The Edit: Volume 9
In Residence with Jess Einaudi, Two Bunch Palms stay review, hotels in Ireland & Scotland, vintage-inspired hotels in Milan & Marbella, and a closet sale
In Residence with Jess Einaudi
If I had to pick my top three follows on TikTok, Jess would an easy pick. She has this warm, authentic energy that feels unique and special on an app where there’s a lot of trying. She has fantastic style, and an amazing eye for vintage. She’s creative and cool, and she loves hotels. I’m so thrilled to have her In Residence today.
Canadian-born, collegiate runner, current full-time model (the real kind), and content creator who had the most beautiful wedding in her husband’s homeland of Tuscany. It’s a no-brainer type of must-follow. Do that on TikTok and Instagram, and then let’s talk hotels, vintage, and travel. I love how she describes everything – it transports you to that place in the world. Thank you so much for your time and sharing your taste, travels and vintage secrets with us!!
I always have to start with this – what's your favorite hotel in the world? Or hotels!
It’s so hard to choose but my stand out is one that is talked about a lot— The Four Seasons Bora Bora really is all that and more. First of all, the islands of Bora Bora are hard to beat, but the hotel’s position on a private lagoon over looking Otemanu Mountain is truly the best spot on the whole island! The property is gorgeous and so well thought out, the concierge was overly helpful (they noticed my horrible sunburn and sent Biafine and a local medicinal oil to my room lol oops), rooms were new and fresh, service was top notch and last I heard they were bringing in chefs to overhaul their dining program. My opinion of this hotel was cemented when we went next door to the St. Regis Bora Bora for the night and it fell flat big time!
A close second and third would be Hotel Miramalfi in Amalfi and Anzan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala— a boutique property that focuses on design while also giving back to the Guatemalan community.
What about bucket list - any hotels that you're just dying to stay at but haven't yet?
High on my list are Cuixmala— we’re so lucky to be so close to Mexico by flight, but I’m still dying to go here. Reschio in Umbria looks like heaven— I have to get my husband here! And finally Forestis in the Dolomites.
I know you live in Texas, and I'd love to know if you have any favorite TX hotels? I want to eventually make a full hotel list for Texas!
We live in Houston which is predominantly a business travel destination, so many of the hotels feel quite corporate. But as Texas grows, there’s a huge opportunity for the hotel industry. Some of my favorite Texas hotels include the Hotel Swexan in Dallas, a new upscale hotel with high end finishes, large scale rooms, an incredible gym/spa set up, and 4 restaurant and bars to eat at. In Austin I love The South Congress Hotel, a staple on SoCo. You might run into celebs here around ACL.. I have! The Carpenter Hotel a new hotel near Zilker Park and Barton Springs. And Hotel San Jose on South Congress for a boutique, motel feel. In Houston, the Colombe d’Or Hotel is a reworked mansion in Houston’s Montrose district! Beautiful historic charm and a great bar. Also, not Texas, but in New Orleans, the Hotel Saint Vincent, newly renovated Columns hotel and Hotel Peter and Paul are amazing)
I love that you, like me, are fortunate to spend time in Italy. Do you have one specific place that's just your favorite, hands down? Another instance where you can absolutely pick two.
This is so hard! I married an Italian so I’m extremely lucky to have an excuse to go to Italy at least twice a year to see my in-laws. They live in Tuscany, which is also where we got married, so that is always a special region for us. But my in laws are also self-appointed, unofficial ambassadors of Italy. They have taken it upon themselves to show me the best parts of Italy, and trust me this list is endless, because they really appreciate their country! A special place for their family is the Piedmonte region where my father in law grew up. Their family runs Poderi Einaudi, a boutique hotel and winery that’s been producing Barolo and Nebbiolo for 125 years, in Dogliani! My personal favorite is the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily. An hour ferry from Messina to Salina Island transports you to a world untouched. We stayed at the Capofaro Locanda & Malvasia and it was one of the most peaceful, beautiful trips we’ve ever taken. I don’t even like swimming in the ocean or sea, but I spent about 4 hours straight in the sea in Salina because it was that beautiful. Just make sure to buy some water shoes at a beach shop so you can navigate the rocks!
