THE CURATOR VIEW
If 4.7 million people have watched the Reel, I’ve got some difficult news.
It is no longer hidden.
Travel content has developed an unfortunate relationship with the phrase “hidden gem.”
Restaurant in Zamalek? Hidden gem.
Hotel with 300 rooms? Hidden gem.
Entire Greek island? Apparently hidden.
I would like to formally retire it.
What I actually care about is whether somewhere is worth knowing.
It can be famous.
It can be new.
It can have existed for 100 years.
Discovery doesn’t require pretending nobody else has discovered it.
So you’ll see fewer “secret spots” here.
And considerably more places I’d genuinely send my friends.
THE CURATOR SAYS: Good doesn’t have to mean undiscovered.
I'd rather offer a specific recommendation than call another famous place a hidden gem. La Plancha inside El Gouna Sailing Club is useful because I can say what I'd order, the burger, and why I'd spend an afternoon there. Naming the venue, giving context and explaining how to visit is more valuable than manufacturing mystery.