Hasta La Ideas

From the beachside to the Big Apple, our choice locales and travel essentials of the past year

After yet another year of seemingly endless adventure, we look back on our favorite trips of 2011 and the items we bring when we take to the road. With the right gear and the right destination, a last-minute red-eye becomes a welcome surprise.

Hôtel Americano and GoToob

We loved the minimalist, Mexican style of this NYC hotel when it first opened, and it hasn’t lost any of its charm to date. To complement the no-fuss decor of the hotel and the collateral lack of counter space inherent to any Manhattan property, our accessory of choice is this highly functional suction cup fluid container for shower essentials.

The Tides Zihuatanejo and Patagonia Travel Duffle

The perfect accompaniment to the azure waters at Zihuatanejo is this colorful lightweight duffel from Patagonia. Easy packed away within its own pocket, this is the perfect bag-within-a-bag for the rugged luxury of this resort on Mexico’s Pacific shoreline. The pampered service at the Tides and endangered turtle breeding grounds nearby make this one spot we hope to return to in 2012.

Wanderlust Hotel and Lights-Out Sleep Mask

Our top choice for Singapore’s busy lifestyle, the Wanderlust Hotel is not without its share of neon lights and monochromatic furniture. To recover from rowdy nights out on the town—and survive what may be a long flight for readers in the West—we advise bringing along a sleeping mask, this one featuring a molded shape that helps induce uninterrupted REM sleep.

Public Hotel Chicago and Powerbag

As primarily practical travelers, we appreciated the Public Hotel’s commitment to deliver top-notch service at a manageable price. Taking advantage of their free wi-fi, the Powerbag delivers that extra bit of juice to our devices as we edit away in the hotel lobby.

Hotel du Marc and Pro Messenger AW Series

The old-world luxury of the Hotel du Marc—former residence of Madame Clicquot—calls for a traveler with camera in-hand. The Lowepro system marks our newly discovered favorite camera bag going into 2012, and certainly does the trick when snapping shots of something so grand as a French mansion-turned-hotel.