The art of the travel souvenir

Transportive artifacts, armchair travel, and shoppable wanderlust

Feb 07, 2024

I’m very much a subscriber to Little Treat culture, which manifests as me searching for treasures to take home every time I travel. I deeply appreciate having something tangible to transport me straight back to a time and place, a moment, a memory. These things can be as small as a pad of stationary from a hotel I finally got to stay at after having it on my vision board for years. Or a hand-drawn postcard from a tiny, family-run shop in Kyoto’s Gion district. Or an ink pen used to sign the check at the romantic restaurant from my wedding dinner. I adorn my home with these innocuous objects as a way to signal who I am, what I care about, and where I’ve been.

Here in New York, we’re in the midst of arguably the greyest part of winter and I’m still three months out from my next trip, so I’m taking a look back at some of my favorite souvenirs as a means of armchair travel.

Objets d’art: Paris edition

When it comes to hotel merchandise—which makes for a big portion of my favorite souvenirs—I feel like no one is talking about Hotel Costes. Located in the 1st arrondissement just steps away from Place Vendôme and the Tuileries, it’s probably most known for its courtyard cafe. But take it from me: THIS is the place to stay if you want luxury, cool-girl digs in the city of light. Being in Paris for my wedding justified the cost of a three-night stay, but trust me when I say that it was worth every penny and then some (unlike most of the other upscale French hotels I’ve stayed at, the service here was actually befitting of a five-star rating—imagine!). But what I really love about Hotel Costes is that, more so than anywhere else I’ve stayed, it seems to have a true sense of self. It’s more than just a place: it’s a real, capital-B Brand—something I’ve seen many hotels strive for but ultimately miss the mark on. The hotel’s self-awareness comes to life in many ways throughout the guest experience, not least of which as artifacts that have found their way to prominence on my home’s display shelves. Being a guest at Hotel Costes made me feel like I was part of an exclusive members club, which only made my appetite for tangible takeaways more voracious.

Views from Rue Castiglione, the contemporary new wing of Hotel Costes.

First, there’s the music: I’m constantly reaching for one of the six vinyls that came in the Hotel Costes Box Set—a worthy investment in backdrop music for daily life and dinner parties alike. The hotel has its own “Studio HC” team that curates musical collections of “intriguing, upbeat, electronic, acoustic, and downtempo sounds” that have resulted in 15 albums that have sold millions of copies worldwide since 1998. I also appreciated the sound system in the hotel room, which plays a monthly curation of songs via Radio Costes. Their legendary soundtrack is just as accessible at home, whether you listen via Spotify or Apple Music, or purchase one of their many vinyl records for sale.

I cherish that something as simple as burning a candle or putting on a record can transport me right back to my wedding day.

And then there’s the scent: With Venus as my ruling planet, it’s no wonder I gravitate towards luxurious and grounding fragrances, which is the best way I can think to describe the signature scent of Hotel Costes. This olfactory signature has been around since 2001 when French perfumer Olivia Giacometti (who also created fragrances for Diptyque and Hermés) designed the scent based on “an ironwood piece of furniture from the Ming Dynasty that emits scents of liquor, mild tobacco, and wet stone.” The composition is described as waxed wood, rum, mahogany, bitter orange peel, paprika, and oak moss. Quite the combination, but one that I find irresistible and unforgettable. In terms of take-home tangibility, the hotel sells candles, home fragrances, perfume, and body care.

Transportive items for you (or two!)

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’ve put together a list of products to enjoy alone or with someone you love to inspire a little wanderlust.

Let the exotic aroma of this stunning candle transport you to the heart of the Amazonian rainforest. Plus, it’s on sale for over half off. 👀
Take a trip around the world through the pages of Room Service, a coffee table book of colorful drawings on hotel stationery by Michael McGregor (out in March).
Capture all of your trip memories or dream about where you want to go next in this Travel Journal that you can keep forever.
Embody Parisian style with personalized gifts from Officine Universelle Buly. My picks: this comb in tortoiseshell and this lip balm in red shagreen (both monogrammed, of course).
Prep for your next romantic getaway with this fun, heart-shaped luggage tag set.
Send out a batch of love notes embossed with motifs from Assouline’s popular travel books that you’re always seeing on coffee tables.
Epitomize La Dolce Vita with this ashtray from Le Sirenuse, one of the most glamorous hotels on the Amalfi Coast.

Window Seat Airlines 🛫

Bringing you a 30,000-foot view of the best travel industry news:

Amelia Earhart’s plane was possibly found after nearly a decade. 87 years ago, Amelia Earhart vanished during her attempt to become the first female aviator to circle the globe. Her disappearance has become one of the greatest modern mysteries, but we might finally get some answers thanks to a private exploration company. A deep-sea drone recently captured a sonar image of airplane wreckage that appears to be Earhart’s missing Lockheed 10-E Electra aircraft. Unfortunately, we won’t have confirmation until authorities can extract the wreckage and examine it more closely, which might take years.
A brand new airport lounge just opened at LGA. People are already raving about how the new Chase Sapphire Lounge at New York’s LaGuardia Airport is raising the bar for domestic airport lounges. Based on the photos I’ve seen, I have to agree—the design aesthetic leans less “traditional business hub” that other airport lounges typically go for, opting for more of an inviting atmosphere with lots of greenery, warm lighting, and wooden elements. The lounge also has an arcade room, complimentary skincare travel kits by Face Haus (plus two treatment rooms!), and a bar menu that includes mocktails designed by Apotheke. What sets this lounge apart, though, are its three private suites with a private attendant, caviar service, a private bathroom with luxury bath products, and an exclusive menu. For a three-hour reservation, It’ll only set you back about $3k. 😉

It’s time to book your trip to Thailand. If you've ever wanted to go to Thailand, you should probably start planning that trip ASAP. Or more specifically, before season 3 of The White Lotus airs in 2025. Expedia’s “Set-Jetting” travel forecast noted that the first two seasons drove a 300% increase in “travel demand” for Hawaii and Sicily, the destinations from the first two seasons. Once everyone found out which Four Seasons hotels were on the show, rooms started selling out months in advance. So act now if you have any interest in staying at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui!
People have been asking me if I’m comfortable flying in 737 MAX airplanes. My answer—since 2019!—has been a very hard no. You can make your own decision, but just know that a former Boeing manager agrees with me. Most airlines list the aircraft type on the reservation page, so you’ll know which plane is flying your route before completing the booking. For me, what’s ultimately keeping me from feeling safe on a 737 MAX is a unique flight control feature called MCAS (that only exists on this model) which was responsible for both the Lion Air crash in 2018 & the Ethiopian Airlines crash in 2019.

What are your favorite souvenirs you’ve brought home from your travels? Which are priceless? Do you have certain items you like to purchase each time you travel or revisit a destination? Let me know in the comments! x Tori

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