STAY > Yukinohana, Yuzawa Niigata (17/20)

Yukemuri no Yado Yukinohana in Yuzawa is a polished modern ryokan that blends classic snow-country warmth with contemporary comfort, just a few minutes’ walk from Echigo-Yuzawa Station and some of Niigata’s easiest ski access. It feels purpose-built for weekend ski escapes and onsen-heavy winter breaks, with thoughtful touches—free private baths, night ramen, tatami-lined corridors—that make…

ByCrispyJanuary 9, 20260Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > SENDAI WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > KAI Akiu, Akiu Onsen, Sendai (17/20)

KAI Akiu by Hoshino Resorts brings understated design, ritual-rich bathing and river-facing calm to one of Sendai’s most storied onsen towns, wrapping traditional ryokan cues in a quietly luxurious, contemporary frame. For ALMANAK readers, it is the kind of stay that feels purposeful rather than flashy—more about seasons, texture and water than spectacle.Summary Intro goes…

ByCrispyDecember 23, 20250Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > KUFUKU±, Akihabara Tokyo (17/20)

Tucked into a quiet backstreet on the Akihabara side of Chiyoda, Kufuku feels like stepping out of electric town and into a parallel world—one where time, fermentation, and French technique quietly reframe Japanese comfort food. Set inside a lovingly preserved kominka, this is destination dining for travellers who like their Tokyo with as much patina…

ByCrispyDecember 22, 20250Comments

EAT > JAPAN EAT > TOKYO WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Ginza, Tokyo (17/20)

High above Ginza’s polished sidewalks, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura feels less like a fashion-house spin‑off and more like a jewelled little universe of its own—part salon, part stage, part lucid dream in Gucci green. Here Italian technique, Japanese produce and a distinctly theatrical sense of storytelling converge into a tasting menu that is playful, polished…

ByCrispyDecember 22, 20250Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > TOKYO WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > TRUNK(HOTEL), Yoyogi Park, Shibuya Tokyo (17/20)

TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK is a design-led, boutique bolthole on the edge of Yoyogi Park that channels low-key Tokyo cool, rooftop glamour, and neighbourhood warmth in equal measure. This is a place for those who want Shibuya’s energy within walking distance, but prefer to wake up to trees, terrace light, and the scent of wood-fired pizza…

ByCrispyDecember 21, 20250Comments

STAY > ATHENS STAY > GREECE WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > The Twenty One Hotel, Athens (17/20)

Step away from the classical chaos and into the contemporary embrace of Twenty One Hotel — a clever, design-forward refuge at the leafy heart of Kifisia, Athens’ most quietly confident district. Here, you will find a bold façade of charcoal and glass frames, in a cocoon of Nordic-minimal calm, all just a metro ride…

ByCrispyNovember 8, 20250Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > GC EAT > QLD WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Little Truffle, Mermaid Beach (17/20)

Tucked discreetly behind a modest shopfront on the Gold Coast Highway, Little Truffle is the kind of place you hear about in passing and instantly add to your must-visit list—a Mermaid Beach fixture devoted to polished European flavours, immaculate service, and the warm local touch that’s always set it apart. After a refurbishment and a…

ByCrispyNovember 4, 20250Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > L’Hôtel Gitan (17/20)

Step off bustling Commercial Road and into the warm embrace of l’hôtel gitan—a South Yarra institution by Jacques Reymond, where the Parisian spirit mingles with Melbourne’s urban edge. Housed in the bones of an old pub and radiating the unforced style and glamour that’s become Reymond’s signature, its polished floorboards, frosted glass, and curved…

ByCrispyOctober 26, 20250Comments

DRINK > ATHENS DRINK > BARS DRINK > GREECE

DRINK > Brettos, Athens (17/20)

The oldest distillery in Athens, in the middle of the Plaka, selling cold drinks and snacks. What’s not to like? . AMBIENCE > Operating since 1909, Brettos has had time to produce and collect lots of bottles. Two walls are lined with coloured glass bottles, a kaleidoscope of colour and alcohol with enough brightness to remind…

ByPaulaOctober 11, 20250Comments

EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > The European, Spring Street Melbourne (17/20)

Step from the tram-swept bustle of Spring Street into The European and the years seem to slide away. The mosaic floors and bentwood chairs recall another era—a continental refuge under the colonnade, shadowed by the stately Parliament House. Here in the theatre district, Melbourne’s appetite for the Old World is enduring, and nowhere is it…

ByCrispyOctober 6, 20250Comments

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