Welcome to “TravMedia's Travel Writer of the Week,” where we highlight an active journalist or editor within the TravMedia community. With so many talented, successful and inspiring professionals in our midst, we're excited to spotlight the new Travel and Hotels Editor, APAC at Time Out Media
— let's meet Winnie Stubbs...
Q. Where are you based? Sydney, Australia.
Q. What outlet do you write for? Who is your audience? What are your travel specialties? Time Out Sydney, Time Out Melbourne, Time Out Singapore, and Time Out Hong Kong.
At the moment, we're really trying to help people connect with the best hotels in the world through genuine, human stories and lists that hone in on what travellers might be looking for (eg: most affordable/ most unusual etc). Hotels haven't necessarily been a key focus for Time Out over the years, so it's a super exciting project to take on – we've been so known for our guides to the best restaurants and the best bars and the best things to do, so I'm really looking forward to helping reshape our hotel content to connect travellers with the best hotels for them.
Personally, I've always been a little obsessed with eco-luxe hotels – hotels are (most often) an indulgence, and I think when we're paying for something with our disposable income we want to believe that our money is doing something positive for the world. There are some really amazing eco hotels out there, and I always love sharing their stories.
Q. What are your professional pet peeves? I've worked in PR before, so I really don't mind when people get my name wrong, get the publication wrong, make spelling errors, or double-send a pitch – we've all done it! But being sent a press release with no imagery really grinds my gears.
Q. In your past professional life, you were … I spent a year doing a Business Apprenticeship for a very special eco-luxe hotel in Cornwall (The Scarlet) straight out of school, then landed a job at a luxury travel PR firm in London. I was way too young and way underqualified, but it was great experience. I then spent some time doing the marketing for a yoga retreat in Sri Lanka before moving to Sydney to study. I freelanced throughout my degree and eventually landed a part-time job as the editor of a sustainable lifestyle website called The Conscious Space, which was wonderful. I needed to get sponsored to stay here after uni, so I started working at a PR firm that focused on sustainable businesses. Then Time Out took on my sponsorship, and I've been here ever since.
Q. Where would you like to return to? I was sent on a dream trip to the Whitsundays a couple of years ago – I stayed at Qualia, which was (obviously) exceptional, spent days snorkelling around the reef, and then checked into the most beautiful private island hotel called Elysian Retreat (truly cannot recommend this place highly enough).
Q. What's on your bucket list? I love active trips, and the Philippines is firmly on my list: beautiful swimming spots, epic cycling routes, and easy waves. I'm also desperate to spend a good chunk of time exploring the Greek islands – but who isn't? Hotel-wise, Forestis in the Dolomites and Soneva Fushi in the Maldives are my dream stays. One day!
Q. Where do you travel for fun? The NSW South Coast is somewhere I always return to with friends – it's beautiful and unpretentious and feels like stepping back in time. When I'm able to travel back to the UK to see my family, we love exploring somewhere new on our bikes (we'll be taking a brewery tour of Belgium by bike next May).
Q. Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …The most harrowing was probably getting lost off-piste in the French Alps – I was nine, and the friend I was with was seven, and we were convinced that it was game over. I can't actually remember how we were rescued, but I remember the post-rescue hot chocolate.
Q. What advice would you give your younger professional self? I wish I'd upskilled at photography when I was younger, but it's a work in progress! I have a camera on the way so watch this space.
Q. How best should people contact you? Email is always best.
