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Hello, I'm Gemma

I'm a writer and editor with a love for bringing the world of luxury hospitality and travel to life through words. With experience writing for some of the industry’s most renowned brands, I craft stories that inspire, engage, and transport.

Featured Articles

Rocco Forte Hotels •

The Sicilian Secret to Ageing Well

High in Sicily’s Sicani Mountains, where olive trees twist with age and the clear air affords panoramas over Monte Pellegrino, is the little-known town of Caltabellotta. Perched on the hillside like a sentinel, its stone houses and church façades overlook valleys of almond trees and wild fennel. Here, long life is not planned or pursued - it’s simply a natural outcome of living in tune with the land and seasons. 
It’s within this landscape that scientists have recently found something extraordin...

A Walk in the Wild

The first light creeps over Zululand’s savannah bushveld, brushing the grasslands in pale gold. The air is still sharp with night’s chill, yet the horizon begins to soften. Somewhere, a francolin calls out, and the rustle of a distant antelope breaks the silence. A mug of hot coffee warms Truman Ndlovu’s hands as he scans the horizon - not out of duty, but instinct. Twenty years ago, he began walking this soil as a young guide in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; now, as Reserve General Manager of Ju...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

A Family Summer of Firsts

Some summers stay with us in vivid fragments long after childhood has passed, forming a sun-washed kaleidoscope of firsts. The first visit to the beach, the scent of salt and sunscreen forever ingrained in the senses; the sudden thrill of realising, for the first time, that you can float, paddle, swim.
These early sensations often become the beginning of a child's private map of the world. A new food tasted far from home, a skill learned at the hands of a local craftsman, a few phrases of the la...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

Wild Swimming Escapes in Europe

There’s a certain clarity that comes from swimming in the open air. Whether in the stillness of a moorland reservoir, the salty waves of a sunlit beach, or a shaded city river, wild swimming reconnects us to something elemental. Close to our hotels, these wild swims lie within easy reach, beautifully unfiltered, yet just far enough to feel like a world apart.
No matter the destination, our concierge teams can arrange everything from private transfers to fluffy robes and towels, or even picnic ba...

An Essential Guide to Jumeirah Bali

Bali’s story is intertwined with the influence of the Majapahit Empire - a Hindu-Javanese dynasty from the neighbouring island of Java, whose legacy lives on in the island’s architecture and culture. Perched along the cliffs of Uluwatu, Jumeirah Bali sits quietly in the coveted Pecatu region. Surrounded by tropical greenery and lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the all-villa resort is a place where time slows to a peaceful pace, inviting guests to pause and rediscover their inner-ba...

Recent Articles

Rocco Forte Hotels •

A Family Summer of Firsts

Some summers stay with us in vivid fragments long after childhood has passed, forming a sun-washed kaleidoscope of firsts. The first visit to the beach, the scent of salt and sunscreen forever ingrained in the senses; the sudden thrill of realising, for the first time, that you can float, paddle, swim.
These early sensations often become the beginning of a child's private map of the world. A new food tasted far from home, a skill learned at the hands of a local craftsman, a few phrases of the la...

What Bali Teaches You

Travellers often return from Bali with photographs of rice terraces, temple gates and dramatic coastlines. Less visible are the lessons they bring home with them.

For many visitors, Jumeirah Bali offers an opportunity to engage with traditions and practices that remain part of everyday life on the island. From artistic techniques passed down through generations to ceremonies that continue to shape community life, these experiences reveal a side of Bali that extends far beyond its beaches and la...

By Wind and Water

The first thing you notice is not the speed.

It is the precision.
 
An F50 catamaran rises silently above the water, lifted on hydrofoils as it accelerates across the racecourse with remarkable control. Travelling at speeds of more than 100 kilometres an hour using nothing more than the power of the wind, every manoeuvre depends on reading forces that cannot be seen: a subtle shift in breeze, a change in current, a perfectly timed adjustment made almost instinctively.

For the world's finest sa...

The Way Back to Water

Beneath the clear waters of the lagoon at Jumeirah Al Naseem, two turtles move with an easy familiarity.  Sunlight ripples across their shells as they glide between rocks and sandy patches, occasionally disappearing from view before resurfacing moments later.

Known affectionately as Humpty and Dumpty, they have spent almost a decade in the Turtle Rehabilitation Lagoon after sustaining life-changing boat-strike injuries that made a return to the wild impossible.

Few people know their stories bet...

