As much as we love room service, crisp linens and a fully loaded mini bar, we’ll forfeit a hotel room for a home away from home.

Renting an apartment always makes us feel like a local, and the pads on offer over at Haven in Paris are a fantasy realized. This little gem in Montmartre is so charming with its herringbone floors, Louis XVI style chairs and rooftop views. And look at this lovely place in Provence. I could happily spend a few weeks playing house here.

All properties include a private driver, baby sitter and concierge and a member of the Haven in Paris team will be there to greet you on arrival. Sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? We may never leave. —Athena Tsavliris

www.haveninparis.com

Where in the world can you spot Valentino walking his pugs on the high street, Julie Andrews shopping for milk at the Co-op and Polanski sipping tea at the Palace? Only in Gtstaad, my love.

Toronto editor and perennial Gtsaad-goer, Athena Tsavliris shares her Gstaad loves.

Tea at Charley’s is such a treat. The mille-feuilles, madeleines and macarons are delicious. It’s a local institution steps away from the ice skating rink.

Beyond the Hermes bags, baubles and watches, there is a kitchen shop par excellence, that stocks everything from Japanese ceramic knives, Le Creuset pots, Villeroy & Boch china and more fondue sets than you’ve ever seen.

Forget skiing, people watching at the Palace hotel is the local sport. Harvey Weinstein, Michael Winner, Roman Polanksi and Valentino, were among this year’s sightings. And yes, the King of Couture really is a frightening shade of terracotta.

Lunch on top of the Eggli is a decadent feast of Croûtes au fromage, Schnitzel and gravy smothered bratwurst. The mountain air makes everyone ravenous.

The philosopher’s walk between Gstaad and Saanen runs along a river and is a beautiful, peaceful escape from the glitz and buzz of town. On a sunny day, it’s just heavenly.

—Athena Tsavliris

There was a time when lounges were exclusive to first class flyers and their monogrammed valises. These days, anyone with $50 to spare, can sink into a designer swivel chair with a copy of Monocle while waiting to board.

The Maple Leaf lounge is an easy place to pass the hours. Here’s why:

The selection of magazines is as good as it is broad. From fashion to sports and cooking, there’s a title for every traveller.

With a gazillion miles behind you and a fair few more to come, a refreshing shower feels like heaven.

Bypass rubbery chicken on board and load up here instead. A selection of agnolotti, crudités, cheeses and artisan breads hit the spot.

Comfy leather armchairs are kinder on the bottom than those aluminum upright chairs littering the terminal and the hidden nooks are perfect for napping.

Bon Voyage.

—Athena Tsavliris

www.aircanada.com

Sometimes your designer clad derriere feels too posh for a grubby Toronto cab.

With its fleet of 20 shiny, new Lincoln town cars, Winston, a freshly launched local taxi/limo service, ($20 minimum charge)  aims to bring style and ease to your travel experience.

Once you’ve downloaded the iPhone app you can call a cab from wherever you are at the press of a button. A Winston car is sent to your location via GPS, so no having to fuss with directions. You can track your ride while you wait via GPS and your credit card is automatically billed on arrival. How civilized.

The service does work out to be more expensive than a regular taxi. But when you’re time poor with a flight to catch, Winston might just be your man. —Athena Tsavliris

www.hirewinston.com

No self-respecting tourist would be seen pulling out a map under the Arc de Triomphe. Palomar’s crushable maps ($20) are an inconspicuous solution.

They are soft, light and waterproof, and so cool that fellow travellers will flock to you like pigeons in San Marco. Stuff it in a pocket or pouch when not in use. Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Oslo and Toronto are among the cities on offer, with no doubt more to come.

And for those of us who can’t read maps anyway, at least we’ll get lost in style. —Athena Tsavliris

At Type Books, 863 Queen St. W., Toronto, 416-366-8973, www.typebooks.ca

When it comes to hosting houseguests we keep it simple: a stack of fresh towels at the end of the bed, some posh hotel slippers and a secret stash of shortbread for late-night munchies.

On the bedside table is the quintessential "little black book", (although it’s lavender) that beelines our stylish Toronto guests to the city’s gems. As with all Hg2 travel books, the Toronto edition is packed full of flashy pics, insider tips and suggestions on where to eat, drink and play.

All the usual suspects made the cut—Drake, Splendido, Courage My Love—with a few off radar picks like Swan’s End Guest House and Camp 4.

Your guests will be having so much fun that they won’t want to leave, at which point you confiscate the shortbread. —Athena Tsavliris

www.hg2.com

A little while ago, one of Toronto’s most beloved fashion bloggers/illustrators bid us adieu to set up in shop in Blighty. We asked Final Fashion’s Danielle Meder to share some insider tips and treasures from London town.

