Mangia’s Sardinia Resort - A Hotel Facing North

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort Facing North

LE MILE

At the northernmost edge of Sardinia, Gallura looks towards another island. Corsica lies across the Strait of Bonifacio, while the smaller islands of the La Maddalena Archipelago break up the water in between. Granite, wind and low Mediterranean vegetation give this part of Sardinia a character distinct from the long beaches and flatter landscapes found elsewhere on the island.

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Autograph Collection

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Beach

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Caprera Pool

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort occupies a coastal site near Santa Teresa Gallura. In July 2026, following a three-year redevelopment, the hotel became part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The work was funded through a 65-million-euro investment by Hotel Investment Partners and extended across the rooms, restaurants, gardens, pools, sports facilities and communal areas.

With 589 rooms, this is a resort of considerable scale. The design therefore centres less on creating a private retreat than on keeping the surrounding landscape visible. Nearly all rooms have their own terrace and face the sea, while gardens and outdoor spaces connect the different parts of the property. Mangia’s describes the approach as biophilic design: architecture planned around contact with nature rather than treating it as a view reserved for selected rooms.

There are two pools, sports grounds and a fitness centre, alongside facilities for children and groups. Four restaurants divide the dining programme into clear formats. Mediterra covers the broader Mediterranean repertoire; Donna Floriana Bistrot concentrates on Italian recipes and local ingredients; Al Grano is devoted to pizza; and Scausu Grill serves fish, meat and vegetables from the grill. Guests booking the resort’s All-Inclusive Sublime programme can move between the restaurants rather than returning to the same dining room for each meal. The hotel also provides a base for exploring the region by land and water. Santa Teresa Gallura is close to the weather-shaped granite of Capo Testa, while boats travel into the La Maddalena Archipelago, a protected group of islands and coves between Sardinia and Corsica.

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Donna Floriana Bistrot

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Landscape

A more concentrated account of the area appears in Il Primo Sole, the resort’s morning ritual created for the Autograph Collection. Drawing on connections between Gallura and southern Corsica, it considers three recurring elements of the local landscape—light, wind and stone. Breakfast follows, accompanied by a drink made with citrus, white myrtle, rosemary and other regional herbs. In a hotel built to accommodate hundreds of guests, the day begins with attention paid to a very specific place.

Mangia’s Sardinia Resort
Superior Sea View

EDITOR’S NOTE: This feature is based on press information and imagery supplied by Mangia’s Sardinia Resort. LE MILE has not visited the property; it is presented here as a hotel profile. All images provided by MANGIA´s Sardinia Resort Press

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S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2026 - 20 Years of Swiss Culinary Exchange

S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2026 Celebrates Twenty Editions of Swiss Culinary Exchange

An Open Table in Ticino

written LE MILE

When S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino opens its twentieth edition in Lugano on 13 September, the eleven chefs at the centre of the programme will come from kitchens across Switzerland, carrying 21 Michelin stars between them, yet little in their work suggests a single culinary language.

Tanja Grandits in Basel builds dishes around spices, herbs, flowers and influences extending from Asia to the Mediterranean; Stéphane Décotterd in Glion has committed his kitchen to ingredients sourced entirely from the surrounding region; in Vals, Marcel Koolen and his team gather herbs, mushrooms and berries in the alpine landscape while remaining open to ingredients and ideas from beyond the region. Their differences give an anniversary edition devoted to Switzerland itself one of its most interesting subjects.

S Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2026
Villa Castagnola

When Dany Stauffacher founded S.Pellegrino Sapori Ticino in 2007, the premise was relatively simple; accomplished chefs would come to Ticino and bring their cooking into contact with the hotels, restaurants and people of the region. International exchange became central to the festival, although Switzerland has repeatedly been part of its story as well. The national focus of the twentieth edition does little to narrow that culinary range. Pascal Steffen in Basel gives vegetables the leading role in his cooking, while Paolo Rota carries the Cerea family tradition of Da Vittorio into St. Moritz; elsewhere, French technique, Mediterranean references, alpine ingredients and strongly regional approaches coexist without settling into a common style. What connects these chefs is the specific relationship each has developed with the place from which they cook.

That relationship with place has always mattered to Sapori Ticino because the festival does not happen in a single dining room; its dinners move through hotels and restaurants across Lugano, Ascona, Locarno, Melide and the surrounding region. On 19 September the programme reaches Curzútt, a restored historic settlement 612 metres above Monte Carasso that can be accessed only on foot or by cable car. The setting immediately widens the idea of a gastronomic festival by placing the meal within the geography and history of the region. Running from September to mid-November, Sapori Ticino also falls within a season that Ticino is working to strengthen beyond the summer peak, with gastronomy, culture and events among the reasons to visit later in the year.

On 18 October, the programme moves to Tenuta Castello di Morcote for its Déjeuner au Château, a setting where the relationship between food, place and hospitality becomes particularly concrete. The family-run estate sits on the Arbostora promontory above Lake Lugano, with the medieval castle rising over terraced vineyards, olive groves, pasture and woodland. Its vines grow on steep south-facing slopes of pink porphyry, a volcanic rock that gives this part of Ticino an unusual terrain for winegrowing. The estate also holds a particular place in the modern history of winemaking in Italian-speaking Switzerland. In the early twentieth century, Giuseppe Paleari experimented on the terraces around the castle with grape varieties imported from France, including Merlot, and was among those who helped establish the variety in Ticino. Today, Gaby Gianini runs the estate with her husband Maurizio Merlo, continuing a family relationship with the land that spans four generations.

A few minutes away in Vico Morcote, the twelve-room Relais Castello di Morcote occupies a restored seventeenth-century patrician villa, while its restaurant La Sorgente brings the agricultural and winemaking life of the estate directly to the table. Chef Francesco Sangalli works with regional ingredients from small producers, using live fire, charcoal and smoking among his techniques; wines from the Tenuta can accompany the tasting menus. None of this needs the festival in order to exist, which is precisely what makes Morcote an interesting setting within it. The dinner enters an already functioning relationship between land, wine, cooking, architecture and hospitality. That relationship between local roots and wider culinary exchange runs much further back in Ticino, where Maestro Martino was born in the Blenio Valley before becoming one of the defining cooks of the Italian Renaissance.

S Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2026
Dany Stauffacher

The same exchange moves beyond the Gotthard on 13 October, when teams of Ticino chefs travel to the EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne with regional products and wines. In Ascona, the Young Night places a younger group of local cooks on the programme alongside some of Switzerland’s more established names. Ticino receives cooks from elsewhere in Switzerland, then carries its own chefs, products and wines into other regions, making hospitality visible as a reciprocal practice.

The anniversary also marks the end of Sapori Ticino in its familiar form. Stauffacher has confirmed that the current format will conclude after 2026, following more than 400 dinners over two decades. He has said that the network and experience built around it will continue through new projects, although their shape has not yet been defined.

S Pellegrino Sapori Ticino 2026
Chef Svizzeri

The final evening on 15 November returns to Melide and to Dario Ranza, Martin Dalsass and Lorenzo Albrici, three Ticino chefs presented by the festival as figures who helped shape its history. By then, the twentieth edition will have brought markedly different approaches from across Switzerland into the restaurants, vineyards and hotels of Ticino without arriving at a single definition of the cuisine it set out to celebrate. Swiss gastronomy in 2026 can be deeply local without being culturally closed, shaped by alpine landscapes and Mediterranean influences, inherited traditions and personal biographies, while techniques and flavours travel before finding a particular expression in one place. Sapori Ticino has worked through a similar movement for twenty years, bringing people into the canton, carrying its own culinary culture outward and allowing local identity to develop through contact. As its familiar format reaches its conclusion, that exchange may be the strongest connection between what the festival has been and whatever comes next.

Luxury Chalet Holiday - FORSTGUT in the Bavarian Forest

The Rhythm of the Forest at FORSTGUT 


written LE MILE

The road towards FORSTGUT leads deeper into the Bavarian Forest, where the landscape grows greener and the rhythm of the surroundings begins to change. On arrival, tall lime trees rise across the grounds, their broad crowns framing the first view of the property. Dense vegetation fills the spaces between them, while a group of wooden chalets appears further away, scattered gently across the estate.

Small wooden shingles give several chalets a textured, almost handcrafted surface, while others are defined by vertical timber facades and more linear silhouettes. Broad pitched roofs, and exposed beams anchor the architecture in the traditions of the region, while the restrained detailing keeps it contemporary. Curving gravel paths connect the buildings, bordered by lawns, ornamental grasses and young trees, and the warm variations of the timber shift with the light throughout the day. The scent of wood, the softness of the ground and the constant presence of green establish the atmosphere immediately. Soon, attention moves towards the quieter details, from leaves stirring above the roofs and shadows travelling across the facades to the sound of water somewhere beyond the chalets. Following it leads to a narrow stream that winds through the grounds, opens into a small pond and continues into the surrounding woodland. Benches and loungers have been placed along its banks, turning the area into one of the most peaceful parts of the estate.

One afternoon, we sat beside the water with a book that remained open on the same page for quite a while. Watching the current, listening to the trees and feeling the cooler forest air soon became enough. FORSTGUT creates space for precisely these moments, allowing unplanned pauses to gradually shape our entire stay. The sense of retreat continues inside the chalets with large windows keeping the surrounding nature present throughout the rooms, and the interiors combine natural materials, warm timber and beautifully framed views of the forest. The seven luxury chalets accommodate two to four guests and include fireplaces, terraces, hot tubs and private spa areas. Five junior chalets in the FORSTGUT.LODGE offer panoramic views and their own saunas.

Having a private sauna within the junior chalet changes the daily rhythm. After a walk through the forest, the warmth is already waiting within your own space. There is time to sit, look through the windows and watch the landscape settle into the evening. The experience feels intimate and deeply restorative, especially when the trees outside begin to disappear into the dusk.

Almost every chalet on the estate was occupied during our visit, yet the grounds remained remarkably peaceful. The buildings have been positioned with a clear understanding of privacy, using distance, vegetation and carefully planned sightlines to give each guest a sense of personal space. Over several days, we barely encountered anyone around our chalet. The chalet village seemed to follow its own gentle choreography, allowing everyone to inhabit it at their own pace.

The DeepGreenLounge in the FORSTGUT.LODGE opens onto an outdoor terrace and offers comfortable seating areas together with an honesty bar. Elsewhere, guests can gather around the barbecue area or visit the garden to pick fresh herbs and salad leaves for their meals. Food becomes part of the experience in an equally relaxed way and each morning begins with a breakfast basket filled with regional products. Fondue and cooking boxes can be ordered for the evening, which we did. Also a large wood-fired pizza oven stands in the courtyard inside a structure inspired by a traditional bakehouse. Prepared pizzas are placed into the oven and warmed over the fire, creating an easy ritual for families.

Check-in, breakfast orders and additional services are handled through an intuitive online system. The estate’s self-service shop follows the same principle. Guests select the products they picked, record each item on their phone and settle everything during checkout. The process feels easy to handle, leaving more time for the experience of the place itself.

While speaking with the team, we began to understand how deeply this relationship with the landscape had shaped the property. We learned that local craftspeople had been involved throughout the construction, with carpenters producing the solid-wood furniture by hand and native woods such as beech, fir and oak used across the interiors. The chalets rest on point foundations to keep their impact on the land as low as possible. Almost all of the electricity comes from photovoltaic systems on the roofs, while a wood-chip heating system uses residue from the estate’s own forestry operation to supply the entire property with warmth. Even the water comes from natural springs in a protected part of the woodland.

When we finally drove away, the lime trees closed around the view and the chalets disappeared behind them. Long after the stream itself had fallen silent, its sound seemed to remain with us. What stayed was a feeling we had almost forgotten: the ease of waking without a plan, of listening more closely and of letting a day unfold on its own. We left rested, clear-headed and already missing the quiet routines that had so quickly begun to feel like our own.

