If we’d received a penny every time we’ve travelled for work over the past ten years, we probably wouldn’t have to work anymore – but that wasn’t ever really an option; we’re enjoying ourselves far too much to be stopping anytime soon. Still, we were immediately hooked upon hearing about a new, subscription-based platform that’s essentially handing out ‘cashback’ for hotel stays – the kind that goes much further than you’d think.
Just launched Safara Travel is on a mission to reinvent the way we book travel online, cutting out the hidden fees commonly found on other websites, and instead pioneering a credit system members can use towards booking stays or room upgrades at a selection of over 7,000 luxury hotels handpicked by the platform’s founders and personal network of industry experts. Needless to say, our quest for the best in hospitality drove us to reach out and hear some of the team’s personal recommendations.
We asked Safara co-founder Maya Poulton, who steers the ship alongside Joey Kotkins, which hotels on their books would best suit OutThere travellers. Her response? Singapore’s newly opened Six Senses Duxton for a quick stopover en route to a more off-the-beaten-path destination, such as Indonesia’s Raja Ampat archipelago. Bali’s COMO Uma Canggu also made Poulton’s list and, take it from us, if it’s anywhere nearly as gorgeous as its Ubud-based sister property, the hotel is deserving of anyone’s praise.
Over in America, Poulton hopes to see Safara subscribers party by the pool at Shutters on the Beach (‘it’s a classic LA property that feels like a luxurious home’) and explore Toronto’s happening neighbourhoods from the comfort of The Drake, ‘the quintessential 18-room boutique hotel that doubles as the locals’ hangout thanks to its stylish bar and rooftop’.
In case you’re wondering: while we’re busy setting up our Safara account, Poulton is looking forward to escaping to Sicily’s impossibly romantic monastery-turned-hotel and wine estate Monaci delle Terre Nere next – we have a feeling it’s not for business.
Photography courtesy of COMO Uma Canggu
