THE HOTELIERS & THE DESIGNERS

From the dawn of civilisation, humans have understood themselves and their worlds through story. Seated around fires and together at feasts, narratives made sense of this swiftly spinning world, introducing one to another, connecting across time and space and culture. The stories we tell have the power to bridge divisions of race or ethnicity, gender or sexuality — to bring us together in a shared harmony. To do this, Tolstoy suggests that these are all, in the end, “two tales – one goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.”

Stories of family, both those inherited and those created — of visionary grandparents, loving wives and husbands, committed children — stewarding their Alpine hotels from sleigh-bound guests of a century past through the letters and posts of centuries to follow . . .

of a grandson drawing lasting inspiration from his heritage on the Sorrentine coast . . . of the continuously evolving legacy of a Lisbon landmark for generations to come . . . of three siblings’ Athenian flowering beneath the gaze of the Parthenon . . . of a granddaughter’s Provençal remembrance of scents past or a Parisian daughter adopting a new idyllic home . . .

of creating a garden of earthly delights in the heart of London from the inheritance of a mother’s dynamic art or of leaving that city life and carrying on traditions of hospitality at the edge of sand and sea and sky.

Stories of legacy, bridging heritages and heartlands — of an African-born Parisian woman cultivating an edenic garden in Marrakech or the storied French hoteliers translating their l’art de vivre to New York . . . of music and creation returning with no half measures to Denmark Street . . . of visionaries capturing the historic cosmopolitanism of Bergen or of revitalising the land through seasons of rural Norwegian splendour . . .

of subtle detailing bearing witness to an architect’s global Mexican ethos . . .

of a society breathing new life into forgotten spaces across America or of the celebrity and celebration at a storied Californian inn . . .

of an Austrian family renewing ancient traditions in the Dolomitic hills . . .

of returning to Tuscan roots and welcoming home new friends or of honouring the histories from guests past and present at the banks of Lake Garda.

Stories of artistry, connecting the global and the local — of drawing from the muses of mountains and sea across diverse continents to illustrate the stories they tell . . .

of architectural cinematography on a virgin Maldivian island or being a maker of happiness from Playa del Carmen to Paris . . .

of a Miró-esque harmonious monasticism in Mallorcan pastoral seclusion . . .

of portraiture adoringly crafted in a resurrected and exquisitely adorned Italian castle . . .

of a South African designer uniting worlds through peace and tranquillity or a French designer’s la vie en rouge in the Portuguese countryside . . .

of immersing oneself in historic French forests and bringing visionary contemporary artists alongside . . .

of Lebanese aesthetes and curators sharing a “living museum” in their beloved Beirut and of the designers and architects reviving this place and carrying its enduring heritage across the globe.

In the wordsof Hitoshi Tanaka, whose Japanese hotel breathes artistry and life intoaonce-abandoned place, what these narrativesof picture and prose illustrate is the creative’s ability to, “rather than part ways with the past, make useof the existing . . . and spin a brand new story.”

In the following pages, these stories endeavour tobe told.

A JOURNEY TO PARADISE

Meryanne Loum-Martin’s Moroccan Eden

8

from the luxury that any money

buy

“I create my own journey,” Meryanne Loum-Martin says, and it is undeniably true. Born in Côte d’Ivoire to a Senegalese diplomat father and West Indian lawyer mother, Loum-Martin experienced London, Moscow and a Parisian education. From backpacking through India to redefining luxury in Marrakech, she has charted her own course through life. While practising law in Paris, she created a lauded villa in Morocco that sparked both her creativity and her passion for the country. After a formative New York stint in the eighties, Loum-Martin left her prestigious law career to begin a journey of hospitality. The place that called to her was a country full of life and culture, as fellow Parisian Yves Saint-Laurent once said, “Marrakech taught me colour. Before Marrakech, everything was black.” Loum-Martin praises the city’s Arab, French Art Deco, and Berber influences, saying “you cannot erase seven centuries of cultural influence . . . Morocco is in the subconscious of many, many people. It’s part of a creative subconscious.”

Tamsna – which can be translated as sweetness by the sea – became “my brand,” Loum-Martin says, her projects mixing local heritage with a unique tapestry of welcome. After transforming riads, villas, and

guesthouses, she broke ground on Jnane Tamsna, jnane for the garden inspired and cultivated by her ethnobotanist husband, Gary Martin – a verdant hotel which had reservations even before it was completed. “It took me years to find the right land,” Loum-Martin recalls, and when she did, “it was a shock when I found out that Jnane Tamsna had been the name of the land forever. It was meant to be – the Eden Garden of Tamsna.” It is indeed an edenic place, situated amongst the palms on the outskirts of the city that has become her home. “Marrakech and its cultural heritage is such a nest of creativity that owners can create the space of their dreams and tourists can find the taste of their choice,” a truth she illuminates in her book “Inside Marrakesh: Enchanting Homes and Gardens” published with Rizzoli, which explores the diversities of style abounding in her adopted city.

Her own Jnane Tamsna reflects this coherent variegation amidst the pools, gardens and spaces glowing with reflected light. It is an inclusive aesthetic approach, eschewing imported goods in favour of local and artisanal treasures all reflected in beloved mirrors, inside and out. “Mirrors have to be strategic,” Loum-Martin contends, “they can amplify something

Go

can

totheuniquenessofsocialandenvironmental impact – and the celebration of cultural heritage–inawaywhichisnotfolkloricbut deeply rooted in long term partnership.

already interesting – a painting, a plant, an antique –they multiply beauty.” The couple live on the grounds, curate the hundreds of books and magazines in the library as their own and select each piece of furniture or work of art – a story behind each one. No one room is the same, and Loum-Martin, like her mirrors, multiplies the beauty throughout.

This singular place redefines the idea of luxury –not relating to expensive goods but rather “a state of mind, and certainly not something that money can buy.” Loum-Martin’s “idea of elegance is timeless . . . a time when chic did not mean logos, labels or costs.” Here, she creates an indelibly luxurious experience, but shapes it as “an agent of change – the profits of luxury, the purpose of luxury,” she says, “should be creating sustainable channels of employment – celebrating the cultural heritage and supporting the local population to live well from their history. It should not be about

importing very costly fittings for hotels but about creating sophisticated fittings locally and impacting for good the local market.”

It is this view that she hopes will grow in hospitality, to “go from the luxury that any money can buy to the uniqueness of social and environmental impact – and the celebration of cultural heritage – in a way which is not folkloric but deeply rooted in long term partnership.”Crossing the garden to her office, LoumMartin makes a point to open her eyes to the elements of luxury in daily life – “what is rare, what is unique, what makes a difference – luxury starts with celebrating this.” These days the passage to her eden is shorter than before, but it is a sojourn she continues to embrace as she invites others – be they locals or the many celebrities, artists and fellow aesthetes who visit her paradise – to join her for the journey.

AN ARTIST’S HOUSE BY THE SEA

It began, one might say, when an exuberant Parisian boy visited the neighbouring Palais de la Porte-Dorée, which housed the Museum of African and Oceanic Arts – and a tropical aquarium. “My sisters accompanied me there almost every weekend,” legendary designer Christian Louboutin reminisces, “I was fascinated by the iridescence of the fish and their elusive nuances . . . I began to explore the place. It was the beginning of endless imaginary journeys and influenced my creative imagination and passion for unknown universes and other worlds.” It was here, too, that a sketch forbidding stilettos settled in the creative consciousness that would go on to iconically fit feet around the world.

Now an ardent traveller, Louboutin has “always loved to look at different civilisations through their objects, through their music, through their cinema, which tells you stories about something you’ve never experienced . . . inspiration could come anytime, anywhere – from architecture, objects, textiles, dance, or the way someone is moving. It can be anything. If

you keep your eyes wide open, there is inspiration everywhere you look.” Indeed, it was those same open eyes that spotted a nearby bottle of red nail polish at a pivotal moment in designing his first collection that he used to create his signature red-soled motif. Years later, a celebration of his work at that same palais he visited as a boy brought such ingenious influences together, where under a palanquin of silver made by fifth-generation ecclesiastical metalsmiths in Seville sat an irreverently unfinished crystal shoe. “There are some iconic shoes that almost everyone knows about, such as Cinderella’s shoe,” says the iconographic creator, “but it’s also the unfinished shoe, because when you’re designing, the one you favour the most is the one you have in your head.”

It is from that same imaginative head that the Vermelho Hotel – in the quiet Portuguese village of Melides – was conceived. A dream long in the making, Louboutin has been connected with the country since he fell in love with the place and the people while holidaying there in his twenties. Having lived

in Lisbon, he has workshops, a home, and is now a hotelier in the picturesque little village on the edge of a sublime lagoon.

“Owning a hotel is a very specific fantasy, no?” Louboutin muses, “It’s your place, but . . . you can be anonymous. I like that idea – I like to feel responsible for something beautiful, but in a distanced way.” Originally, the idea was simply for a restaurant, which is now realised in Xtian headed by celebrated Portuguese chef David Abreu, but the local mayor encouraged Louboutin to create something bigger on the land he had secured. “And then,” Louboutin smiles, “this project allows me to empty all my cabinets filled with antiques and objects that I have been buying for so many years! I have no problem buying things – I always think, there’ll be a moment for this piece . . . moreover, the hotel is also an opportunity to show the talent of the many artists and craftsmen I admire.”

Rich collaborations make the space an aggregate of fantasies – whimsically baroque façades sculpted

by Giuseppe Ducrot, fanciful frescoes by friend and fellow artist Konstantin Kakanias, trompe-l’oeil shell ‘mirrors’ and interiors by François Roux, blown glass from the Indian artist duo Klove Studio, alabaster from Luxor, a nod to Louboutin’s Egyptian heritage and where he also has a home, a bar of green Indian Giada marble with ornate panelling in the style of baroque church altars, made by those ecclesiastical silversmiths who crowned his unfinished shoe, even bespoke handmade Maison Gatti rattan bistro chairs, which Louboutin designed for the century-old studio –all centred around a garden by renowned landscape designer Louis Benech. “Craftsmanship is one of the central elements of my life,” Louboutin considers, “perhaps because my father was a cabinetmaker and he instilled in me a sense of a job well done, of beauty, of attention to detail, but also of the importance of the time needed to make things . . . when we work with craftsmen, with artists, we cannot impose our temporality on them, they need time to create, imagine, produce.”

Thus time was taken to gather these artisans in

Itisfromthatsameimaginativeheadthatthe Vermelho Hotel – in the quiet Portuguese village of Melides –was conceived. A dream long in the making, Louboutin has been connected with the country since he fell in love with the place and the people while holidayingthereinhistwenties.Havinglived in Lisbon, he hasworkshops, a home, and is nowahotelierinthepicturesquelittlevillage on the edge of a sublime lagoon.

what has become, truly, an artist’s house. Though Louboutin’s global influences and inspirations embellish and enrich, the foundation is authentically rooted in the land. Portuguese architect and friend Madalena Caiado “had given me a beautiful book about old Portuguese buildings, and I thought, whoever knows I would like this is the exact architect I’m looking for.” While red defines Louboutin’s signature, its Portuguese translation– Vermelho –defines the hotel. Throughout, the red floor tiles’ custom pigmentation by Fábrica de Azulejos de Azeitão ground the fantasy in the earth it inhabits. Their panels of azulejos, a centuries-old technique where Portuguese clay is decorated and handglazed by exclusively local artisans, grace rooms and suites. And the white chimneys of the countryside abound – “I was always saying to Madalena, ‘More chimneys!’” Louboutin remembers, “and she said, ‘We don’t need them!’ But they’re beautiful. They’re not connected to any purpose, they’re just pretty.”

Such ethos of beauty infuses the hotel with the designer’s own artistry. “It needed to be an extension in some way of how my friends and I live in Portugal,” Louboutin contends, as foreigners embracing the cultures of others, “when you have different

ethnicities, different cultures you’re not divided, you’re multiplied.” This inclusive multiplication has long been a part of his metier – it was Louboutin who introduced his Nudes collection as celebration of the diversity of skin tones. “Fashion used to be very elitist in the 60s to 70s. Today it has become democratic, a huge tool of communication between so many different communities, an expression of singularity, representing interests from so many countries. The fashion community has expanded, and that is a good thing,” Louboutin reflects, “for me, it’s very important to understand, to look and to be nourished by different cultures because it gives birth to other things. It’s important to be able to be open to other people, to be open to other points of view. And there is nothing bad in being inspired by things which are not coming from your own culture. Very much the opposite.” In creating his Portuguese Vermelho, Louboutin invites guests to this nourishment of diversity, fusing art with savoir-faire, craftsmanship with personality, and quality with charisma. “Life is better,” he concludes, “when it’s better for everyone.” In Melides, Louboutin’s vie en rouge certainly betters the life of all those it encounters.

COMING HOME

“My philosophy has always remained the same,” renowned designer Kelly Hoppen CBE reflects, “it’s about creating calm, balanced environments based on order and the creation of harmony. How people feel in a space is as important as the way it looks –one can’t be without the other.” Such harmonisation of eastern order and western aesthetic has been the essence of Hoppen’s celebrated and sought-after interior designs. The feeling overwhelmingly evoked in her compositions is that of calm – achieved through a studied weaving of earthy neutrals that return, grounded, to the earth. “The best feeling is breathing a sigh of relief as you step inside the door, to a home that really fits like a glove. . . the best part about working with an individual is getting to know them, finding out what they really love, and using that insight to create an interior that is unique to them.”

A home away from home, that supple leather glove that warms a traveller’s hand, is what the designer desires in a hotel. On her voyages, she recalls some examples “that stick in my mind – one of them is La Scalinatella in Capri, which is just a beautiful family-owned hotel. Obviously, the views from where it sits atop this amazing isle is beautiful, but it’s the warmth and the simpleness of the ever-present blue and white ceramic tiles, the exquisite linens, and all the staff that work there. They really make you feel at home.” At the other end of the welcoming spectrum, “the entrance of The Mark, in New York, has such a wow factor. Everything from the comfort of the beds to the lovely bathrooms that are slightly old-fashioned in a New York style makes you feel, again, right at home. . . obviously the comfort of your bed and the

surroundings are elemental, but it’s also all the little details that people put in which are not like a hotel that I love.”

It is these little details that draw Hoppen’s focus in searching for inspiration. It is an affinity she shares with other designers, as when she watched Tom Ford’s iconic film, A Single Man, “the first film in a long time that I watched and knew exactly what Ford was thinking when he was producing and directing it. The set – from the crystal bowl to the bathroom scene to the bedroom scene to the lighting on the bedside table – the textures. It was the first time I watched a film from behind the lens of the person that was creating it and it was a real eye opener.” This eye to detail spans continents and eras, “I spend a lot of time watching old Fred Astaire movies because I love the sculptural architecture and the way in which the lighting was positioned . . . I will watch, stop, and screenshot something, even a small detail.”

From films to wayfaring, inspiration has always come to Hoppen from experiencing the new and unexpected. “For me, downtime is all about really being somewhere else. It’s about being in the countryside as it separates me from my everyday – a fastpaced life in London. And travel is great – just to be in a different country. . . you wake up in a different place, you have a different routine and you feel more relaxed, and stay in bed a little bit longer! You can go for a walk on the beach or around a city . . . so many moments that can take your mind off things.” For Hoppen it is again in the balance of experience, accentuated by details drawn from varied sources over time, that comfort and beauty are achieved.

Such harmonisation of eastern order and western aesthetic has been the essence of Hoppen´s celebrated and sought after interiordesigns.

Her own experience began at the age of sixteen in her South African homeland, her infamous first design for a family friend laying a foundation for the wisdom and courage she would carry on, even if in retrospect, “the first kitchen I ever designed was a total disaster. It was basically one wall of cabinets, in a really revolting regency brown, with a cream worktop and it was just atrocious. But, it didn’t really matter . . . the client ultimately was happy and that made me happy and gave me confidence.” Now, far from atrocious, her designs are honed by attunement to harmony, well-studied

integration of East and West and her own visions of tranquillity and welcome. Though oft-imitated, she is now rarely matched in her achievement of calm, her name now synonymous with her aesthetic. Evoking the name Kelly Hoppen immediately summons a cultural reference of serenity, and, through her eponymous studio, Hoppen continues to diffuse this well-wrought aesthetic into the homes, yachts, ships, hotels and jets of private clients and celebrities across the globe, inviting all, in their own unique way, to come home.

I spend a lot of timewatching old Fred Astaire movies because I love the sculptural architecture and thewayinwhich the lighting was positioned. . . Iwillwatch, stop, and screenshot something, even a small detail.

