Elite Traveler Spring 2024

elite traveler SPRING 2024 26

Contributors

SAMANTHA COLES

ELLYS WOODHOUSE

TOBYLOUCH Lifestyle features writer

Editor

Digital writer

Samantha has been part of the editorial team for seven years. As editor, she works with our global contributors to bring exciting travel and lifestyle stories from around the world to the pages of Elite Traveler .A sun-seeker she might be, but that hasn’t stopped Antarctica from easily topping the list of Sam’s favorite-ever travel destinations. She visited in 2022 on board Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot —the world’s only luxury ice-breaker. At home in Wales, she’ll either be walking her golden labrador, Rhubarb, or doing CrossFit. Top of your 2024 bucket list? The Arctic Bath Hotel. It’s a ‘ fl oating hotel’ on the Lule River in Swedish Lapland with an open air cold plunge pool and hot tub so you can (hopefully) watch the Northern Lights above.

Ellys joined the Elite Traveler team in January 2024 after having worked for two-and a-half years as sub-editor for a number of our sister publications. As our new digital writer, Ellys will be covering the length and breadth of luxury, from fashion to property — look out for her Property of the Week listings on elitetraveler.com . Inher spare time, you’ll fi ndEllysat her local rock climbing wall in South London, and fi tting in plenty of travel — last year’s highlight was Mexico. Top of your 2024 bucket list? The Basque Country already promises to be a Spanish culinary mecca, but a meal at the three-Michelin-starred Akela ŕ e would be heavenly.

As the magazine’s lifestyle features writer, Toby works across Elite Traveler ’s editorial content, with a particular focus on cars and wine (not together). During his two years with Team ET , Toby has crammed in some amazing adventures — from a helicopter ride over San Francisco toward Napa Valley to an epic expedition cruise around Greenland. The real star of the highlights reel, however, was a trip to Thanda Island, a private island o ff the coast of Tanzania. Top of your 2024 bucket list? I would love to explore America’s South. I have a friend who moved to Atlanta last year and I’d like to visit. It makes sense to call in Nashville and Memphis while I amthere!

KIMAYLING

IRENIE FORSHAW

Deputy editor

Senior writer

Kim has been on the Elite Traveler team for three-and a-half years. In her adopted home of London, a perfect weekend would involve a long stomp in one of the city’s parks and a visit to one of its many art galleries, followed by a cozy dinner — Highbury’s Saltine is top of the visit list right now. On page 54, Kim speaks to South African marine photographer Helen Walne about her artist residency at Mozambique’s Kisawa Sanctuary. Top of your 2024 bucket list? I’m an ‘appreciate the journey’ type, so I’d love to hop aboard a sleeper train. Belmond launched a new Paris-Alps route aboard the Venice-Simplon Orient Express last year and is this year hosting a series of new itineraries with Veuve Clicquot. Choo choo!

London-based Irenie has been on the Elite Traveler team for two-and-a-half years, visiting some of the world’s most coveted sights, from the dramatic crevasses of the Grand Canyon to the inside of Alain Ducasse’s Parisian chocolate workshop. As ET ’s senior writer, Irenie covers hot news in the world of luxury and regularly pro fi les leading industry fi gures, from chefs to conservationists. Last year’s interview highlight was Michael Caines, the British chef behind Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor in Devon, UK. Where are you most excited to visit in 2024? Japan has been top of my bucket list for years; after a pandemic related setback, I’m fi nally going to Tokyo this spring!

ALEX MARTIN

Editor-in-chief

Following a career in sports journalism, Alex traded soccer stadiums for luxury lifestyle and has been an editor at Elite Traveler for fi ve years now. The love of sports didn’t disappear though; ultra marathons are still his idea of a good time. When he’s not running an ungodly amount of miles in a day, you’ll usually fi nd him waxing lyrical (or not) about whisky’s most fantastical new releases — from record-smashing, headline-capturing showstoppers to rare beauties from the dark cellars of little-known distilleries. Where are you most excited to visit in 2024? Forget the immersive cultural experiences — I have my eyes set on the unabashed luxury of Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, to see how it’s doing a year after that grand opening.