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There's a stretch on Kingsland Road in Dalston where there are about half a dozen charity shops, and although you're competing against some very savvy shoppers, a keen eye will uncover the odd treasure.

On Brick Lane you’ll pay a bit more for vintage but you won't have to look as hard. Rokit and Beyond Retro both have large selections, fast turnover and decent prices. There are tons of street stalls on the weekend that are worth a look. I've even had some luck bartering. Ask for a better price, you might get it.

For beauty stuff, this super-pharmacy Boots is pretty decent. The flagship on Oxford Street is massive. I buy my Clinique stuff there.

eat + drink
There’s nothing I love more than a fresh sausage or bacon and egg sandwich (or bap) – italian caffs all over the city serve these. I recently had one at Diana's Diner in Covent Garden which totally hit the spot. Foodie stuff galore at Borough Market is worth a whole weekday morning. Get the best coffee at Monmouth and nibble samples of everything. Weekends, hit up Broadway Market to see and be seen, it's like a fashion show with food.

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Friday evenings at the V&A have lots of fun activities and are a great way to meet people. The National Portrait Gallery does something similar called the Late Shift. I always go for a live drawing class whenever I have the chance – they're available all over the city all the time, from serious art school sessions to drink & draw pub style. Every Thursday on Vynor Road, art galleries open their doors & serve cheap (or sometimes free) beers. The Book Club in Shoreditch offers tons of diversions & a lively atmosphere.
—Athena Tsavliris

“A modern-day Eden,” is how James Lohan, publisher of the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel guide, describes Verana. We spent three nights at the magical Yelapa, Mexico beach resort and here’s what we loved:

The location – On the edge of the jungle overlooking the sea.


The rooms – Each one is unique and carefully thought out. Antique red ceiling fan in one, Mexican table football players on the wall of another.


The breakfast – Each morning a thermos of coffee and cakes are secretly delivered and left outside your door.

The spa – A massage to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks is pure heaven.

The cocktails – Sensationally lethal vodka, soda and fresh lime drinks before supper.



The turn down – Flowers and little cards cut out from Mexican lottery cards are left on your pillow.

—Athena Tsavliris

www.verana.com

With her giant Karen Walker sunnies and neon orange satchel, Katie Merchant is hard to miss. Fresh to Toronto from Hamilton, (via Seoul, South Korea where she was teaching English) Merchant’s blog is a gorgeous mix of food, fashion and art. Here, she shares some of her favourite city haunts

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Chasse Gardee has to be my favourite store in Toronto. Karen Walker sunglasses, a rack of A Détacher, and of course, beautiful shoes (my favourites: Dieppa Restrepo loafers and YMC punk sandals).

For vintage I like Philistine (all blouses 2 for $40) and Penny Arcade (1177 Dundas St W).

To buy gifts (or magazines for myself, like Lula, Bad Day and Worn Fashion Journal) I visit Type Books, The Drake General Store or Good Egg in Kensington Market.

For a playful selection of local artists' work (think crocheted cacti and floral headdresses) I love going to Magic Pony on Queen West – they always have the cutest window displays.

eat + drink
Living in Parkdale, Capital Espresso (1349 Queen St. W) is my go-to spot for coffee and freshly-baked muffins (especially the carrot coconut).  For cheap wine, tasty meat, cheese platters and a soft, relaxed atmosphere I often find myself at The Common (1071 College St.).

For brunch I like Saving Grace (907 Dundas St W), especially if they have fig frittatas on special.  Delux wins for my favourite lunch and dinner, though (even more so if the meal finishes with their donuts).

And finally, after spending over a year in South Korea, I needed to find a place that would satisfy my constant craving for kimchi and soon tofu.  Luckily, Buk Chang Dong has done just that, and the price can't be beat.

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I especially like Show & Tell Gallery which recently hosted Double Rainbow Rainbow, a bright and beautiful group show by artists Maya Hayuk & Jen Stark.  For days that call for a cold theatre, see anything at The TIFF Bell Lightbox —it's a near-perfect movie going experience.
—Athena Tsavliris

With no cottage-owning pals to suck up to, we’d typically end up in some chintzed-to-the-hilt, bug infested, pine-packed rental on a swamp.

And then we discovered Four Lakes. This three bedroom gem in the heart of the Bruce Peninsula  is utterly charming with papier-mâché roosters, hat boxes that double as tables, deco cabinets and persimmon coloured muskokas. The farm-style kitchen is gorgeous with massive windows that look out onto acres and acres of land.

The cottage comes loaded with books, magazines, board games and vintage Archie comics and it’s minutes away from Sauble Beach.

Of course, there are some floral fabrics about, but it wouldn’t be a cottage without chintz. —Athena Tsavliris

www.fourlakesfarm.com