A PORTRAIT OF ADORATION AND ADORNMENT

Steve Riseley and Harvey

B-Brown at the Inimitable Castle Elvira

Whether gazing from his dappled fresco in a shadowy ruin or glancing up from her espresso across a sunlit café, there are moments when a visage mesmerises, embodying a moment in time – yet existing in timelessness. So too may a place – in gifted hands - paint a portrait depicting passionate narrative and enduring beauty. At Castle Elvira, nestled between Ionian and Adriatic seas in idyllic Puglia, Steve Riseley and Harvey B-Brown have achieved – and continue to fashion – such inspired portraiture.

Abandoned over a hundred years, Elvira’s image had faded and wrinkled. “When we first visited, it was completely wild. Even the pathways had all but disappeared under a tangle of overgrown plants and dying trees. Despite this, we were totally enchanted.” Hacking their way through thick undergrowth to find the castle’s door, these intrepid artists “recognised the bone structure of the beautiful garden and park beneath the undergrowth” and, once inside, “were smitten - despite the graffitied walls and decay we were overwhelmed by the proportions of the rooms, the gorgeous floors and gigantic windows. It instantly felt like home.” The work of recovery and discovery began. Incredible features remained intact – antique floor tiles were polished to reflect stunning ceiling frescos portraying centuries of age – tender facial lines revealing years of laughter, sorrow, and hope. “These frescos gave us a basis for the design of each room –colours compliment the frescos as focal point.”

Joining with Puglian architects Filotico and Partners, the philosophy was “to be as least invasive

as possible – to avoid carving up rooms or forcing spaces to become something that would compromise the integrity of the original architecture.” From a genuine love of the regional character and culture, indigineous techniques were sourced from local artisans with a lifetime of experience – from dry stone walling to joinery – restoring or replicating original features. Luxury comforts like underfloor heating and cooling are concealed subtly beneath original ceramic tiled floors while state of the art televisions are hidden behind aged mirrors that reflect Conran linens, Sicilian Ortigia toiletries, and integrated sound systems. Italian and English furnishings – Arketipo, Catalan Italia, Tom Dixon, Lee Broom, Timothy Oulton –“juxtapose each other beautifully when mixed with well chosen antiques like our Bechstein piano . . . we also worked with so many local artisans to create magical pieces, like glass floor lamps by Massimo Maci in the lounge or the incredible golden Murano glass chandelier in the tower.” The bathrooms feature exquisitely designed Italian tapware from IB Rubinetti. Woven together by parkland, each edifice enlivens with its particular character – “the castle is magnificent and stately whilst the cottage is sweet and cosy – the tower is grandiose and romantic whereas the ancient masseria is surprising, exquisite and very private.” Guests therefore “discover something original and magical with delicate touches of modernity. The design process was very much a restoration and not a rebuild – we wanted to honour and highlight the history and heritage.”

This castle’s history is rich indeed, fortified by the legend of its namesake – a young Neapolitan girl whose parents, moved by affection for their ‘princess,’ secretly replicated her favourite Napoli castle within a magnificent private country setting, gifting it when she came of age. Overwhelmed by their generosity, Elvira foraged ingredients from the woodland to prepare a feast in their honour. As the fable goes, her parents arrived to find her collapsed and dying, having tragically mistaken Porcini for poisonous mushrooms. In grief, the castle was abandoned and left to decay. A complex portrait of deep love, past sorrow and, now, restoration, as the spirit of Elvira rejoices to see her castle renewed with tender care, again welcoming others in her name. Guests and locals here feel, as a visiting shaman reflected, the energy of this mythic young girl.

Now Elvira’s long-awaited feast has taken form, secure in – and for – every sense. The grounds have been replanted – sensual flowers abound amidst large herb and vegetable beds providing experienced chefs seasonal, estate-grown produce. The legendary olive and citrus groves of southern Italy – oranges, lemons, limes, pomegranates – have been revived in the park, gnarled trunks thrive beside new, ensuring future

abundance and an ever-evolving transformation each season – from spring colour and scents to snowy winterscapes enjoyed beside crackling fires. This evolution extends to the artistry exquisitely galleried throughout the property, showcasing the taste and refinement of the owners and artist´s resident in the atelier. Here, Harvey B-Brown and David Scheinmann create spectacularly physical portraits for guests and friends, embodying an essence that eschews the ethereal ‘selfie’. From a printed photograph, they “paint and collage the image with colours and objects that somehow tell a narrative to the person being adored and adorned . . . the final result is a treasure chest encapsulating that moment in time.” Like the artistry reviving and reimagining –adoring and adorning – Castle Elvira, this endeavour proves the art of portraiture is far from obsolete.

So whether relaxing in the collonaded pool or solarium, salons or gardens, venturing nearby to ‘salute’ on a terrace in cosmopolitan Lecce, or taking in the “miles of crystal clear water, white sandy beaches, and dramatic rocky cliffs protruding from turquoise waters,” as these tastemakers are wont to do, the mesmerising bespoke portrait of luxury, myth, and magic created at Castle Elvira will surely stand the test

Acomplex portrait of deep love, past sorrow and, now, restoration, as the spirit of Elvira rejoices to see hercastle renewedwith tender care, againwelcoming others in hername.

A CINEMATOGRAPHY OF THE SEA

Architect and Auteur

Marcio Kogan’s Patina Maldives

Patina, Maldives Architecture: studio mk27 (Marcio Kogan & Renata Furlanetto) Patina, Maldives Interiors: studio mk27 (Diana Radomysler & Pedro Ribeiro)

Renowned Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan has a singular starting point for his creative process, evolving from his time as a filmmaker at university.“I always create a character that is going to live or use the space in question. He has a life story and is constantly moving through the project.” At Patina Maldives, a hotel positioned on newly-reclaimed sand from the sea, he and his team embodied a multitude of diverse characters, bringing varied life to the property. “One day we are enjoying loneliness and watching birds migrate, another we are barefoot dancing at the beach club or making love long before dawn. At times we are surrounded by our noisy kids wearing scuba diving masks.”

Working with developer Evan Kwee, Kogan and team would talk more about food, music, art, and feelings, rather than just architecture, in each meeting. Open and inspiring, “Kwee elegantly respected the work of the entire team.” And the work was sweeping, “we designed everything alongside various collaborators –from the territory design of a new island to the handles

on the smallest cabinet, everything was co-created. We don’t always have this kind of opportunity. It was a great experience a privilege!” The project allowed the visionary to zoom his lens into the tiniest details while also encompassing a panorama of the place as a whole, the setting becoming the primary protagonist around which the rest of the cast connects and relates.

“Along the Maldivan sand, skies and ocean, all architecture can do is humbly filter the light, frame the views, create different narratives as one strolls around the magnificent surroundings,” Kogan continues, “we were able to produce architecture that is much less important than nature. It is like the hotel does not exist in this place. Everything disappears. Life, people and nature are more important than architecture.” Still, the influence of Brazilian modernism – a radical force from the thirties – inhabits the fabric of the place, from its “elegant sobriety to the intense integration between interiors and exteriors. A linen curtain, translucent, removes boundaries between indoors and outdoors – a joyful experience for the senses, brought

I always create a characterthat is going to live oruse the space in question. He has a life storyand is constantlymoving through the project.

by natural materials like wood and stone, calm colours and organic fabrics, all bathed by sunlight, and shaded by permeable elements – pergolas, mashrabiyas or hollow brick walls.”

Designing upon what once was sea has deep historical roots - from the Dutch to the Venetians –and the unadulterated film of newborn Fari allows Patina Maldives to draw from those influences while developing its own story, one which allows the supremacy of nature on the nascent island. Each path leads to communal spaces, like the chic marina with its cosmopolitan restaurants, or to places of quiet retreat among the sands and palms. It is truly biophilic design, disappearing into nature much as the ancient fishing villages of the islands could barely be discerned from the sea, each virginal sandy stretch preserved for new discovery.

And this discovery is recursive, the permeability of the surroundings allowing the filmmaker to turn the camera back on oneself. “We see it as an ultimate stage for voyeurism,” suggests Kogan, “for observation of ourselves from a distance, and

therefore to reconnect with ourselves and then to others, a search for diversity, for empathy with the other and our own environments.” Such reflective discourse is augmented by a variety of commissioned art, including Amarta, a transportive installation by Light and Space American artist James Turrell, and the natural artwork of Brazilian photographer Cássio Vasconcellos that graces the rooms.

“All in all, we seek for complicity,” and it is through the seamless integration of character narrative, spectacular setting, and reflective cinematography that Kogan and his team have birthed a unique destination. “Throughout the island, I see a few moments of subtlety and emotion: the view of the framed sky at the very centre of the James Turrell pavilion, the delicate presence of a tiny flower stand as you enter the village, a low chair under a tree shadow, overlooking the most beautiful bright shade of blue water in the world, listening to Chet Baker . . .” Kogan’s voice. . . trails off as a master shot of sea and sand, interior and exterior, respite and reviving, rolls in the mind of this gifted auteur.

Each path leads to communal spaces, like the chic marinawith its cosmopolitan restaurants, orto places of quiet retreat among the sands and palms.

EVOLVEMENT IN CONTINUITY

Marta Tavares da Silva’s Leading Vision in Lisbon

On a lively square in the centre of Lisbon, bordering Bairro Alto and Chiado – emblematic neighbourhoods of the city – the eighteenth century façades of Bairro Alto Hotel anchor the praça as the “ autocarro” do Alecrim descends to the broad Tagus estuary. The first five-star boutique hotel of the nation, “in its true sense,” the energy of the Portuguese capital is felt throughout its rooms and restaurants. Hotelier Marta Tavares da Silva, whose vision has shaped the Bairro Alto Hotel for over more than a decade of her family’s care, emphasises the importance of a hotel having “character and reflecting the local culture in a holistic manner, meaning in everything we do,” she continues, “for me it doesn’t make sense any other way. Why would I choose to stay in a hotel in Lisbon that could be elsewhere in the world?”

Yet the historic Lisboan façades belie the contemporary vitality infused throughout Bairro Alto’s Hotel interiors. Following an extensive renovation, the spirit of modern Portugal – warmth of earth and sand tempered by the cool of cerulean sea and sky, full of life yet pausing in moments of tranquillity – is reflected and accentuated “through textures, colours, materials, different yet complementary gastronomy –concepts that not only reflect Lisbon but pay homage

to it.” Curated art by various Portuguese artists reference the historic hotel, such as the sculptures of Rui Chafes or Rui Calçada Bastos’ photography, while a monumental macramé-based tapestry of the city’s hills by Oficina 166 brings cohesion to its new incarnation. Local craftsmanship is visible throughout the hotel, from artisanal rugs to textiles and ceramics. Reflecting on her tenure over the hotel’s evolution, Tavares da Silva believes she “brought youth to the project, a more modern approach to hospitality.” From the start, she was “right away thinking of the extension, trying to anticipate trends and expectations while imprinting my vision.”

This vision saw a doubling of the hotel’s space, incorporating neighbouring buildings and literally raising the roof, yet Tavares da Silva sees it not as a departure, but rather “an ‘evolvement in continuity,’ if you may.” To accomplish this, she partnered with “a genius architect,” Pritzker Prize-winner Eduardo Souto de Moura, who also happened to be a regular guest at the hotel. He commenced with “thorough research of the ‘pombaline’ buildings of Chiado, to preserve and resurrect the original elements of the four buildings that now comprise the hotel – his vision can be seen in apparently simple solutions, yet so beautiful.” Then, in his “down to earth” style, Souto

To accomplish this,Tavares da Silva partneredwith “a genius architect,”Pritzker Prize-winner Eduardo Souto de Moura, who also happened to be a regularguest at the hotel.

de Moura was “humble enough to suggest we hire the consultant from the original opening, to help us define together the ‘operating’ circuits and flows of the hotel.” A consummate connector, “Souto de Moura himself suggested to also continue working with Atelier Bastir for the renovation, since he liked and admired so much what they had done in the original.”

Alongside Portuguese atelier The studio, this team –bonded by a shared affection for their country and culture – worked together “to develop and cater for the most exquisite, demanding, and well-travelled guest.” Tavares da Silva notes further that, “even though the hotel today has doubled in area, we’ve opted not to double capacity, but instead have more spacious rooms and suites prevailing.”

“Needless to say, it was a challenge to lead and coordinate such a vast team of different intervenients,” Tavares da Silva says, “I, myself, wasn’t an hotelier when I joined the team originally – being an ‘outsider’ back then, passionate for travel and everything that is beautiful, I think helped me look at the project with a different eye, a different perspective. I loved the project so much – I immediately embraced it and started implementing my vision.” Such leadership and vision for the coherent growth of this storied hotel places Bairro Alto, metaphorically and literally, on the central square of past and present Portugal, in the skilled hands of its talented hotelier.

ENCOUNTERS OF RESONANT DIVERSITY

Artistry and History with Sou Fujimoto and Hitoshi Tanaka at Shiroiya Hotel

“A blank page or canvas – the challenge, bring order to the whole – through design, composition, tension, balance, light – and harmony.” Georges Seurat’s ethos, as imagined by Sondheim, comes to mind as one enters Shiroiya Hotel in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture. A thriving Ryokan since the Edo period, for over three hundred years the inn had been a local beacon of culture loved by artists and celebrities alike that sadly shuttered as Maebashi’s city centre emptied. Enter entrepreneur, city-revitaliser, and newly-minted hotelier Hitoshi Tanaka who, struck by the nearly blank canvas of Shiroiya, decided that, “rather than parting ways with the past, to make use of the existing structure and spin a brand new story.”

This story took shape over six and a half years in collaboration with architect Sou Fujimoto, who envisioned “retaining this long-standing part of the urban fabric while opening up a great green atrium inside - a place of synergistic resonance between old and new.” A public path was designed to traverse the hotel’s greenhill, woodland, and dynamic public spaces – designed on a human scale, such that “elements large and small coexist in a continuum and, with its confluence of art and shops and open spaces, locals and guests mingle and enjoy diverse encounters – a contemporary forest-like melding.” Along with international guests, Tanaka “sought to make it a kind of ‘living room’ where locals might feel comfortable and proud to frequent.”

A native of Maebashi, he remembers how lively the city was in his youth and hopes Shiroiya will nudge the city towards reinvigorating its vitality. It was important that the reinvented space be composed in dialogue with the city leaders’ vision of mebuku – a sprouting forth. For this design, “greening the hotel interior and exterior is not merely about beautifying the physical environs; it is also symbolic of things sprouting forth towards the future. Mebuku heralds ideas of sustainability and coexistence, as well as evoking the city’s greener, humanscale past.” The team traces Japan’s original architectural landscape back to ancient woodlands – places of mutual, symbiotic communication between diverse species. Both Shiroiya’s preservational design aesthetic and the strategic choice to eschew mass redevelopment in favour of individual projects embody such environmental symbiosis. Evolution, rather than replacement, is the guiding principle “to care for and bring out new charm from old buildings.”

Such evolution is grounded in Fujimoto’s belief that “buildings need to be places of resonant diversity – to think not only in terms of creating a building in a place, but also how it works with art and landscape, the ease with which local people can drop by in their daily activities, how it might simultaneously offer visitors from abroad a sense of security as well as a heightened experience of discovery.” In his view, “the function of architecture should not be predetermined but rather left open, allowing for multiple interpretations.”

The team traces Japan´s original architectural landscape backto ancient woodlands - places of mutual, symbiotic communication between diverse species.

Maebashi will have become a real forest of trulyresonant diversity.Aplacewhere built and natural elementswill thrive together inwayswe can scarcelyimagine today.

I thinkwe are seeing the beginnings of that right now.

At Shiroiya, these diversities of interpretation provide both tension and balance, as Tanaka committed early to artist collaborations to make it a museum-class hotel. Time was spent installing a wide variety of commissioned works, from internationally renowned names to Gunma-based creators, giving the hotel a rich regional character that respects and resonates together – a whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts. A striking example of this is the soaring atrium, first capturing Tanaka’s imagination as a four-story naked shell where sunlight dappled rawly exposed beams and pillars. Argentine artist Leandro Erlich collaborated with Fujimoto, and “in the spirit of mutual respect between architect and artist, ideas undercut conceptions and brought forth unimaginable new dimensions.” When it was completed, it took even its creators by surprise.

Fujimoto reflects that the “collaboration showed me an unknown side to myself and let me realise a more expansive project than I could have achieved on my own. . . Erlich visited during dismantling and was inspired. . . his work here is both unlike anything of his elsewhere and yet totally in keeping with his own style.”

