Doctors are prescribing a visit to this European country

We’re back—and this week’s Happenings is serving major travel inspo with a side of HAP editor Luke Abrahams’ opinions. We sit down with Travel PR powerhouse, Daisy Bird, who proves great taste and good ethics can (and should) coexist, plus we’ve got stories that’ll make you want to take a trip ASAP: a reimagined Newport, Rhode Island, icon, a film lover’s guide to Athens, foodie havens for the fussy, and a secret golf retreat hiding in Nova Scotia. Also, our New York City Know-It-All strikes again this week with her knockout Big Apple recs. Read on, y’all.

Oh look, another travel trend! How original. But, as it turns out, I quite like this one, so I will spotlight it. Welcome to the era of the “calmcation.” In short, a calmcation is a slower-paced vacation that considers both your personal well-being and the well-being of the planet. Nice, eh? It offers travelers the chance to connect with nature, as well as offering a quiet antidote to the constant stimulation of modern life. Sounds like total heaven. Well, it is, so if you are craving a total detox, this is one trend you should get on board with now. Full guide here.

You can tell I am in need of some wellness, right? To cut to the chase, this is all in the name of some brilliant marketing. A cheeky new ad campaign claims that visiting the Nordic nation and embracing Swedish culture can improve your wellbeing—and, in order to pull it off, it’s turning to medical experts. It’s no secret that this part of the world is famous for its slow, no BS take on life, which is why some folk tell people to go here to reset and unwind. The country’s latest tourism initiative, launched late last month, is called The Swedish Prescription and aims to highlight how exploring the Nordic nation’s vast wilderness can improve your wellbeing. Is there any science to it? Well, yes, and you can read about it here.

In our latest drop of Meet the Tastemaker, we catch up with Daisy Bird, the woman behind boutique PR agency, BIRD PR. Spoiler: she’s got fab taste and is an eco-type that genuinely gives a damn about the planet, as well as boutique family-owned businesses that give back. What a woman. Plus, her wildest travel story genuinely made my mouth DROP. Enjoy! Follow her here.

Luke: You often champion the boutique and the indies, so tell us about your style and how you are different from the rest?

Daisy: I feel taste is wildly subjective, and the joy of travel is made up of so many intangible elements, so it always makes me chuckle when people ask me, ‘What’s the best hotel in the world?’ or I see grand pronouncements from organizations declaring something to be ‘The Best’. My best may not be your best. And that’s perfectly fine.

I’m a traveler at heart, more than a hotel junkie, so cookie-cutter hotels replicated from one location to another are my hotel hell. I love original design and characterful, soulful hotels filled with local treasures, where you’re taken care of by local people who act as your conduit to the culture and community. I am a naturally curious and sociable person, so I like to ask hotel staff for their recommendations and stories—dishes to try, local happenings to seek out, neighborhood favorites, who’s the artist on their walls, etc—so I am always a bit deterred by that overly rehearsed and polished approach to service.

Aesthetically, I have quite maximalist taste, and get bored quite easily, so am hugely drawn to mood-boosting color and bold, surprising design rather than pared back minimalism. Whilst I don’t like gimmicky ‘trying to be cool’ hotel concepts, I do like a dash of eccentricity and tend to be drawn to hotels that are owned by real visionaries who aren’t afraid to rip up the rule book, create from the heart, and design the hotels they personally want to stay in. So many of the hotels we are lucky to represent at BIRD have been created by ‘accidental hoteliers’: they aren’t conventional hoteliers; most of them have had varied careers beforehand; they have a strong viewpoint, are very clear on their taste, and true to their values. These ingredients can be magic. As long as they hire exceptional operational people to make their magic a reality!

Luke: I’m sick of greenwashing. What are you doing to encourage your clients to go beyond the marketing jargon and actually make a difference?