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all images (c) Forstgut Press

Finding Stillness at Sea - A Journey Aboard Explora II

Finding Stillness at Sea

A Journey Aboard Explora II

written KLAAS HAMMER

There are places that impress you instantly. And then there are places that slowly win you over, almost without you noticing. Explora II belongs to the latter. My journey began in Brindisi, on Italy's sun-drenched Adriatic coast. As the ship gently pulled away from the harbour, leaving the historic waterfront behind, it became clear that this wasn't going to be a holiday measured by checklists or packed itineraries. It was about embracing the slower rhythm of life at sea.

Before boarding, I expected beautiful interiors, exceptional dining and impeccable service. After all, that's what every luxury brand promises. What I didn't expect was how completely relaxed I would feel just a few hours after stepping on board.

EXPLORA 2, Premier Penthouse
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Retreat Residence
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Emporium Marketplace
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Somewhere between the gentle movement of the sea, my first coffee on the private terrace and an afternoon spent watching the horizon without feeling the need to check my phone, I realised this journey wasn't about doing more it was about wanting less. Explora II has mastered something that many luxury hotels or ships still struggle to achieve: restraint. Nothing feels excessive. Nothing asks for attention. The design is elegant without trying too hard, the atmosphere sophisticated without ever becoming intimidating. Every space invites you to slow down rather than move on to the next thing. It feels less like a cruise ship and more like spending a week in the home of someone with impeccable taste. One of the things I appreciated most was the incredible sense of space. No matter what time of day it was, I never felt surrounded by crowds. Whether I was reading by the pool, enjoying breakfast with endless ocean views or simply wandering through the beautifully designed lounges, there was always another quiet corner waiting. In a world where luxury often means exclusivity, Explora II reminded me that true luxury can simply be peace and privacy.

The itinerary itself felt beautifully curated. Sailing from southern Italy towards the Greek islands meant every morning revealed a new horizon. One of the highlights was undoubtedly Milos. Spending the day on this spectacular Cycladic island—with its dramatic white cliffs, crystal-clear water and laid-back atmosphere—felt like stepping into a postcard. It was one of those rare places that instantly slows your heartbeat and reminds you why travel can be so inspiring.

Returning to the ship afterwards felt less like leaving a destination and more like coming home.

Food became another highlight of every day. Not because every dish was overly complicated, but because everything felt thoughtful. Breakfast turned into long, unhurried mornings. Lunches stretched into conversations with another glimpse of the sea. Dinners never felt rushed, each restaurant offering its own atmosphere while sharing the same commitment to exceptional quality. By the end of the journey, choosing where to eat had become one of my favourite decisions to make each day. Even the gym became part of the experience rather than a routine. Working out while looking out across nothing but open water has a strangely calming effect, and the beautifully equipped fitness space made it easy to keep moving without ever feeling like I was sacrificing my holiday.

Lobby
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Art in the Lobby
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Interior Design, Lobby
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

But what truly stayed with me were the people. Luxury service can sometimes feel rehearsed. Here, it never did. The crew had a remarkable ability to anticipate what you needed before you had to ask. Everyone was genuinely warm, approachable and effortlessly attentive, creating an atmosphere where you immediately felt comfortable. It wasn't about perfection—it was about making every guest feel at home. The final stop was Athens, a city where ancient history and modern energy effortlessly coexist. Arriving there after several days at sea felt like the perfect ending to the journey. It wasn't just another destination—it was a gentle transition back to reality, carrying with me the calm I had found somewhere between Italy, the Aegean Sea and the quiet elegance of life aboard Explora II.

Cove Residence
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Fitness Centre
/ seen by Toby Mitchell

Looking back, I don't remember one defining moment. I remember sunlight reflecting on the water during breakfast. Quiet mornings on my terrace before the ship came alive. Watching the sky turn shades of pink at sunset. Long dinners that somehow made time disappear. Walking through the ship late in the evening, hearing little more than the sound of the sea. Those are the moments that stayed with me. Explora II doesn't try to entertain you every minute of the day. Instead, it gives you something much more valuable: the space to reconnect with the ocean, with your thoughts and, somehow, with yourself. Long after returning home, that's the feeling I still think about.

And perhaps that's the greatest luxury of all.

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all images (c) Explora II photographed by Toby Mitchell

FOUR SEASONS Hotel Toronto - The Room That Writes Itself

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL TORONTO
*The Room That Writes Itself

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The tower rises in Yorkville like a polished blade, sharp in outline, glazed in light, everything precise and unapologetic, the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto stretches itself upward with the kind of calm authority that requires no announcement, the streets below move fast, boutiques glitter, galleries invite, and yet the building carries its own temperature, a cooler air, an architectural pause in the rhythm of the city.

Lobby Area
Toronto Four Seasons Hotel

Breakfast at Café Boulud
Toronto Four Seasons Hotel

Dine at d|bar by Chef Daniel Boulud
Toronto Four Seasons Hotel

Inside, the air folds differently, there is a thick softness that begins with stone, slips into oak, settles in marble, silk, walnut, a quiet orchestration of textures that play against each other like instruments in a restrained orchestra, a whisper more velvet than sound, the so-called White Lotus Effect, interiors choreographed to soothe the eye and anchor the body, endless hallways that feel deliberate, artworks that rest in corners without trying to speak too loudly, sofas that curve like sculpture, light that diffuses itself across brushed brass until it feels liquid.

The dining floor performs in its own register, Café Boulud glows in brass and shadow, mirrors stretch out like backdrops, plates arrive like rehearsed gestures, duck that melts, desserts that gleam, every course an act on a stage where the kitchen breathes through open fire and the wine list reads like a collection of obsessions bound in leather, and then the night turns into dbar, where live music carries the floorboards into something looser, where a glass of something amber warms in the hand and a voice arcs across the crowd until the evening settles into its own rhythm.

Hospitality here becomes choreography, the kind of movement where no one is ever visible, and yet everything is touched, the room arranges itself every day in gestures that feel more intimate than any greeting, a long iMac cable tied with a branded leather buckle as if the machine were a guest in itself, a ring discovered inside a silk pouch embroidered with the Four Seasons mark, a handwritten note set quietly on a desk with lines that reach the guest without requiring a reply, small acts that fold into each other until the entire stay reads like a letter in multiple chapters, unsigned, unfinished, endlessly warm.

