The 16-Hour Flight Edit

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By Dan Howarth

Dear (HAP)ers,

Hello from Hong Kong! I’m here covering the city’s Art Basel event, and also scoping out the best museums, galleries, hotels, restaurants, bars etc, because why wouldn’t I?! As the nexus of East meets West, this captivating metropolis’s cultural and culinary scenes are ever evolving, and after 15 years away, I feel like I’m discovering the city all over again. Some of my highlights so far have included a tour of the incredible M+ museum; dinner at Always Joy, a new Japanese Diner concept that spicy stuffed chicken wings; and cocktails at DarkSide, the Rosewood Hong Kong’s moody jazz bar that’s currently partnering with The Macallan on a special whisky-forward menu. I was also lucky enough to check out Bar Leone, which topped the World’s 50 Best Bars list last year, and I’m happy to report it was a well-deserved win. The Olive Oil Sour is a sensation, and their fries. Their fries!!!

In this week’s newsletter, a special excerpt from HAP’s first quarterly newspaper (yay!), which is now available to pre-order. For my contribution, I documented my Cathay Pacific’ flight from JFK to HKG, and shared my secrets to making the most of time in the air. More details below. Also in long-haul flying news, British Airways has leaked its capacious new Business Class cabin configuration, as Ruby Gregg reports as part of her weekly news roundup. Meanwhile, Brit Eschelman chats with the founder of Bangkok fine jewelry line Patcharavipa about prioritizing process over precision.

Thanks for reading! D x

— Dan Howarth, HAP Weekly Newsletter Editor

By Dan Howarth

With ever-improving aircraft technology and fuel efficiency, direct commercial flights are getting longer and longer. The current record holder, between Singapore and New York City, is around 19 hours—taking passengers halfway across the world in almost a full day. I recently achieved a personal best, traveling from New York’s JFK to Hong Kong International on Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350 during a 16-hour adventure.

Being up in the air for so long is a mental and physical challenge, navigating boredom, claustrophobia, cramps, restless legs, and more. As a frequent traveler, I have several routines and rituals that I perform to ensure I’m as comfortable, productive, and healthy as possible. To find out how I spent my marathon aviation experience—and enjoy essays, interviews, spring-summer ‘26 travel recs, and more—pre-order your print edition of HAP Quarterly now.

By Ruby Gregg

I’m Ruby, HAP’s News Editor. Each week, I highlight the travel, hotel, and lifestyle stories catching our Editor-in-Chief Brandon Berkson’s eye—and what should catch yours too. Have an above-par piece of news? Pitch me at [email protected]

Florence favorite Harry’s Bar Firenze 1953 has returned within Sina Villa Medici, reclaiming its place as a go-to for classic cocktails and refined fare. With views over the piazza, the reopening signals a modern restoration that will celebrate the landmark’s timeless glamour.

Hvar’s summer lineup is getting an upgrade with the arrival of Hotel Sirena this July. Positioned along the island’s coveted, dazzling coastline, the opening promises an effortlessly stylish base for sun-filled days and late-night memories.

After decades of unchanged, iconic allure, The Beverly Hills Hotel is preparing for a long-overdue refresh. The carefully considered updates will aim to enhance the pink and green design while safeguarding the property’s unmistakable Old Hollywood identity.

Gone are the days when The Drawing Room At Asbury Ocean Club was a hidden gem reserved only for guests. Now open to all, the dining, social space, and hotel pair polished coastal interiors with a menu worth planning an entire evening around.

Lisa Vanderpump is officially entering the hotel space, bringing her signature opulence to Las Vegas—and reservations are now live. The reality TV star and businesswoman’s latest endeavor leans into theatrical interiors, indulgent dining, and a high-gloss social scene designed to be as much spectacle as stay.

A new Athens address is rewriting the city’s hospitality playbook with a community-first approach. Okupa leans into relaxed luxury and cultural connection, offering a stay that feels more like a creative hub than a traditional hotel.

Madrid’s latest wellness opening blurs the line between ritual and design installation. Riela delivers a striking, sensory-driven experience in a setting that feels closer to an art space than a traditional spa.

British Airways has quietly revealed a next-gen Airbus A380 configuration—and it’s all about scale. The expanded Business Class cabin signals a shift toward a more spacious, privacy-forward era of long-haul travel, a potential game changer for frequent fliers or anyone hoping to sleep straight through the journey.

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By Britney Eschelman

In a moment when branding often prioritizes visibility over substance, the most compelling collections are shaped by restraint, clarity, and lived experience. The work of Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura—founder of Bangkok-based fine jewelry line Patcharavipa—belongs firmly in that camp.

She began crafting jewelry at just thirteen, drawing from family heirlooms and a lineage deeply embedded in Thailand’s cultural fabric. Raised among inventors, developers, and philanthropists, her perspective was shaped by objects that carried both history and intention—most notably the legacy of her great-grandfather, Nai Lert. A pioneering force in transportation and real estate, his influence continues to shape modern Bangkok, including the grounds of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok.

Today, that sense of heritage informs a practice rooted in process over perfection. Guided by principles aligned with wabi-sabi, Patcharavipa works with natural materials—coconut shell, sacred ebony, Siam Gold—creating pieces that feel at once ancient and distinctly modern.

When asked how such a legacy shaped her creative instincts without becoming prescriptive, she put it simply: “The past has always felt like a foundation rather than a rulebook… that balance—honoring where it comes from while moving forward—naturally became part of my creative instinct.”

Read the full interview + view the collection here.