The resulting work, “Lighting Pipes,” brings a visual breadth to the Shiroiya atrium that exceeds what even Fujimoto had envisioned. Gleaming pipes crisscross the atrium, inspired by Italo Calvino’s Invisible City, merging and intersecting with the stairs and terraces to reimagine mundane elements as “veins of an invisible

life form.” The juxtaposition of dematerialised pipes of pure light with rough concrete transcends a mere contrast of materials, and the synergy brings the space to a dimension that recalls the past while creating something new for future generations. This line between ancient and new harmonises the work of all commissioned artists, who each visited Maebashi and experienced the atmosphere, after which Tanaka let them “respond freely to the Shiroiya’s atypical stance.” Though it may be officially completed, Shiroiya is a project destined to evolve organically, with numerous new creative collaborations, artworks and ventures that connect to the space’s historical memory and invite dreams for tomorrow. If the time ever comes to close the hotel, Tanaka hopes “the leaders of future generations will learn from us in the past, just as we appreciated the old Shiroiya Ryokan, and pass on our history in their efforts to evolve as a place of shared community.” Truly this is mebuku, green sprouting forth as a symbiosis of old and new, a built environment coexisting with nature wherein buildings extend and fuse with the urban fabric. In another thousand years, Tanaka imagines,“Maebashi will have become a real forest of truly resonant diversity. A place where built and natural elements will thrive together in ways we can scarcely imagine today. I think we are seeing the beginnings of that right now.” At Shiroiya, that harmonious world to come is made manifest today.

A DUALITY OF BALANCE

The Dynamic Design of Dori Hitti

Bronzed lamellar layers rise gracefully along a metallic trunk, balancing asymmetrically to evoke the cedars of Dori Hitti’s Lebanese homeland. At once solidly contemporary and evocatively ancient, this sculpture encapsulates the design ethos brought to his singular projects. As with the contrasting slate-coloured metallic trunk and weathered bronze branches of his cedar, materials are a source of inspiration for Hitti – “in some cases they are the starting point of all that is going to be designed. It is a constant dialogue between the materials and the design.” Though modern and minimalist in character, Hitti remains in conversation with traditional memories, a dialogue which defines his work to its core.

Building from this base of inspiration, whether it be a stunning residential home, a sublimely inviting restaurant, or a striking hotel space, Hitti and his team balance their central pillar of good design –functionality and practicality – with “what truly defines the identity and spirit of a space – the artistry and personality aspects. Otherwise all projects would end up repeating themselves and lack the soul factor which is so essential to each project.” This soul is often expressed in light, recalling Richard Meier’s invocation to “allow light to become form.” The inclusion of light is a central element in Hitti’s interior architecture, considered and studied thoroughly as they “develop the design, with the main objective to enhance the existing natural lighting and increase it if possible and, in designing artificial lighting layouts,

to seek different layers of lighting that may playfully adjust to the mood required.”

This playfulness continues into profound equity between the “traditional symmetry that is key to finding harmony for those inhabiting any space – a sense of hierarchy and organisation” which is then juxtaposed to a minimalist structure of “asymmetry and organic shapes that bring specific features to the space, or simply act as functional artwork.” For Hitti, this duality is paramount to creating balance within his design, which he then develops into a specific concept and identity for every project – an essential soul.

From such inspirational materials, intrinsic composure of light and ardent harmony of structure, Hitti forms clean spaces, characterised by simplicity and a keen attention to details, which includes the art integrally fused into his work. Collaborating with his team, the artists involved and the client, Hitti believes that “the choice of art is one of the most personal and intimate aspects of any project. I get to propose pieces that I feel would contribute to the existing canvas I create, especially as an architectural designer. I carefully study their locations from early in the development of the design to ensure they stand out and make a statement. The art and the design complement each other.” In this complementarity, Hitti’s unique style emerges – a style balancing modern and ancient, symmetry and asymmetry, light and shadow, shaped and forged by the materials, as the cedars, from which they began.

It is aconstant dialogue between the materials and the design.

DEEPENING ROOTS IN AN ALPINE VALLEY

A Walch Family Welcome

In a valley of pine forests and alpine pastures, the village of Zug greets visitors with a white-warm church topped by a wood-shingled onion dome. Nestled comfortably beside it sits the vision of a traditional guest house, sixteenth-century wood timbered walls, open shutters, window boxes spilling with foliage and, in a nod to its elegant melange of modern and traditional, the red glass window of Rote Wand Gourmet Hotel. For more than half a century, the Walch family have welcomed guests, at first by foot or sleigh, to their village gasthof named for the mountain that dominates the end of the Zug valley, whose “red walls” are an inspiration and a grounding for design, ethos, and heritage.

Rote Wand comprises a collection of spaces joined by signature red passages that lie beneath the bucolic village landscape. In contrast to other alpine resorts dominated by large structures proclaiming their tourist proclivities, Zug, with just under 100 inhabitants, has been able to retain its village ambience as the hotel has incorporated older vernacular buildings that set the standard for the new. Such harmonious cohesion is

made possible by the similarly seamless collaboration of the Walch family and esteemed architect Much Untertrifalle, who has forged a close friendship with current proprietor Joschi Walch.

A continually evolving endeavour, it is important for Walch that the hotel remembers its heritage while looking towards the future – “This game of old and new is only played indirectly with us because we also clearly stand by the idea that what is new is new and what is old is old. And the old is supplemented or combined with the new. Because the natural structures are the most beautiful. And new buildings always – only – subordinate to the overall ensemble. That means that nothing stands dominantly above the rest.” Ideas germinated from the hotelier’s experience of the village and valley find expression in the architect’s hands, using, honest and high-quality craftsmanship. Untertrifalle reflects that “Joschi is an absolute expert when it comes to what he wants to have in his hotel.”

This vision has become a tapestry of simple and graceful modernity with clean lines, warm natural oak

paneling and subtle elegant lighting woven between four- hundred-year-old structures with charm and understatement. The village’s ‘Altes Schualhus’ – its old schoolhouse – has been reimagined as a gourmet dining experience. The smell of fresh young wood greets guests entering the ‘stuben’ to enjoy hearty traditional dishes like sausages, goulash, the infamous Austrian sweet treat "Kaiserschmarrn" as well as the famous Rote Wand Fondue, which was the first fondue on the whole Arlberg when served in the original inn. It is regionally inspired, but crafted with cosmopolitan taste, demonstrating that “regional does not have to mean simple or banal.”

Each new incarnation illustrates the capital that is most important for the survival of historical buildings:

vital everyday use for the next generation. In Wakch´s words, “only living villages are beautiful villages.” And in Zug, this survival – this thriving – is secured in the next Walch generation, as the children of Joschi and Natascha, his wife and integral partner, are now deeply involved in continuing the legacy of Josef and Burgi Walch, who first welcomed those sleighbound guests. “One foot in the future, one foot on the ground – with strong roots beneath.” With a striking view across the valley to its namesake mountain, Rote Wand remains clear in structure, faithful to its natural surroundings, and continues to root the Walch family and the myriad of guests and friends who have become a part of it.

This game of old and newis onlyplayed indirectlywith us becausewe also clearly stand bythe idea thatwhat is newis new and what is old is old.

ANOTHER SLICE

The Artistry and Architecture of Vince Stroop

Remember that first taste of tarte tatin, crisp pastry accentuating the savory sweet caramel apples harvested down the lane from the terrace warmed by a late autumn sky? Or perhaps that last morsel of creamy key lime dissolving serenely on the tongue as the sun bids its long adieu to a white sand beach? The effortlessness of these moments belies centuries of traditions, decades of experience, keen knowledge of terroir and happy coincidences of fate that shape even the humblest slice of pie. It is this imperceptible, and yet essential, effort that prominent architect, engaging storyteller, award-winning designer and enthusiastic home baker Vince Stroop knows something about.

From a childhood creating miniature worlds in the family basement to a career spanning the foundation of boutique firms and partnerships in renowned ones, Stroop has consistently sought to design and develop spaces that enliven senses, connect to community, and encourage our curiosity and openness to the unknown. While working with new ventures as well as established brands, Stroop likes to think of himself as, endearingly, an “old kid on the new block.” Though his enviable resumé provides a foundation to shape and mold the perfect – shall we say – crust, he still approaches each project with a bit of naïve curiosity, never asking why not – but rather – what if?

This led to the founding of stroop, a studio collective with a light footprint, nimbly and flexibly gathering a new generation of thoughtful and imaginative designers, thinkers, and doers. Its dynamic collection of architects, interior designers, artists, photographers, fitness instructors and foodies are globally located and

encouraged to invest in, rather than depart from, their spheres of inspiration. From such potent perspectives, nourished by the lands, spaces and cultures they inhabit, Stroop hosts a blended family dinner that finishes with an exquisite melange of desserts.

Whether flying ‘round the world or serving pastries to friends, you’ll find the Swiss-designed SLO Watch on Stroop’s wrist, a timeless timepiece connecting him with the global community and the mutual dependence of humanity upon one another and upon our natural environments. It’s a reminder underscored by his Antarctic voyage through mother nature’s endless organic, serene and majestic cities of ice – all too quickly disappearing – a bucket-list sevencontinent trip that now informs stroop’s sustainability ethos, eschewing Instagrammable, cliché, and gimmicky fads in favor of an evocative warm-applepie emotional response.

It is in the kitchen, Stroop dabbling in dough, that he sees a vision of our future spaces. They are places of gathering, spaces of shared heritages and hopes, drinks and dreams. In a world wary of the unknown, clinging to provincialism, travel into the cultures and joys of others is the antidote to such misplaced fear. Whether it be in your hometown of Nashville or a weekend in New York, Nanjing, Naples, Nottingham or Nairobi, stroop is working to create an urban fabric of spaces that welcomes guests and locals alike, embracing cultural differences, encouraging curiosity and breaking down barriers.

So go ahead, taste that tarte tatin.

Stroop likes to thinkof himself as, endearingly, an “old kid on the newblock.”

A SERENDIPITOUS FLOWERING

The Spiritual Artistry of Three Siblings Perianth Hotel

It began in a classically Greek way – out of chaos, almost by cosmic accident, emerged form and order, art and hope, life and love. Or so goes the origin tale of Perianth Hotel as told by native Athenian siblings Konstantinos, Anastasia, and Alexandra Sgoumpopoulou. Brother and sisters fell in love with a neglected Bauhaus art-deco structure on the historic flower market square of Athens, an area off the beaten path, yet adjacent to the city’s beating heart, boasting untouched, preserved façades suffering from years of neglect and abandonment. Yet what they saw was potential beauty and, while restoring the landmark 1930s façade, they began the process of rebuilding the aged interior.

An eclectic art collector, a consummate hostess and DJ, and a Zen monk, the siblings remained unsure what to do with their investment. Alexandra recounted that “everyone was refurbishing rentals

it seemed easy, quick money, but we thought, no – it would be better to create something for the city, something that would add value to the area and the square built on cultural and aesthetic values. We needed to “do something beautiful that will abide,” and although they knew it would take far more effort and investment, they were willing to “put in the work to construct something of quality.”

With this passion, inevitably a sign would appear to guide their endeavour. One day, when Konstantinos visited the site during demolition, he saw a small white sculpture gleaming amidst the dust. There, upon the

rubble, lay a Buddha, perhaps left behind in a bygone artist’s studio. A moment later, “it would have been crushed and buried.” It was a cosmic apparition for Konstantinos, who was in the midst of constructing a Zen centre to “share in Greece what his Zen master had given him.” This square in the heart of Athens, he realised, could serve as commencement for the nonprofit centre. Thus, the” foundation of the Zen project was born, and actually preexisted the hotel.”

In robust, affirming dialogue with his sisters – when the siblings speak, they tend to finish one another’s sentences, building and playing off each other’s ideas and inspirations – it seemed fitting to build a place of welcome, that could reveal to fellow Greeks and foreign guests alike how the Athens of the past, of the present, and of the future could be celebrated and inhabited. A hotel – at once modern and classic – seemed a fitting embodiment of the growing vision. Together, they assembled a team of architects, designers, and artisans – all of Greek heritage – from the award-winning K-Studio imagining Athenian modernist interiors to friend and fashion designer Sophia Kokosalaki tailoring exquisite handmade garments for the team – to create a space that could welcome and rejoice in all of creative, contemporary Greece. “Somehow the teamwork was so nice that I can’t say we felt the stress,” Alexandra reflects, “instead we felt confident.”

Perianth, from Greek perianthos, is a botanical term

Itseemedfittingtobuildaplaceofwelcome, that could reveal to fellow – Greeks an foreign – guestsalikehowtheAthensofthe past,of thepresent,andofthefuturecould be celebrated and inhabited.

for the petals and sepals of a flower – the underlying green structure of a bud supporting the colour and artistry of the petals, which in turn attract the pollinators allowing the plant to propagate, multiply, and thrive. Such colour and artistry, built on the supports laid by her siblings, is curated by Anastasia, who “decided to showcase some of the most important Greek and Cypriot contemporary artists in the rooms and around the hotel.” Konstantinos chimes in, “the hotel is a real exhibition –” and Anastasia

interjects “not so much an exhibition as a collection, a community – we know most artists personally, they visit the hotel, and are affirmed and connected being featured here.” Like the flowers still brought to market in the adjoining square, their project is organic, each finds their niche, and they flourish within it. It is as rooted and authentic as the city itself, grounded in spiritual mindfulness, supported by historic hospitality, cultivating and inviting others to discover the present and future of a dynamically Greek culture.

BECOMING HUMAN AGAIN

A Forest Immersion at Loire Valley Lodges

All is transformed in a forest – light, scent, air diffused by branches and barks. In the Loire Valley, rich in history from troglodyte caves to immense chateaux, Anne-Caroline Frey invites her guests to an even deeper past – the evolutionary years our ancestors spent as forest-dwellers. A former advertising executive, Frey left the Parisian contemporary art scene for the forest, as “unconsciously, when we are in a city, built with white, and beige, symmetrical forms, straight, marked angles, we are in permanent latent stress. When we arrive in fields and forests, we immediately feel less threatened. The tree house brings us back to our childhood, back to memories, positive emotions.” Loire Valley Lodges, in rooms suspended amidst the trees, offers a forest immersion of “wellbeing, comfort, security and a natural benevolence.”

Celts and Druids, who roamed the region millenia before, were an inspiration for the arboretum of protective trees. Guests are invited to discover, approach, or confide in them, and each tree is available from the greenhouse as a memento of the Lodge’s unique energy – a sapling is given as a parting gift to guests. Such energy extends to each individual room, where a collection of contemporary artists invited by Frey were “given the freedom to design whatever their heart desired - I presented them the ‘shell’

that would host their works - from a simple canvas or photo, the composition of a song, or graffiti and frescoes directly on the walls.” Each artist named their lodge, representative of their universe, from which Frey chose the dominant colours of the decoration, the objects, furniture and location in relation to the enveloping trees. The result is eighteen stunningly different universes, each room “having a soul and a meaning.” Scattered around the park, restaurant, gardens and pool are works by renowned artists Clauda, Audiard, Lejeune, Aurele and Bosser, from Frey’s personal collection, imbuing the forest with human creativity and artistry.

This is childhood treehouse as luxurious getaway –you awake in comfort amidst the forest canopy, enjoy scrumptious petit-dejeuner delivered by ingenious nostalgic rope and pulley,and perhaps a kobido or shiatsu massage where singing bowls vibrate bliss in this woodland retreat. After a dip in the pool, you wander the aromatics courtyard to cleanse your palette before dinner. In the fading light of day you tie a ribbon to the catalpa Tree of Wishes, remembering ancient traditions and hoping for the future before returning to your sylvan bed, connected once again to the earth which shaped your humanity.

DEEPLY CONNECTED

How does one frame a transcendental work of art?

It is a perennial question from antiquity to modernity – Botticelli to Basquiat – yet when it comes to framing nature itself, the stakes for the framemaker are yet greater still. One canvas worthy of the most exquisite frame was discovered by native hotelier Alois Hinteregger in the Dolomites, a long-forgotten grand structure built a century before by the Austrian monarchy to partake of the area’s restorative powers. Yet it was the shared vision of his son Stefan Hinteregger and partner Teresa Unterthiner to frame this elementally unique location of dolomitic stone, continual sun, singularly renowned water, native trees, unspoilt nature, and Celtic roots into FORESTIS, a continuance of their family heritage and an integral part of regional history.

During their professional lives abroad and private travels through foreign countries, Unterthiner and Hinteregger felt “deeply connected to our homeland –where our roots lie – we wanted to remain authentic.” Whereas many hoteliers begin by thinking about guests, “We only thought about ourselves during the planning.” Unterthiner continues, “we both travel a lot ourselves, so kept thinking about what we would like best . . . we see ourselves as hosts who invite guests into their home so that they can relax. Guests only come because they are convinced by our idea and our

way of life.” They questioned, “What do I stand for? How am I? How do I live? How do I feel?” from which the concept of FORESTIS cohered.