Suite
Toronto Four Seasons Hotel

Every morning the room carried new signals, a flower leaning near porcelain cups, a towel folded into something with a quiet smile, a book placed open at the page left behind, an invisible companion that observes without intrusion, service as an atmosphere rather than a figure, gestures so subtle they almost vanish, yet accumulate into memory, every detail another brushstroke in a larger canvas of care.

The neighborhood outside lives its own script, Yorkville stacked with galleries and fashion windows, museums within walking reach, streets lined with shaded terraces, all of it easy, all of it available, and the hotel at the center becomes an anchor and a stage, architecture that belongs to the city while sustaining its own intimacy.

The stay lingers because of its accumulation, a layering of architecture, design, food, sound, and those daily acts of hospitality that move in silence, a hotel that extends beyond the idea of lodging and enters the territory of ritual, where the city flows outside and the room itself holds its own gravity, a space where the guest feels carried, folded, remembered in every gesture, without ever meeting the hand that created it.

Indoor Pool
Toronto Four Seasons Hotel

And after return the Four Seasons glass water bottle travelled with us, heavy in the bag, transparent and stubborn, now standing in the kitchen with the authority of an object that carries Toronto mornings and silk pouches and handwritten notes, it carries the silence of room service and the sound of jazz rising from dbar, it carries the weight of a city folded into glass, and every time the sun cuts through it we smile, because the bottle insists on memory the way the hotel insists on detail, endlessly, gracefully, without pause.

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all images (c) Four Seasons Hotels Limited

Family Resort Moar Gut - A Family Stay

Between Meadow and Mountain
A Family Stay at Moar Gut

written LE MILE

Arriving at Moar Gut in Großarl feels like entering a place that revolves around families in a very practical way. The road narrows as the valley opens, mountains rising on either side, and then the buildings appear: timber façades, wide balconies, and pathways connecting the different houses across the ten-hectare area. The entire property is car free, which changes the atmosphere immediately. Children move freely between lawns and courtyards, parents walk without distraction, and best of all, the pace settles immediately.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Yoga

Moar Gut Family Resort
Suite with Chimney / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Moar Gut Family Resort
Suite

We arrived with two young children and the usual logistics that come with travelling as a family. Within minutes of check-in, things began to feel lighter. The resort is still family-run by the Kendlbacher family, who transformed what began as a farm in the 1960s into a five-star family nature resort over decades. That background is present in the way the team moves through the space, very attentive, direct, genuinely welcoming. Families are clearly understood here, down to the very smallest detail.
Our suite, one of 46 spread across three interconnected buildings, offered generous space and a clear layout. Wood defines the interior, paired with linen, natural stone, and wide windows opening onto the surrounding landscape. Each suite includes a separate children’s room, which changes the dynamic of a stay with young kids entirely. Evenings become manageable, mornings calmer, and everyone has space to retreat.

Food quickly shaped the rhythm of our days, as the resort operates on a full gourmet board basis, allowing meals to structure the experience without requiring constant planning. Breakfast unfolds generously, lunch is fresh and light, afternoons bring cakes and small creations, and evenings present six courses for adults. The children move between their own buffet and our table, choosing dishes that are adapted to their tastes while maintaining quality and freshness.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Spiral Staircase / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Moar Gut Family Resort
Outdoor View / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Much of what is served comes from the resort’s own bio farm, regional producers, and even its own hunting grounds, and ingredients feel clear and precise. Plates arrive carefully arranged, colours balanced, textures considered. There is visible attention in every course, and the kitchen works with confidence. Wine is treated with equal care; Thomas Kendlbacher, a trained sommelier, curates and advises personally. By this, dinner becomes an experience that belongs equally to parents.

While adults linger at the table, the children are usually still active. The Natur-Kinderhof welcomes babies from 30 days old and offers structured childcare throughout the day. Around 1,000 square metres are dedicated to children, designed with wood, wool, and natural materials. There are climbing areas, ateliers, a theatre room, a cinema space, workshops with real tools, and a gaming area for older kids. Our children entered this world with ease and returned with stories of baking, painting, and rehearsing performances.

Outside, the bio farm extends the experience, and horses, cows with calves, alpacas, goats, and a donkey named Benjamin live on the property. Each family can take on a temporary animal sponsorship, including introductions and feeding. Our children are still too young for longer riding sessions, so the pony ride quickly became their highlight, small hands gripping the saddle with full concentration as they circled the paddock. The presence of Icelandic horses and a professional riding hall adds another layer to the connection between children and animals on site.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Spa

Moar Gut Family Resort
Relaxation Room

There is a dedicated Baby Spa offering floating, yoga, and massage sessions guided by trained staff. Infants drift in pure mountain spring water under careful supervision. At the same time, adults have access to a 25-metre outdoor infinity pool, an adults-only sauna world, and quiet relaxation areas. Pools are maintained with drinking-water quality, and sustainability is integrated into daily operations.

The architecture supports the entire concept, because the buildings are connected underground, preserving a village structure above ground. Renovations have been guided by solar energy thinking, local craftsmanship, and natural materials.

During our stay, mornings often began with a walk along the Panoramaweg, afternoons included time at the indoor pool, and evenings ended with long dinners while the children were still absorbed in activities. The surrounding Großarltal offers over 250 kilometres of marked hiking trails and access to Austria’s largest national park region, yet much of what we needed was already present within the resort itself.

What defines Moar Gut is the coherence of everything working together. Babies, toddlers, school-aged children, parents, and grandparents share the same environment with ease. The rhythm feels practiced and sincere. For families with young children, finding a place that combines design quality, culinary depth, professional childcare, and emotional warmth is rare. But at Moar Gut, it feels resolved and so we left with children already asking when we would return, and with the certainty that we will.

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header image (c) Matthias Warter

nhow Roma - A Roman Stay, From the First Evening On

A Roman Stay, From the First Evening On
*nhow Roma

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Rome reveals itself gradually, especially in the late afternoon, when the light begins to fade and the city shifts into evening. The drive along Corso d’Italia passes apartment buildings with warm windows already lit, cafés pulling in chairs and lowering shutters, traffic moving steadily through the dimming street. The trees of Villa Borghese stand dark against the sky, stretching along the edge of the road. The car slows, luggage is lifted from the trunk, and within a few steps nhow Roma stands directly ahead, its façade illuminated against the evening traffic, marking the beginning of the stay.

