HAP Founder Brandon Berkson here: I hope you’ve all been having a fantastic holiday season. As you know, I share three things in travel each month that NEED to be on your radar. From a magnificent architectural photographer to a high-up bar offering Mexico City’s best views to France’s all-business-class airline, here are my picks for this month.
World Famous Architectural Photographer, César Béjar
One of my favorite photographers and based in Mexico, César Béjar shoots some of the world’s most stunning examples of architecture. A portion of his work covers hospitality-related establishments; for example, he shot Baja Club in La Paz, Mexico (I can’t wait to get here in 2022). His unique eye captures lots of contemporary design—a style that we love here at HAP.
Samos Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City
The brand-new Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, towers over the Mexican capital. Located in the city’s cosmopolitan Reforma area, the luxe hotel is across from CDMX’s illustrious, colossal park, Bosque de Chapultepec. Standing tall at 58 stories, the building’s 38th-floor bar, Samos, boasts the best views of Mexico City. The inside is full of handsome motifs and well-appointed furniture, with floor-to-ceiling windows that peer out towards neighborhoods like La Condesa and Roma Norte. On the outside terrace, nightcaps—not one on the menu is a wrong choice—are paired with sensational vistas of not only the park, but also posh Polanco and the distant mountains that encircle the metropolis.
La Compagnie
French boutique airline La Compagnie shut its doors last year, but as of this summer, they are back in the skies. Its top-line planes—their new Airbus A321neos are known for being both quieter and more energy efficient—are an all-business-class-style type deal, with only 76 seats in total. Flying them from Newark to Paris’ Orly airport is a piece of cake (or croissant, for that matter—sorry, I’m being cheesy). Expect a big in-seat screen, comfy travel pillow, sybarite-approved headphones, and an amenity bag with Caudalie products, socks, plus an eye mask. Oh, and there is free Wi-Fi so you can be in focus mode while cruising across the Atlantic.
