travel -

When Opposites A-Travel

You say tomato, they say … ick. Just because you have nothing in common (other than, say, being in love) doesn’t mean you can’t travel in harmony. For every mismatched pair, there is a destination.


La Cabro d'Or!
The Finicky Eater and the Foodie
Will both be sated in Saint-Remy de Provence. Stay at La Cabro d’Or (cooking classes in the morning, pool lounging in the afternoon) and eat at Michelin darling Oustau de Baumanière next door. Hit Charmeroy Maison de Gouts (51 rue Carnot; 04-32-60-01-23) in Saint-Remy for pear and apricot tarts, and Vitamine (16 rue du Docteur Fanton; 04-90-93-77-36) in Arles for cuisine végétarienne. Or just assemble a picnique of baguette, cheese, and rosé from the market in Place Richelme in Aix-en-Provence and roam the lush fields.

pretty! The Shopper and the Climber
Get their fix in Aspen. Set up camp at the newly renovated St. Regis — pole position for shopping Galena and Main, as well as hiking Ajax Mountain and the Maroon Bells. The Cos Bar of Aspen (309 South Galena Street; 970-925-6249) carries every cosmetic; Nuages (601 East Cooper; 970-925-6569) does couture and cashmere. The Hiker’s Banquet at the Pine Creek Cookhouse is perfect fuel for an afternoon of retailing or river rafting.

Zannos Melathron Hotel! The Spender and the Cheapskate
Buy and save in Santorini. The white-washed chic at Zannos Melathron Hotel, an eighteenth-century villa turned boutique hotel, pleases the spender. Tightwads will love the spectacular (free) view of blue-domed churches, vineyards, and the volcano — not to mention the small tab for a feast (limitless Retsina!) at Ambrosia.

Chichen Itza! The Aesthete and the Sun God
Happily coexist in Tulum. It’s all about the night at sleek Deseo in Playa del Carmen. It’s all about the sun at the Maroma Resort & Spa in nearby Cancun. It’s all about Mayan ruins in Xel-Há, Chichén Itzá , and Tulum. It’s all about haggling at the Cancun flea market. And it all comes together over sunset margaritas at Aqua’s Shore Club.

The Sleeper and the Night Owl
Get their groove on in Tarifa on Spain’s Costa de Sol. A stone’s throw from party meccas Morocco and Marbella, it’s the perfect mix of St. Tropez scene and laid-back cool. Quiet types can horseback on the beach and whale watch in the Straits of Gibraltar — and be in bed by 10 at chic La Sacristia. Night owls can crash at the Beach Hotel Arte Vida (CN 340 Km 79.3; +34-956-68-52-46) after a night of dancing till dawn at La Ruina in Trinidad.