Lobby and Reception Entrance
(c) Minor Hotels

Lobby and Reception Sculptural Art
(c) Minor Hotels

Suite, Lounge Area
(c) Minor Hotels

Inside, the lobby is already active, guests checking in, suitcases rolling across the floor, staff moving between desk and entrance. On the walls, classical figures appear in bold reinterpretations, their forms integrated into columns and surfaces that continue along the corridors. Fragments of sculpture and graphic details surface near the lifts and along the way to the rooms, appearing again on different floors in new arrangements. We arrive later than expected, so check-in moves quickly, a key card handed over, brief directions given. In the room, the suitcase is placed by the door just as the phone rings. A small welcome gathering is taking place in one of the hotel’s private suites, spaces set up for intimate get-togethers with their own bar and bartender. The suitcase remains unopened as I head back into the corridor and join the group, the first evening in Rome beginning before the room has even been settled.

By the next morning, the breakfast room fills gradually, guests arriving at different times, carrying coffee and small plates of fruit, pastries, and eggs to their tables. Some are still quiet, others already in conversation about the plans for the day.
At one point, a small group of guests begins to sing together, forming an a cappella harmony that spreads across the space. Heads turn, a few people smile, some join in for a line or two, and after a few minutes the singing fades, leaving the room to return to its steady pattern of breakfast and conversation.

Room Premium
(c) Minor Hotels

From the hotel entrance, Villa Borghese can be reached within minutes. The path leads past trees and open gravel walkways toward the Galleria Borghese, whose façade appears between the greenery. Inside, painted ceilings and marble sculptures fill the rooms, visitors moving steadily from one gallery to the next. After some time in the museum and the surrounding park, the walk back toward Corso d’Italia follows the same route, the hotel entrance appearing again at the edge of the street.

In the afternoon, we set off in an electric Fiat 500, driving through Rome with the roof open and the engine barely audible. The car moves easily through traffic, passing monuments, residential streets, and small cafés tucked into corners that are easy to miss on foot. The driver talks continuously, pointing out buildings, sharing anecdotes, explaining details that slip by quickly if no one names them. With Facile Tours, the tour lasts around three hours, and by the time we return, many parts of the city have already been seen in sequence, connected through streets, stories, and conversation.

Later, back at the hotel, the lift becomes its own small stage. Inside, a built-in karaoke station invites guests to pick a song while the cabin moves between floors. People laugh, sing a few lines, forget the lyrics, and start again as the numbers above the door light up one by one. The doors open, conversations resume in the hallway, and the evening continues upstairs. Dinner takes us to different places over the course of the stay. At Rosina - Cucina di Casa, the room is arranged like a narrow Roman street, with laundry lines overhead and closely set tables. Plates arrive in large portions, pasta, meat, and vegetables served in quantities that assume no one leaves hungry. When some dishes return half full, the staff laughs and says an Italian mother would insist on finishing everything.

Restaurant LUDO
(c) Minor Hotels

On another evening, we remain at the hotel for dinner at LUDO, nhow Roma’s own restaurant, which is scheduled to open officially in mid-February 2026. The restaurant is already operating in a preview setting, and during dinner the waiter explains the concept behind it: once fully launched, the space will host live music and DJs, turning it into a place where guests come to dine, drink, and spend the evening together. The menu combines Italian and international dishes, from pasta to grilled meats and lighter plates, setting the foundation for a restaurant designed to stay active well beyond dinner hours.

Another night leads into the city to The Appuntamento. The interior is clearly structured, with strong colours, defined shapes, and distinctive tableware chosen to match each course. The design approach connects naturally to the aesthetic direction of nhow Roma, where bold forms and visible details shape the atmosphere throughout the building.

Over several days, the hotel becomes more familiar through repetition. Murals catch attention in passing, reflections shift as daylight moves through the lobby and corridors, and conversations with the staff continue from one day to the next. During one of those conversations, the building’s background comes up: it was constructed between 1968 and 1971 on the grounds of a former Vatican convent. The renovation kept the original structure intact, updating the façade with large solar panels that are clearly visible from the street. Standing again on Corso d’Italia, the earlier framework becomes easier to notice within the current design.

On the final morning, Rome begins as it did on the first, with traffic along Corso d’Italia and early light settling across the façades. The Spanish Steps are still only a short walk away, reachable within fifteen minutes through streets that have already become familiar over the past days. There is time for one more coffee, one more slow walk through Villa Borghese, one more look back at the hotel entrance before stepping into the city again. What remains are the days themselves, marked by rooms returned to at night, streets crossed in the afternoon, and tables shared in the evening.

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all images (c) Minor Hotels

Vila Vita Parc Algarve - Art, Village Life & Luxury by the Sea

The Art of Village Life

Why Vila Vita Parc is Portugal’s Most Stylish Community

written LAURA DUNKELMANN

Forget the concept of a "resort" for a moment. The word often suggests lobbies, room numbers, and anonymity. Vila Vita Parc, perched on the dramatic rocky coast of the Algarve, plays in a different league. It isn’t a hotel block—it is a village. But not just any village; it is arguably Europe’s most curated, aesthetic, and relaxed microcosm. It is the "Luxury Edition" of Portuguese country life.

Vila Vita Parc
Terrace

Vila Vita Parc
Oasis

Vila Vita Parc
Suite

Checking in here means becoming part of a temporary community. You don’t just stay; you reside in an organically grown ecosystem. The architecture proudly cites the region’s Moorish heritage: blinding white walls, terracotta roofs, and the Algarve’s signature ornate chimneys. You stroll across authentic Calçada Portuguesa (cobblestones), past intimate piazzas and splashing fountains. It has everything a functioning municipality needs—from the local wine merchant (a spectacular cellar deep underground) to the "village baker" (world-class pâtisserie). You nod to neighbors on the winding paths. You belong.

