My Travel Essentials

01 Nov 2011

Mr & Mrs Smith

Travel is an intrinsic part of life for James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy, the couple behind boutique hotel collection Mr & Mrs Smith. They tell us which items they never leave home without.

 

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He says

As each of the hotels in the Mr & Mrs Smith collection is personally visited by a team member, Tamara and I are constantly on the go. Over the years, I’ve learnt a few tricks that make the difference between a breezy flight and an uncomfortable one. One of the most important things I make sure to bring on the flight is my fully-charged iPod, freshly loaded and fitted with Bose noise-reducing earphones.

Besides making sure my flights are pleasant, I also pack a freshly ironed shirt if I’m travelling on business. This is so that I can step straight off the plane and into a meeting, or a restaurant or bar for that matter. Sunglasses are another must, and a sure-fire way to hide post-flight fatigue. My Persol sunglasses are a favourite as they are classics that are definitely back in fashion, plus I can’t get enough of those polarised lenses – if I get let out to do a day’s sea fishing, they’re invaluable.

Between us, Tamara and I seem to carry an electrical shop’s worth of chargers and cords for all of our technical gadgets. We always pack extra power adapters as one is never enough.

This may sound obvious, but I always take more business cards than I think I’m going to need. I don’t want to have to root around in my wallet for a dog-eared card when I know I have a freshly printed pile sitting in my desk drawer.

She says

As chief technical officer of Mr & Mrs Smith, I’m always on the lookout for the latest tech tool. My iPad is my current addiction – I never go anywhere without it. If James and I are travelling with our two children, I load my iPhone up with games, which keep the kids happily distracted on flights.

I’m a huge fan of Diane von Furstenberg wrap dresses. As the jersey fabric doesn’t crush, they travel beautifully. The cut is always very feminine and flattering, and there’s a great choice of vivid prints or bold block colours. Plus, they’re versatile as you can jazz them up with jewellery and heels or keep things casual with a pair of boots or ballet flats.

My carry-on bag is always kitted out with wet wipes, a small bottle of eau de toilette and a change of clothes – all of which help me feel and look better after a long haul flight. La Prairie’s Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex is perfect for combating puffy eyes after flying from our London base to the Melbourne or New York offices. Another must is a large cashmere wrap, which I wear as a scarf before or after boarding, and use as a blanket during the flight.

But my best travel tip isn’t about what you bring, but what you leave behind: Get your house thoroughly spring cleaned while you’re away so everything’s in top form when you arrive home.

Mr & Mrs Smith’s worldwide collection consists of over 850 hotels and holiday houses.

• Life Forms in a Museum
• Across the Yangtze and Into Spring
• 5 Must-Have Items for the Savvy Traveller
• Following the Yellow River
• My Hotel Must-Haves