with a global schedule. Her quest to deliver style, service and original hotel experiences for the discerning traveller takes her all over the world, most recently New York, Mykonos, South of France, Berlin, Thailand and Italy.
“I love my job,” she enthuses, “It’s a complete privilege to travel to so many exciting places and meet such interesting people.”  Juliet regularly shares her travel and interior design thoughts in The Observer through to The Sunday Times Style magazine and The New York Times.

T&H: Where have you been recently that you recommend?
JK: Mykonos actually, where I stayed in an amazing luxury villa called Villa Orpheus (see picture above)– it was like taking over your very own boutique hotel – and it’s owned by the loveliest couple. I also visited Puglia in Southern Italy, where I saw some great masserias and trulli (see pictures above) – such a beautiful part of the world. We also headed to the less well-known region of Basilicata and stayed in Le Grotte della Civita (see pictures above) in Matera. Originally cave dwellings in the ancient rock, it’s now an extraordinary luxury hideaway thanks to 10 years of painstaking restoration. Every detail of the low-key-luxury furnishings is antique – it’s an incredible experience, and it would be a great place for a romantic autumn weekend away.

T&H: What about the ol’ ‘staycation’?
JK: Colourful and a bit kooky, Cliff Barns is definitely somewhere unique!
T&H: Does it look like Southfork?
JK: Ha ha, no it’s a kitsch private house in Norfolk purpose built for fun times for all the family or a big group of friends.

T&H: Top tip for finding flights?
JK: Skyscanner, everytime! It tells you most flights available for connections all over the world. Or if you have an iPhone, great apps are Next Flight (£1.79) which details all upcoming departures. And then keep track of all your transits with Flight Status (£1.79).

T&H: Favourite travel blogs?
Our Mr & Mrs Smith blog is great for insider hotel advice and inspiring tip-offs from our travels and I also love The New York Times’ T magazine’s travel blog which I also contribute to.

T&H are particularly enjoying your new hotel guidebook from Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Collection France…
Thank you so much! I can just envisage some gorgeous holidaymakers sporting your kaftans by the pool at one of the Côte d’Azur properties, or popping on their poncho while on a glam city break in Paris.