From this identity, one driving principle emerged: to perfectly frame this paradise – not reshaping it or taming it – but rather focusing it, as a framemaker creates a structure that fully realises the beauty of a piece of art, or in this case, the natural beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites. For them, “architecture and design take a step back and leave space and stage to nature. We have oriented all our suites, the spa and the restaurant towards the south. Our restaurant is designed like a theatre – every guest has a view of this natural spectacle. The sight of mountain massifs and the play of colours take our breath away – it is wonderful that guests feel it too.”

The breath that is taken is also restored through an ancient Celtic energy imbuing the hills and woods surrounding FORESTIS. This legacy is woven beautifully through the spa’s conceptual embrace of the FORESTIS Tree Circle treatments, the practice of Wyda, a Celtic yoga, and even the forest cuisine. “we thought about what was present before us and who had the greatest knowledge about nature and forest here. And that was the Celts. Their Wyda comes from traditional European medicine – our Spa team was trained at a monastery in Austria and now we are

Breath that is taken is also restored through an ancient Celtic energyimbuing the hills andwoods surrounding FORESTIS.

Architecture and design take astep back and leave space and the stage to nature.

the only house in the world that offers this movement teaching involving stones, water, wood and trees, as well as the climatic conditions and a way of eating specific to where we are. From these practices, the body adjusts – the place does something to you.”

Drinks created from essences of the surrounding forests – herbs, nuts, and berries, as well as shrubs, barks, and fir needles, little works of art – are waiting around the hearths of the beautifully restored historic building, where guests first encounter the heritage of FORESTIS. Beyond this, suites and spa arise in wood-clad towers – elegant monoliths echoing the tall trees of the surrounding forests – planted alongside the historic building. Unterthiner and Hinteregger worked tirelessly to offer rooms that respected the history and heritage of the site, “with people who understand and share our attitude, philosophy and vision – from our region – familiar with the traditional

materials and local craftsmanship. The artistic ceiling panels, windows, imposing staircase and wood of the facade of the old building have remained unchanged to tell their story.” The restaurant continues this philosophy, following the “premises of diversity, naturalness and authenticity. Nature and farmers from the surrounding area provide ingredients tastefully perfected with respect for old-established traditions and the creativity of modern cuisine.”

Taking deep sips of the crystalline Plose water which the hotel draws directly from its source, basking in warm southerly Mediterranean breezes as they meet cool mountain winds under unceasing yet mild sun, and enjoying the interplay of light and texture across the valley, it might be easy to mistake this reverie as a portrait of paradise. It is thanks, however, to the intrepid framers of this enduring place that its beauty may be enjoyed and encountered.

REFLECTING HISTORY IN MODERN DESIGN

Norway’s Storied Past and Dynamic Present at Bergen Børs Hotel

On a calm day, dark fjord waters become a mirror of the slopes and skies above. Rarely a perfect reflection, the waters abstract terrestrial and celestial splendour, becoming an interpreter of beauty. Snug in a fjordian recess, Bergen has been a centre of trade for over a thousand years, from Viking kings to Hanseatic commerce. Its influence reached throughout Europe, its salted cod – traded for centuries across the Mediterranean – continuing to be a cherished presence in the baccala, bacaloa, and brandade of kingdoms past and nations present.

At this crossroads stands the impressive nineteenthcentury neo-renaissance former stock exchange, in the beating heart of Bergen, whose windows view the waters lapping against the wharfs of the historic fish market. In its central hall, influential Norwegian artist Axel Revold memorialised this rich history with expansive frescoes at the beginning of the twentieth century, infusing the styling he had learned under Cézanne and Matisse with a uniquely Nordic character.

This historic edifice continues to be a centre of exchange, now as the Bergen Børs in the experienced hands of hotelier Kjetil Smørås and general manager Yngve Hansen. With insights from over a decade of travel and experience in luxury retailing, Hansen hopes to elevate “awareness of what Norway has to offer, namely world-class seafood and breathtaking nature experiences, to bring the world to Bergen and bring Bergen to the world. International travellers feel at home immediately when they are in Bergen Børs Hotel, and that is the vibe I am trying to create.” With

their partnership the Smørås’ family group of hotels, De Bergenske, has been infused with cosmopolitan inspiration by Hansen, “he observed us with fresh eyes and brought more clarity to the family’s concepts – to Bergen Børs and Frescohallen in particular – we have more fun now than before.”

To achieve this vision, world-renowned Norwegian architecture and design firm Claesson Koivisto Rune was commissioned to revitalise the building –to honour its heritage while unifying its ethos for a new generation of elite clientele. Rather than simply mimicking historic design, they instead “looked to create clear contrasts between the old and the new.” Harmonising materials and elements permeate the historic rooms, from the former director’s dining room now boasting a polished stone bar to former vaults transformed into bespoke bathrooms – “the new and old are reflected in each other and are both strengthened by each other, resulting in a rich and atmospheric series of spaces.”

This is perhaps most sublimely realised in the Frescohallen, Hansen relating “we wanted to create something that feels continental. The fresco hall could just as well have been in Paris or London. Here you forget where you are. Both time and place disappear.” Smørås, himself an art enthusiast, adds “Axel Revold’s masterpieces were groundbreaking at their time, one hundred years ago, and they are still the main attraction in Frescohallen, with its timeless atmosphere, where modernism adds energy to a classical building.” In the innovative attitude of

Revold, they have created “a contemporary designed interior with original chairs designed for Frescohallen and a round central bar which mirrors the frescoes wherever you find yourself – elements that make the atmosphere light and interesting.” The result is a singular blend of historical and modern design in an elevated dining space – “the story of the Frescoes is about the exchange of goods, mainly the foreign fish trade which was the main income in the city and now inspires our chef to offer world-class seafood and shellfish from our region.”

The exchange continues, with artistic and culinary collaborations from chefs Øystein Ellingsen and Kristian Vangen, “with their wish to offer the best

organic ingredients from small-scale producers in west Norway,” to award-winning local gin distiller Stig Bareksten “who is keen on using the botanicals from the mountain ranges around Bergen.” It is a realisation of Hansen’s historic vision, that “when all of these, along with Frescohallen, are gathered under the same roof, it creates a unique culture that focuses on the finest qualities and supreme experiences, which we believe makes Bergen Børs Hotel a singular destination for guests from both Norway and the world.” These reflections of history in the mirrors of rich contemporary aesthetic ensure a transcendent Norwegian interpretation of luxury.

The new and old are reflected in each other and are both strengthened byeach other, resulting in a rich and atmospheric series of spaces.

MÚSICA MUDA MALLORQUINA

The Silent Harmony of Es Racó d’Artà

“What I am looking for is un movimiento inmóvil, an immobile movement – what may be called la elocuencia del silencio, the eloquence of silence – or what St. John of the Cross, I think it was, described as mute music.” Thoughts from artist Joan Miró, written from his Mallorcan home, come to mind when one first breathes deeply the cool silence and harmony that is Es Racó, a profound hotel nestled in the mountains of Artà. It is the vision of Toni Esteva, one of the most respected architects of Mallorca who, amidst a singular portfolio of luxury projects, also had the honour of restoring Miró’s home in Palma. Alongside longtime friend and designer Jaume Danús, this legacy project and long-cherished dream transformed an historic thirteenth century farm and estate, the island’s largest, into a nature-centric experience welcoming guests not to merely disconnect, but to immerse in a “lifestyle connected with oneself and with what surrounds us, aware of the details and discovering the authenticity of things.”

At the heart of a protected natural park on the wild east coast, a long private drive beckons, passing vineyards of the still-working farm, lush pastures beneath almond trees, citrus gardens, olive groves, and arriving at the restored main house of local marès stone and broad heavy timber doors. These doors enclose a sanctuary – eight rooms dripping historic charm look

out to views of crags and valleys, while two casas and over twenty casitas dot the parkland, private oases of stone baths and secluded pools at one with their surrounds. In truth it is a monastic moment, sparse but comforting, an “austerity which has nothing to do with ‘fashionable’ minimalism for, in the end, the inspiration is your own beliefs.”

The simplicity of the spaces allows reflection – “the presence of Nature itself, which prevails, is a guideline to follow with respect.” More than five-hundred acres of Mediterranean forest, lush farmland and craggy uplands reflect the elements of “Fire, Earth, Water, Air. . . and the fifth element, difficult to observe, but very much felt: Simplicity.” The practice of being undergirds each design and decision. “My inspiration was nature,” Esteva explains, “Nature and silence.”

Silence imbues Es Racó, as “the spectacular, which is provocative, is noisy.” Warmly beamed ceilings, clean, white-washed walls, and carpets of raw wool and jute ground the space. Natural materials complement, sometimes even disappear into, the landscape as with two infinity pools that submerge guests in nature. “The love we have for the land has led us to carry out sustainable work,”Esteva reflects, while Danús adds that “the materials used for the work have been earth, stone, cane, wood and a lot of lime.” Not a single tree was cut down, the ethos

being “organic and sustainable, respecting and nurturing nature, returning to origins, where respect prevails.” The estate’s primitive kitchen, pig-sty cum meditation hall, and ancient water cistern matured to wine-tasting site preserve past while honouring present. This timelessness extends to the spa, itself spanning generations, designed by Esteva’s architect son Tomeu to incorporate Moorish elements inspired by the island’s Santuario de San Salvador, which can be seen across the plain from its rooftop terrace, while fashion-designer daughter Rosa originated the spa’s custom vestments. Here, “the respect, the understanding, the interaction is deep and umbilical.”

Such umbilical connections exist across the harmony of art and sculptural furnishings, many crafted by Esteva himself, as “in the end, it is one’s

own work that harmonises best with the space.” A silent dialogue emerges between his work and a finely curated group of artists diverse as Hiroshi Kitamura, Pere Ignasi, Laurent Martin Lo, Adriana Meunié, Jaume Roig, Nadal, Barceló, Amparo Sard and Miró, amplifying and adorning the rustic simplicity of the space. “The chosen pieces have something in common, they are silent, they fit very much into the concept of austerity.” In Miró’s own reflections, “me siento en la necesidad de alcanzar el máximo de intensidad con el mínimo de medios – I feel the need to reach the maximum of intensity with the minimum of means.” Such minimal intensity envelops guests, as Esteva reminds, “Es Racó is silence and harmony,” a place to at once revel in immovable movement and embrace an eloquent silence.

In truth it is a monastic moment, sparse but comforting, an “austeritywhich has nothing to do with ‘fashionable’ minimalism for, in the end, the inspiration isyourown beliefs.”

PASSION IN THE DETAILS

Jorge Conde’s Contemporary Mexican Ethos

What is in the details? Mies Van der Rohe suggested god may be – the design vision of Jorge Conde realises that possibility. It is in the small things that his unique perspective coalesces – comprehensively designed for each client’s needs – from the first grand architectural sketches to the final bottle of perfume on the vanity. Drawing inspiration from the antique haciendas scattered across the Mexican countryside, Conde conceptualises the union of small details with a sweeping vision of contemporary luxury and comfort. His inspirations and incarnations are varied – sliding doors secreted behind bookcases evoking secret passageways lit by a Murano chandelier, a floating steel staircase against a natural rock wall, a Mayan entrance opening onto a Tuscan loggia, a Pueblo chimney anchoring a glass edifice. Embracing regional culture and climate, Conde feels “the most important thing is integration between all – interior, exterior and decoration – to reflect modern spaces with a Mexican style.”

Conde discovered such importance early, turning childhood chocolate boxes into furnished apartments until, upon discovering that this was architecture and design, he pursued a career of fulfilling individual desires – “a good design solves needs and adds

aesthetics. If it is not beautiful it is not complete, if it does not solve a need, it is useless.” His process begins with dialogue - private and public, city and country –are “completely different because the needs of each space depend upon their use.” Each use is studied, considering the client’s experience, expectation, and “wish list for their piece of land.”

Thus unique spaces emerge, not “showrooms with a local touch,” incorporating the finest global designs – Holly Hunt, B&B Italia, Promemoria – alongside custom pieces, as from Pueblan cabinetmaker Esteban Chapital. “Each space,” Conde impassions, “has its own language and experience of living – from there I pick the personal touch – an antique for example, or a special piece of art.” He begins by exploring “the concept of a way of living – spaces, colours, textures –yet that concept can’t be possible if the small things do not cohere. Materials give soul to a space, allowing the full and unique experience of good living.” In the words of Octavio Paz, renowned Mexican poet, “Architecture is the incorruptible witness of history, because one cannot speak of a great building without recognising in it the witness of an era, its culture, its society, its intentions.” In Jorge Conde, this ethos is made reality.

Architecture is the incorruptiblewitness of historybecause one cannot speakof agreat buildingwithout recognising in it thewitness of an era, its culture, its society, its intentions.

DÉFINITION DU LUXE

Translating the Barrière

L’Art de Vivre to New York

Stepping off acobbled street towards an edifice of typicallyTribecan red brick, the breeze off the nearbyHudson transports one, dreamlike, into a perfectlytranslated French idyll. Hotel Barrière Fouquet's NewYork, with its subtle art deco polish and textural glamour, effortlesslyembraces the nuances of the cultures from whence it came and where it now resides.

“If the dream is a translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream,” mused René Magritte, quintessential depictor of the familiar in unexpected contexts. Stepping off a cobbled street towards an edifice of typically Tribecan red brick, the breeze off the nearby Hudson transports one, dreamlike, into a perfectly translated French idyll. Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York, with its subtle art deco polish and textural glamour, effortlessly embraces the nuances of the cultures from whence it came and where it now resides.

The first Group Barrière excursion across the Atlantic was led by the intrepid Dominique Desseigne, who emphasises the essence of “shared vision and desire to promote the French art of living, much cherished by New Yorkers and international travellers alike.” A venerable cornerstone of French hospitality its hotels, restaurants, and casinos both reflecting and defining storied destinations the Barrière name inhabits its own “définition du luxe,” says Desseigne, “the perfect balance of dreams, emotions, and excellence.” In New York, this expression ”has found its niche in the city quite naturally, in a coveted neighbourhood that is both elegant and full of life, and which appeals as much to tourists as to New Yorkers themselves – who are always keen to discover de nouveautés. You could say that New York was waiting for us, just as we were waiting patiently for the perfect neighbourhood and ideal partner. Now it’s done, and both myself and our teams, who worked for many years on this first venture

onto American soil, feel a great sense of pride.”

To tune the French lifestyle to the hum of New York, Stockholm-born designer Martin Brudnizki and his eponymous Studio were tapped to harmonise the cultural elements into coherently lavish interiors. No stranger to such translatory moves, Brudnizki’s creative philosophy is simple “context, culture, client.” Studying first in Sweden before continuing at The American University in London, Brudzniki’s maximalist designs and inspirations already bridged the sea between New York and Paris – from the soaring interiors of The Beekman Hotel and patinated dining rooms at South Street Seaport to an historic Parisian bistro in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe and a lush guinguette on the banks of the Seine. “Materiality is at the heart of our design,” says Brudnizki, no more so than at Fouquet’s New York. A lavender-laced aesthetic blends “the modern industrialism of Tribeca and the elegant classicism of Paris,” woven together by Art Deco cues, a design that distinctly influenced the architecture, interiors, and identities of both cities. The mohair velvet upholstery and glossy burr walnut that line the interiors are reflected by antique mirroring beneath crystal chandeliers, illuminating traditional herringbone floors and limestone detailing. For Brudnizki, a “layered approach creates a welcoming and warm atmosphere that makes the new hotel feel as though it has always been a part of the Tribeca landscape.” That layered landscape is strikingly captured in a commissioned wallpaper by Schumacher.

Drawing from “eighteenth century cotton printing workshops, Toile de Jouy symbolises the timelessness of French savoir-faire and its importance in the history of decorative arts,” says Desseigne of the commission for the New York project, “the wallpaper design was given a new look, with original motifs to pay tribute to both of our countries.” Instead of the traditional hunting or landscape scenes, there are joyful motifs of neighbourhood restaurant The Odeon, a street pretzel cart, and pigeons flying a baguette clutched in their beaks. “It knits this whole story together,” says Brudnizki.

Speaking of baguettes, any adaptation of French l’art de vivre would surely fail without a rich culinary inclusion. Le Fouquet’s, a classic institution on the Champs-Élysées, “is renowned all over the world for its authentic and generous cuisine, with iconic dishes created by three Michelin starred chef Pierre Gagnaire,” continues Desseigne, and now the first new world outpost of the iconic restaurant “combines traditional with contemporary, respecting the best ingredients. L’art culinaire français est à l’honneur à New York!” Honouring classic French culinary art, the menu includes sumptuous local foods, from oysters to lobster to lamb, interpreted with zest in classic and innovative ways.

