As Founder of the cult UK brand Barrecore, Niki Rein has spent her professional life turning fitness into a lifestyle. She began teaching yoga in 2000, before starting to work with Tracey Anderson in 2006. Inspired by the way dancers trained and moved their bodies, she developed a class which she called ‘barrecore’ for some her private training clients and the response was overwhelming.

When Niki moved to London from the US in 2009, the first Barrecore studio was born. Now, it’s fans include the likes of Darcey Bussell, Jourdan Dunn and Poppy Delevingne, among tens of thousands of other regulars at their now 12 (and counting) studios. As a mother and businesswoman, finding work-life balance is key and she’s a huge advocate of frequent travel, which helps her switch off.

Part of our Insiders series, this is your window into the worlds of the coolest people in Safara’s network. These are the contacts we’d hit up for travel inspiration, whether it’s a hotel recommendation, a new track for our in-transit playlist, the best mini-products to pack, or just to daydream about where we’d open a boutique island hotel (this changes with each Insider guide we read – we’re easily and happily influenced).

Read on for travel inspiration from Niki Rein.

Name three of your favorite hotels?

Casa de los Neveros, Granada, Spain. This perfect spot in gorgeous Granada is across the street from the breathtaking Alhambra. There are small local restaurants and local galleries on the doorstep.

Kempinski San Lawrenz, Gozo. Warm and welcoming, while being a place to stay cool from the heat of Malta sun. I love the incredible local sculpture they have around this gorgeous 5-star hotel. It’s also, home to Barrecore’s first retreat.

Shutters on the Beach, Santa Monica, CA. This charming beachside boutique hotel is in one of my favourite ‘woo-woo’ neighborhoods. A reiki treatment, chakra balancing session or yoga class is just a stone’s throw away from this casually luxe hotel.

What is the best hotel amenity you’ve ever encountered?

All the things at Soho House hotels. You literally just have to bring your clothes. They have the rest sorted.

Name three songs are on your travel playlist?

Sir Duke, by Stevie Wonder. She Makes Me Laugh, by The Monkees. And Can’t Stop the Feelin’, by Justin Timberlake.

What are your favorite travel hacks?

I always sit on the aisle of the middle four-seater section and pick a row that is empty or has two sitting on the far two seats. This way, I am very likely to have a seat next to me free to spread out in coach. I also order a gluten-free meal (because I am), but also because special meals are delivered first. The perk is that I can pull my eye mask down sooner on an overnight flight.

What do you always bring with you in your carry-on?

Chocolate. I will never fly without good chocolate. Montezuma 73% buttons are the absolute best travel buddies.

Who is your dream “co-pilot”, aka travel partner? 

My partner Ruben. Sounds cheesy, but he has a zest for life I have never experienced before. We have a little girl and I swear he is more kid-like when traveling than she is. It’s the best!

Anxiety and burn-out are big topics these days. How do you combat them, and how do you use travel to do so?

Mini three- or four-day trips are my cure all for burn-out. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in work and life stressors. Escaping for a short time is a sure way to learn something new that has nothing to do with daily to-do’s. I am always amazed at how I come back with answers to problems at hand after a mini trip!

Do you have any tips or tricks for beating the dreaded jet lag?

Yes! I always drink Nuun tablets (electrolyte replacement) when traveling, plus loads of water. I sleep as much as possible by taking magnesium tablets 30-minutes before I want to nap, which helps relax the body and mind, and keeps restless legs at bay. Depending on length of flight, I will take another dose a couple hours before landing. The intense hydration and shut-eye make the flip side so much easier!

If you could quit your job and follow the Mamma Mia dream (ie. open a small hotel in another country or on a remote island), where would you do it?

Any town near San Sebastian, Spain – the food, sea, summer sun and winter ski nearby make it heaven on earth!

Beach, city or mountains?

Beach (but mountains within a three-hour drive).

Alone or with someone else?

With someone.

Is in-flight wifi a good idea?

Terrible!

Read more from our Insiders series, here.

After cutting her teeth at some of the biggest hotel brands in Asia, such as Six Senses, The Aman in Sri Lanka and The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, Harsha L’Acqua decided to launch her own brand, Saira Hospitality in 2015. A non-profit, Saira Hospitality creates partnerships between communities and luxury hotels by empowering locals and providing hotels with a committed workforce. Their pop-up hotel schools have taken place in The British Virgin Islands, Mexico and LA, with more to come, and there are currently nearing 300 Saira graduates worldwide.

