Emma Blackwood
Luxury & Hotels Editor
Based in London · 18 years covering travel · Writes in English, French
Emma Blackwood has reviewed hotels for eighteen years and can tell within an hour of arrival whether a property means it. She writes about the difference between expensive and excellent, which is not the same thing, and about the handful of places that are both.
What Emma covers
- —Hotel openings, and which ones are worth waiting a season for
- —Suite categories, and where the upgrade actually changes the stay
- —Private dining, spa programmes and service culture
TripWriters is an AI-assisted publication. Emma Blackwood is an editorial persona, and the portrait above is generated — it is not a photograph of a real person. Every article is checked against our editorial standards before it runs.
Articles by Emma Blackwood
Castle in the Rockies: Suite Upgrade Deals at the Fairmont Banff Springs
Spring suite upgrades from CAD $450–550 per night at the Fairmont Banff Springs include spa credits and mountain gondola passes. Book April 15–May 31, 2025.
Hidden Hillside Villas: St. Helena's Private Napa Valley Escapes
Above Highway 29's crowds, St. Helena's hillside estates offer private tasting suites and dedicated sommeliers. Here's how to book them, and when spring makes the case for going.
Sleeping Among Salt Flats: The Best Luxury Lodges of the Atacama Desert
From Awasi's private-guide villas to Alto Atacama's rock-face terraces, here is the ranked case for San Pedro de Atacama's finest desert lodges, plus what altitude and lead times mean for your booking.
Best Amalfi Coast Travel Deals This Spring
Save €700–€1,000 per person on four nights in Positano this spring. Private boat, Michelin dinners, and luxury convent stay included.
Bora Bora's Overwater Villas: A Luxury Buyer's Guide
A luxury buyer's guide to Bora Bora's overwater villas: how Four Seasons, St. Regis and Conrad compare on privacy and lagoon access, plus transfer logistics and the best months to book.
Vows Under Kilimanjaro's Shadow: Planning a Safari Wedding at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
Inside the logistics of a private safari wedding at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy — from rhino-tracking ceremonies to airstrip arrivals and which lodges will take over the whole property for your week.
Napa Valley's Off-Season Luxury: Where to Save on Five-Star Stays
Spring brings 30–40% discounts at Napa's five-star resorts. Secure three nights at Meadowood or Auberge du Soleil from $550–$700 per night, including breakfast, wine tastings, and spa credits.
Essential Tips for Traveling to Siem Reap
Beat the Angkor heat and skip the rookie mistakes: real prices, airport logistics and temple etiquette for a smoother Siem Reap trip this spring.
Beyond the Big Five: Inside Botswana's Most Exclusive Delta Camps
Inside the Okavango Delta's private concessions, where Jao, Mombo and Vumbura Plains cap guests in the single digits and mokoro mornings replace convoy game drives entirely.
Beyond the Icefields: Lake Louise's New Wave of Luxury Lodges
Lake Louise isn't just Banff's most-photographed stop — it's home to some of the Rockies' finest small lodges, private glacier guiding, and dawn canoes. Here's how to stay, not just visit.
Ice, Butlers, and Zodiacs: Inside Antarctica's New Wave of Ultra-Luxury Expedition Ships
Butlers, submarines, and thalassotherapy pools now sail the same waters as king penguins and wandering albatross. Here's how the Falklands and South Georgia luxury expedition route actually works.
Siem Reap Quick Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Siem Reap is more than a temple pit stop. This spring travel guide reveals the city's evolving culture, cuisine, and riverside charm—and how to navigate intense heat with strategy.
Skip the Crowds of Oia: Eloping in Imerovigli, Santorini's Quiet Cliffside Village
Imerovigli delivers Santorini's signature caldera sunset in a quiet village without Oia's crowds—making it ideal for intimate spring elopements on private hotel terraces.
How to Plan a Traditional Shinto-Inspired Ceremony at Kyoto's Shimogamo Shrine
Planning a traditional Shinto wedding at Shimogamo Shrine requires advance booking, careful cultural preparation, and expert coordination. Learn the complete process for foreign couples.
