Global Gathering

On gypset.com, the new travel website from writer Julia Chaplin, travel destinations are grouped into her own, idiosyncratic categories. Sean McPherson's Jane Hotel in Westside New York—built in 1908 for sailors who could rent a room for 25 cents, now catering to modern beatniks at $99/night— is an "Outpost.” Chaplin elaborates: “It’s a Gypset place in a city that is not fully Gypset.” "Enclaves," she says, are the next level: “groovy little places” off the beaten path. "G-spots," on the other hand, are too secret to be pinned down with any precision. “I have friends with houses in places and they say, "you can come here but you can’t write about it." Though the site's function is to guide,  much of the experience is in individual discovery. "A while back this gypsetter wrote in and invited me to Comporto, Portugal. But there were literally no places to stay. She said, 'you have to find this weird German hippie who has lived there for years, and if he likes you then he might rent you a room.' It took a while. We had to drink three of these cocktails he made. We had plans for the night and we had to cancel them because we got drunk with him. But we got a room!"


Lamu, Kenya

Setting the scene: “An island off the coast of Kenya. It's very hard to get to, so when you arrive and there are all these incredible people you feel a sort of bond.”

Who goes there: Princess Caroline. Max Osterweis of up-and-coming fashion label Suno.

What to do: Sailing, kayaking and swimming with the dolphins.

What not to do: This is an Islamic island and there is only one bar—don’t come with your frat brothers on spring break.
 

Guethary, France

Setting the scene: “A surf town south of Biarritz that’s way cooler.”

Who goes there: Endless Summer-ers

What to do: “It’s in the Basque region, so you can surf all day and then re-fuel with exquisite cuisine like at the Michelin-starred Briketenia. Très Gypset!”

What not to do: Harsh my mellow.
 

Gumusluk, Turkey

Setting the scene: “Gumusluk is a sleepy fishing village on the far west side of the Bodrum peninsula that, for some reason, has avoided development and is therefore not that popular with the jet set/party crowd that clogs the rest of Bodrum.”

Who goes there: Rock jumpers and star gazers. You know who you are.

What to do: “Days are spent sunning at the various secret coves and evenings barefoot at the seafood restaurants like Mimoza run by an eccentric Kurdish actor.”

What not to do: Bring any oontz oontz music.