Skip to main content

You Can Live, Work, and Travel (Almost) Anywhere in the World With Selina

A few short years ago, “digital nomadism” was hardly more than a buzzword. Now more companies are cutting their employees free of traditional cubicles in favor of allowing — even encouraging — them to work from home or anywhere. Millennials are even finding career paths to ensure they never need a proper office. But many who work remotely also play and live remotely. So, the challenge becomes how to develop a social circle of friends and colleagues when you’re constantly on the move? Selina believes it’s found a unique solution to that problem.

selina accomodations panama
Selina/Instagram

At its core, Selina is part Airbnb and part WeWork with a healthy dose of Viator sprinkled on top. Today’s digital nomads are different from those of just five years ago. They spend significant time — maybe even full-time — traveling. Sure, they can book an Airbnb or local guesthouse for their accommodations abroad. While that provides a locally flavored place to lay their head at night, it does little to help immerse them in the local community.

Selina offers a live/work/play model that provides not only accommodations, but purpose-built coworking spaces and connections with local tour operators and other service providers. Travelers who book with Selina receive a place to stay, often unique, professionally designed spaces like some of the best Airbnb accommodations. These include everything from hammocks to bunk beds to five-star luxury digs.

selina cowork
Selina/Instagram

By day, guests have access to beautiful coworking spaces with modern, digital nomad-friendly amenities like meeting rooms, coffee shop services, and dedicated work desks. Exact locations vary depending on the Selina destination, but some are situated in city centers, tropical jungles, and even right on the beach. Every part of Selina can be booked a la carte or as part of an overall package.

Selina also aims to bolster the communities in which they operate. As part of the Selina Gives Back initiative, the company donates a full 2 percent of their labor time so staff can give back to the community. This includes providing free English language classes for locals, teaching arts and crafts, improving local infrastructure through painting and (re)building, and even niche activities like yoga and surf lessons. From an environmental perspective, they also support reforestation, town and beach cleanup efforts, and primary green education.

selina accomodations costa rica
Selina/Instagram

The seeds for Selina were planted back in 2007 in the small fishing village of Pedasí, Panama. Friends and colleagues Daniel Rudasevski and Rafael Museri were living in the coastal town and working as real estate developers. They had cultivated a substantial network of friends, including locals and other travelers. As long-time travelers themselves, they sought to find a way for others to grow a similar social circle anywhere in the world. So Selina was born.

Selina has locations throughout Mexico, Central, and South America. The first U.S. property will open in Miami’s Little Havana later this year, and plans to expand through Europe are in the works. You can register now for free via the Selina website.

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
5 Best Travel Clothes Brands You Can Get Away with Not Washing
unbound merino shirts travel

Someone once blamed Apple for suffering from “design anemia,” a condition that compels the company to make every product thinner, lighter, and smaller at the possible expense of usability. Modern travelers could suffer the same affliction in the form of “packing anemia.” We’ll admit it: We do. Many of us are so fixated on going carry-on only that it’s become an obsession beyond the point of just saving money on baggage fees.

Imagine packing just two of everything — two undershirts, two pairs of underwear, two dress shirts, two pairs of socks — then layering your apparel as necessary.

Read more
You Can Save Money on Air Travel By Shipping Your Luggage
luggage shipping guide air travel people with at airport

It’s not long now before airlines start up-charging for oxygen and bathroom use. Some are already charging carry-on passengers to use the overhead bin space. Year after year, the airlines are bringing in billions in checked bag fees. So, it’s no wonder that passengers — and some clever companies — are fighting back. It turns out the best solution might be to travel bag-free, to instead ship your bags so they arrive ahead of you.

There are a handful of players in the luggage shipping game. All offer to ship standard carry-on and checked luggage, plus oversized items like skis, snowboards, musical instruments, and golf clubs. Most offer similar services like tracking, customer support, insurance, and home pick-up. In most cases, pricing is equal to or less than what you might expect to pay by traveling with your bags aboard an airline. Often, the most significant savings are for travelers shipping multiple bags. Of course, the undeniable advantage is being able to travel luggage-free — no more waiting at baggage claim and no cramming into taxis or subway cars with an armada of suitcases in tow. Here are three names to know if you’d rather ship your luggage on your next trip.
Companies that Offer Luggage Shipping
LugLess
One of the first into the luggage shipping game, LugLess streamlines the entire process better than anyone. Booking your shipment is a bit like booking a flight. From the website, travelers enter their city pair (origin and destination), dates of travel, whether the trip is one-way or roundtrip, and the size of the bag. This includes Carry-on (25 pounds or less), Checked (25-50 pounds), or Pversize (50-75 pounds).

Read more
Magnificent Castle Hotels You Can Actually Spend the Night in
Lisheen Castle

Castles are shaping up to be “the” style of accommodations for upscale travelers in 2019. According to HomeAway, demand is up 55 percent. It might sound like a mode of travel that’s out of reach for most mortal men, but a night or two in a legit castle can be more affordable than you think. Whether you’re looking for the perfect royal digs to live out your kingly fantasies for a weekend or an uber-romantic setting to pop the question to your significant other, these are some of the world’s most luxurious castles you can spend the night in.
Cliveden House

Berkshire, United Kingdom
Ahead of the royal wedding, Meghan Markle stayed the night at Cliveden House. It’s hard to imagine a castle getting a better stamp of approval than from the British royal family. This Relais & Châteaux property is a stunning Italianate castle that sits on nearly 400 acres of impeccably manicured gardens along the banks of the River Thames. Guests are afforded access to a wealth of five-star amenities like luxury treatments at Cliveden Spa, Champagne teatime toasts, and private excursions down the river on a chartered vintage houseboat. It’s all located just 30 miles from downtown London, so you can be close enough to the action while still enjoying privacy away from the commoners. Rates start at 445€ (approximately USD $500) per night.
Castle of Ristonchi

Read more