This 100-Year-Old Prison Is Now A Luxury HotelHoshinoya Nara Prison Main LoungeHoshino ResortsThe newest luxury property in Nara, Japan joins a growing number of former prisons that have been converted into design and boutique hotels. The red-brick Hoshinoya Nara Prison was built in 1908 and, as its name makes quite clear, was previously a penitentiary. After closing in 2017, the prison underwent a massive renovation and is now a 48-room hotel with several cells having been transformed into luxury suites. The hotel’s restaurant takes inspiration from the Meiji period (when the prison was built), a time when Western ingredients and cooking methods first appeared in Japanese kitchens. Best of all, unlike the previous residents, guests at Hoshinoya Nara Prison can actually check out.FAA To Lift The Ban on Supersonic Travel Boom SupersonicLast week the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it would lift the 1973 ban on supersonic travel in the U.S. and replace it with new noise limits. Technological advances “will eliminate the old sonic boom,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. “This means we can ultimately repeal the ban from the 1970s on supersonic flight over U.S. territory while minimizing noise impacts to residents in communities along the route and near airports.” The move will of course set off a different kind of boom as several U.S. companies—including Spike Aerospace and Boom Supersonic—are building the next generation of luxurious supersonic aircraft. The new rules are expected to be implemented by mid-2027. The Best Places For Solo Female TravelOn the island of St. Lucia.Getty ImagesSolo travel is one of the biggest forces shaping the travel industry—and women are leading the way. Searches for “solo travel for women” have increased 30% worldwide over the past five years, and a 2025 survey found that almost 40% of women were interested in traveling alone, up 8% from the previous year. Veteran travel editor Laura Begley Bloom talked to six travel experts about the best destinations for women to have safe and rewarding solo adventures.This is the published version of Forbes’ Passport newsletter, which offers a first-class guide to luxury travel. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday.Travel WiseThe turquoise sea surrounding the coastal village of Limeni in Greece.Getty ImagesLooking for the best places to swim in Europe this summer? A new report ranks the European countries with the cleanest beaches, rivers and lakes for 2026. Cyprus was ranked No. 1 this year, with Greece and Bulgaria rounding out the top three destinations.How Jacquemus, Burberry And Goop Are Redefining Luxury TravelEvrima gets a new summer makeover.Lorenzo BaroncellEvery summer, the world’s best hotels and resorts get stylish upgrades from collaborations with the leading luxury fashion brands. French fashion house Jacquemus has once again partnered with Monte-Carlo Beach in Monaco and has another collaboration with Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum in Turkey. Meanwhile, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop brand is checking into 1 Hotels this summer, Italian porcelain maker Ginori 1735 has done a takeover of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima, and Raffles has a playful partnership with English luggage maker Globe-Trotter, Italian linen brand Frette and French tableware company Christofle based on its “The Butler Did It” campaign.MORE FROM FORBESForbesThe Essential Guide To America’s National Parks, The Ultimate Route 66 Road Trip And More Travel NewsNewsBy Passport by ForbesLifeForbesForbes Travel Guide’s Top Marrakech Hotels, The World’s Most Beautiful Restaurants And More Travel NewsBy Passport by ForbesLifeForbesThe Most Anticipated Wellness Resorts, The Best Hotels Bars And Other Travel NewsBy Passport by ForbesLife