Life’s A Trip: Stephanie Chai

When you’re the founder of a luxury hotel and villa booking website, chances are, you’ll also be its chief nomad. That’s why Stephanie Chai, the lady behind TheLuxeNomad.com, is always discovering a new destination. Her latest exploits include Italy’s Tuscany and Verona, but she also jets frequently between her offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. What’s on her travel bucket list? Bhutan and Japan.

1. What are the ingredients for a perfect vacation?

Good friends! Travelling with any of my girlfriends works, and when the three of us get together, we don't stop laughing; everything becomes an adventure. I'm not one to travel alone (selfie alone at Eiffel? Doesn't sound too fun), so company is important. I'm now with a group of friends in Italy and we flew in from the US, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. It's been a little adventure driving around the country and discovering places for the first time. We’ve also been enjoying wine for lunch, wine for dinner... we ARE in Italy after all!

2. Describe your most inspiring holiday.

It has to be my trip to Venice, the hometown of my maternal grandparents. Although it’s bit of a tourist spot, it still is stunning and one-of-a-kind as a city built on water. The Italians are also extremely lovely and friendly (the men are sometimes a bit too friendly!), and the pasta here is amazing. I had a pear and gorgonzola gnocchi dish that I'm still thinking about today.

All wrapped up on the Great Wall of China

3. What’s your favourite destination for a short getaway?

Hong Kong. It’s the Asian city that never sleeps! If you’re a foodie, it's a great place to be. Some amazing new restaurants there to try are Mott 32 and Nur. There's a great movement in Hong Kong promoting head-to-tail cooking to reduce food wastage and they also source only the best ingredients from all over the world. I love the roasted duck at Mott 32; it's kept in a fridge that was specially built to mimic Beijing weather in order to create the perfect Beijing Roast Duck.

Stephanie (far right) with friends in Hong Kong

4. What are your five ultimate travel essentials?

Cash in different currencies (just in case), my Macbook Air, travel beauty kit, flats for night and day, and my iPhone to snap pictures with. 

5. Which is your favourite travel brand?

At the moment, I love La Bandita in Tuscany. It's a boutique hotel brand owned by an American couple, who fell in love with Italy and decided to give up life in New York as a music executive and writer to build their own hotel. There are two outlets, La Bandita Country House and La Bandita Townhouse (which is where I stayed). It's on the Conde Nast hotlist and I can see why. The design is simple yet luxe and the service is impeccable, with a family-run feel. It also helps that the owner's wife is a renowned travel writer, so they have their very own guide for you to explore Tuscany.