4 Hotels for a Fabulous Fall Vacation

Vacationers are planning an October escape to enjoy the brisk fall weather after the dog days of summer. It’s time to get in as many outdoor activities as possible before the chilly winter months. Plan a weekend trip to The Hamptons or that extended vacation to Tuscany you’ve been waiting to take. LGBTQ+ travelers might prefer to pack their bags for DC or London. Urban getaways are back, according to luxury travel agency network Virtuoso.

Editor’s Note: Those who travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure.

Washington, DC
Head to the capital of the United States to catch the famous annual High Heel Drag Queen Race which takes place on the Tuesday before Halloween (October 26). The race strip along 17th Street is located near The Dupont Circle Hotel, centrally located in one of the District’s popular neighborhoods. The newly renovated hotel includes a new bar and restaurant designed by Martin Brudnizki and a new penthouse suite designed by Clodagh. The hotel’s sprawling outdoor terrace is open year-round.

In October, travelers can comfortably visit Washington, DC’s outdoor monuments without the summer heat and crowds – and the changing leaves make for a great backdrop. The Kennedy Center, a memorial dedicated to the 35th president, turns 50 in 2021 and this fall will launch its Archives. Designed as a living memorial, oral histories and rarely seen materials from the Center’s Archives will serve as the source and inspiration for a series of overlapping installations throughout the campus. These various installations will include archival artifacts in immersive, dynamic, and accessible ways, in-person and online, throughout the season.  

And if you live on the East Coast, consider a train ride via Amtrak, which was incorporated in DC and it’s also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Amtrak introduced its new Acela trains between Boston and Washington DC that reduce carbon consumption by almost half!

The Hamptons
There’s a reason Hampton residents prefer the off-season. The summer house renters are long gone, and everything is much more tranquil, including the traffic to the line at  Goldberg’s Famous Bagels. It’s no more than a 4-hour drive from Manhattan, which is perfect for New Yorkers who need a break from their daily grind. 

You might not be able to sunbathe but there’s still plenty to do in autumn. Visit the Montauk lighthouse, shuck oysters at Widow’s Hole Oyster Farm, and explore the world-class collection at the Parrish Art Museum. Don’t miss the latest exhibition, Tomashi Jackson: The Land Claim, on show through November 11, which is centered on the historic and contemporary lived experiences of Indigenous, Black, and Latinx families on the East End.

Located next to the Parrish Art Museum is Shou Sugi Ban House, awabi-sabi inspired wellness retreat and destination spa that opened in Water Mill in May 2019. It’s open year-round! Each of the 13 individual guest studios comes with its own Kobe-style bed, fireplace, private terrace, and soaking tub. Just two years after its opening, the property has expanded its footprint to include Shou Sugi Ban Inn, an intimate bed and breakfast for overnight stays as well as two standalone luxury residences for short-term rentals.

London, England
As of August 2, fully vaccinated Americans can travel to England without quarantine requirements. The news coincides with JetBlue launching its first direct flights from JFK to Heathrow on August 11. The CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways last month said that bookings between NY and London were more than doubling on a weekly basis, and carriers such as American Airlines and United Airlines have restored and expanded service to the British capital after cutting it back in 2020. 

Visitors can take advantage of London Craft Week (October 4-11), which brings together over 250 established and emerging makers, designers, brands, and galleries from around the world, and London Cocktail Week, which despite its name, lasts all month long.

Vacationers can check into The Beaumont in Mayfair, which just reopened with upgrades to its outdoor terrace, library, lobby, spa, restaurant, and bar celebrating all-American bad boys, including Ernest Hemingway and Frank Sinatra. Meanwhile, The Kensington, a collection of four adjoining Victorian townhouses in the heart of South Kensington, reopened with brand new suites. After an increased interest in long-stay guests looking for a London home base, these suites were reconfigured to enhance the feeling of a luxurious and carefully curated home, using elements and original features of the townhouse to inform the redesign. 

In Chelsea, The Cadogan has a partnership with Harley Street hypnotherapist and sleep expert Malminder Gill to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. In fact, the Sleep Concierge is a new service exclusive to Belmond guests including a meditative recording by Malminder available via the Belmond app, a pillow menu offering the perfect fit for every type of sleeper, the option of a weighted blanket, a scented pillow mist, and a new bedtime tea service. Guests can also book a private one-on-one session with Malminder. Make sure you’re well-rested before heading back home from your vacation.

Tuscany, Italy 
Stretching from the Tyrrhenian Sea across acres of olive groves and vineyards to the Apennine Mountains, Tuscany’s diverse landscape is the birthplace of the Renaissance movement. It’s also one of the foremost wine-producing regions in Italy and home to precious truffles. October is a prime month for foraging the tubers with plenty of sunny days and cooler temperatures. Don’t miss the series of truffle-inspired festivals in the Tuscan towns of San Miniato, Volterra, and Palaia. 

Castello di Casole’s vast estate is also home to a treasure trove of truffles. Guests of the hotel can join expert hunter Mauro Nesi – who grew up watching his grandfather participate in the foraging art – and his Lagotto Romagnolo dogs to sniff out the delicacy. Once unearthed, Belmond’s chef uses the delicacy to infuse a tasting menu of Taglierini, Tosca fille, and Black truffle tarts. 

Just FYI, Italy is allowing U.S. visitors to enter without quarantining if they can provide proof that they are fully vaccinated, have recovered from covid-19 recently, or received a negative rapid molecular or antigenic test result in the past 48 hours. Americans can also enter Italy quarantine-free by taking a government-approved covid-tested flight from the U.S, via carriers such as Delta and United.