Harsha is also Head of Marketing for Six Senses Private Residences, which means she travels – a lot. She’s a global citizen, brought up in London, her parents hail from Mumbai and she’s now based, with her husband, in California. Her Instagram is pure travel inspiration; and she’s been dubbed the ‘Hospitality Humanitarian’ by CN Traveller for good reason.

Part of our Insiders series, this is your window into the worlds of the coolest people in Safara’s network. These are the contacts we’d hit up for travel inspiration, whether it’s a hotel recommendation, a new track for our in-transit playlist, the best mini-products to pack, or just to daydream about where we’d open a boutique island hotel (this changes with each Insider guide we read – we’re easily and happily influenced).

Read on for travel inspiration from Harsha L’Acqua.

Name three of your favorite hotels?

Six Senses Llamu, Maldives. For the glass-bottomed bathtubs, overwater hammocks, purple sunsets and no sense of time…

Blakes, London. I love that it’s still undiscovered by many and blends into the street so easily. It’s the first boutique hotel I ever discovered as a child living in London, and where my love of hotels and design began.

Hotel San Cristobal, Todos Santos. For the robes, the vibes, the service.

What do you love most about working in hospitality?

The people. I feel like we’re a certain breed of people. We look to get the most out of every experience, work or play, and we blend them as much as we can. You can always tell when someone has the hospitality gene, something we always try and identify in our students. They have a natural instinct to connect, to serve, to spread happiness – whether in the spotlight or behind-the-scenes. Hospitality, at its core, is really what it means to be human and as Mohammed Ali said, “service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.”

You travel a lot for work, was this something you were seeking in a career? And how do you make it as relaxing and fun as possible?

Yes, I love traveling and couldn’t imagine my life without it, even if it’s just exploring a new neighborhood. Whether it’s Namibia, Mexico or India, we’re totally open and excited to bring our pop-ups to communities globally. I’m a huge fan of “pool meetings” when we’re on a project at 9am. Love to start the day with team morning meditations – optional always.

I’m a huge advocate of work/life balance, too. If we can get out on a boat one morning and island hop we’ll definitely do it. Our partners are a blast and we laugh at the situations we get ourselves into. Like when I walked out of the shower one day in Mexico and there was a cow at my front door staring at me.

Have you or would you travel alone?

Yes – it’s important. To connect with yourself, to make yourself feel a little uncomfortable. A friend once asked if I feel loved when I’m alone. It’s important to cultivate that.

If you’re going to a new place, and your friends have not been there, who, what or where do you consult for advice?

I haven’t found a concierge company that I love as of yet. I like to do a tonne of my own research with online articles or asking friends of friends. Then I compile it into a Google Doc that I share with close friends when they go.

What was your favorite room service experience ever?

The little breakfast crepes at Cliveden House, just outside London. Few people can make them so thin, with a hint of orange and still hot upon arrival.

Best travel advice you’ve ever received? 

“Get Global Entry” – Michaelangelo L’Acqua.

Who is your dream “co-pilot”, aka travel partner?

Anthony Bourdain – what a legend. He recognized, embraced and shared the value of the local experience. And didn’t seem to take himself too seriously.

Travel can be about the little luxuries, like an amazing cup of coffee. Where was the best one you’ve had?

A few: Carnitas in Todos Santos; King Coconuts in Sri Lanka; Hole In The Wall Gyoza in Kyoto; and Baked Crab Hand Rolls in LA.

If you could quit your job and follow the Mamma Mia dream (ie. open a small hotel in another country or on a remote island), where would you do it?

I don’t know about Mamma Mia, but that’s always been my dream! It changes, but today: Comporta, Portugal.

Where’s your next trip?

Ibiza and Formentera. I’m taking my entire family this August – they’ve never been. I lived there for a brief moment and want to share the magical parts of the island with them.

Beach, city or mountains?

Beach.

Alone or with someone else?

With someone.

Is in-flight wifi a good idea?

No.

Lost luggage, or lost phone?

Phone.

Airplane food?

No.

Fantasy mini bar/fridge item?

iSodi – their Cacio e Pepe and Lasagna.

Early check-in or late check-out?

Late check out.

Favorite subscription service you’ll never delete?

Insight Timer.

In flight cocktail?

Mescal Negroni.

Favorite travel app

Safara. Seriously!

Window or aisle?

Aisle.

Yoga or hotel gym?

Yoga.

Read more from our Insiders series, here.