I'm such a fan of your style, especially with your amazing eye for vintage. It's one of my favorite things, and I rarely get to talk vintage with people. Do you have any vintage stores around the world that are your (until now) secrets? Of course, only the places that won't hurt your soul to be released into the internet.
I have been obsessed with vintage ever since I was a kid. When I was 12 I used to take the subway to Kensington Market in Toronto on the weekends. It’s a neighborhood in Toronto packed with vintage stores and the streets turn into pedestrian only on the weekends. Even when I didn’t buy anything, I would spend hours browsing racks and racks of clothes. That love for vintage has never dulled. When I started traveling as an adult I made a point to go to vintage stores in each new city. I view it as a scavenger hunt, because you may find one-of-a-kind pieces in a that you’ll never come across again!
My absolute favorite is Recollection Albrici in Florence, Italy. I actually spent my birthday here this year. Shoutout to my patient husband who put up with nearly 4 hours in this store! But I could have spent 4 more hours there!! It’s endless treasure. Some honorable mentions: Penny Lane Vintage in Amsterdam (great vintage across Amsterdam), Century Girl Vintage in New Orleans, Hedy Vintage in Osaka Japan, and pretty much all of Tokyo for vintage designer (Amore, Vintage QOO etc).
Lastly, is there anywhere in the world you desperately want to go to but haven't been able to find a hotel that gets you excited? I'll make a list below for you!
We just got invited to a wedding in Ireland at the end of August, so we’re going to try to do an Ireland and maybe Scotland trip! It seems like such a bucket list location, but I never hear about hotels there. Any guidance would be amazing!
You got it. I owe you big time! Thank you so much again.
Hotel Stay Review: Two Bunch Palms
I’m deeply grateful Two Bunch Palms exists. It’s exactly what I seek in hotels: boutique, special, and aligned with the land it’s on. It’s not just a hotel, it’s an experience. One that for me was truly, thoroughly regenerative.
It’s where you escape when you’re run down and need to be watered like a plant. The place you book when you want to truly relax. It’s the type of hotel that makes me so excited to have this career. Internet friends, It’s even better than I wanted it to be.
Originally built by Al Capone, now a luxury boutique hotel and spa in the Palm Springs area of California, Two Bunch Palms is an oasis - quite literally. 20 minutes from the airport in Desert Hot Springs, it’s so easily accessible yet feels like a million miles away. That’s a huge for me in seeking the truly special hotels of the world.
I posted about it on TikTok a while ago, sharing that it was the top hotel in the Palm Springs area that I wanted to stay at. I’m incredibly grateful they invited me and my life-long (since birth) best friend to come experience it first-hand. We keep telling each other it must become a a yearly tradition. She just recently lost her dad, I’m in a tough time of life with mine and we both felt truly rejuvenated (recharged!) after just the first night. Special special! The capital S kind.
It will forever be where go when I need to reset, via the easiest hour-long flight from SFO. But also, if I ever had a bachelorette party, this would be a top contender. Great for friends, couples, and solo stays where relaxation is on the mind and unique wellness is the way.
Natural hot springs, rich in lithium, are a driving force of the Two Bunch special sauce. They have numerous tubs – larger concrete ones with a patio of sorts and smaller ones made of teak – nestled among plentiful palm trees. I had this idea in my mind of what it would be, but there’s no way I could have known how magical this experience is. The water is the perfect temperature (staff checks frequently & unobtrusively to make sure it’s ideal) and strangely soft to the touch. Not normal water, that’s for sure. Magic water.
Sometimes, I find it difficult to stay in hot tubs or warm thermal waters for longer than five minutes at a time, but that was not the case at Two Bunch. Something about the unique mineral composition, the desert breeze and innately serene surroundings. Beyond the tubs, they have a big saltwater pool as well as an enchanting lagoon-like thermal pool.
But it’s not just about the soaks and swims. The property is sprawling and intensely alive. A large pond has resident turtles, fish, and ducks with palm trees surrounding and the mountains staring stunningly at you in the background. They have a palm-filled hammock grove! If you know me in real life you know that I love hammocks more than anyone else I know. I used to go to Governor’s Island in NYC on Fridays just for the hammock grove. And at a fantastic hotel? Ideal.
