Travel Tuesday is weekly column featuring the leading travel journalists, celebrities, and influencers who love to travel and explore the world. Created and developed by Christopher Parr, an award-winning travel journalist and the Editor-in-Chef of Pursuitist. Discover travel hacks from the insiders, and the best hotel, spa and restaurants recommendations in the world.
Matt Long of LandLopers is a true globetrotting travel influencer who’s usually on a plane to somewhere amazing. An experiential luxury traveler at heart, Matt shares his adventures with thousands of readers every day through his award winning site LandLopers.com. As someone who has a bad case of the travel bug, Matt travels the world in order to share tips on where to go, what to see and how to experience the best the world has to offer. Based in Washington, DC, Matt has been to more than 95 countries and all 7 continents.
Take off with Travel Tuesday and Matt Long of LandLopers now….
Christopher: What’s your secret origin? How did you become LandLopers?
Matt Long: I was working in a job I didn’t like in a career that wasn’t meant for me. I started the web site as a creative escape, a way to reconnect to my true passion of traveling and exploring the world. Within a couple of years I was able to make this my full time job and now the site is almost 9 years old!
Q. What are you based? How does this location, and home, fit with your travel lifestyle?
Matt Long: I live in the Washington, DC metro area and have a fairly normal life. I live in the burbs, have a partner, dogs and so on. I balance my time on the road very carefully with being at home, making sure I’m not away for too long or too often.
Christopher: What’s your favorite airport and favorite airline? Why?
Matt Long: I love DCA (Reagan National) here in Washington because of its size and convenience. Plus it has a certain retro feel, which I love. Cathay Pacific is probably my current favorite airline. They just do a great job in creating memorable moments onboard and always have amazing hospitality.
Christopher: Please share your three favorite luxury hotel brands.
Matt Long: I’m a big fan of The Ritz-Carlton and have stayed with them in all corners of the world. I also really like Four Seasons, but lately I’ve also been realizing just how many great boutique luxury hotels there are, represented by groups like Preferred Hotels or Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Christopher: What a travel hack you’ve never shared before?
Matt Long: I share everything, so there probably isn’t one BUT I use ZipLoc bags religiously on every trip, from organizing my carry-on to space savers in my luggage.
Christopher: What’s your must-have travel gadget?
Matt Long: Love my travel power strip. Allows me to charge multiple devices even if I can only find one outlet.
Christopher: Name the first thing you do when you enter a hotel room.
Matt Long: I figure out the closest place to buy a Diet Coke. :) Other than that, I check out the bathroom and views, both are important to me.
Christopher: If you could jump on a plane tomorrow, and go anywhere in the world, what would be your destination?
Matt Long: I love Australia and the South Pacific, so I’d probably head there.
Christopher: Where’s one place you want to travel to that you haven’t yet?
Matt Long: Many, I always want to explore new destinations I haven’t been to. At the top of the list though are the Arctic, Tasmania, Vietnam and Portugal.
Christopher: Where have you had your favorite cocktail? What was it?
Matt Long: Nothing better than a pina colada on the beach, any beach.
Christopher: Share your three favorite urban destinations. What’s your recommended city-centric luxury hotels?
Matt Long: My favorite cities are: Paris, Melbourne and Cape Town. My favorite city centric luxury hotels are: The Strand in Yangon, the Morpheus in Macao and The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.
Christopher: On the flipside, please share your three favorite secluded resorts.
Matt Long: Le Meridien Bora Bora, Four Seasons Serengeti, and the Fogo Island Inn (Newfoundland and Labrador).
Christopher: What are your three favorite hotel spas in the world?
Matt Long: Four Seasons, Lanai. Finn Lough Resort (Northern Ireland). La Posada de Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Christopher: Finish this phrase, “Traveling to me is…”
Matt Long: …my true passion in life.
Christopher: What’s your secret for jetlag?
Matt Long: There’s no real secret, but it’s important to stay hydrated on the flight over and then once you land to spend as much time in natural sunlight as possible. I also push myself to get on the new time zone right away. Within a couple of days I’m usually ok.
Christopher: What’s the worst hotel or resort you’ve visited?
Matt Long: This is completely subjective, but when I was younger there were a number of places I’d never even consider patronizing now.
Christopher: Where are you traveling next?
Matt Long: Heading down to the island of Nevis this week to check out the changes at the Four Seasons Nevis
Matt Long of LandLopers, please prepare for landing on Travel Tuesday. Thank you for traveling with Pursuitist and sharing your amazing travel tips and recommendations! Join us every week on Travel Tuesday and discover the best luxury travel destinations and suggestions from the leaders in travel.
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