Nick Ferman started his career in Italy in the early 2000s, before moving to London in 2005. After launching a number of contemporary fashion brands, his lifelong passion for America (special subjects: its rock and roll history, and Bukowski) saw him develop a cultural and retail swap between Carnaby and New York’s Lower East Side. Now, he’s at Luxottica, where you can find him conceiving global partnerships for the company’s brands, such as Ray-Ban, Persol and Oliver Peoples. He splits his time between London, Milan, Amsterdam and Stockholm – although he’s happiest driving his grey Moto Guzzi bike around South Sardinia, he says.

Outside of PR and brand partnerships, Nick started a band – Ora Violet – in 2019, after playing a handful of gigs in Italy with two of his long-time friends. Nick is on guitar and songwriting, and their sound has been described as a sonic boom of fresh rock and roll, fusing the 70s proto-punk of The Stooges and The Modern Lovers with the modem versatility of Raconteurs and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Part of our Insiders series, this is your window into the worlds of the coolest people in Safara’s network. These are the contacts we’d hit up for travel inspiration, whether it’s a hotel recommendation, a new track for our in-transit playlist, the best mini-products to pack, or just to daydream about where we’d open a boutique island hotel (this changes with each Insider guide we read – we’re easily and happily influenced).

Read on for travel inspiration from Nick Ferman.

Name three of your favourite hotels?

Riad Tizwa, Fes, Morocco. Stay in the ground-floor room. Opening the wooden doors with a huge lock will make you feel you are entering your own castle. The charming bathroom with smudged tiles is worthy of a decadent prince. And breakfast is home-cooked every day by the loveliest staff.

The Line, K-Town, LA. A hipster hotel with nice and attentive staff. Interior designer Sean Knibb did a pretty good job: modern, with a 70s feel, and the furniture was made bespoke for the hotel by local artisans. There’s a floor-to-ceiling view in every room – I’d pick one facing the Hollywood sign.

Little Hoi An Central Boutique and Spa, Hoi An, Vietnam. This hotel is an oasis of tranquillity in the City of Lanterns. The colonial style rooms are straight out of a movie and they have the best beds. Make full use of the spa, every treatment is superb. It’s also 15-minutes walk from the fish market.

What hotel room design element can you not live without?

Loads of sockets. There’s never enough these days, with all the devices we have. And, light switches that are easy to find and operate. 

Where would you go for a digital detox or just generally to get off the grid?

South East Sardinia. It’s unpretentious, the people are friendly, and the sea is the best I have ever seen (go to Chia beach). When you’re done swimming, Fradis Minoris is the best seafood restaurant I ever tried, in the middle of the Nora lagoon.

You travel a lot for work, was this something you were seeking in a career? How do you make it as relaxing and fun as possible?

It was. I’ve worked long and hard to achieve a position where I get to manage projects at a global scale. The main thing is to develop skills that are transferable to different markets. When traveling for work, I always download a lot of movies and a series to kick back with, do at least one new thing while there (whether a bar, gallery, book shop – I recently discovered the delicious Berlin restaurant, Lokal), and don’t feel bad about staying in if the working day has worn you out.

What three songs are on your OOO playlist?

Red Bone, by Childish Gambino. There Is No Time, by Lou Reed (listen to the lyrics, it could have been written now). And, Outrageous, by Calva Louise.

What do you always bring with you in your carry-on?

• Pukka green tea bags
• A Drake’s cashmere scarf
• Noise-cancelling head phones
• Persol 714 folding shades (in black)
• A good rock and roll biography (Seymour Stein’s Siren Song is excellent).

If you could swap suitcases with anyone in the world (alive or dead) at baggage claim, who would you swap with?

Glenn O’Brien, in his TV Party days.

Best travel advice you’ve ever received?

Book your essentials early, and improvise the rest (from my friend Manuela, the most adaptable person I know).

Anxiety and burn-out are big topics these days. How do you combat them, and how do you use travel to do so?

Don’t drink too much alcohol, only go to functions you have to attend, don’t look at your phone, find time every day to do at least one thing you love (going to the cinema on my own, learning a new riff on the guitar). I apply the above to travel, work or play.

Travel can be about the little luxuries, like an amazing cup of coffee. Where was the best one you’ve had?

I’m writing this while^ on holiday in Sicily. What’s better than a cremolata for breakfast?

Beach, city or mountains?

Beach!

Is in-flight wifi a good idea?

Noooooo!

Fantasy mini bar/fridge item?

Italicus aperitivo – just try it.

Read more from our Insiders series, here.