Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula  may be awash in mega-size, mega-service, mega-resorts, and many of them are at the top of people’s lists of places to stay before they die. But Casa Natalia  in the neighboring 17th Century town of San Jose del Cabo, offers a more intimate option that’s every bit as chic and indulgent. Owners Nathalie and Loic Tenoux  like to say that the word Casa in the name of their 16 room high design boutique hotel means “home,” not merely “house.” The couple actually lives in a penthouse over the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant (where Loic is Chef) and they’ve worked hard to make you feel at home too.

Here at iTravel iSh­op, we’re huge fans of the shopping in Mumbai- especially stores like Bungalow 8, Atmosphere and Ravissant. But because it is one of the most chaotic cities in the world, to keep their sanity, visitors need to be able to retreat to a luxurious hotel at the end of the day. While the city has a fabulous Taj hotel, the newest big contender in town is the just-opened Four Seasons Mumbai. It’s located in the Worli area, which is close to the financial district. There’s a fleet of BMWs to whisk guests to and from the airport, as well as around town. The hotel is housed in a 33-storey glass tower and overlooks the Arabian Sea, while the guestrooms are the largest in the city. There’s also a two-storey spa. ­Four Seasons Mumbai, 114 Dr. E. Moses Road, Worli, Mumbai, India 400 018. Phone: 91 (22) 2481-8000.

When it comes to decorating my own house, I can be a bit of a wimp about colour. Yes, I like bright colours like pink and turquoise... I just don't want to be surrounded by them. That’s why wall decals are so fab. You can inject a bit of colour into a room without committing to painting an entire wall, say, lime green- and it's not permanent. The Columbia-road based Supernice stocks an amazing range of wall stickers. I love the look of their wall animals (pictured), crafted from vintage wallpaper, for £45. Supernice also stocks a huge range from Blik graphics, which ran the gamut from Japanese-inspired prints to Keith Haring graphics and robots. Online shopping is also available. Supernice Limited, 106 Columbia Rd, London, E2 7RG. Phone: 0207 6133890.

Looking for a unique children’s toy with a cool edge, but want to avoid the usual suspects like FAO Schwarz and Toys R Us? Then check out the new Kidrobot flagship store in Soho, which opened earlier this month. Kidrobot sells limited edition art toys, apparel, and accessories. The two-storey, 2,200 square foot space has a custom toy gallery, a four-foot Dunny (painted by Tara McPherson), a six-foot cyan-blue Munny and will also feature a twenty-five foot tall mural by French graffiti legend Tilt. So what makes Kidrobot's products different?

If you’re looking to plan a few days in Istanbul shoppping and eating before heading off to one of Turkey's glorious beaches, check into the new W Istanbul. The hotel is the W’s first foray into Europe, and is located in the trendy Besiktas area, which counts Chloe, Vertu, Bottega Veneta and Marc Jacobs as its neighbours. The 134 guest rooms are divided into Wonderful, Spectacular, Fabulous, and Mega, with the grand daddy of them all being the Extreme Wow suite, which is 1830 square feet of over-the-topness. For chilling out, there is Jean-Georges Spice Market restaurant, a fitness center, and Sip for cocktails. W Hotel Istanbul, Suleyman Seba Cad No: 22, Akaretler, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey. Phone: (90)(212) 381 2121.

The hit American TV show Gossip Girl has just made it to London, and I have to confess I’m hooked. It’s like Sex and the City crossed with Beverly Hills 90210 but infinitely cooler and bitchier. Instead of hanging out at The Peach Pit slurping milkshakes and having burgers, the Gossip Girl crew is chilling at Campbell Apartment and shopping at Henri Bendel. To celebrate the show, New York’s The Franklin Hotel is offering a Gossip Girl package which includes two nights in an Executive King Guestroom, a $100 Gift Certificate to Henri Bendel, $100 gift certificate for dinner and drinks at The Mansfield's M Bar, admission for two at the Metropolitan Museum,  a Gossip Girl Guide to NYC  and luxury car service for one hour.

Since most hotels these days seem to be designed in an Asian, minimalist style, it’s refreshing to see a place embracing lots of eye-popping colour. One place that is getting rave reviews (and not only for its bright design) is Oceana in Santa Monica. The look is bright beachy fun, with suites painted in sunny yellow, and some rooms are decorated with hot pink and green accessories. Colour wise, it reminds us of the Todd Oldham-designed The Hotel in Miami.

When I was in Napa Valley last autumn, my favourite stop in St. Helena was the retro-fab and very gourmet Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, where I tucked into a freshly grilled turkey burger, sweet potato fries and a green tea milkshake (I know that's a lot of food but I was starving). The next time I find myself in wine country, I’ll try to do a lot more shopping than eating. One place that is getting a lot of buzz in St. Helena is Martin. This design emporium actually has a sense of humour about itself; the website has categories call ‘New Shite’ for the latest products and ‘Blah Blah Blah’ for the press section.

Here’s one store to bookmark for the next time you find yourself in Beantown- Vessel. Located near South Station on the border of Chinatown, Vessel is a design studio as well as a retail space. The store is divided into different areas for the bedroom, bathroom and garden, and the prices are actually pretty reasonable. There’s a Real Good red chair that looks like a piece of origami for $99 by Blu Dot, and we also like the look of the Bendant Lamp, $165, which has a leaf-like shade- and comes in a flat pack. Or for a jolt of colour in your study, try the bright red, lacquered Desk 51, for $699. Vessel, 125 Kingston Street, Boston. Phone: (877) 805-1801. Closed Monday.

Making a product exclusive- or creating a waiting list that could last for several months - is one of the oldest, and most effective marketing tools. Birkin bags, Ferraris and the Maybach all have ridiculously long waiting lists… or do they? Fashion writer Michael Tonello has just written Bringing Home the Birkin, which chronicles how he spent five years globe-trotting and purchasing the elusive Hermes Birkin bag- without putting his name on a waiting list – and selling them at a tidy profit. In one year, he spent $1.6 million on the bags. His secret?