However, what distinguishes Vila Vita Parc from a mere luxury retreat is its soul—and that soul is artistic. The immense tropical gardens that weave through the estate are not just scenery; they form an open-air museum. Everywhere, amidst palms, hibiscus, and the deep blue of the Atlantic, art emerges.

It is a constant journey of discovery: contemporary masterpieces, such as the striking works by Arne Quinze, stand in dialogue with the wild nature of the cliffs. The art here isn't locked behind glass cases; it is part of daily life. It stands beside the pool, watches over the path to the spa, or hides in the lush greenery. This curated approach gives the resort an intellectual depth rarely found in the Algarve.

Vila Vita Parc
Sunset at Beach

True luxury today implies responsibility, and this village takes care of its surroundings. With its own farm, Herdade dos Grous, ensuring a genuine farm-to-table experience, and a dedicated desalination plant to preserve local water resources, the resort operates in deep harmony with nature. This commitment extends to the local fauna as well, through active partnerships with conservation groups like RIAS to rehabilitate wildlife and protect the ocean’s biodiversity.

Despite the two Michelin stars at the "Ocean" restaurant and the flawless service, nothing feels stiff here. This is due to its deep roots in Portuguese culture. Traditional Azulejos (colorful tiles) add splashes of color and history throughout. The hospitality is warm, almost familial—typical of a village community that is proud of its home.

Vila Vita Parc
Green lupine by Arne Quinze

Vila Vita Parc
Fountain lupine by Arne Quinze

Vila Vita Parc manages the feat of offering world-class luxury while feeling as authentic as a walk through an old fishing hamlet. It is a place for aesthetes who want to experience, not just consume. At the end of your stay, you don’t feel like you’re checking out of a hotel, but rather moving away from a beloved neighborhood. And in your mind, you’re already planning your return to this artful village by the sea.

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Pauline Rochas - Practice of Contemporary Perfumery

PAULINE ROCHAS
Developing Fragrances with a Personal Approach

Pauline Rochas works with scent as a way to observe how people experience their surroundings and how certain notes influence attention, mood, or rhythm.

The brand carries her name, yet its direction reflects a long development shaped by training, lived experience, and a consistent focus on sensory awareness. She grew up in an environment connected to perfumery through her grandparents Hélène and Marcel Rochas, who shaped a significant chapter in French fragrance history. This background forms an early point of orientation.

Pauline Rochas Campaign / seen by Mato Johannik

Pauline Rochas
EAU DE NUIT / NOCTURNAL

Her own path emerged through photography, which she studied and practiced in New York. The work with still lifes and composition strengthened her sensitivity for detail, tone, and quiet structure. Over time, her interest expanded toward the world of scent, leading her to train in Grasse, where she learned the technical foundations of perfumery.

Her brand brings these strands together in a steady creative process. Each fragrance evolves through careful formulation and repeated fine-tuning with perfumers in France and Italy. Pauline selects materials for their clarity and character, working with natural ingredients whenever possible and shaping each composition through intuition and precise adjustments.

The Seven Collection reflects this approach. Each fragrance addresses a specific emotional or energetic focus and invites a moment of orientation within daily routines. The collection is structured with the intention to create sensory space and a sense of order. Vienna serves as her base of work and life. Her home studio functions as a testing ground for new ideas, with blotter strips, essences, and small batches forming a quiet landscape of ongoing research. People who visit for consultations encounter a slow and attentive process. Pauline encourages them to explore notes one by one, allowing associations and memories to surface naturally. This way of working mirrors her view that scent requires time, presence, and a certain openness to personal response.

Portrait of Pauline Rochas / seen by Mato Johannik

Pauline Rochas
EAU DE NUIT / NOCTURNAL

Pauline Rochas
SEX IN A BOTTLE / CHAKRA N°2 - SACRAL CHAKRA

Physical spaces also play a role in the brand’s development. Pauline first introduced her fragrance Nocturnal in the Vienna Retti Store designed by Hans Hollein. The architectural clarity of the space aligned with her interest in structures that support sensory focus. Such presentations provide a setting where the fragrances can be experienced directly, without distraction, and where conversations about materials and process can unfold at an unhurried pace.

The brand continues to grow through measured steps. Each release is built from clear ideas and patient refinement, forming a coherent body of work that reflects Pauline’s background in photography, her experience in Grasse, and her ongoing interest in the emotional dimension of scent. Heritage remains present as a steady reference, while her own approach defines the identity of the brand. Through this combination, Pauline Rochas develops fragrances that accompany everyday moments and offer small anchors of presence within changing environments.

Pauline Rochas
www.paulinerochas.com

based in Vienna, Austria and creating contemporary fragrances developed in collaboration with perfumers in France and Italy
Pauline Rochas fragrances average price range: 150 € – 240 €

all images by Mato Johannik

New Year in Lugano - Holiday Season Guide 2025

New Year in Lugano
How Lugano Sets the Tone for the 2026

written SARAH ARENDTS

The days leading into the new year often carry a quiet expectation. People look for places that allow them to reset, to shift into the next chapter with intention. In Lugano, the hotels of the DOT Lifestyle Collection create exactly that kind of environment. Each property approaches hospitality from a different angle, yet they share a sense of ease and clarity that feels right for the holiday season. Their locations above and around the lake give guests an immediate connection to light, stillness, and the rhythm of the city in winter.

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo has a presence shaped by its history and by its position overlooking Lake Lugano. The building once served as a private residence; today it offers a setting where the final days of the year feel spacious and grounded. Guests arrive to a house that moves at its own pace. The team focuses on creating an atmosphere that supports long dinners, conversations that extend into the evening, and mornings that unfold gradually. New Year’s Eve here is structured around time spent together at the table. The kitchen develops a menu that reflects Italian technique and local ingredients, and the evening becomes a sequence of moments. On New Year’s Day, breakfast on the terrace or in one of the salons sets a calm tone for the year ahead.