Acculturating the dream of French living is, of course, nothing new to Desseigne’s Barrière. From their beginnings across variegated regions of France, “each hotel has always had its own identity – we integrate into local culture as – much as possible,” from Normandy’s – chic countryside style with its half-timbering in the centre of Deauville to the ultramodern glass expanse covering the Hôtel Casino Théâtre Barrière in Lille, and the way the Barrière Ribeauvillé Resort in Alsace blends perfectly into the surrounding nature. As in New York, each translates the Barrière definition of luxury into a new setting, whether presiding majestically over the Croisette of Cannes or inviting escapist relaxation in Saint Barth. “There is complete coherence between our first hotel in Deauville and our newest addition in New York,” Desseigne concludes, “our group has been defending and upholding a French art of living for over a hundred years, and we will continue this tradition of luxury and savoir-faire that make our hotels, restaurants and casinos the success that they are today.” From the quays of the Seine to the docks of the Hudson, the savoir-faire of luxurious hospitality is unmistakable, a translation of luxe that honours and enriches the cultures it unites.

CULTIVATING SEEDS OF TRANSFORMATION

La Semilla´s Angie Rodriguez & Alexis Schärer

“Every moment and every event of every life on earth plants something in the soul,” monk Thomas Merton meditated. Such seeds of the soul are planted, cultivated, and celebrated in Hotel La Semilla on Playa del Carmen and neighbouring Villa La Semilla on pristine Soliman Bay. Alexis Schärer and Angie Rodriguez, the couple who envisioned and realised its incarnation, had travelled and worked around the world – from cosmopolitan cities like New York, tiny islands in the Caribbean and Balearics, and the mountains of Switzerland – before returning to Rodriguez´s native Mexico for a new adventure. “Like everything in this universe, we are designed to have cycles – we are born, we become kids, teenagers, we start our adult living, we die – during all that process we have experiences, at every stage of life, we need cycles to keep evolving and learning,” says Schärer, reflecting on this new cycle, that is “rooted in the values we hold dear to our hearts – at its core is a love story. The Spanish word semilla means seed. This word has been a powerful north star in guiding our vision and values. A seed is something that you nurture and love – it blossoms right before your eyes into something extraordinary yet unbelievably simple.”

Extraordinary yet simple is a true portrait of the

spaces they have created on the Mexican coast. From the start, it was imperative to “create a place that lived in harmony with nature and provide the experience of living inside the native beauty of the area.” To that end, landscape architect Sr. Wolf, a local GermanMexican expat who has called Riviera Maya home for over thirty years and who “shares our deep passion for conservation,” was brought in to structure the properties around the existing biodiversity and trees whose seeds had fallen perhaps centuries before – a sign of “respect and embrace of all living creatures and the delicate coexistence in nature. From a tiny spider to the biggest tree.” Such conservation was paramount in designing the villa, preserving the sand dunes to protect their extraordinary life and incorporating existing trees into the design where, “beyond the dense mangrove, down a long dirt road you can find it: Soliman Bay. This is our secret spot, a place where we, as a family, spend lazy Sundays admiring the universe of sea creatures, marine vegetation and small jungle critters. It is a place where we can completely disconnect from our daily routine and reconnect with nature – people living near nature are more likely to become concerned about preserving it for future generations.”

Preserving the connection between past and future

The Spanish word semilla means seed. This word has been a powerful north star in guiding our vision and values. A seed is something that you nurture and love blossoms right before your eyes into something extraordinary yet unbelievably simple.

permeates these spaces - the furnishings are restored and repurposed antiques scoured from markets across Mexico City. Interiors evoke the old-fashioned haciendas that provide a real feeling of home – a soul. It is, of course, a luxurious soul, a deep immersion in nature soaking in an outdoor bath, caressing the sunset. Angel’s wings and dreamcatchers, spiritual connections hanging tastefully throughout, “are a tangible way to express the energy of our highest good and our perception that there is a power greater than us.”

Their newest project, Zemillas, expands on this tangibility, and was seeded by Rodriguez´s deep training to become an Innerland coach, “I was born with Wonder, I have a passionate soul in search of what other ways are possible than the one or two I know.” A new and vital part of the La Semilla

experience, Zemillas “teaches how to create space through questions that guide you into learning, listening and observing your beautiful inner system. It is an extraordinarily powerful method of selfknowledge for self-transformation, that helps to identify and transform obstacles into opportunities – a space offering to be open and curious about our human experience to learn, listen and observe how we participate in the creation with a conscious presence.” This consciousness is the root of La Semilla, a luxuriously immersive and holistic experience, planting something new in each visitor’s soul. Schärer concludes with the very simple but powerful advice he has learned from immersion in the canopy of the trees, “sink your roots into the earth, stand still and just be.”

This is the seed of La Semilla.

WANTING WHAT YOU’LL BE

The Intrepid Ingenuity of Miguel Câncio Martins

“I will be what I want. But I will have to want what I’ll be – tenho que querer o que for” wrote Portuguese author Fernando Pessoa, “success is in having success, not conditions for success.” The journey of architect and designer Miguel Câncio Martins perfectly illustrates Pessoa’s idea – that success, in a career or in a life, requires an openness to the unexpected paths it may take. This young boy, constantly sketching the houses and cities of his imagination and constructing them from the LEGOs of his Portuguese and Parisian childhood, went on to study architecture in Brussels and, after graduating, “struggled with interviews that led to nothing.” He was invited to manage a bar in Paris –“nothing to do with my studies,” Martins recounts, “my parents were a little bit disappointed that after six years of studying I would end up managing a bar!” However, this turned out to be a serendipitous start to an illustrious career –“sometimes things don’t go in the direction that you expected and from a bad experience it can turn into the opportunity of your life.”

It was a project from scratch and Martins oversaw every aspect, from PR to design to “being there everyday to entertain people. It ended up being the most trendy bar in Paris and everybody was surprised by the interior design, which had not been seen in Paris before . . . it changed my vision of hospitality.” It was a vision that would continue to grow, “from that moment the phone didn’t stop ringing for new projects

and, again with the same formula, I gave back to my clients all the experience that I had accumulated – hospitality is all about the art of designing and receiving.” Parisian friends call him a createur de bonheur – a maker of happiness – which makes him “feel proud of what I can achieve for others.”

For one so open to the flow of destiny, it was only a matter of time before he would embark on a new venture of his own. His acclaimed Hotel Quinta da Comporta, built of reclaimed wood in harmony with the emerald rice fields of Portugal amongst which it sits, was overseen from start to finish by Martins in his iconically surprising style, and is indeed a long-dreamt passion project inspired by his engagement with the land. The immersive experiences he had before –“I wanted to know everything from the technical, management, economical, social, functional and aesthetic point of view,” fueled his “curiosity and persistence.” The work was all-encompassing, from the architectural designs sensitive to the locality’s cultural heritage to the ecological water-treatment system to the management of guests and relationships to the community. Being a globe-trotter, he had spent time in hotels from Singapore to Montreal, and knew what he was looking to create. “When guests check-in,” he says “I like them to be pleasantly surprised and appreciate what we offer. All the details that make the difference – the service, the energy and

His acclaimed Hotel Quinta da Comporta, built of reclaimed wood in harmony with the emerald rice fields of Portugal amongst which it sits,was overseen from start to finish by Martins in his iconically surprising style, and is indeed along-dreamt passion project

the peaceful vibe . . . and at the check-out, I want them to feel that they want to come back because they are taken aback by this experience – it feels so great when you make other people happy and fulfilled.”

Such fulfilment from this createur de bonheur continues to be fashioned through sustainably-focused methods and materials. “To do it right,” he says, “you need a global vision but you have to put together all of the details to have a good result.” These details exemplified in Comporta include “natural materials such as wood, stone, cork, fabrics – to play with them as well as with the contrasts of substance, colours and finishes to help with illumination. Light,” Martins continues, “is very important to appreciate the true beauty and uniqueness of materials. Warm light colour is my favourite spectrum to highlight all this and, with dimmers, we can create different scenarios. The detail is what makes the difference and having that right eye to know what works.” These details combine to create an experience of happiness unique

to each project, whether it be the sultry interiors of Buddha Bar or the zen radiance of Comporta. Creating happiness would become a hallmark of his subsequent career. From bars and restaurants, his designs have shaped shops, hotels, casinos, night clubs and private homes. Miguel Câncio Martins has surely become a success by wanting what he will be, in being open to the twists of the road. “It’s true that I have travelled so much,” he says, “seen so many things –it’s the best lesson in life – to show you what you can do but also what you don’t want to do.” Certainly there will be more unexpected surprises to come, more serendipitous moments to embrace. His passion for ecologically sustainable design continues to grow –giving not only to others, but also giving back to the earth, through all of the small details that make up his visionary designs. “I think the most important thing in life is to give,” Martins concludes, “when you give with your heart, you’ll get back.”

A TIMELESS HOME IN THE SWISS ALPS

From the soaring heights of the Swiss Alps to the shores of deep alpine lakes, Daniela and Philippe Frutiger have crafted an ageless, luxurious welcome where time itself stands still. Now the heads of Giardino Hotels, Philippe and Daniela come from a rich heritage of hospitality, from a time not so long ago when most reservations, responses, and confirmations were made by post – analog-style before hyper-connectivity – and the pace of travel was perhaps more thoughtful. This ethos continues on the banks of Maggiore at the storied Giardino Ascona, where husband and wife first fell in love with each other and with a contemporary Swiss take on ‘la dolce vita.’ Since that first encounter, they have deepened their relationship and grown their horizons side-by-side – personal and professional lives intertwined – and that’s the way they like it. Giardino hotels, from the Alpine world of St. Moritz to the Mediterranean backdrop of Ticino in Ascona and Locarno on the banks of Lago Maggiore, offer uncompromising quality while being free from the conservative conventions generally expected of five-star resorts. With Philippe cultivating Michelin-starred dining and Daniela grounding with experiences of ayurvedic relaxation and renewal, their

welcome invites guests to be truly, abidingly, at home. For Philippe, hospitality is integral to life and “it never gets boring.” His approach is hands-on and hearts-on, creating an experience different from other luxury hotels – “pleasantly unusual.” Rather than a speech, sermon, or soliloquy, their hotels are relaxed conversations – the experience of subtle luxury as in a private Mediterranean home. This inspiration begins with the light – the sun is different, warmer, more golden on these southern alps than the colder light of the north. The hotels’ atmospheres reflect this - light colours are combined with pale wooden floors and cosy furniture. Not eschewing modern technology, rooms feature multimedia flat screens, relaxing tubs and showers, luxurious, sustainable bathroom amenities and private balconies with views over gardens or mountains. Nature really is at the heart of their design, perched between mountain, sky and water and centred around lush gardens reflecting the surrounding majesty, which Daniela likens to a jungle in summer – sumptuous and rich.

With her holistic approach to hospitality, Daniela embodies her belief that “guests are not just interested

in sleeping, eating and drinking.” Giardino offers a retreat for the mind, the body, and the soul with certified Ayurveda practitioners brought in to imbue stays with a depth not common in similar luxury offerings. Products are sourced from local flora using traditional techniques to ensure a signature experience. Ancient techniques contribute to the timelessness of guest experiences – hearkening back to simpler times and looking forward to a future of discovery.

This future, for the Frutigers, is full of hope. In times of global troubles, they have determined to stay rooted in the pleasures of small simplicity. Though they’ve had successful endeavours into big city luxury and international collaborations, they keep returning

to the small family they’ve nurtured in the freedom of their beloved Alps. As the world contracts, they see neighbours discovering anew the beauty on their doorsteps, venturing into exciting nearby unknowns.

So it is with their own journeys, which are sources of inspiration and intimacy, whether in Ibiza locked down or savouring their favoured Hotel Epi in St Tropez. It is a simple rhythm, sport in the morningboth are keen athletes and are known to don their skis at dawn – a few hours of collaborative work, a nice lunch on a sun-lit terrace, an afternoon of exploration, which undoubtedly influences their ever-evolving style. When they return to their alpine family, they invite others to join, welcoming them, truly, home.

Giardino offers aretreat forthe mind, the body, and the soul to imbue stayswith adepth not common in similarluxuryofferings.

EVOKING A PRESENCE OF THE PAST

Lore and Legend at San Ysidro Ranch

In every generation, there are places which achieve a mythic lore from the luminaries who shaped their stories – Paris’s literary La Rotonde, Wright’s visionary Fallingwater, Handel and Hendrix’s twin London townhouses, Kahlo’s Casa Azul – even the seemingly humblest of settings may embody legend. In a beautifully unassuming Californian canyon, nestled between ocean and sky, San Ysidro Ranch easily takes its place alongside such fable and folklore. Named for the patron saint of agriculture, aided by angels at the plough, the ranch traces its history back to the earliest days of Santa Barbara’s Spanish missions. Over centuries, it yielded harvests of both citrus and stories, and at the end of the nineteenth century welcomed its first patrons with tea under the moonlight.

In the twentieth century, its discretion and seclusion made it the choice retreat for the newly rising class of film stars who sought reprieve from the demands and attention of celebrity – William Powell, Jean Harlow, Audrey Hepburn, Jack Benny, Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby counted among the guests. The rolling valley witnessed the marriage of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh and later welcomed newly-weds John and Jacqueline Kennedy at the commencement of their own search for Camelot. Alongside its guests, the ranch bore both hope and heartbreak – mudslides, fires, and financial woes among them.

Now entering the twenty-first century, it has

experienced a renaissance led by entrepreneur Ty Warner and realised by the skilled hands and visionary talent of architect Marc Appleton. Never having designed a hotel, Appleton’s core work was “designing custom residential work for private clients – local and responsive in very detailed ways to our clients’ needs, desires and dreams, very much creating a home for their lives on a particular site.” Warner’s search for architects led him to select Appleton, not least perhaps for his work on “a number of historic residential restorations and renovations, so that, coupled with the rather romantically intimate and residential scale of San Ysidro Ranch’s cottages, may have been one reason he took a chance and hired us.”

The beauty of the place – less imposing hotel, more idyllic neighbourhood – informed Appleton’s approach to remedy years of deferred maintenance.

“You would only have succeeded if your returning guests were confused as to what actually had been done... respecting the history of the ranch and not making a new personal architectural statement was critical.” Yet it was not only the structures that required vision, “the landscaping could not be an afterthought most guests accept the California ranch ‘cottage’ architecture without special notice, but all are entranced by the hillside setting and its gardens. This is the predominant memory.”

From the start, the importance of a shared language

Overcenturies, ityielded harvests of both citrus and stories, and at the end of the nineteenth centurywelcomed its first patronswith teaunderthe moonlight.

and inspiration for owner and architect to reference was paramount. For this, Appleton had to reach beyond the nearby sea, “I told [Warner] I couldn’t think of any analogous place in the States, but told him about this hotel in the south of France called La Colombe d'Or – the Golden Dove – in the little town of St. Paul de Vence. I thought he’d forgotten about it, but during our second year on the project he called me from New York and asked ‘how quickly can you get to La Guardia Airport? We’re flying to Europe as soon as you get here.’ It was an interesting, crazy trip, but it included an in-depth visit to the Colombe d’Or, and after that we had a shared architectural language that we both spoke going forward. His attention to detail as a client was and is remarkable.”

Uniting history and story may indeed be a specialty of Appleton’s, a literature student-turned architect, who at San Ysidro succeeds in “evoking a presence of the past.” The seamless integration of historic European aesthetic into the vernacular of early 20th century

Southern California architects betrays the years of study he has committed to honouring them, publishing books on icons from Paul Williams to Wallace Neff, Roland Coate Sr., and Gordon Kaufman. “Personally, I regret that younger architects seem more influenced by virtual reality than experiencing the actual reality of architecture, especially the historic places which humble and inspire us . . . architecture is still so loaded with ego that more subtle historical influences of vernacular and regional remain in the background rather than the forefront.”

At San Ysidro, Warner and Appleton have succeeded in crafting a narrative that honours its heritage and celebrates its present. Today, as guests savour baby-back ribs in the Plow & Angel – a nod to the namesake saint – amidst the lush grounds beneath a slowly sinking sun, time itself seems to stand still. Voices reverberate from the past, echoing from citrus stonehouse to intimate cottage rafters, inviting a new generation to create indelible legends of their own.

At SanYsidro,WarnerandAppleton have succeeded in crafting anarrative that honours its heritage and celebrates its present.

A COUNTRY HOUSE IN THE CITY

Pedro Oliveira’s Hotel das Amoreiras

A young man takes a sip of tea in the lobby of a grand London hotel. At his side is the latest find from an antiques fair somewhere on the road back from one of the many country houses he has visited with his parents and sisters. Later, they will return home to a house full of visitors, brimming with life. “From a young age,” Pedro Oliveira reflects, he was used to “his mother setting-up tables or making arrangements for dinners and receptions.” This bent toward hospitality never left him, and though his early life, marriage to inspirational wife Alicia and growing family of three children led to a banking career in cosmopolitan cities like Geneva and Madrid, those early formations of gracious hosting drew him, slowly yet surely, to life as a hotelier.