Daisy: So are we. We don’t do fluff, and our clients know we won’t sugarcoat claims that are not accurate. Sustainability isn’t a marketing campaign; it should be baked into the daily operations—from waste and water management to renewable energy and education—but also have impact beyond the hotel via social purpose, community engagement, conservation, and philanthropic endeavors. Our role is to keep asking difficult questions and to push for evidence and transparency—even if that means encouraging clients to admit there’s still work to do and help connect them to the right partners to help audit, educate, and support their journey.

Luke: What is personally annoying you about the travel industry right now? Why has this struck a nerve?

Daisy: I loathe the term “home away from home” when it comes to hotel marketing terminology, as I travel for escapism, inspiration, and indulgence. Don’t get me wrong, I love hotels that feel residential and homely. I also love my own home and creature comforts. However, when I travel, I want to try new things, eat dishes I can’t pronounce, and feel creatively inspired. I want an upgrade on everyday life, rather than a replica of it.

Luke: What has been your biggest challenge to date in PR?

Daisy: Honestly, the biggest challenges - COVID, Brexit, digital disruption, shifting consumer behavior—have forced the greatest growth. They’ve pushed me to work smarter and up-skill to stay relevant. Being a founder can be exhilarating but also isolating. Your head never stops spinning: strategy, staffing, problem-solving, scenario planning. I’ve learned to stay curious and keep an open mind, surround myself with talented people I trust, and not be afraid to show vulnerability or ask for help. That’s what keeps me grounded.

Luke: Tell me one travel trend you are sick of. Why?

Daisy: Tech overload. I don’t want to check in via an app, navigate a touchpad to dim the lights, or scan a QR code to talk to someone. Modern life is already so tech-dependent. When I travel, I want human interaction: eye contact, conversation, connection. The best hotels find subtle ways to help guests slow down and be present.

Luke: You live in London. Where do you hang out most and why should people go there?

Daisy: I’m a born and bred Londoner and have always lived around Notting Hill, where I still stay a couple of nights a week, but we recently relocated the family home to Somerset. Notting Hill remains one of my favorite neighborhoods in London because it’s got such a strong community spirit, it’s a hop to Hyde Park and packed full of friends and great restaurants like Dorian and Canteen, or pubs that take me down memory lane, such as The Cow and The Pelican. I’m having a love affair with Soho at the moment. I like to stay at the Broadwick. It’s a riot of colour and energy, filled with characters, and my favourite spot to gather friends for cocktails, gigs, and DJ sets on their rooftop bar, which has some of the best views across London.

Luke: Name your top three restaurants in the world and why do you love them?

Daisy:

Luke: Travel is becoming so heavily commercialized now. Ask anyone in the know, and they’ll say the whole thing is about to implode. What are you doing to try and curb this? And how are you personally trying to encourage people who have the power to make changes happen to do so?

Daisy: It’s true—the race to monetize every corner of the travel experience has sucked the soul out of some parts of the industry. At BIRD, we like to champion the independent players who have the freedom (and often, the bravery) to do things differently and who genuinely care about people, planet, and purpose. The more we amplify them, the more influence they gain.

Luke: Let’s get soppy. What’s your fondest travel memory and why is it so special to you?

Daisy: Sailing holidays (with the right shipmates!) have been some of my happiest memories. There’s something magical about surrendering to the wind, anchoring in quiet bays, cooking what you catch, and watching the sun set over a place you only discovered that morning. This summer we sailed around Croatia with our children, their cousins, and grandparents, and it was joyful to see three generations with an equal sense of wonder on the same adventure.

Luke: Don’t be a PR here. You have been to a lot of hotels over the years. For better or for worse, how would you say the industry has evolved, and what do you think it needs to do next to address the problems the world faces from over-tourism to climate change?

Daisy: The pivot towards experience-led travel has been a huge win. People are traveling with more intention, more curiosity, more emotional engagement. They’re looking for connection, not just consumption. And that’s forced the industry to up its game. But there are still massive blind spots. We need to talk seriously about travelling slower, staying longer, and choosing fewer—but better—trips. We need to thoroughly understand the social and environmental context of our current situation and carefully consider the footprints we leave behind. We don’t need flashy, performative “eco” solutions: just honest, smart, practical steps from the top down.

