Three Places That Felt Like Home

The road gives us moments, but the stays anchor them.

The Saguaro Hotel – Palm Springs, CA
The desert sun burned high, relentless but inviting. The Saguaro stood there like a splash of color on a painter’s empty canvas. Bright yellows, purples, and greens framed every wall. It was a place where life didn’t whisper—it shouted, loudly and joyfully. The pool was alive, a scene of laughter and floating faces, while the bar hummed with people chasing sunsets in glasses of margaritas. Just beyond, the desert stretched, harsh and honest. But don’t worry, It’s not always loud. Mornings were quiet. I’d make a pour-over on the deck, watch the attendants clean the pool, and let the stillness settle in. I left with a longing to return and photographs to remind me how good it was.

Hotel Cabane – Paris, France

Paris can be loud, its streets a tangle of voices and vespas. But Hotel Cabane was an escape, a quiet whisper in the city’s symphony. There was no pretence—just mismatched chairs and a lobby that could make you forget the world outside. Morning coffee tasted better in the quiet and dark dining room, and the city felt softer when viewed through its windows. The Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame could wait; for a moment.

An Airbnb in Lisbon, Portugal

In the narrow streets of Lisbon, light fell on cobblestones like spilled honey. The Airbnb was small, clean, and simple—a perfect pause in a city that moved to the rhythm of tram bells and the murmur of tourists. From the living room window, I watched the trams roll by, steady and unending, and could hear the faint clink of glasses from the restaurant below. Alfama’s alleys twisted and turned, leading to tiled walls and smiles from strangers. As we left, our flight was at an ungodly hour, but parts of the city still pulsed with life. It was a country that left me with a quiet yearning to return.