In the foyer of his Hotel das Amoreiras hangs a painting depicting a bridge over the river Tagus from Lisbon’s docks, composed by his father - an amateur painter - who gave it to Oliveira when he moved to Geneva “so that I wouldn’t forget my roots.” His Portuguese heritage drew him back to Lisbon – and especially to the Jardim das Amoreiras, a magical square Oliveira visited as a child and where

the Portuguese silk trade once fed on over three hundred mulberry trees – amoreiras in Portuguese. An eighteenth century aqueduct crosses the park, filling a reservoir that brings sustenance to Lisboans and now shelters “the chapel of our lady of Monserrate carved in one of the arches and a museum of Arpad Szenes-Vieira da Silva, a Portuguese artist . . . it is a feeling of the countryside yet right in the city centre: a true oasis.”

This sense of refuge is palpable in the hotel at the edge of the park, where locals take a coffee as their children take to the playgrounds. An assemblage of period buildings, from the emerald-tiled exterior to the sun-dappled courtyard, guests are invited into the intimacy of a home with the elegance of a hotel. Oliveira is the mastermind behind each exquisite detail, influenced by designers “like John Fowler or David Hicks – Ralph Lauren is also a great source of inspiration as he brilliantly combines the American way of life with British tradition – dress down your formal wear and dress up your casual wear – mix textures like dark green velvets and other rich fabrics with the more ‘modest’ and natural feels like straw

In the foyerof his Hotel dasAmoreiras hangs a painting depicting a bridge overthe river Tagus from Lisbon’s docks, composed byhis father- an amateurpainter-who gave it to Oliveira when he moved to Geneva “so that I wouldn’t forget myroots.”

and rattan.” This melange works brilliantly across the small hotel’s luxurious rooms, suites and common spaces, providing the setting for an impressive collection of art. “Every piece was hand-picked over the years,” Oliveira says, “every painting and object has a memory and a story behind it, from Swiss to Spanish painters and of course my father’s painting. And then there is Bond – James Bond –” an original film poster hangs pride of place in the mirrored bar. “It’s not only that I am a fan, but 007 has a very close relationship to Portugal – it was his encounters with agents after the second world war in Lisbon and Estoril that inspired Ian Fleming to create the character.”

Though hospitality shaped Oliveira’s life – from the high teas of London to the lavish breakfasts he would take before university classes at a nearby grand hotel – he returned to school as the hotel’s construction was underway to deepen his understanding of the industry. “I literally resigned from a very comfortable position in a bank to pursue my dream as hotelier – it was important to understand the dynamics and drivers

of the new sector I was about to embrace” placing him on the renowned Les Roches campus with students half his age, some perplexed by his choice. However, any confusion disappears when visiting Hotel das Amoreiras – it is a clear manifestation of passion forged by experience over the years.

Even while working as a banker, this seedling passion was germinating in Oliveira, as “when Hotel des Bergues in Geneva was given to the Four Seasons, I managed to buy several lots amongst which was a beautifully engraved silver-plated cutlery set – for daily use in my house. I keep thinking who might have used it! The life of grand hotels is like entering a movie – it has always fascinated me to see people come and go, imagining what was discussed, decided or celebrated. It is a place for locals, foreigners, regulars, politicians, businesspeople, artists, movie stars, families – all mixed up under the same roof.” Now it is Oliveira’s roof that shelters such convergence, a country house at the edge of exciting urbanity.

A HALCYON FAMILY HOME

Gentle waves softly ripple against Garda’s shores as La Contessa draws smoothly towards the striped paline of Villa Feltrinelli’s dock, the elegantly manicured gardens raising the eyes to a view of castellated cream and rose stone.

Disembarking from the lustrous salon boat, built in memory of the countess who called this place home, the footsteps of DH Lawrence, Saul Bellow, Tennessee Williams, Umberto Eco, Max Frisch and Ingeborg Bachmann reverberate on the gravel path leading to the Villa itself, Il Duce’s bastille in the twilight of his powers. Passing the magnolia under which Churchill dabbled in watercolours, south Tryolean general manager Markus Odermatt observes he is “the informal keeper of the Feltrinelli legacy.”

Villa Feltrinelli was, and in many ways still is, a family home – more or less unchanged since it was constructed in 1892 grandeur. Seized during the second world war, it later became the summer residence of Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, publisher of Pasternak’s smuggled manuscript Doctor Zhivago and then Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s The Leopard. “He had two great passions: books and politics,” Odermatt recounts, “he pampered writers and intellectuals at the Villa later, having joined the

Communist Party, Giangiacomo met Fidel Castro, and used the Villa for political propaganda” until his suspicious early death. Increasingly left uninhabited, the Villa was acquired and restored “back to its former splendour, respecting its grand style and historical importance.”

While the grounds are undeniably stunning –lakefront gardens of clipped green lawns and terraces, olives and ancient oaks, boasting a pristine croquet court cum-helicopter pad, a gazebo overlooking the mirrorlike pool whose mist meets Garda’s in the early mornings, and a resplendent 19th century tiered lemon garden – the interiors are even more incontestably exceptional. “The furnishings include more than a thousand antiques; every piece of furniture is a historical original or was made especially for us,” observes Odermatt, each objet enlivened by fresh flowers gracing the salons and chambres transporting through time while remaining fresh, a Proustian madeleine. Frescos above, burnished parquet below elegant marble stairs descend from the eclectically original suites to the exquisite sitting rooms, drawing rooms, salons, verandas, and, on cooler evenings, the cosy library’s wood fire amidst literature-lined shelves where Giangiacomo no doubt was often ensconced.

AcenturyofEuropeanhistoryatits mostdecadentandcapricious,distilled andmonumentalizedineightacresof neo-gothicluxuryonLakeGarda.

It is very much the family home of an elegant friend – one who greets you at the discreet and unassuming gates with blousy garden roses in hand, before leading upstairs, where you are eager to indulge in an Acqua di Parma marble bath after your journey, or perhaps to your guest cottage in the park, where you sink into a chaise on your private terrace. It is a friend, with an exceptional memory and attention to detail – most guests return again and again, leaving “everything behind when they depart – from a tailored suit to a half-empty tube of toothpaste. The next time, we’ve hung the dry-cleaned suit in the closet and purchased a new tube of the same toothpaste. When these guests leave, their rooms are photographed, as everyone has their own ideas about tidiness. Their things are stored in our depot. Upon return, their room has been prepared according to their preferences. People love to return to a place where they are remembered.” Fortunately, Odermatt is the friend that does. With only twenty rooms, Villa Feltrinelli is “the smallest Grand Hotel in the world. There are eighty

employees for, at most, forty guests” and the mostly local staff have been with Odermatt since the beginning, delivering swift and discreet service to every hidden corner, including the inimitable Michelin-starred cuisine. “Uniqueness is the unmistakable signature of chef Stefano Baiocco,” conveys Odermatt with admiration, “whose skilful hands and fresh creativity reinterpret traditional flavours using both simple ingredients as well as more complex and sophisticated components. Our restaurant is truly the winning factor for our guests.” Yet between the many elements comprising Villa Feltrinelli, the match for most extraordinary winning factos is closer than a tight game of croquet on a sunlit afternoon, sipping rosé champagne as the breeze carries whispers of rich history across the placid Garda air – le grandi gioie sonomute

RENEWAL AND REINCARNATION

A Modern-Day

Innkeeper, Palisociety’s Avi Brosh

Whether he is transforming a 1980’s Hollywood motor lodge into an upscale, contemporary, and bespoke Hollywood-centric hotel, refreshing a stoic property in the charming community of Santa Barbara, or revitalizing an architectural diamond in the rough on Miami Beach, Avi Brosh’s awardwinning Palisociety is known for creating unique hotels that resurrect and revive both buildings and neighbourhoods, breathing new life into exceptional spaces and places throughout the United States.

Palisociety is known for Palihouse, Palihotel, Arrive by Palisociety and independent brands across California and in Seattle, Portland, Miami Beach, San Francisco, Palm Springs, New Orleans and Austin, amidst an ever-expanding collection of communities, where Brosh’s proprietor-driven vision of hospitality takes its roots from the innkeepers of days past. Where the owner not only held the keys to a hotel, but held the entirety of its experience in his creative and physical hands. He believes in treating each hotel like its own neighborhood focal point and works from there to curate, design and develop an experience that is not only highly personalized to the city it calls home, but to his unique impression of luxury hospitality –one rooted in community, comfort, inspiration and a very hands-on approach to every facet and detail.

The hotels are intimate in nature and small in size, by design, so that every nuance and element can be cared for. Design is done by Brosh and his team. Food

and beverage concepts and menus are all developed in-house by Palisociety. The music playing in the lobby. The graphics on the do not disturb cards. The bottles selected for the in-room mini bar. The custom scent that fills the space. Brosh treats it all with a personal, careful hand and with the heart and commitment of a true modern-day innkeeper.

But it all begins with a location and property that feels undiscovered or ready for a reincarnation. “I am mostly drawn to neighbourhoods with buildings that have been in some sort of hibernation, and I get a thrill imagining a new rendition of what those buildings could be as a hotel.” From there, the process of breathing new life into them becomes a privilege.

“It’s easy to lose your way,” Brosh says, “when immersed in the process . . . each hotel’s story helps keep the vision singular, grounded and potent.” Eschewing a ‘design by committee’ approach for making spaces – which he believes tends to dilute a vision – his leap of faith is to create spaces in his own way, without fear or judgement. And while each property tells its own distinct story, they are all interconnected by unifying signature Palisociety elements. It may be a specific design touch. A guest amenity. A special service element. Something that lets you know it is unmistakably Palisociety.

Brosh’s background and history in residential projects has shaped his approach to design

a quirky California sensibility blended with a grand

European-influenced style – highly customised and, as with all great spaces, unpredictably charming. Throughout each hotel, whether newly built or reimagined, vintage details imbue the character and patina of a space inherently linked to its surroundings.  “I’m especially drawn to the idea that home interiors are usually made up of items collected over time,” Brosh reflects, “with only the most meaningful and sentimental pieces lasting the test of time, whether it be a special piece of art or an heirloom armchair.” These elements coalesce in his hotels to give guests that vital mélange of comfort and surprise.

This aesthetic extends to the homes Avi shares with his wife and partner, Kirsten, in the most casual and approachable version of Palisociety design style. He likes to takes more risks with design, while she leans into a more classic British sensibility, so it’s “a vibrant combination of eclectic and quirky but at the same time bespoke and comfortable.” The perfect blend.

Such perfection is not limited to their hotels –Kirsten and Avi also fell in love as excellent travelling partners, among many other reasons. They move at similar paces, like many of the same incredible places, and enjoy sharing in varieties of activities together. An ideal holiday will see them in an entirely different time zone, where typical work schedules are turned on their head and consequently most days are email and text free. This is their downtime, experiencing life in the moment and making the sustaining memories that inform and inspire future projects.

In the end, that inspiration inevitably is brought back to the Palisociety ethos where each hotel embodies its setting. Brosh endeavours to be “the best neighborhood hotel company we can be – we think that’s unique in our landscape.” The forgotten places that connect to Avi Brosh soon become known and treasured, incarnations of a singular Paliscociety vision.

I’mespeciallydrawntotheideathat homeinteriorsareusuallymadeup of items collected over time.

BETWEEN SAND AND SEA

À la Française at La Tour d’Éole

Thoughtfully, deliberately, local craftsman Salah planes and polishes the back of a chair, weaving cane around solid posts. One of very few carpenters in Dakhla, he is an artist at heart, decorating his creations with vernacular Berber sculptures. Every unique piece, crafted with patience and care, is commissioned for La Tour d’Éole, the passion project of Jérôme Schanker who has drawn on a family history of hospitality to create a rarified retreat on the bay of Dakhla, virgin land between desert and lagoon.

Following in the footsteps of his great-grandmother, an originator of Relais & Châteaux, Schanker left his London brokerage firm to “realise a childhood dream – inviting travellers to reconnect with nature, recharge their health, and share a passion for wind and kite surfing.” Upon arriving, Schanker “realised that I had found the land of my dreams. The day I got the permit to build, I quit London and moved to Dakhla.” It is an atypical project for the region, built from sustainable materials with respect for the local environment.

“The celebration of craftsmanship is at the heart of La Tour d’Éole,” Schanker continues, “the hotel and its rooms are designed to bring intimacy and peace in juxtaposition with the savage environment of the desert. Décor is simple and chic, complimented

with unique pieces by local artisans.” Indeed, it is a minimalism perfectly suited to draw one’s gaze out to the spectacle of sand and sea.

The art of hospitality – “à la française” – is ubiquitous, “together with very attentive service, the focus is on a quality art of living. It ranges from the exquisite details in our private bungalows and villas – optimal comfort through high-end bedding of fine French duvets and pillows atop Drouault beds – to the ingredients we use in our cuisine.” Indeed the stunning restaurant terrace, with views of the western sea, is the perfect setting for the chef’s mission to bring out the very best in carefully selected products. “We use high-quality ingredients – fish caught the same day, vegetables from small organic farms, citrus fruits supplied by l’Agrumiste, and other noble products such as tonka beans or saffron.”

A morning spent windsurfing, sun and salt spray refreshing and rejuvenating one’s core, an afternoon Berber massage and dip in the picturesque pool, followed by a dinner in which the setting sun gives way to a sky resplendent with stars before sinking into soft, white linen – this is the paradise Jérôme Schanker has dreamt and brought to life.

Upon arriving, Schanker“realised that I had found the land of mydreams.The day I got the permit to build, I quit London and moved to Dakhla.”

EMBODIED MEMORIES

Rose et Marius’ Art of Provençal Living

In the lavender-scented heat of a Provençal summer, a child lay on cool, intricately-colored stone tiles. Her grandmother fastened the last immortelle they had picked that morning from the garrigue to the ceiling of the bastide, their drying flowers perfuming the rooms of her family home with a spicy, licorice scent. In the long afternoons, she would nap beneath the sun-dappled leaves of an embracing century-old fig tree, the warmth of fresh herbs underfoot embedded in the movements of a family’s life.

These memories of laughter, fragrance, light and colour inspire the vision of Rose et Marius, the namesake of Magali Fleurquin Bonnard’s singular grandmother who gifted her with a childhood of summers in Provence. Her scents hearken back to native, wild fragrances, eschewing cliché. The aesthetic begins with Rose’s fifteenth century bastide, the tiles structuring the designs and the bright white light of the south illuminating the exquisitely designed candles, “which have the particularity of becoming translucent, once lit, thanks to the fineness and whiteness of the exceptional Limoges porcelain.”

After having travelled the world and working with several luxury brands, Fleurquin Bonnard returned to her beloved Provence to immortalise it – in scent. She searched the countryside and villages for like-minded artisans to craft the perfumes, soaps, and candles which capture its essence, and assembled a team of creatives uniquely skilled in each aspect of design and inception. “Le meilleur rien que le meilleur!” she says, smiling – nothing but the best.

To embody these essences best, fragrances consist of homemade blends of organic essential oils, forgoing the use of alcohol, and allowing for soaps of unparalleled softness, perfumes of complexity and depth, and renewable candles evoking sensory images such as ambling beneath the oratory or an imagined rendez-vous with Cézanne. “It took a lot of patience, and eighteen months, to create the fig tree perfume of my childhood,” Fleurquin Bonnard recalls, summoning “the memory of the smell of fig leaves in the sun.” Such patience pervades her concept, sustaining a commitment to create lasting, emotional connections with those who indulge in these Provençal memories. “More than the emotions

Thesememoriesoflaughterfragrance lightandcolourinspirethevisionofRose etMariusthenamesakeofMagaliFleurquin Bonnard’ssingulargrandmotherwhogifted herwith a childhood of summers in Provence.

I feel, I particularly appreciate the emotions I provoke – it is a great satisfaction to see others, and not only those who know Provence, feel strong emotion when they discover their scent.”

Through such bespoke haute parfumerie, Rose et Marius has become an emblem of the uniquely Provençal art of living. Recognized as Artisans d’Art, they were awarded Chevalier de l’ordre du mérite by the French president for her promotion of Provence in France and abroad. As accolades abound, her creations drift on the breeze in five-star hotels and three-starred Michelin restaurants, “the latest is inspired by a seventeenth century fountain – Jardin

d’Eau is based on coriander, ginger and cardamom that summons the watery sensuality of the fountains of Provence, fresh and refined.” Clients connect to these deep roots, creating their own signature fragrances, whether they are guests in Aix workshops or chefs like Mauro Colagreco and Alexandre Mazzia. In trying times or bleak midwinter, Rose et Marius gifts us with passage to that afternoon sipping rosé beneath the arbour in a sun-drenched Provence to which, deep in our psyches, we may all connect.