Luke: Name your three favourite hotels in the world. Why do they stand out most and why do you keep going back?

Daisy:

Luke: You are one of travel’s biggest tastemakers in the UK. When you are scouting for a new address for the Bird portfolio, what are you looking for?

Daisy: For me, it always starts with the people. I want to understand the “why” behind the project: who’s creating it, what drives them, and whether their values resonate. Then I consider the guest's standpoint: how does the place feel? What makes it original, memorable, and emotionally sticky? I’m looking for strong aesthetics, interesting programming, stand-out food, and a sense that the hotel sparks joy. I want to feel as sure as I can be that it feels aligned with our taste and values, and confident there will be positive appetite from our community, who really trust our recommendations.

Luke: What has been your proudest achievement to date and why do you remember it so fondly?

Daisy: Watching our clients bring their visions to life, then attract the exact guests they dreamed of, and get recognized by the editors, opinion leaders, and awards we’ve collectively been aiming for. But what I’m most proud of is longevity. We’ve built decade-long partnerships with some of our clients, growing together, weathering storms, and evolving with the times.

Luke: Tell me your wildest travel story. Don’t hold anything back.

Daisy: Oh goodness, there have been too many wild experiences in 20+ years of working in the travel industry. The hats I’ve worn hosting press trips have been pretty varied—from therapist to conflict mediator, divorce coach, and logistics manager–in my next life, I might write a book to reveal all!

But for sheer horror: I was once asked to visit a hotel (that shall remain nameless) that wanted to be represented by BIRD. I had a bad feeling from the moment I arrived. Everything felt… off. The people, the ethics, the design, the energy. But I stayed, dutifully toured the place, and sat through tedious meetings with uninspiring people with zero business ethics. On my last night, all packed and ready to leave, I woke up to find a staff member—stark naked—pleasuring himself in my room. Needless to say, I had a solid excuse to decline the contract and not speak to said hotelier again. It was a strong lesson to follow my gut if something feels “off”.

Look, this is something we need to discuss now. Every single flight I have been on has been, in a word, a disaster when it comes to traveling with my fellow humans. Feet on the seats, shoes in the aisles, and one guy even threw a used, snotty tissue in the pages of the airplane literature. Delicious. Over in premium economy, it’s even worse. One lady I spied, who was genuinely horrified she had to use the economy toilets instead of the ones in Business, slammed the curtains with a look of disgust in her eyes. Then there’s the seat situ. End up in an aisle or window seat, and the one stuck in the middle will virtually slap your arms for accidentally leaning on one of their arms (with a side of attitude, of course). The question is, where has all of this entitlement suddenly come from? Y’all are just plain rude, and for no reason. Discuss.

The famous London grand dame hotel has just partnered with long-time hotel friend and distinguished British jeweler Annoushka to create a cute collection of charms in ode to some of the hotel’s most famous icons, including its mascot teddy bear and rocking horse. It’s all a nod to the hotel’s Art Deco roots, of which it is currently celebrating with a series of talks, events, and pageantry. Are they one for the Christmas stocking? Hell yes. Buy them here.

I am currently watching this as I type this newsletter, and my goodness, am I on the edge of my seat. While the third instalment of Ryan Murphy’s Monster series might not be for everyone, it shines a light on the origins of some of Hollywood’s most notorious on-screen killers, inspired by one of America’s most famous serial murderers, Ed Gein. Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Norman Bates from Hitchcock’s Psycho were all fashioned from the Wisconsin native. It’s not for the squeamish, and I will be watching Disney classics before bedtime for the foreseeable.

Our weekly column from hospitality-obsessed city native Megan Shelton unveils the gotta-be-there spots across the Big Apple that are anything BUT basic.

For more NYC + travel content, follow Megan, who doubles as HAP’s NYC Know-It-All and Contributing Writer, on Instagram, TikTok, and her Substack, Turndown Service