hotel Partners
Thank you to these very generous hotel partners that have kindly hosted me during my travels. If you do visit one of the properties, please be sure to tell them that you heard about them here! Hotels with ***** indicate my favorite hotels. To partner please email info@thecatchmeifyoucan.com
North America
africa
Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Tanzania: May 2017*****
Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa – Zanzibar: May 2017*****
Hideaway of Nungwi – Zanzibar: May 2017
Dream of Zanzibar -Zanzibar: May 2017
Hallmark House – South Africa: November 2017*****
Victoria and Alfred Hotel -South Africa: November 2017
Cape Grace Hotel – South Africa: November 2017*****
Marataba Safari Lodge – South Africa: November 2017*****
Machangulo Beach Lodge – Mozambique: November 2017
Sussi and Chuma – Zambia: December 2017*****
The Victoria Falls Hotel – Zimbabwe: December 2017
Gross Barmen – Namibia: December 2017
Sossus Dune Lodge – Namibia: December 2017*****
Mantenga Lodge – Swaziland: January 2018
Bushman Cafe Hotel – Côte d’Ivoire: April 2018
Les Marines de Babihana – Côte d’Ivoire: April 2018
Seen Hotel Abidjan Plateau – Côte d’Ivoire: April 2018*****
Golden Tulip Grande Comore Moroni Resort & Spa – Comoros: November 2018
Damal Hotel Hargeisa – Somaliland: December 2018
Blue Zebra Lodge – Malawi: January 2019
Four Seasons Tunis – Tunisia: February 2019
Le Nomade B&B – Burkina Faso: February 2019
Pestana Trópico – Cabo Verde: May 2019
Hotel Hibiscus – Gabon: June 2019
asia
Jagat Niwas Palace – India: October 2017
Cosy Nepal – Nepal: October 2017*****
Amelie Hotel – The Philippines: February 2018
TRYP by Wyndham Mall of Asia – The Philippines: February 2018*****
Destination South Shore – Yurts – Kyrgyzstan: June 2018*****
Hotel Arba – Samarkand, Uzbekistan: June 2018
Hyatt Regency Dushanbe – Tajikistan: June 2018
Nova Hotel – Armenia: July 2018
Tharabar Gate Hotel @ Old Bagan – Bagan, Myanmar: March 2019
Four Seasons Hotel Baku – Azerbaijan: April 2019*****
Rooms Hotel Tbilisi – Georgia: April 2019
Four Seasons Hotel Moscow – Russia: April 2019*****
Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg – Russia: April 2019*****
Four Season Seoul – South Korea: August 2019*****
Le Méridien Thimphu – Bhutan: August 2019*****
In catching up on listening to Conde Nast’s Travelogue podcasts — the best parts of my weekdays other than coming home to and cuddling with my pet kitty — I discovered your wonderful travelwebsite that you have! Love your photos, love the website design, love the content…
Listening to you and your colleagues on the panel describe the mostly pros of solo travel, I received affirmation of my preferred way to travel. Not that I needed affirmation, but it felt good to hear. I really dig what you explained: that most people of this world are good. Well, we can’t say *most*, but many. If I didn’t carry that thought in the back of my mind every time that I set out on a journey, I’d stay locked in my hotel room. And smart travelers of any gender just don’t go trusting anyone, of course. As you said so eloquently, travel with a positive vibe. Optimism can help all travelers, not only us solo travelers, have the best times of our lives away from home. I’ve met people who transformed into dear friends; I’ve met their families.
Every traveler’s story is as different as every personal journey or exploration. I mean, there was that first trip to Paris — a solo trip — where I was approached, then was stalked (after I thought I’d talked my way out of a danger zone), and then fondled by a septugenarian predator in Jardin des Tuileries. I couldn’t run from him because I had sprained my ankle the day before. No article, no travel agent, no concierge, warned me of how dangerous it *could* be to stroll through the Tuileries on a late Tuesday morning in November. (My assault occurred in the late 1990s, and the predator was a WWII veteran and, based upon my translation of his French, I quickly figured out that he was insane. As an Italian expat residing in France since the 1940s (and, yes, he was wearing some of his regalia!), he seemed like Brando’s “Paul” straight out of Last Tango in Paris. It was awful to be touched in private areas against my will; thank goodness he was scared off by a couple who had entered the garden, else he might have gone further.
Other than the above incident just over 20 years ago, I think I’ve been lucky thus far. Or perhaps I’ve learned more about self-preservation. Predators are all around the world, including in our hometowns. Now I know not to leave my hotel if I’ve seriously injured myself and I’m traveling solo.
However, I’m not a skittish traveler. I also let the hotel know where I’m going — where I’m heading, especially if I will not be returning until nighttime or it’s already night when I’m leaving.
I hope to one day be an intrepid traveler like you. I truly believe that travel is one of those passions that can increase a person’s confidence. Thus, traveling — especially solo — has improved my confidence and overall sense of well-being from in all areas of my life.
Keep on exceeding your travel dreams and inspiring us to get out there. Way out there.
Chantal! Thank you so much for sharing your story. I am so sorry that happened to you, but glad that you did not let it stop you. I stand by my comment that most people are good, rather than many. Continue to explore the world while keeping yourself safe!
very helpful post.
Glad you found it useful!
Wow , PRAYERS.
Thank you!