COLLECTED PLEASURES, SHARED

The Hospitality of Albergo, Beirut

Over centuries, aesthetes have travelled the globe searching for the beautiful, the unique, the unusual, the unexpected. Often, they return to their homes to squirrel away these treasures in opulent palaces and private estates, taking away the very thing that granted their beauty – the eye of the beholder. For Bechara and Rita Nammour, such a fate was unimaginable. Passionate collectors, they chose to gather such objets d’art, meticulously conceived pieces, and ideations of beauty into Beirut, their beloved capital, to share with others their rich experiences of the world and to shape their own vibrant heritage for future generations.

A jewel-box art-deco building from 1930s Beirut was chosen to showcase this ever-evolving collection. Nammour recalls when he bought it in 1980, “it was located on the demarcation line and to reach it, you had to cross a street under sniper fire. This type of building was threatened, not only by the war, but by the contractors who wanted to build high-rise buildings instead. I waited until the end of the war to restore it, there was no question of destroying it.” Fitting for their finds, the architecture, like Lebanon itself, is an exquisite blend of east and west, where Italianate

forms built during the French Mandate feature “borrowings from the Ottomans: large spaces, high ceilings, central lounges with rooms on either side, but also geometric lines typical of the time and terrazzo paving.” Even new spaces feature terrazzo recovered from neighbouring sites that had been destroyed. And it is not only the glamorous architecture that stands out, the position of the building is magnificent: “you can see all of Lebanon Street, which leads to the city centre, at a glance.”

From this storied street, guests “feel from the entrance door” the dynamic city. As Nammour reflects, “you have this unique energy, which reflects Beirut’s energy. Our capital is also a place in constant transformation where people never stop celebrating the gift of life.” It is evident at the Albergo, “whose terraces around the pool are, in the evening, a place to meet friends for a good table or a good drink under the starry sky. Even being a century old, you realise that this is the secret of Beirut, between a long and sometimes painful history lies the joy of living the present moment.” From a trio of windows in the façade to a majestic Ottoman portico and an

Even being a centuryold,you realise that this is the secret of Beirut, between a long and sometimes painful historylies the joy of living the present moment.

Art Deco stairwell, it preserves the authenticity of Lebanese culture without omitting any of the details of exceptional hotels. The rooms draw on a rich heritage of multicultural influences to display their unique personalities – silky, delicate, precious and inimitable. Between walls steeped in history, the Lebanon of old is embodied in a thousand and one precious details.

For Nammour, it is “a real journey into the mysterious East and even into the attics of the West – each object brought back by my wife Rita and myself is unique, as are the rooms and even the marble in the bathrooms. Each object has a story to tell, and at every turn of the corridor, the visitor may come across a surprise that will take him thousands of miles away. In a sense, the Albergo is a living museum, a tribute to artists and craftsmen from all over the world. And the most surprising thing is that all these objects tell a single story that you are invited to discover.” This individuality and integration inspired decorator Tarfa Salam in each of the thirty-three rooms. It is “a place conceived with love: love of the beautiful, the unique, the unusual, the unexpected.”

Yet for all of its storied splendour, it is a nonconforming hotel – each room is different, so much so that the manager of one of the biggest hotels in Beirut muttered that the Albergo was “not a hotel, it’s an ego trip!” It was not meant as a compliment, but Nammour sees in it the glory of the hotel: “There are two types of collectors: those who jealously hide their finds and those who share them. My wife and I are in the second category: we designed this hotel with love, we made something unique and like us, but we wanted to share it with others. We could have made it a private residence, just for us, to be the only ones to enjoy it, but what a bore that would have been! So yes, it is an ego trip, a pleasure in the sense that we did everything to share with others.”

This legacy of pleasure shared continues to the next generation, as the hotel is passed from father to son and the heritage of hospitality is continued. So be it a quiet moment upon a rooftop terrace, a reflective pose beside the interior garden, or flawless food and drink shared with the families both cherished and created, the Albergo will continue to welcome generations to come with its warm energy.

GENERATIONS OF INSPIRATION

Connoisseur and Family Man

Alberto Colonna at Art Hotel Villa Fiorella

Some of myfavourite pieces areThe Rhino

Through the ages, Italian families have nurtured and sustained the arts. Where would culture be without legacies of Medici, Este, Borgia, or Visconti? Such legacy-making continues today in families like Alberto Colonna’s, who is leaving an indelible mark on contemporary art and hospitality at his stunning Art Hotel Villa Fiorella, perched on a Sorrentine cliff between sea and sky.

The story begins with Colonna´s grandfather, Antonino, who, from a rented pensione in Capo di Sorrento, dreamed of owning a hotel. When the opportunity arrived, “he bought a garden full of oranges and, when all other hoteliers were building on the seaside, he built his on a hill, the Hotel Gran Paradiso.” It flourished under his discerning hand and a family’s passion was born. Nourished by this love, Colonna followed in his grandfather’s path, studying as a hotelier in Switzerland and working abroad before returning home to manage a small hotel dating from the 19th century in Massa Lubrense, which his grandfather encouraged him to buy, “because it was too nice not to.” Though Antonino did not live to see the full realisation of Villa Fiorella, the trust he had bestowed so generously on his grandson is palpably felt there today.

It was Colonna´s father who served as inspiration for the hotel’s cultivation of contemporary art. An avid collector, he fell in love with works like those of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, first encountered in a small private Brussels museum while engaged to Colonna´s mother. “I always appreciated his taste for contemporary art,” he reflects, “the design of objects that have a soul.” Now at Villa Fiorella, influential pieces from the past century mingle alongside emerginng Italian artists in rooms, halls, salons, and dining spaces. “Some of my favourite pieces are The Rhino by Davide Rivalta, one of the few paintings this artist made as he is primarily a sculptor. I love the sense of raw matter, like it’s coming out of the canvas. Also the Bassorilievo by Mario Sironi – it’s not only a masterpiece, but its tragic personal story emanates emotion.” These pieces dialogue with works by Alik Cavaliere, Liliana Moro, Davide Rivalta, Takeo Hanazawa, Mario Sironi, Cy Twombly, Sasà Giusto, and Maria Laithese. As a place of slumber, “curating for night is more challenging – in Marco Ercoli’s painting you can feel this uncertainty of the night, some birds hiding - the night has secrets to reveal.”

Yet art is not the only revelation at Villa Fiorella –the rooms, gardens, and stunning rooftop terrace open

byDavide Rivalta, one of the fewpaintings this artist made as he is primarilya sculptor.

I love the sense of raw matter, like its coming out of the canvas.

onto sweeping views of the Bay of Naples-Vesuvius to the west, Capri to the east, paradise at your feet. Compared to the Amalfi, the Sorrento coast has an open perspective, inviting and illuminating. Echoing Colonna´s ethos, he welcomes guests in Baudoin & Lange shoes before returning home to his young and international family – the hotel exudes five-star luxury with a decidedly youthful and human approach. This may be especially true of the dining – the area is rich in culinary tradition and innovation, boasting a storied feminello festival honouring the local lemon. Colonna sought a chef who is also an artist - his canvas the

palette, his medium the freshest ingredients harvested from the hotel’s own gardens and groves accenting the region’s citrusy gastronomy. Colonna´s artistic connoisseurship extends to the cellar, with “bottles dating back to 1985 – reminding us that what connects it all is passion.”

Whether exploring new destinations in search of that “good vibe,” holidaying at their private family home in Croatia, or returning to Sorrento for the villa’s legendary olive oil he dedicated to grandfather Antonino, Colonna continues an Italian legacy that enriches and enlivens across generations.

Hewelcomes guests in Baudoin & Lange shoes before returning home to hisyoung and international family- the hotel exudes five start luxurywith adecidedlyyouthful and human approach.

A HOME IN THE HILLS

Riccardo Barsottelli’s Tuscan Idyll

Tucked away in a romantic Versilian valley with panoramic views of mediaeval townscapes and rolling hills sits Locanda al Colle, a charming country house envisioned by two local Tuscan friends who returned home after decades abroad. It’s a slower life for Riccardo Barsottelli, transitioning from international retail “to being in the moment and enjoying the change of seasons without having to think what will be worn the next year in Buenos Aires or Yorkshire. I never worked in Italy except for occasional meetings in Treviso, so this is really my first job in Italy.” With his friend Massimo, who sadly passed before the opening, Barsottelli had established a small bed and breakfast on the property, inspired by “the idea of welcoming others. So after selling a colonial property in Uruguay and scouting for a location in Brazil, I decided to come back to Italy and invest in Tuscany, where I’m from.”

The opportunity for a residence encompassing the entire historic structure “arose when our next door neighbour knocked on the door and said she wanted to sell. We immediately wrote her a cheque to stop the sale to anybody else and only then started thinking about what to do with it.” The team set about creating relaxed yet couture rooms, restoring and preserving the original wooden beams throughout the property,

which dates from 1760, and embarking on “major interventions to the grounds in order to create living open air spaces.” Built on a hillside facing incredible natural beauty and iconic views, terraced olive groves originally only let one small car or carriage descend to the property, “which we’ve obviously modified by creating a car park to the front by the entrance gate and away from view.” The result is breathtaking prospects from the rooms and open terraces, which themselves are natural parts of the countryside, incorporating classic materials alongside incredibly varied and eclectic art and high fashion styles.

A welcoming Italian hospitality is an essential part of bringing life to Locanda al Colle. After years abroad Barsottelli remembers, “work made me move to different major cities and friends came to visit, I found it natural to welcome them with a drink to catch up and organise the day with restaurants, visits, shows and insider tips.” He carries this ethos on with warmth, where “the idea has always been having a home open to guests – never a hotel – nothing here reminds one of a hotel except the incredible service we give.” It is a “home of friends,” to which all are fortunate to return.

Built on a hillside facing incredible natural beautyand iconicviews, terraced olive groves originallyonlylet one small carorcarriage descend to the property.

A LEGACY OF WELCOME

The Resilient

Vandewalles of Bruges

What legacy do we leave for those who come after us? In Flemish Bruges, forebears are remembered by towering Brabantine gothic carillons, serene canals whereupon swans drift by, lengths of exquisite Duchess’ lace, expertly crafted tender ganache wrapped in silky chocolate or, perhaps, by Brugse Zot, the effervescent beer which nods winkingly to the wonderful madness of its city.

And yet still greather than these may be the inheritance hotelier Jeroen Vandewalle has given to his family. The founder of Monsieur Hotels, a thriving bespoke collection named for his children, his is a story of hope born from tragedy. During a visit to Barcelona, Vandewalle was impressed conceptually by hip, modern interiors housed in the preserved historicity of architecturally- stunning exteriors. A Bruges native and lover of new projects, he saw the opportunity to create such a welcome in a city leaning on its past caché of Victorian tourism – chintz and lace – not nodding to but too often buckling beneath the past. The search began for the ideal setting, falling in love with stones and imbuing them with the youthful energy Vandewalle feels while city- tripping for inspiration. His first hotel, set within the oldest ramparts of the medieval city and perched on the canal where ‘black-dyers’ once washed garments for Duke Philip the Good, soon was thriving and the search for a second began. Yet no sooner had the interiors of a 17th century brewery been readied for revival, the stigma of that black dye stained the first hotel, a fire tearing through the storied 16th century structure. Overnight, a thriving hotelier held only ashes and promise.

It was family that provided the resilience needed, and family became the inheritance. Vandewalle pressed forward, christening the historic brewery

Monsieur Ernest, for his son, while the original hotel became the reenvisioned Monsieur Maurice, a perfect brother. Familial concept became core - guests encouraged to meet and mingle in stylish spaces by an inclusive crew led by family – les demoiselles – sister Eva and sister-in-law Barbara. Together, they continually innovate interior styling, wedding striking features together - an elaborate, 19th century wrought-iron staircase embellished with acanthus and floral motifs in company with nostalgic blackand-white photographs, canvas-stretched abstracts and glamorous gilt-framed paintings against panelled walls. Rooms of pared-down luxury like your favorite merino and to spacious modern bathrooms, where Dutch lifestyle brand Marie-Stella-Maris toiletries endow clean water for families across the globe, mirroring canalwaters where ‘blue-dyers’ once worked and Pisarro, enchanted, painted Pont de la Clef.

Yet family is about looking towards a brighter future, as much as about honoring the past. Though Vandewalle still takes inspiration from blue Mediterranean waters, spending his holidays anchored in desolate bays and enjoying rosé with loved ones and friends, his legacy and family continues to expand. Monsieur Cyril, namesake of his next son, lies among narrow cobbled streets in Silent Bruges, where English Catholics found peace in a Baroque convent and now the luxury of silence soothes guests under the shadow of Bruges’ only domed eglise. Following are Monsieur Rémi, in fabled Ghent, and Mademoiselle Emma, an exclusive sanctuary for all daughters. Vandewalle’s inheritance of welcome, to his family and to his guests, reminds us all to celebrate what we may leave to one another, and to share in that richness together.

Itwas familythat provided the resilience needed, and familybecame the inheritance.

MOVING, MEMORABLE AND MAGICAL

Muza Lab’s

Inge Moore and Nathan Hutchins

“Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it,” surmised Hannah Arendt, and the stories that cofounders Inge Moore and Nathan Hutchins of Muza Lab weave through their designs truly embody this ethos. The muses and inspirations begin early: “Each project starts with research. We create a roadmap or path for the project by researching possible materials; customs; legends; light; nature and biodiversity; and history of the region or the specific project location or building. Once we have all this information, it fleshes out into a huge collage of materials and images. We pull from there what we feel will be the most meaningful and will fit in well with the space. Each story and feeling is developed and carefully fine-tuned, layered and crafted to create a truly memorable experience.” Whether the pair are working on the design narrative for a train in Peru, a hotel in South Africa, or a grand British yacht, Muza Lab – their name derived from the Greek moúsa, or muse – is built on a creative partnership of “pushing each other to think outside the box and make each project totally unique and bespoke.”

Their approach is incredibly inclusive – from the

grand design to the tiniest detail – and “there is no specific sequence; it is a totally organic process. Sometimes it’s a tiny detail that inspires the big idea, or vice versa. . . the key is to keep an open mind and never fall into a rigid way of doing things as it hampers creativity.” To model a new tale in a given space, the designers “experiment and explore. We then edit and hone. As we do so, the essence of a location is woven into the sensations of our space. We bring them together to form something moving, memorable and magical.” Nevertheless, the duo still refer to a few guiding principles as Moore reflects on the concept of layering for luxury, “it’s that build up of textures, colours and materials that brings luxury and it doesn’t matter if it’s minimal – it’s about fine-tuning and curating to achieve something extraordinary.” Their Belmond Andean Explorer achieves a lightness and warmth through the layering of traditional Peruvian Alpaca-style trimmings over hand-woven neutrals. For Hutchins, luxury comes down to one question: “Close your eyes and do you still feel good? That’s luxury!”

“With One&Only Cape Town, we wanted to incorporate and emphasise the natural beauty of

Wepullfromtherewhatwefeelwillbethe mostmeaningfulandwillfitinwellwiththe space.Eachstoryandfeelingisdeveloped andcarefullyfine-tuned,layeredandcrafted tocreateatrulymemorableexperience.

South Africa’s southwest coast, bringing this into the rooms,” they reflect. When redesigning the two principal suites, they “explored the great Sea Forest in one and the rich biodiversity of Table Mountain in the other.” Warm tones, soft curves, and playful pieces with deeper meaning – like a table in the form of an endangered frog – characterize the space. While attunement to nature is one part of a story, rich history is another, “and this was particularly important for the restoration of Marala.”

Classic superyacht Marala hails from the heyday of luxury sailing. “With an impressive 90-year heritage, there were multiple narratives we wanted to weave together. Combining elements of Art Deco luxury and naval details that reflect the curious cast of characters who climbed aboard over the years, there were many layers of history we incorporated into her redesign,” including the “personal photographs of the yacht during her service days which families of naval officers kindly shared with us.”

These examples offer a few illustrations of the uniqueness of each of their projects. Still, the designers have some inspirations that tie their work together, drawing “from literature and writings; for example, journals of early explorers like Livingstone, Stanley, Burton, Lawrence of Arabia, Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton. If we had lived in a previous century, we would have hoped to be explorers or cartographers! We love journals of discovery with their many findings and illustrations.” Their muses also include presentday influences: “Visionary cinematographers and directors like Stanley Kubrick, Guy Ritchie and Tarantino have occasionally informed and inspired our choices; and, of course, we love staying up-to-date and visiting art fairs like Art Basel and Frieze.” What ties every project together is the narrative woven into the fabric of the design. “If a picture paints words by the thousand, then a space can inspire entire stories by the million.”

