To celebrate the bloody good finale of White Lotus, Forbes Travel Guide released its recommendations for the best hotels in Koh Samui, the setting for Season 3 of the hit HBO series. To determine the best hotels in Koh Samui, FTG’s incognito inspectors posed as ordinary guests and stayed multiple nights at each property. The inspectors tested hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, which accounts for 70% of a property’s rating. The remaining 30% comes from the quality and condition of the facilities. Here are Forbes Travel Guide’s top four Koh Samui resorts.
Building on its successful partnership with Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Marriott recently announced it will be the official hotel partner of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour. The partnership will include a sweepstakes (in which five winners and their friends will win the “Bring You Beyhive” Ultimate Friends Trip Grand Prize package) as well on-property experiences tied to the tour, including photo ops, DJs, and pre-and post-show happy hours. Beyoncé’s tenth concert tour starts in Los Angeles on April 28, and wraps up in Las Vegas in July. It will include stops in Chicago, London, Paris, Atlanta and, of course, her hometown of Houston.
The Estates at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta is a popular private retreat for the celebrities and ultra-wealthy guests. One of six Vidanta resorts in Mexico, the Estates is the only one with a golf course that hosts a PGA tour event, the Mexico Open. The Puerto Vallarta resort features a range of suites—from one to four bedrooms—each with private butler service, a chef’s kitchen and a separate dining room. Most—including a $13,000-a-night suite—offer plunge pools and balconies with a panoramic view of the Bahía de Banderas.
If you see people sprinting past you at the airport, it’s safe to assume they are late for a flight. These days, however, it may be on purpose. Thanks to a viral TikTok challenge called “Airport Theory,” passengers arrive for a flight 15 minutes prior to the gates closing—an experiment that reached peak popularity during the busy spring break travel season. While some hail Airport Theory as a positive trend for streamlining the check-in process, travel professionals think it’s not only dumb but potentially more expensive. After all, if you miss a flight because you’re too slow, you run the risk of having to pay for a new itinerary if the airline doesn’t assist in getting you with rebooking.
When it comes to a first cruise, even experienced travelers may fell a little, well, lost at sea if they don’t know what to expect—including overpacking, not bringing enough cash and not having travel insurance. According to travel experts, these are the most common mistakes that first-time cruisers make.