
Yasaka-dori early morning with street lanterns and the Tower… · Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Ryokan or hotel
A ryokan is an experience, not just a bed — dinner, bath and breakfast are part of the deal. If that sounds like a lot, a good hotel in the right district may serve you better.
A ryokan is an experience, not just a bed — dinner, bath and breakfast are part of the deal. If that sounds like a lot, a good hotel in the right district may serve you better.
From Vol. 1 · No. 04 · April 2025, The Blossom Issue. The cover story is Where to Stay in Kyoto. Details change; confirm specifics with the property before you travel.
More from the column
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Hdr Vineyard (19455303) · Liliana Saeb · CC BY 3.0 · cropped
Valle de Guadalupe · Vol. 2 · No. 09 · September 2026
Valle de Guadalupe: Where to Sleep
Choosing where to stay in Valle de Guadalupe, from vineyard guesthouses to city hotels, determines the rhythm of a trip.
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Starr-180326-2966-Cocos nucifera-aerial view The Grand Wailea… · Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 3.0 US · cropped
Maui · Vol. 2 · No. 08 · August 2026
Maui Coasts: Where to Sleep
Deciding on South Maui or West Maui makes all the difference for a first trip, with options from value condos to full-service resorts.
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Bellagio - Albergo Genazzini & Metropole from Lake Como · Xavier Caré · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Lake Como · Vol. 2 · No. 07 · July 2026
Which town
Bellagio sits where the two arms split and gets the postcards, along with the crowds that come with them. Varenna, across the water, is smaller, walkable and has the train from Milan. The western shore — Cernobbio, Tremezzo, Lenno — holds the grand villa-hotels and the gardens. Pick for how you mean to spend your mornings.
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Rice terraces, Bali · Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
Bali · Vol. 2 · No. 06 · June 2026
Bali: Coast or Interior
Deciding where to sleep in Bali means choosing between the island's green, cultural heart and its varied coastline, each offering a distinct trip.

The columns, every month.
One considered letter when a new issue lands: the cover story, the four columns, and the month's news.