For Muza Lab, “these stories are everything.”

NO HALF MEASURES

The Convention-Breaking Chateau Denmark

A devious smile brightens the face sporting a gender fluid outfit – tailored impeccably down to the skirt´s pink snakeskin lining – as she stands at the doors of a chateau in the heart of London. Not your typical butler, she is the BTLR here, her skills spanning expert mixology, the right contact for scoring a table at the hottest bar, restaurant or club, and knowledge of the legendary street where she is standing an atypical butler for a radically different imagining of a chateau

album of rooms, suites, apartments and venues embedded in the historic rock-royalty setting of iconic Denmark Street. The Rolling Stones recorded their debut LP at No. 4, Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote Your Song at No. 20, The Kinks memorialised it in song, Bowie, Reed and Taylor drank here together, and the Sex Pistols graffitied their one-time mews that is now one of Chateau Denmark’s signature suites –wall autographs and caricatures included.

Behind the enigmatic energy is Carrie Wicks. Founder of CAW Ventures and brandishing an impressive history in hospitality, she has worked vigorously with the people behind Outernet to create a new iconography. . .“Given some of my previous openings, which were so much about establishing structure, rules and standards,” Wicks surmises that “perhaps it was thought I’d be a good person to break some of the hospitality industry’s long-established traditions. Chateau Denmark, lawless as it might seem, is a different style of hospitality – one that is suited to the pulse of the neighbourhood, the environment, but most of all, the guest.” You need to know the rules to break them, and break them she has.

Connecting to the core of its surrounds, “from restoring Grade II listed buildings to preserving the graffiti that’s part of punk lore,” the results offer daring originality with each of Chateau Denmark’s

sixteen buildings offering guests an escape where they can “enjoy good times with bad company.” The team is not unlike a band – each member bringing a unique contribution to the mix – from the BTLR concept that relies less on hierarchical structure and more on empowerment, to Soapsmith’s amenities evoking a “provocative cocktail of promiscuity, filth, fury and rhythm that captivates the senses from tip to tail,” to the Void and Artcoustic sound systems that turn up the volume in meticulously soundproofed rooms. Wicks recounts the journey that brought Chateau Denmark together, “nothing’s ever plain sailing – but we agreed from early on that Chateau Denmark would be a place where there were never any half measures.”

Gone is the minibar – enter the maxibar, a glamorous installation dedicated to decadence. Gone is the beige – enter rich textures and darkly daring colours. Gone too is the idea that a hotel is only for resting – enter the

invitation ‘back to mine’ for some luxurious cocooning into the wee small hours of the morning. Nothing here is done by halves – make it a double. “Denmark Street has a long history of bringing two diametrically opposed things together that in another place, on another street may not go, but here on this street, they do,” reflects Wicks, “adding to this, its most famous and enduring output being music – one could easily argue that the greatest exports nearly always come from a Chateau – and of course, Denmark is a street that enjoys royalty status.” Here, though, the real royalty are the guests, whose privileged access goes beyond the excellent service and timeless grandeur. Chateau Denmark invites immersion into the creative energies of a storied street, and the chance to conceive revelatory experiences anew.

Gone is the minibar – enter the maxibar, a glamorous installation dedicated to decadence. . . neverany half measures.

A GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS

The Sublime Magic of Rami Fustok's Mandrake

In the centre of Yopo’s sensuous dining room perches a “showgirl ostrich” composed of peacock, pheasant and ostrich feathers and features – to name a few elements of this mixed media sculpture – gracing its python skin and skunk fur. For visionary owner Rami Fustok, “it represents the exotic wild and hybrid nature of The Mandrake - its aesthetic sight is an overload on the senses.” This luminary, multi-awardwinning luxury lifestyle property combines the surreal fantasticism of a Hieronymus Bosch triptych with the studied curation of intrepid artistry. Creatures both real and imagined inhabit each composed corner – a peacock- feathered gazelle leaping on kangaroo legs is reflected in the sheen of the labradorite bar – resident artists develop immersive, participatory works of choreography, perfumery, tatouage, painting, sculpting, photography – hanging gardens evoking mesopotamian civilizations rise above the palms of the central courtyard, creating “a magical surreal outdoor jungle in contrast to the concrete jungle of central London.”

It was this terraced outdoor space that first whispered in Fustok’s ears when he visited the RIBA award-winning office block that would become his boutique hotel – “not too small to feel cramped and not too big to feel corporate or cold.” At the time, minimalism was trending in small hotels, “it was the

fashion but I could feel its demise, so I wanted to create something maximalistic and animalistic to offer guests an alternate universe to explore and indulge in.” This universe draws from many influences, including a rich Lebanese heritage inherited from his sculptor mother Bushra Fakhoury, known for her unique Dunamis sculpture on Park Lane of an elephant trunk standing on a child’s outstretched palm. Such impossible dynamism must be a family trait, as sister Tala created the designs for the hotel, and brother Malec’s art is featured alongside Fakhoury’s.

Universal indulgence is at the heart of The Mandrake, which neglects none of the senses. Perfumer Azzi Glaser’s scents permeate – the first artist-in-residence, she fragrance-styled guests and initiated the sensual project. “Our goal was to make artists feel inclusive – in a creative space that allows them to produce works they normally couldn’t do in their studios,” as Fustok describes the program close to his heart, “guests witness each artist develop the work over the course of the residency and have access to the artist to meet and ask questions. It’s a unique connection – we are all about creating our mystical world of wonder.”

While attention to sight and smell, touch and taste, have become de rigueur in fashionable hotels, soundscapes are often neglected. Not so here, as “our

ADantesque journey, from light to dark and backagain, rooms and suites offer an almost psychedelic trip, reflecting the properties of theirnamesake plant, the mandrake, being long-celebrated forits healing, dream-inducing qualities.

in-house music is off the commercial track – each space has a curated playlist – updated monthly – to compliment the room and mood. It transports guests to a sensual environment as our music has both dark and light undertones, original sounds, animal sounds, beautiful vocals and bizarre yet rhythmical beats. It is music influenced from the corners of the globe mixed and brought into our realm, creating an unusual but seductive musical journey.”

A Dantesque journey, from light to dark and back again, rooms and suites offer an almost psychedelic trip, reflecting the properties of their namesake plant, the mandrake, being long-celebrated for its healing, dream-inducing qualities. The prestigious suites reflect the dualisms of such journeys – the eastfacing suite is dedicated to the sun, quarter-matched Veronese white marble celebrating the sources of light, while the west-facing chamber embraces its setting, bedouinesque draperies celebrating the rich tapestry of night and the pleasures therein. Such lush contrasts

animate the continually evolving spaces – this is no staid victorian maximalism, frozen in time. New visions are continually sought and venerated, “things stay here until I get bored of them,” Fustok gestures, “or until I find something even better,” shaping and reshaping the gloriously experiential melee.

For Fustok, this process of full-throated invention and reinvention must continue, “minimalism will always appeal to a section of society but it’s evident that the tide has turned – this is what many are so thirsty for but didn’t know it. People want to feel enriched by entering and enjoying themselves. They want to taste the world and devour it on every visit – so we must keep stretching our imagination to cater for their desires.” It is this imagining that draws guests from across the globe to the surreal, spiritual escapism of The Mandrake, in the anticipation of finding edenic balance and inspiration even in the midst of a chaotic city and swift-spinning world.

INDEX

JNANE TAMSNA / MERYANNE LOUB-MARTIN

Portrait Meryanne Loub-Martin

1: Bedroom Interior

2: Salon Library

3: Suite Interior

4: Interior Details

VERMELHO / CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN

Portrait Christian Louboutin

1: Hotel Facade

2: Lounge Area

3: In-Room Breakfast Setting

4: Restaurant Breakfast Setting

5: Suite

6: Suite Interiors

7: Suite Interior Details

KELLY HOPPPEN

Portrait Kelly Hoppen

1: Villa, Lux* Grand Baie

2: South Tower, Da An Towers

3: Corridor, Hangtan

4: Hotel Lobby

5: Spa, Lux* Grand Baie

6: Villa, Lux* Grand Baie

7: Ai Kisu, Lux* Grand Baie

Photography: 3, 5, 6, 7 - Tom Fallon

Photography: 2 - Sicong Sui

CASTLE ELVIRA / STEVE RISELEY

&

HARVEY B-BROWN

Portrait Steve Riseley & Harvey B-Brown

1: Castle Exterior

2: Staircase Detail

3: Interior Lounge

4: Meeting Room

5 & 6: Seating Area

7: Entrance Detail

8: Ensuite Room

9: Cher, “PARTY” work in progress - Mixed media 3 Dimensional

Meta Portrait from “ADORED AND ADORNED” Harvey B-Brown & David Scheinmann

10: Harvey B Brown in the artist’s studio

PATINA MALDIVES / MARCIO KOGAN

Portrait Marcio Kogan, Renata Furianetto, Diana Radomysler, Pedro Ribeiro

1: Spa Relaxation Lounge

2: Art Momento

3: Villa One-B Sunset Beach Pool Exterior

4: Spa Treatment Rooms

5: Main Pool

6: Veli Bar Pool

7: 2 Bedroom Villa Sunset

8: Relaxation Lounge

BAIRRO ALTO HOTEL / MARTA TAVARES DA SILVA

Portrait Marta Tavares da Silva

1: Exterior Façade

2: Room

3: Dining Detail

4: Interior Detail

5: Dining

6 & 7: Spa

8, 9 & 10: Dining Experiences

SHIROIYA HOTEL / SOU FUJIMOTO AND HITOSHI TANAKA

Portrait Sou Fujimoto & Hitoshi Tanaka

1: Exterior - Katsumasa Tanaka

2: Exterior - Shinya Kigure

3: Lobby - Katsumasa Tanaka

4: Lobby - Shinya Kigure

5: Staircase - Katsumasa Tanaka

6: Room - Shinya Kigure

7: Atrium - Shinya Kigure

Portrait taken by: Tetsuya Ito

DORI HITTI

Portrait Dori Hitti

1: Private Villa, South of France

2: Private Interior, Lebanon

3: Terrace Lobby Hotel, Lebanon

4: Private Villa, Dubai

5: Private Villa, Dubai

6: Lobby Reception, Lebanon

7: Private Residence, Italy

ROTE WAND GOURMET HOTEL / THE WALCH FAMILY

Portrait Walch Family

1: Hotel Lobby Exterior and Zug Steeple

2: Property in Winter

3 & 4: Altes Schualhus Restaurant Dishes

5: Terrace

6: Hotel in Zug Village with Ski Lift

7: Spa

8: Mountain View from Room

9: Restaurant Staff

10: Cocktail Creation

11: Altes Schualhus Restaurant Dining

Photography: Portrait, 2, 5: Angela Lamprecht

Photography: 1, 6, 7, 8, 11: West Werbeagentur

Photography: 3, 4, 9, 10: Ingo Pertramer

VINCE STROOP

Portrait Vince Stroop

1: Hotel Lobby, Nashville

2: Restaurant, Seattle

3 & 4: Hotel Details, Nashville

5: Seating, Stroop design

6: Hotel Interior, Nashville

PERIANTH HOTEL / ANASTASIA, KONSTANTINOS AND ALEXANDRA SGOUMPOPOULOU

Portrait Anastasia, Konstantinos, Alexandra Sgoumpopoulou

1: Exterior Detail

2: Interior Detail

3: Room Details

4: Interior Workspace

5: Lobby

6: Room

7: Lobby

Portrait by: Ioanna Paka

Photography, 1-7: Design Hotels

LOIRE VALLEY LODGES / ANNE-CAROLINE

Portrait Anne-Caroline Frey

1: Sculpture in Garden

2: Room Detail

3: The Bees’ Lodge

4: Sculpture in Garden

5: Room Detail

FREY

FORESTIS DOLOMITES / TERESA UNTERTHINER AND STEFAN

HOTEL BARRIERE FOUQUETS NEW YORK / DOMINIQUE DESSEIGNE / MARTIN BRUDNIZKI

Portrait

HOTEL LA SEMILLA / ANGIE RODRIGUEZ & ALEXIS SCHÄRER

Portrait Angie Rodriguez & Alexis Scharer

1: Salong

2: Villa Bedroom Terrace

3: Interior Detail

4: Seating

5: Villa Bedroom

MIGUEL CÂNCIO MARTINS

Portrait Miguel Cancio Martins

1: Villa Terrace & Pool

2: Salon

3: Private Dining

4: Bar

5: Pool

SAN YSIDRO RANCH / TY WARNER & MARC APPLETON

Portrait Marc Appleton

1: Pool Bar

2: Room Interior

3: Churchill Cottage

4: Sitting Room, Kennedy Cottage

5: Dining Terrace

6: Garden and Grounds

HOTEL DAS AMOREIRAS / PEDRO OLIVEIRA

Portrait Pedro Olivieria

1. Hotel Facade

2: Bar Area

3. Suite Interiors

4. Bar

GRAND HOTEL VILLA FELTRINELLI / MARKUS ODERMATT

Portrait Marcus Odermatt

1: Villa Exterior

2: Suite Interior

3: Dining Terrace

4: Salon

PALISOCIETY / AVI BROSH

Portrait Avi Brosh

1: Palihotel Culver City exterior

2: Palihouse Santa Barbara lobby

3: Hotel Bar

4: Room Interior

5: Room Detail

6: Palihotel Westwood Village lobby

7: Palihouse Santa Monica exterior

8: Silver Lake Pool & Inn pool deck

9: Salon Interior

LA TOUE D’ELOE / JÉRÔME SCHANKE

Portrait

1: Pool Detail

2: Hotel & Dunes

3: Property Amid Dunes

4: Room Exteriors

ROSE ET MARIUS / MAGALI FLEURQUIN BONNARD

Portrait Magali Fleurquin Bonnard

1: Flagship Store, Aix en Provence

2: Bespoke Perfumes

3: Customisable Scented Natural Soap

4: Platinum and Limoge Porcelain Refillable Candles and Diffusers

5: Eau de Parfum Inspired by Rosé Wine

6: Perfume Workshop

7: Scented Engraved Soaps in Provencal Tile Designs

8: Flagship Store & Workshop, Aix en Provence

ALBERGO HOTEL / BECHARA AND RITA NAMMOUR

Portrait Bechara and Richard Nammour

1: Façade - Marco Pinarelli

2: Business Suite - Marco Pinarelli

3: Pool Terrace - Marco Pinarelli

4: Main Entrance - Marco Pinarelli

5: Main Entrance Detail - Marco Pinarelli

6: Swim Club Bar - Marco Pinarelli

7: Rooftop Restaurant, The Wes Anderson Room - Marco Pinarelli

ART HOTEL VILLA FIORELLA / ALBERTO COLONNA

Portrait Alberto Colonna

1: Outdoor Pool

2: Rooftop Terrace

3: Hotel Exterior

4: Room Detail

INGE MOORE & NATHAN HUTCHINS

Portrait Inge Moore & Nathan Hutchins

1 & 2: The Donovan Bar, Brown’s Hotel London

3: The Rockstar Villa, Finolhu in the Maldives - Brechenbacher and Baumann

4 & 5: Private Residence, Llandudno in Cape Town - Mark Williams

6: Private Residence

BERGEN BØRS HOTEL / YNGVE HANSEN AND KJETIL SMØRÅS

Portrait Yngve Hansen & Kjetil Smoras

1: Bar 2 & 3: Frescohallen

4: Entrance Façade

5: Room

6: Interior Detail

LOCANDA AL COLLE / RICCARDO BARSOTTELLI

Portrait Riccardo Barsotelli

1: Staircase Entry

2: Seating Detail

3: Terrace

4: Salon

5: Desk

6: Desk Detail

7: Seating Detail

8: Salon

9: Desk

MONSIEUR HOTELS / THE VANDEWALLES

1: Jeroen Vandewalles & Sons

2: Bar, Monsieur Hotels

3: Tiling Detail, Monsieur Hotels

CHATEAU DENMARK / CARRIE WICKS

Portrait Carrie Wicks

1: York Apartment

2: Clifton Apartment

3: Lofthouse Apartment

4, 5 & 6: Townhouse Apartment

Photography: 2-6: Mel Yates

THE MANDRAKE / RAMI FUSTOK

Portrait Rami Fustok

1: Open Atrium

2: Salon

3: Bar

4 & 5: Interior Room Details

6: Suite Bathroom

7: Interior Detail

Core Team:

Editor: Lee Joseph Hagan

Writer: Brodie Duncan

Art Director: Nicolas Fabian

Project Manager: Jackie Whearty

Strategy & Development: Abdo AbouMoussa