Travelling with: Natalia Swarz

The Hôtel Weekend founder on intentional trips, creative pauses—and always forgetting something.

Jun 09, 2025

Hi everyone,

and welcome to Fellow Travellers Journal’s new interview series, where I speak to people whose approach to travel I find inspiring, thoughtful, or just plain interesting. These conversations are about more than destinations — they’re about the rituals, compromises, aesthetics, and stories that shape how we move through the world.

This first edition of Travelling With features Natalia Swarz, a designer, writer, and the founder of Hôtel Weekend, a travel platform where she shares beautiful places to stay and slow, meaningful ways to experience the world. I met Natalia a few years back in Berlin, at the first birthday party of the daughter of friends we have in common. Since then, we’ve mostly stayed in touch through Instagram—specifically through me replying to her dreamy holiday photos with some version of “where is this?”

Originally from Colombia, she now lives in Madrid with her partner and their two daughters. Her work lives at the intersection of storytelling, interiors, and motherhood, always guided by a love for beauty, simplicity, and the feeling of home. I was thrilled to finally ask her a few more intentional questions about how she travels now, especially as a parent.

FTJ: Where did you travel to most recently?
Portugal. We spent a few slow days between the mountains and the sea with friends and their kids. It’s a place we return to often—somewhere that feels both grounding and freeing.

FTJ: What was the first trip you remember that really stayed with you?
Cartagena, Colombia is the first trip I remember. But the one that really stayed with me was a ski trip to Colorado with my family when I was around five. It’s one of my sweetest, most vivid memories—cold cheeks, hot chocolate, and the thrill of something completely new.

FTJ: How has becoming a parent changed the way you travel?
There’s less room for spontaneity and last-minute decisions, but travel hasn’t changed too drastically for us. We definitely travel less often than before, but our trips now have more meaning and intention. Both our kids have been travelling with us since they were born—they’re easygoing and seem to enjoy the adventure. We used to do artist residencies, which have taken a pause for now, and I do miss that slower creative pace. Travel has also become more expensive, as we now prioritise comfort in both accommodation and transportation.

FTJ: City break, countryside, or coast—what’s your default and why?
We love a good city break—Lisbon, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam are cities we return to often. But I dream of spending a full spring in the Japanese countryside, exploring and creating at a slower rhythm.

FTJ: When you're planning a trip, how do you go about finding accommodation—and where do you usually look for inspiration?
I spend a lot of time researching—it’s part of my work at Hôtel Weekend. I rely on friends’ recommendations and places I’ve bookmarked over time, especially on Instagram. I’m drawn to spaces with soul and intention, not just good styling—somewhere with a story to tell.

FTJ: Hotel or apartment—what do you look for in a place to stay when you travel?
Hotel! Though I really appreciate well-equipped apartments when travelling with kids. Not having to bring toys, books, or baby gear is a huge plus. In general, I look for places where I’d genuinely want to spend time—not just sleep. Now with two kids, our priorities have shifted, but we stay flexible. I look for beautiful design, a sense of spaciousness, and ideally a restaurant on-site or a kitchen. If we’re in a city, a great walkable location is key—I’d much rather walk everywhere than rely on metros or taxis.

Natalia stayed at Hotel Vermelho in Melides on a recent trip

Hotel Corazón in the Tramuntana Mountains is another favourite of Natalia's

FTJ: Can you name a place that felt like it matched your aesthetic sensibility completely?
I really love the Silent Living properties in Portugal and the Coqui Coqui residences in Mexico. My personal style sits somewhere between the two: minimal meets bohemian.

FTJ: How do you pack—light and loose or prepared for everything?
Light and loose—and we always forget something. Every time.

FTJ: Do you try to keep your usual rhythms and routines when you travel, or is travel your time to loosen up?
I try to keep a gentle rhythm for the kids—meals and rest times—but I loosen up on almost everything else. Travel is a chance to reset, to see how little we actually need to feel good.

FTJ: What’s one lesson you only learned the hard way while travelling with kids?
Never—ever—again will I take a flight 1) by myself, 2) with a toddler, 3) who just learned to walk, 4) for 18 hours, 5) at 9 am. (It was Madrid to Tokyo.) For long-haul trips, I now prioritise flying overnight, even if it costs a bit more.

FTJ: Finally, where are you dreaming of going next—and why?
I’d love to spend some time in the countryside of Denmark, Sweden, or Japan. Ideally doing something I’ve never done before—like a pottery course or a flower arranging workshop. I’m craving quiet, slowness, and the joy of learning something new.

**Impressions from a summer trip to Denmark last year**

I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. If you’d like to follow Natalia’s writing, you can subscribe to Barefoot Escapes by Hôtel Weekend or to her personal newsletter, Nap Trapped.