Further Afield, a hand-picked collection of exclusively inclusive hotels

Further Afield was founded with a simple mission; to create a collection of places to stay which recognise the importance of inclusivity and welcome to all guests. It seems simple right? But 10 years later we’re still hearing stories of guests being made to feel uncomfortable on grounds of their sexuality, race or beliefs and we want to bring together hosts who see no grounds for this. Beyond that, we also curate with a sense of style, insistence on quality and joy in individuality.

That’s such a hard question, but there are two places that bring me simple joy. The El Torcal national park just inland from Malaga has an otherworldly terrain of limestone rocks weathered into the most stunning shapes. The views are wonderful and time your visit correctly and you never see anyone else and you can immerse yourself in the open skies and fresh air. The other is in Dorset where I was born. Head to Eggardon Hill with its Iron Age hill fort and be wind whipped as you traipse across fields and soak up that expanse of rolling countryside with views down to the coast.

I loved Kerala in Southern India. The vibrancy of the people, the architecture and of course the cuisine. There’s such a diverse set of experiences there and being punted down a canal in the backwaters would feature in my Top 10 travel experiences.

Described by Rough Guide as having “22km of creamy-white sands and cerulean waters” when we headed to Cayo Coco on Cuba we were somewhat underwhelmed and weren’t perhaps prepared for the hotels which clog that coastline. Loved Havana and Trinidad though. Incredible.

The opportunity to escape the everyday. To explore and experience how other people live and to be reminded of the diversity and beauty of the world. And eating. I love trying new cuisine.

Ok. So, I’m a bit biased perhaps but London for me is just such an incredible city. After living there for 20 years I get to return as a tourist now and there are few cities that can rival its diversity, its culture or its cuisine. Spend a day walking its streets or riverside walkways, or visiting the hugely varied museums and galleries before trying some of the best world food you can find. I still love it.

I was about seven I guess and our parents told my sister and I that we were going camping, but we ended up at the ferry terminal in Weymouth and sailed to the channel islands for a week. Just that simple excitement and our parents’ joy at having kept it secret set the tone for a lovely week. But it was the 1970s in the UK and I remember our B&B had a severe woodlice problem. That kind of thing stays with you…

It’s now The Surin Phuket now, but I stayed there when it was The Chedi. It’s in the most incredible location, with stunning views, individual (and huge) bungalows, top notch service and amazing food.

I’m choosing to approach this as travel question rather than one a therapist might ask.. and that would be when I jumped off the side of a boat on my 32nd birthday during a trip to The Galápagos Islands. Almost immediately we were surrounded by seals who swam and played with us for 15 minutes before swimming away and leaving me in a state of total bliss. Truly amazing.

Stolen is a very strong word… I may have filled my glass twice from an honesty bar and only paid for one. Maybe. Just once.

After booking anywhere a few days before arrival I email the place I’m staying with a simple question, the reply to which opens up the opportunity to start a dialogue and by being utterly charming(!) it’s amazing what you sometimes get in return. My best was an upgrade to a suite with a butler on a trip to Mexico.

For me travelling as a gay man shouldn’t be any different to travelling as anyone else, but I am a firm believer in educating oneself on the attitudes and beliefs of a country you’re visiting and being respectful of those. Not everyone welcomes us as freely as they should and that’s why Further Afield and other channels exist, but if you choose to visit those countries then you make a decision to abide by their culture. Or simply choose not to visit them.

Whether you want a resort vacation, wildlife safari, city break, luxury cruise, wellness retreat, honeymoon, once-in-a-lifetime adventure or weekend escape, the trip curation experts at Mr Hudson make travel planning a breeze. Find out how we can handle the finer details of holidaying in style.