Vows Among the Cypress Rows: A Val d'Orcia Vineyard Wedding Guide
A working guide to marrying in the Val d'Orcia — from Brunello winery venues and agriturismo villas to Italy's legal paperwork, timed around spring blooms or September harvest light.
Cliffside Vows: Planning a Bukit Peninsula Wedding in Bali
Glass chapels over the Indian Ocean, infinity-edge villas, and sunset vows on Uluwatu's limestone cliffs — here's how to plan a Bukit Peninsula wedding, legal basics and guest logistics included.
Sailing the Antarctic Sound: The Expedition Route Beyond the Peninsula
Beyond the calm channels of the Peninsula lies a rawer Antarctica: tabular icebergs, dense Adelie rookeries, and a century-old hut most ships never reach. Here's how the Antarctic Sound and Weddell Sea route actually works.
Best Maldives Travel Deals This Winter
Soneva Jani's 20% winter discount cuts villa rates to $3,200–$4,100/night, with $300–$400 spa credit and daily breakfast included through January.
Cliffside Vows: A Couple's Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding in Uluwatu, Bali
Cliffs above the Indian Ocean, a glass chapel at Tirtha Uluwatu, and sunset Kecak fire dances — here's how to plan a legally sound, weather-smart wedding on Bali's Bukit Peninsula.
Singapore Quick Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Singapore rewards travelers who slow down. Beneath the gleaming towers and efficient streets lie layered neighborhoods—Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Clarke Quay—where three unhurried days reveal the island's sensory richness.
How to Plan a Barefoot Luxury Wedding on Seychelles' North Island
North Island's eleven-villa buyout turns a Seychelles wedding into a private-island house party. Here's how to time it around the trade winds, fly in your vendors, and handle the legal paperwork.
The Weddell Sea's New Wave of Ultra-Luxury Expedition Ships
New icebreakers and submarine-carrying ships are opening the Weddell Sea's ice-locked coast to travelers for the first time. Here's how to book the right ship, cabin, and season.
Beyond Kyoto: The Most Exquisite Ryokans of Hakone
Beyond Kyoto's temples, Hakone hides Japan's finest private-onsen ryokans — cliffside Fuji views, century-old kaiseki houses, and villa suites worth the 90-minute train ride.
Beyond the Big Five: Inside South Africa's Most Exclusive Private Safari Lodges
Inside Sabi Sands' private lodges, where off-road tracking rights and capped vehicle numbers turn winter's dry season into the Big Five sighting of a lifetime — Singita, Londolozi and beyond.
Why The Swiss Alps Rewards an Off-Season Visit
The Swiss Alps in September and October stand nearly empty. Trails quiet, prices halve, and snow dusts the highest peaks while larch forests turn gold—creating an entirely different alpine experience.
The Best Things to Do in The Amalfi Coast
From Positano's cliffside streets to a hidden lunch spot in Nerano, here's the ranked, no-filler guide to what's actually worth your time on the Amalfi Coast.
The 10 Best Rooftop Bars in Barcelona for Sunset Drinks
Barcelona's rooftops transform into magical sunset theaters where craft cocktails meet panoramic views of Gaudí's masterpieces and the sparkling Mediterranean coastline.
How to Navigate European Train Travel Like a Local
Master European train travel with insider tips for booking advance tickets, navigating stations, and avoiding tourist pricing mistakes from Amsterdam to across the continent.
Solo Travel in Europe: A First-Timer's Handbook
Thinking about traveling Europe alone? This honest guide covers safety, budgeting, meeting people, and the best cities for solo travelers.
My Week at the Four Seasons Bali: A Trip Report
A detailed trip report from one of Bali's most celebrated luxury resorts — the riverside sanctuary where infinity pools meet ancient rice terraces.
Lisbon's Hidden Neighborhoods: A Local's Walking Guide
Skip the tourist traps and explore Lisbon the way locals do — from the fado halls of Alfama to the street art of Mouraria and the riverside bars of Cais do Sodré.
48 Hours in Paris: A Perfect Weekend Quick Guide
Make the most of a weekend in the City of Light with this carefully planned guide covering iconic landmarks, hidden gems, and the best croissants.