They take great care in curating their complimentary amenities. Every day, there’s a varied schedule of classes from yoga and pilates, to sound baths and angel messages. I still am not quite sure what the latter is, but my friend Marta told me I made a massive mistake by not partaking. The crowd is cool and calm, which is why this programming is such a special element. I feel obliged to mention that unlike many “spa hotels” they make great cocktails, too.
Which leads me to the food. The restaurant is great. The views, the interiors, and the food. Plant-focused but not meat-free, highly inventive but nowhere close to “foam” territory (which I deplore). Everything we ordered was delicious, but I’ll be dreaming about the fried artichoke hearts with a black garlic sauce until my next stay. And they make fantastic coffee, something far too hard to find.
We were treated to a Capone Suite, but you can’t go wrong with your room choice. This is a place where a lot of your typical room activities are done outside – my dream! The suite was incredibly lovely. Simple, but tastefully decorated in a way that’s uniquely California Desert without being kitschy or trendy. Both my best friend and I are bona fide bed snobs, and we both gave this a solid A on our mental report card. I never talk about the fact that I don’t typically sleep well at hotels (even the fanciest!), but I slept perfectly both nights. Something about those lithium-rich tubs…
The morning before I left, I had a deep tissue massage with Chase, a woman with the kind of “magic hands” I always wish for in a masseuse. 10/10 massage. They have many types, as well as body treatments and all sorts of facials. Something for everyone, but I’m a get-in-there-it’s-ok-if-it-hurts kinda girl. The spa treatments take place in these standalone buildings that really harmonize with the surroundings, and are perfectly luxurious yet natural inside. This is the kind of hotel where you have no need to leave the property and every reason to splurge on the spa treatments, since so much is complimentary.
The staff was amazing. Beyond being kind and highly helpful, every single person was someone I would love to have a long conversation with. Cool people running a very cool, highly special hotel. I know, I know I love my superlatives. But I mean it!
I can’t wait for my next trip. Two Bunch Palms, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m a lifer now!
The Ireland & Scotland Short & Special Hotel List
Inspired by Jess’ upcoming trip to Ireland & Scotland, here’s my short list of my top hotel choices in each. No cities, this is a countryside list.
Let’s start with Ireland. For a major splurge, Ballyfin Demesne is at the top of my bucket list. But the coolest hotel that just calls to me (and hopefully you, Jess!) is Ballymaloe House Hotel.
In Scotland, The Fife Arms is by far-and-wide my top bucket-list choice. So cool, so unique, and exactly what I would want for a Scottish Highlands splurge. Foyers Lodge on Loch Ness really calls to me too for something a bit more simple.
My full Ireland hotel list will be out on the paid edition within the next month, and my full list of hotels in Scotland is in the UK Hotel List.
Jess’ Vintage Eye in Hotel Form
I also asked Jess to share a list of vintage pieces she’s currently coveting – I had this idea of using her finds as fodder for hotel inspiration. It was fun! A wildcard, but I think it worked.
The vintage:
The aesthetic: Palm Beach in the 70s meets Manhattan in the 80s which translates to old-world hotels with an elegance and and understanding that it’s more than ok to dress up.
I think this can skew a few ways. Let’s say two – totally different. First, my top choice luxury hotel in Milan, Grand Hotel et De Milan. This could be such a look for a night at La Scala, right by the hotel.
But then I can equally see it fitting in at Marbella Club in Spain. A bit of old-world glamour, a dash of 2024 fun. What do you think?
My First-Ever Closet Sale!
I’ve had a bag of “to bring to The Real Real” clothes for far too long. I figured why not bring it here instead. I have a bad habit of buying things that I want to fit me, despite being a very petite human. I also have a bad habit of forgetting to return things that don’t fit until after the window has closed.
Everything is new! Priced with shipping - continental US only. DM me on Instagram @mklurstein to inquire & purchase. I ran out of space so sadly the sale is via this link.
Happy Sunday, Happy Hoteling, and Happy Shopping you good people with good taste!
xx Your Penpal,
Marissa