Summer hues & sky blues

Places on my mind because they look how summer feels. A hotel-inspired color palette for Summer 2025 — and the cutest summertime merch you could possibly imagine.

💌 P.S. This post is too colorful for the whole thing to fit in your inbox.

After a lifetime of blacks, neutrals, and earthy tones — I think I’m finally embracing color. It started with a few pops. This year, we swapped a black and white line print for a butter yellow and blue Totoro. Neutral pillows gave way to pink palmette patterns. The other day, my nephew asked us to turn on our “wainbow lights” aka the xmas string lights vining our bookshelf, still up for the moody glow. 🌈 Happy Pride.

hotelneri

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I rent™️ — so at this juncture in my life, I’ll settle for white walls. But for my summer travel plans, color is at the forefront. Lately, I’m craving soft pinks, floral purples, fruity yellow, tangerine and terracotta orange, hints of green, sky blues, just the right shades of red.

I came across all of these hotels while trying to nail down my summer break moodboard. Some are bucket-list stays I hope to visit this June–September; the rest, collected to stretch that summer feeling just a little longer.

But first — the summer color palette I booked for myself: snippets from our time in Spain to come.

Photo cred // La Bionda x2, Casa Nereta x2, Hotel Neri

3, 2, 1. Begur, Cadaqués, Barcelona.

1. Hotel Neri

We land at BCN and immediately drive up the coast, so this will be the last hotel of the trip. This Relais & Châteaux 12th century medieval palace has courtyard and rooftop plunging pool. Right smack dab in the Gothic quarter.
* perks booking with me* free upgrade, complimentary breakfast, special welcome

2. Casa Nereta

I’m as shocked as you are that there’s no sceney pool this trip. First, I had my eye on the historic 5 star resort Hostal La Gavina (another old hollywood star - Pandora with Ava Gardner & Suddenly Last Summer with Elizabeth Taylor were shot here!). Then I booked this beachside Llafranc hotel (I’m a sucker for rooms with a private dipping pool). In the end, Casa Nereta was just too charming and the penthouse view too tempting. Pools are always a nice option, but no one needs it when you’re steps away from crystal clear rocky shores. Casa is artist-owned — the home of a painter — perched on a hill overlooking a white-washed village and Salvador Dalí’s house.

casanereta

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3. La Bionda

Basically, the reason we’re going to Costa Brava. The cheap flight sealed the deal, La Bionda planted the seed. We’ll be staying in the Carmen room - velvet pink chairs, an outdoor balcony shower, and a head to toe scarlet bathroom. We will be there for 3 nights, so we’ll have to choose from my wishlist wisely.

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~ RELATED READING ~

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~ Summer hotel color palette ~

I can never get enough (Italy)

• Il Pelicano , Porto Ercole - If I go on an Italian moon, this will be the hotel I book. Two lovers in the 1960s turned a seaside villa into their personal romantic hideaway, just 2 hours from Rome and Florence - the result, Il Pelicano. If you stay here, plan to ; get your moneys worth - no need to leave this special property, spend your days and nights soaking in the heated saltwater clifftop pool overlooking the sea.
  * perks * free upgrade, breakfast for two, $100 hotel credit

• Sirenuse, Positano- Sirenuse is *the* place to stay in Positano. It sticks out, a deep rouge 18th century baroque villa, in the center of town, up on the hillside with a pool overlooking the ocean, Michelin star La Sponda.
  * perks * free upgrade, complimentary breakfast, $100 spa credit

lesirenuse

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• Villa Carlotta, Taormina - Owned and run by the Quartucci family. Panoramic views, darling pool, warm service, breakfast on the ocean terrace.
  * perks * free upgrade, daily breakfast, $50-100 hotel credit

• Q92, Noto - This is the only bucket list hotel included that I have stayed at before, and I wish I could go again. The staff, the view of Nicolo, and it could not be closer to Caffè Sicilia, the most important stop in Noto, known for many sweets especially their almond granita and brioche.

I want to fly home with butter (France)

• Domaine de Chalamon, Provence - 16th century country house. Rosey pink gardens and Dominique Lafourcade hedges. 37 acres.
  * perks * free upgrade, breakfast for 2, a complimentary experience like going to a vineyard or a local tour, 1 airport transfer, welcome wine

  domainedechalamon

  

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• Domaine du mas de Pierre, Provence - 100 year old olive trees, hills and valleys, and 2 keys. Antique trunks and dressers, seasonal harvests of peas, cocoa beans, asparagus, and fresh herbs. Pools, a spa, an orchid greenhouse.
  * perks * free upgrade, breakfast buffet, $100 hotel credit

• La Fantaisie, Paris - Vibrant and stylish, just like Paris. 5 stars + a key nestled in Faubourg Montmartre market streets. Nightcaps in the rose garden bar or on the Zinc rooftop.
  * perks * free upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 hotel credit, welcome champagne

lafantaisieparis

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• Le Grand Mazarin, Paris - Designed to encourage guests to express themselves. The bathrooms feel like an art museum. The pool is extraordinarily green. The hotel occasionally hosts creative workshops.
  * perks * free upgrade, welcome cocktails, VIP welcome gift

• Hotel Byblos, Saint-Tropez - Since 1967. 2x week provencal market. Free bus to Pampelonne beaches. Beach club, spa club, nightclub.
  * perks * free upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 spa credit

byblossainttropez

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I go where the sun goes (CA, Mexico, Gulf Coast)

Beverly Hills Hotel (Palm Springs)

Holiday House (Palm Springs)

Petit Pali (Carmel by the Sea)

Palihouse (Santa Barbara)

Palihotels (San Diego, Hollywood)

Maison Mexique (San Miguel de Allende)

Casa Hoyos (San Miguel de Allende)

Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevada (San Miguel de Allende)

La Valise (Mexico City)

Rosewood Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Cabo)

The Clermont (Atlanta)

Hotel Bardo (Savannah)

Faena Hotel (Miami)

Colony Palm Beach Hotel (Palm Beach)

For the love of merch

I’m already afraid of how much I want to bring home — or *cough cough* order online — from the hotels I’m not even staying at. Courtesy of the shops at Casa Nereta, Sirenuse, Pali, Il Pelicano, & Byblos.

1. Mad et Len candle 2. Colbalt cap 3. Coffee cup w. saucer 4. Tombolo x Sirenuse shirt 5. Byblos tote 6. Mid/night 00.04 hair mist 7. ISSIMO x Rivolta Carmignani Yellow Pouch 8. Bitossi pink home jug 9. Saint pali parfum 10. Another coffee table book 11. Burgundy velvet embroidery loafers

🌈 Or donate?

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☮️ EDIT: War is dumb. Bombs don’t lead to peace. Contact your reps. Calling for peace is the bare minimum. This lil newsletter is one place I can share that call.

♥️ The End.

Collage photo credit goes to the named hotels. Cover photo a la Bionda’s website.