A Rare Night Sky, Briefly Ours

There are evenings that belong entirely to a place. And then there are those fleeting occasions when a place seems to belong to the sky itself.

On 12 August 2026, as the sun lowers gently over Mallorca’s north-western coastline, the island will slip into an unfamiliar darkness. Daylight will dissolve into twilight. The temperature will fall. Stars will begin to emerge where moments earlier there had only been blue sky. For just over 90 seconds, the Moon will pass directly between the Earth and...

The Ritual of Tea

A cup is placed between two people. Steam curls upward, carrying the fragrance of leaves newly awakened by water. Across Eastern cultures, tea has long been understood as a “quiet language” of hospitality: a practice of respect, presence and welcome.
 
In China, tea’s story reaches back thousands of years, through imperial courts, mountain monasteries, family tables and ancient trade routes. First valued for its medicinal qualities, it evolved during the Tang Dynasty into a deeply embedded part...

Europe, Considered

Europe is often imagined at its most exuberant - high summer, long lunches, crowded piazzas. Yet its most compelling moments arrive just beyond the peak, when the pace softens and places begin to reveal themselves with greater clarity.

In Capri and Mallorca, the shift is immediate. Paths clear, temperatures settle, and the landscape – whether cliffside or mountain – becomes something to move through rather than simply admire. London, by contrast, offers a steady counterpoint: a city whose energ...

The Legacy of Fire

Tens of thousands of years ago, across the vast bushveld of KwaZulu-Natal, night would fall and the land would come alive - cicadas, frogs, the furtive steps of predators, a jackal’s distant cry. Above, the Milky Way spilled light across the sky. And then - an ember glowed. A tiny orange spark, alive and flickering in the dark.
 
In those earliest nights, people learned to coax fire from friction. Two sticks pressed together, spun until heat sparked life. In that moment, humanity crossed a thres...

Where Worlds Meet

Bali has long drawn those in search of balance. The island’s culture evolved through centuries of exchange - Hindu, Buddhist, and local traditions merging into a way of life that values harmony over hierarchy, presence over pace. At its heart lies Tri Hita Karana, the belief that wellbeing rests on three relationships: harmony with the divine, harmony among people, and harmony with nature. It’s a philosophy that informs daily life, from the way homes are built to face the island’s mountains and...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

Little readers, big city

A surreal adventure in Brussels
Magritte’s Marvelous Hat by D.B. Johnson offers a whimsical introduction to Brussels’ surrealist legacy. In this playful tale, René Magritte discovers a hat that sparks his creativity, but when removed, his ideas drift away like balloons. It’s a light-hearted metaphor for inspiration and a charming way to introduce children to one of Belgium’s most famous artists. 
In the city, his presence is easy to spot, from the treasures of the Magritte Museum to Bar Magritte...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

A Romantic Weekend in Rome

Rome has been the backdrop to affairs of the heart for millennia – emperors, poets, painters, all drawn to its beauty. With its charming cobbled streets, Baroque fountains and golden piazzas, the city seems simply designed for passion. After all, you can’t spell romance without Rome. From its lofty vantage point above the Spanish Steps, Hotel de la Ville has presided over many a love story since the 18th century, making it the perfect place to begin your own.
Start on Aventine Hill, just a leisu...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

Made in Italy

“Fashion is anthropology, the sociology of the imaginary. The past guides the future.” 
With these words, Massimiliano Giornetti defines fashion as something larger than just clothing - more a cultural expression that evolves through history and imagination. As Director of Polimoda - the city’s flagship fashion school - and former Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo, the Italian fashion leader stands at the intersection of heritage and innovation.  And Florence -  long celebrated as the bir...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

Pet Friendly Stays - Our Canine Concierge

For many, dogs are part of the family, and their place is with us - even when we travel. In some of Europe’s most beautiful cities, our hotels extend a warm welcome to your four-legged friends, with thoughtful touches in-room, friendly spaces to ‘paws’ together, and a concierge ready with tips for the best local walks. From shaded parks to riverside trails and neighbourhood cafés that set out water bowls at the door, every detail is designed to make them feel as at home as you do.
In Mayfair, Br...

The Art of The Mocktail

There was a time when mocktails were an afterthought - an obligatory menu inclusion for the non-drinker. But the tide has shifted. No longer a mere complement to the menu, these carefully crafted beverages have emerged as standalone expressions of creativity, mood, and memory.
 
At their best, mocktails capture a moment. They offer a taste of time and place - be it a golden-hour pause on the beach, a quiet interlude between spa treatments, or a sunlit lunch by the sea. They are no longer defined...

