After being crammed into a middle seat over a long-haul flight (and denied both armrests), the only thing I want to do when I get to my hotel room is avoid any other sign of human existence, throw on a hotel robe and starfish onto the bed in solitude (unless there’s a rain shower involved…then that takes precedence). At this moment, my final destination feels irrelevant. I’m conflicted between the urge to stay in and the guilt that tells me I should go out and explore. I didn’t travel half way around the world just to sit inside my hotel room and watch Game of Thrones with English subtitles, after all. We’ve all been there, right?

After countless jet-lagged journeys that have all ended this way, I’ve learned that sometimes, staying in is more important than going out. Taking one night to shake off any anxiety from the flight, freshen up and relax, means I will be well-rested for adventure in the days to follow.

There are two very important essentials that help me achieve this state of being, and luckily, both are available in (almost) every country: a good face mask and the perfect bottle of vino. When the three of us are together, life is bliss. My anxiety from the middle seat experience wanes as I sprawl my legs towards opposite corners of the bed. Adventure and I will meet tomorrow…

Here are some of my current favorite pairings, grouped by destination (because that’s more fun to read than a list).