Higher up in the hills, the Kurhaus Cademario offers a different rhythm. The property is known for its wellness focus, and it becomes especially relevant in late December when people look for quiet and clarity. The indoor and outdoor spa areas create long stretches of time where guests can detach from the usual pace. The view across the valley and the lake adds to that sense of distance from daily life. Dinner on New Year’s Eve follows a refined but understated approach. The cooking centers on regional products, seasonal flavors, and a style that feels aligned with the house’s emphasis on balance. For guests who want to start the year with intention rather than intensity, the Kurhaus becomes a fitting choice.

Back in Lugano, the Villa Sassa sits closer to the center and carries a more urban energy. The hotel brings together people who want movement, light, and a social environment while still staying within a relaxed setting. Evenings here often stretch into small gatherings at the bar or on the terrace when weather allows. For the holiday season, the atmosphere becomes slightly more festive without losing its sense of ease. New Year’s Eve is lively, shaped by music and a more dynamic dinner service. On the first morning of the year, the long brunch with a view of the lake gives the experience a calm finish.

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Taken together, the three hotels form a clear recommendation for anyone planning the holiday season or the transition into the new year. Villa Principe Leopoldo for presence and elegance, Kurhaus Cademario for quiet restoration, and Villa Sassa for a more social and energetic stay. Lugano in winter has a specific charm, and the DOT Lifestyle Collection offers three distinct ways to experience it—with time, space, and attention to detail. Enjoy!

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Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach - A Steady Wellness Stay

.culture vulture
Days of Quiet Rhythm in the Sky Spa
at Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The arrival in Bad Füssing forms a particular first impression, because the town consists mainly of hotels and wellness facilities, and the atmosphere settles once the entrance of Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach comes into view with its fresh interior and the sense that the stay can unfold entirely inside this building.

The lobby opens with warm colors, soft materials and a balanced light that eases the transition from the road into the steady rhythm of the hotel. Our experience took place in autumn during bright days, and the sunlight shaped the interior in a way that made every surface feel warm and calm, especially because the colors and textures supported long stretches of rest without distraction. The room contained thoughtful furniture, and we settled into it quickly because it felt immediately comfortable.

Hotel Wittelsbach
Interior Design, Superior Room seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Interior Design, Superior Room seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Lobby seen by Alex Filz

The Sky Spa forms the center of the entire experience, and the placement on the highest level of the building creates a feeling of being slightly lifted above the town. The saunas, the quiet zones and the view toward the Alps form a setting that encourages slow movement and long pauses. One evening stands out with particular clarity, because the moon appeared in a size and brightness that felt rare, and the moment after sunset when we stepped into the relaxation area showed the landscape in a very steady alignment of mountains, sky and soft light. The warmth of the sauna, the cool evening air on the terrace and the quiet inside the room formed a sequence that shaped the entire night. The indoor thermal pool on the ground floor carries the warm regional water in a way that supports quiet floating and slow swimming, while the outdoor pool creates a refreshing shift when the air turns cooler. The massage area offers full body treatments, ayurveda sessions and various options for guests who want a deeper form of rest, and the atmosphere inside the cabins remains consistent with the calm design language found throughout the spa.

The days follow a gentle structure, and the hotel supports this with a clear culinary rhythm. Breakfast includes a wide selection with regional influences, and the dining room maintains a balanced tone through warm colors and soft materials. In the evening, dinner unfolds with a buffet for the starters, and guests create their own beginning to the meal before choosing a main course from the menu, which includes dishes built around fish, meat or vegan options. The combination feels flexible and easy, and the thoughtful preparation gives the meals a steady continuity throughout the stay. Desserts arrive with a calm sense of order, and the wines available at dinner support the courses without drawing attention away from the relaxed atmosphere. During the afternoon, the café O´Lala offers pastries and small dishes from the in-house patisserie, which creates a small moment of indulgence within the daily flow of spa and rest.

Hotel Wittelsbach
Sky Sauna seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Steam Sauna seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Restaurant seen by Alex Filz

Bad Füssing carries a particular character, because the town stands almost entirely on wellness traditions, and this influences the surroundings through quiet streets, open paths and a slow pace. At first, this setting feels unusual, and the Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach benefits from this through its complete offering inside the building, which creates an environment where every part of the day unfolds within walking distance and without planning. Walks around the area follow flat routes through small parks and calm streets, and bicycles extend the reach toward the fields and wider landscapes. The hotel’s design brings a sense of clarity into this environment, and the atmosphere inside the property remains steady from morning to night.

The overall experience at Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach grows from the alignment of architecture, thermal tradition and a comprehensive wellness program that fills each day with quiet presence. The Sky Sauna shapes this rhythm with its broad views and warm interiors, while the pools, the treatments and the resting zones hold the pace throughout the building. The rooms provide space for slowing down, and the culinary structure supports the day with a clear and gentle sequence. Our stay carried a personal sense of ease, and the brightness of the season, the calm water, the thoughtful meals and the view toward the mountains created a continuous flow of rest that stayed with us long after leaving.

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Hofgut Hafnerleiten - A Calm Retreat Story

.culture vulture
Architecture, Landscape and Rest
at Hofgut Hafnerleiten

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The arrival at Hofgut Hafnerleiten creates a steady shift in atmosphere, because the property sits within a wide landscape that gives every structure generous space and a clear relationship to its surroundings.

The road from Bad Birnbach passes open fields and forest edges, and the entrance to the Hofgut introduces a calm rhythm that shapes the entire experience from the very beginning. The first steps through the Brunnenhaus lead into the courtyard, and this small transition helps guests enter the mindset that the location invites.

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Baumhaus seen by Joschija Bauer

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Haus am Feld seen by Joschija Bauer

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Sauna seen by Joschija Bauer

During our visit, we stayed in the Wiesenhaus, which features a planted roof, a large window front, a fireplace and a private sauna. The house stands slightly raised above a meadow, and this setting creates a very steady sense of privacy throughout the day. The interior supports long stretches of rest, because the living area flows naturally into the outdoor view and into the warm zones around the sauna and the fire. The days unfolded in autumn, marked by continuous rain and low temperatures, and the Wiesenhaus offered an environment that allowed long hours of reading, thinking and quiet activities without any pressure to leave the house. The absence of a television strengthened this quality, because the interior stayed free from digital noise and encouraged an unhurried rhythm.