Wildlife Spotting with Jumeirah

There’s something magnetic about places where nature leads. The charge in the air before a lion emerges through golden grass, the thrill of swimming beside a whale shark in the open waters, or the delicate imprint of turtle tracks woven into dawn-lit sand. Across Jumeirah’s most elemental retreats, these moments unfold not by chance, but by nature’s rhythm. Season shapes everything: the timing of migrations, nesting patterns, coral blooms, and wild births. To stand in the right place at the righ...

The Mediterranean Menu

Across southern Italy and the Balearic islands, where the Mediterranean feels most alive, food is inseparable from daily life. Mornings begin with fishermen hauling in the day’s catch, and a walk to the local market reveals stalls heavy with sun-ripened produce. Meals are unhurried. Often shared. Always shaped by the season.
 
This is the essence of the Mediterranean diet: intuitive rather than prescriptive. Rooted in fresh fish, legumes, herbs, vegetables, fruit, and good olive oil, it follows...

A Family's Guide to Jumeirah Al Qasr

From the moment families turn onto the palm-lined avenue of Jumeirah Al Qasr, a sense of anticipation begins to stir. Children press against the windows, pointing excitedly as golden horses appear one by one along the driveway and rising from the arrival fountain. These statues are not mere decoration; they are a tribute to heritage. Each showcases a poised stance, capturing the spirit, strength, and unique personality of these magnificent stallions and mares. Symbols of nobility, strength, and...

London's Storied Streets

There are few locations in London quite as well placed as Jumeirah Carlton Tower. Overlooking the leafy calm of Cadogan Gardens, the hotel sits between Knightsbridge and Chelsea - where manicured squares meet designer flagships, and rows of Georgian red-brick homes give the neighbourhood its timeless charm. It’s a good season to stay local, when long days, blooming gardens, and alfresco dining make exploring on foot all the more appealing. For those staying at Jumeirah Carlton Tower, there’s ple...

A Return to the Shore

As summer eases into September, Dubai exhales into its favourite season. The heat softens, cooler breezes return, and the shoreline once again becomes a gathering place. It’s this kind of weather that makes eating outdoors irresistible: sun dappled terraces, chilled drinks beading in the gentle warmth, and the sea for company.

Celebrating this sweet spot of the year, Jumeirah’s signature beachfront restaurants reopen, returning to their golden stretch of coastline. From the sun-lit islands of G...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

The Sicilian Secret to Ageing Well

High in Sicily’s Sicani Mountains, where olive trees twist with age and the clear air affords panoramas over Monte Pellegrino, is the little-known town of Caltabellotta. Perched on the hillside like a sentinel, its stone houses and church façades overlook valleys of almond trees and wild fennel. Here, long life is not planned or pursued - it’s simply a natural outcome of living in tune with the land and seasons. 
It’s within this landscape that scientists have recently found something extraordin...

Introducing Our Reimagined Urquiola Suites

For centuries, Capri has been a muse - an island where light, colour, and movement create a living canvas. Here, sky and sea stretch endlessly in shifting blues, while the Tyrrhenian sun bathes cliffs and terracotta rooftops in gold. Bougainvillaea spills over stone walls, its fuchsia petals vivid against whitewashed villas, and the air is fragrant with the scent of sun-ripened lemons.
 
It is this natural splendour, intertwined with Capri’s architectural traditions, that has inspired Patricia U...
Rocco Forte Hotels •

Wild Swimming Escapes in Europe

There’s a certain clarity that comes from swimming in the open air. Whether in the stillness of a moorland reservoir, the salty waves of a sunlit beach, or a shaded city river, wild swimming reconnects us to something elemental. Close to our hotels, these wild swims lie within easy reach, beautifully unfiltered, yet just far enough to feel like a world apart.
No matter the destination, our concierge teams can arrange everything from private transfers to fluffy robes and towels, or even picnic ba...

A Journey Through Jumeirah Thanda Safari

Dawn rises slowly over the bushveld, casting soft light across rolling hills and winding valleys. The land stretches in gentle undulations, shrouded in khaki tones and alive with movement. Rivers weave through the landscape, and the air is cool, laced with the scent of dry earth and wild grasses.  Somewhere in the distance, a fish eagle calls. This is South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal - a land that moves to its own rhythm: patient, ancient, alive.
 
At its heart lies Jumeirah Thanda Safari, a private...
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