Softer Volumes is a design and travel publisher from Sydney that collects the cafés, bars and hotels you would cross a city to see. Founded by Joe Vuong, it began as his habit of photographing well-designed places on holiday and grew into a shelf of linen-covered books and a growing series of PDF city guides, followed by around 200,000 people on Instagram, by its own count. Joe Vuong has contributed to Locals Insider, a sister publication of DailyStoke; we have judged Softer Volumes on the same terms as every other title.
It is not a magazine in the monthly sense, and it does not pretend to be a full guidebook. What it offers is curation you can trust: Softer Volumes says it does not accept paid editorial. Here is our Softer Volumes review: what it publishes, what it costs and who it suits.
Softer Volumes access: books and PDF guides to buy; Instagram free to follow
Books from €75 at stockists; PDF city guides on the Softer Volumes shop
| Detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Access | Books in print or PDF, city guides as PDF; Instagram free to follow |
| Price | Hotels Vol. 01 and Cafes Vol. 01 at €75 each from stockist 1605 Collective; PDF city guides sold separately on its own shop |
| Where to buy | shop.softervolumes.com and design bookshops and stores |
| Formats | Linen hardcover books; PDF editions; PDF city guides for your phone |
| Promo Code | None. Softer Volumes does not publish promo codes |
Softer Volumes at a glance
- Publisher: Softer Volumes, Sydney, Australia
- Founder: Joe Vuong
- What it publishes: Cafes Vol. 01 and 02, Bars Vol. 01, Hotels Vol. 01, plus PDF city guides
- City guides include: Tokyo, Copenhagen, Madrid, Bangkok, Seoul, Berlin and Bali
- Hotels Vol. 01: 240 pages, 80 hotels and resorts in 29 countries, linen hardcover, 255 x 195 x 22mm
- Cafes Vol. 01: 240 pages, more than 80 cafés in over 50 cities, FSC-certified paper
- Editorial policy: no paid editorial collaborations
- Free to read: Instagram (@softervolumes)
Our verdict
Softer Volumes is the most disciplined design-led travel curation we have found outside the big magazines. Every café, bar and hotel earns its place on looks first, then on atmosphere and how the space works, and the refusal of paid editorial gives the selection real weight. The books are beautiful and built to last. The limits are clear too: there is little practical detail, the coverage is selective rather than complete, and you pay for the depth.
Pros
- Rigorous, independent curation with no paid placements
- Linen-bound books that double as design references
- PDF city guides sized for a phone
- Consistent, natural-light photography, much of it shot by Softer Volumes itself
Cons
- Books are an investment at around €75
- Light on opening hours, prices and practical tips
- Not a regular periodical, so no news on new openings between books
What Softer Volumes publishes
The core of Softer Volumes is a series of themed books. Cafes Vol. 01 and Cafes Vol. 02, also sold as a two-volume set, gather designer cafés from around the world. Bars Vol. 01 does the same for bars, and Hotels Vol. 01 collects 80 hotels and resorts in 29 countries, from island retreats to city stays. Each book is available in print or as a PDF.
Alongside the books sits a growing series of PDF city guides, including Tokyo, Copenhagen, Madrid, Bangkok, Seoul, Berlin and Bali, meant to be read on your phone before you land. In a 2026 interview with Locals Insider, Vuong said the plan is to keep expanding the city guides, publish more books and broaden the editorial side into stories about travel, interiors, objects and the people behind them.
The selection process is what sets it apart. Softer Volumes receives a large volume of submissions from designers, architects and PR teams, but Vuong says he still researches each destination himself, and works with local contributors and photographers. The test, in his words: “Something about a space has to make me stop and want to know more.”
Price and access
There is no subscription and no paywalled website. You buy the books and guides individually, or the whole collection, from the Softer Volumes shop. Design stockists also sell the books: 1605 Collective lists both Hotels Vol. 01 and Cafes Vol. 01 at €75 each, and Australian shops such as Arrival Hall carry them too.
The free way to sample Softer Volumes is Instagram, where it shares many of the places it features. That gives you a good sense of the eye behind the books, but not the context or the full selection.
There are no promo codes, and we found no official discount beyond buying volumes as a set.
What we liked
The independence. “We don’t do paid editorial collaborations,” Vuong told Locals Insider, adding that the company has turned down offers to protect its independence. In a genre crowded with sponsored “hot lists”, that matters.
The books as objects. Linen hardcovers at 240 pages, with photography that favours natural light and honest materials. Italian design platform Fuorisalone described the Softer Volumes approach as “few projects, exceptional quality”.
Not just expensive places. Vuong is explicit that a well-designed café does not have to be a pricey one, and the selection includes neighbourhood spots alongside five-star hotels.
Useful as reference. Architects, interior designers and hospitality operators use the books to see what peers are doing, which tells you something about the standard.
What we did not like
Little practical information. These are curated portfolios, not guidebooks. Expect to check opening hours, booking rules and prices yourself.
Selective coverage. If your city is not covered by a guide, or a book has only a few entries there, you will need another source.
No pound pricing at the stockists we checked. UK buyers will mostly see euro prices and should check shipping before ordering.
Softer Volumes vs Wallpaper* vs Cereal
| Softer Volumes | Wallpaper* Travel Guides | Cereal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Books and PDF city guides | Pocket paperback guides | Biannual magazine plus city guides |
| Price | Books €75 at stockists | £15 each | Per volume |
| Cities | Tokyo, Copenhagen, Madrid, Bangkok, Seoul, Berlin, Bali and more | London, Milan, New York, Paris | Selected cities |
| Best for | Design-led cafés, bars and hotels | Design-minded city breaks | Slow, minimalist travel |
| Paid editorial | None, by its own policy | Not stated | Not stated |
Pick Softer Volumes if you plan trips around beautiful spaces and want a curator whose choices are not for sale.
Pick Wallpaper* Travel Guides for a cheaper, pocket-sized design view of the big four cities, each written by a Wallpaper* writer who lives there.
Pick Cereal for a calmer read that covers people and places as well as interiors.
For more choice, see our ranking of the best travel magazines.
Who Softer Volumes suits
It suits design-minded travellers who want a shortlist they can trust, people working in architecture, interiors and hospitality, and anyone who likes a beautiful book on the table between trips. It is less useful if you want a full city guide with transport, prices and practical tips, or if you prefer local, first-person recommendations; for those, try a contributor-led title such as Locals Insider or an app such as Spotted by Locals.
Softer Volumes FAQs
Who founded Softer Volumes?
Joe Vuong, an entrepreneur who runs it from Australia and on the road. It grew out of his habit of seeking out and photographing well-designed cafés and hotels while travelling.
Does Softer Volumes accept paid features?
No. Vuong has said the company does not do paid editorial collaborations and has turned down offers to protect its independence.
How much does Hotels Vol. 01 cost?
Stockist 1605 Collective lists it at €75. The Softer Volumes shop sells it in print or as a PDF.
Which cities do the Softer Volumes city guides cover?
Guides include Tokyo, Copenhagen, Madrid, Bangkok, Seoul, Berlin and Bali, and the series is growing.
Is Softer Volumes a magazine?
Not in the monthly sense. It is a publisher of books and city guides, with Instagram as its free, frequently updated outlet.
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