Savor the Moment: Gisele Azad on Her 3 Favorite Slow Travel Hotels

When Gisele Azad, a Dutch-Persian creative, and her Dutch fiancé, Rudmer, first started dating over five years ago, it was an instant connection. “We were together, and basically never looked back,” she says. Early on, they bonded over a shared love of travel and design, often dreaming about the kind of home they’d one day create together. “On those first dates, we’d talk about visiting cool hotels just to soak up inspiration for our future house.” In this interview with The Lane she shares three destinations that are not so easily discovered, but each carries a rare sense of tranquillity that inspires slowing down and bringing that calm into the everyday.

Header Image: Hotel Terrestre

A strong thread in their connection was their shared admiration for architecture and thoughtfully designed spaces. “We realised early on that we were both deeply inspired by Donald Judd,” Gisele explains. Judd, known for his minimalist yet powerful furniture and architectural projects, became a touchstone for their creative conversations. “His work is so pure – often just wood, perfectly crafted, incredibly minimalist. It’s that quiet intentionality that really struck us.”

Judd’s Marfa compound in Texas epitomises this ethos. Vast desert horizons. Warm light spilling over concrete structures. The silence of space, broken only by the sound of wind brushing against the walls. It’s a place where architecture feels like it belongs to the land, where raw materials mirror the earth itself. “He designed a space that doesn’t just sit in the landscape – it becomes part of it,” Gisele reflects.

For Gisele and Rudmer, their vision has always been about creating a space where architecture and nature are in dialogue. “It’s not just about a house – it’s about a feeling,” she says. “Bringing the outside in, letting the landscape be part of the design, that’s what inspires us most.”

Before bringing their dream home to life, they spent time researching slow travel destinations – places that sparked inspiration and a sense of connection. “Journeys that weren’t just escapes, but explorations,” says Gisele. These are her three favourites:

“It’s not just about a house – it’s about a feeling,” she says. “Bringing the outside in, letting the landscape be part of the design, that’s what inspires us most.”

Manna, Greece

Perched in the remote forests of Arcadia, Manna is a tranquil retreat where thoughtful design meets the beauty of nature. Originally an abandoned care home, it was transformed over fifteen years by visionary architect Stavros Tsoklis into a sanctuary where local materials and organic design take center stage.

“Last March, I visited Manna in Greece, and it was incredible,” says Gisele. “It’s in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by forests and mountains – it felt like stepping into another world. The building has been restored over many years, using natural materials and preserving as much of the original structure as possible. Almost everything, from the furniture to the food in the restaurant, is connected to the environment there. It inspired us so much. We have a lot of wood on our property, left by the previous owners, and now we’re thinking about using it to create our own furniture. It showed me how something so simple can feel so special when it’s tied to its surroundings.”

“It showed me how something so simple can feel so special when it’s tied to its surroundings.”

Hotel Terrestre, Mexico

Tucked deep in the lush jungle of Puerto Escondido, Hotel Terrestre stands out with its bold, brutalist architecture. Still, the hotel feels like it emerges organically from the landscape. Designed by visionary architect Miguel Ángel Aragonés, it offers a sensory experience where the natural surroundings and the building seamlessly blend together.

“Hotel Terrestre is simply amazing,” says Gisele. “It’s set in the jungle with this industrial, brutalist style that feels so connected to its surroundings. That really inspired us – using simple, natural materials with a slightly industrial touch. I especially loved the concrete pool in the jungle; it made me realise how little is needed to combine wellness with nature. We now have a hot tub in our garden, inspired by that same minimalism. It’s just a simple wooden, Japanese-style bath, and when you’re surrounded by trees, that’s all you need.”

“I especially loved the concrete pool in the jungle; it made me realise how little is needed to combine wellness with nature.”

Conservatorium Hotel, The Netherlands

Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the Conservatorium Hotel is one of the city’s much-loved historic hotels. Housed in a former music conservatory, the hotel’s architecture blends classical and contemporary elements. This beautiful getaway offers a luxurious experience with a focus on art, design, and wellness.

“This is so different from the rest, but I went to the Conservatorium Hotel for the first time recently,” says Gisele. “I stayed in one of the two towers, which are quite special, and I loved it. They’ve transformed the towers into a huge wellness spa space, and it’s all yours to enjoy. The space was filled with marble and wood, and it was dark yet calming. That gave my fiancé Rudmer and me the idea to make all our spaces open and light, but we want the bathrooms to be dark. We’ve decided on matte tiles in a tobacco colour for a beautiful contrast. When you step into the bathroom, you enter a quiet, dark space, which brings a different sense of calm compared to the rest of the rooms.”

“They’ve transformed the towers into a huge wellness spa space, and it’s all yours to enjoy. The space was filled with marble and wood, and it was dark yet calming.”

For more information about Gisele, visit her Instagram.