Founded by John and Cynthia Hardy, the sustainability philosophy of Bambu Indah developed from its origin. Only two trees were relocated to accommodate eleven antique century-old Javanese houses, while new structures including the lobby, restaurant and new houses showcase their passion for bamboo as an alternative to rainforest timber. Bamboo takes three years to grow to full maturity and has the strength to scaffold even Hong Kong’s skyscrapers.

Bicycles, vintage bikes and vintage Vespas are in. Not only that — people are spending loads to experience these "modern" luxuries.

Service issues are sometimes unavoidable, but when you put the safety of a customer at risk, the least you can do is show empathy and make some service recovery efforts. Amtrak's negligence during a recent trip shocked me, but their response to my complaint left me speechless.

Do hotels pay to get good reviews in guidebooks? And if so, who's to blame?

Craft House Founder and Director, Yvette Jong, contributes to Nomad-Chic, posting content on inspiration and travel from around the world. Follow her dispatch on where inspiration is destination!

Silence is the new luxury, and traveling in the low season helps make that happen. If I can avoid it, I don't think I'll ever visit a top destination during the peak season.

"Africa is probably to China what Asia was to the U.S. While the U.S. leveraged Asia's labor, China is leveraging Africa's commodities."

Craft House Founder and Director, Yvette Jong, contributes to www.Nomad-Chic.com, posting content on inspiration and travel from around the world. Follow her dispatch on www.Nomad-Chic.com where inspiration is destination!

The most valuable asset a luxury hotel has is its brand and brand reputation. Investment in this asset is a long-term investment with a return over several years, not just one. So is an investment like this a wasted expense or a strategic capital investment?