The structure of the day at the Hofgut follows a gentle sequence. In the morning, the team delivers a breakfast basket directly to the house, and the selection inside the basket forms a balanced and refreshing start to the day. During the afternoon, the property remains peaceful, and guests move between their themed houses, the wellness cubes and the surrounding paths. At six in the evening, the team hosts an aperitif in the courtyard, and this moment allows short conversations with other guests and introduces the evening with an easy sense of togetherness.

Dinner happens either in the GenussHOF at one long communal table, where guests share the evening in a relaxed and open setting, or inside the individual houses for those who prefer a fully private atmosphere. The kitchen team cooks with a very clear focus on seasonal ingredients, and every course arrives with thoughtful combinations that highlight the quality of the produce. The meals follow a steady rhythm with a warm starter, a carefully prepared main dish and a dessert that completes the sequence with balance and precision. The flavors feel clean and direct, and the presentation reflects the same calm and confident approach found throughout the property. The team presented each course with steady precision, and the structure of the menu created an experience that carried a quiet sense of care. The atmosphere inside the Wiesenhaus shaped every dinner in a consistently pleasant way, because the food aligned beautifully with the calm interior and the view into the garden. During dinner, we enjoyed the Iphöfer Kronsberg Scheurebe from the Brennfleck winery, which complemented the menu with a fresh and balanced profile.

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Baumhaus seen by Mona Ortner

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Wiesenhaus Sauna seen by Mona Ortner

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Wiesenhaus seen by Mona Ortner

The surroundings of the Hofgut include forest paths, meadows and a quiet rural setting that encourages long walks without planning. The proximity to nature becomes part of the day in a steady and unobtrusive way. The Hofgut’s four cats appear at various moments with an easy familiarity, and these small encounters create warm moments without seeking attention. The staff maintains a consistently friendly presence, and each interaction carries a clarity that shapes the relaxed rhythm of the place.
The overall experience at Hofgut Hafnerleiten comes from a combination of architecture, landscape and hospitality that work together without excess or distraction. The themed houses, the culinary structure, the spacious grounds and the calm rhythm create a stay that supports rest, presence and personal focus in a very steady way.

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A Trip to Hamburg with Kids at Barceló Hotel

.culture vulture
City Days and Quiet Evenings
*Our Family Story at Barceló Hamburg

written AMANDA MORTENSON

We arrived in Hamburg on a Monday morning, the air cool and a little damp, the streets wrapped in that early-week calm that cities only have when the weekend rush has passed.

The train slid into the main station, and within minutes we stood at the entrance of Barceló Hotel Hamburg, our suitcases rolling over cobblestones, the children half-awake but already pointing at the boats drifting on the Binnenalster. The hotel’s glass façade caught the light in a quiet way, and stepping inside felt like exhaling — warm air, soft colors, an easy welcome.

Our Family Junior Suite became home almost immediately. A long window stretched across the room, framing the city like a slow-moving film. The children ran from bed to sofa, testing every corner, while we unpacked and made coffee, grateful for the stillness that comes after travel. The room carried an understated elegance — wooden floors, neutral tones, thoughtful details that made sense for families: enough space for toys and jackets, a large table that turned into a drawing station, a bathroom big enough for the entire bedtime routine without chaos.

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
Exterior

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
Family Junior Suite

By midday we were already out, walking toward the Binnenalster, the lake only a few minutes away. The children watched boats pass under the bridges, and stopped at every kiosk that sold roasted nuts. The hotel’s location placed us exactly where the city opened in all directions — toward the shopping streets, the old arcades, the parks, and the harbor. Everything was reachable on foot or by a short U-Bahn ride, which quickly became part of the adventure.

That first day set the tone. Each morning began in the hotel restaurant, where the buffet became an event of its own — pancakes, fruit, small pastries, and the quiet hum of travelers starting their day. The children discovered that the orange juice machine could be operated without help, a small victory that defined their mornings. After breakfast we planned loosely, letting the weather decide: a visit to the Miniatur Wunderland, hours spent watching tiny trains cross landscapes; an afternoon at the Planten un Blomen Park, where autumn leaves turned the ground into a soft mosaic; short stops for coffee and cocoa in between, always ending with a slow walk back to the hotel.

Evenings carried their own rhythm and sometimes we ate at the B-Lounge, the hotel’s restaurant with its open design and calm lighting, where the children shared pasta while we tried local fish and a glass of Riesling. Other nights we brought back sandwiches from a bakery nearby and turned the suite into a small picnic, the city lights glowing through the window. The sense of ease came from the balance the hotel created — close enough to everything, yet quiet enough to feel completely private.

Halfway through the week the weather changed, rain sweeping across the city, but even that felt part of the experience. We spent that afternoon inside, the children building Lego cities on the carpet while we watched the clouds shift over Hamburg. The large window turned into a screen of light and sound, the rain rhythmic, the city still visible through it.

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
B Lounge

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
B Lounge

By day three the children already called the hotel “our house.” They knew every corridor, every shortcut to the elevator, and where to find the best spot in the lobby for people-watching. On Thursday morning, before leaving, we walked once more around the Alster. The air felt crisp, the trees golden, and the city moved at a slow pace that matched our own.

Back in the suite, we packed slowly, looking out at Hamburg’s skyline one last time. The stay had unfolded without hurry — days filled with small discoveries, moments of calm, and the comfort of a place that understood families without turning family travel into routine. Barceló Hamburg held all of it, the light of the city, the rhythm of daily life, and a quiet sense of belonging that stayed even after we left. Thanks for having us!

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The Charles Hotel - A Munich Story

.culture vulture
THE CHARLES HOTEL
*Rooms of Art, Gardens of Light

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Munich in late light, the park leaning against the city like a velvet cushion, and in the middle of that green hush stands The Charles Hotel, big shouldered yet strangely gentle, all windows and reflections, with rooms that look across trees that refuse to bow to glass and steel.

You arrive, and it feels less like checking into a hotel and more like slipping into a frame already painted, the old botanical garden at your feet, the towers of the city humming somewhere behind, the soundtrack softened by leaves. The thing about staying here is that you start walking and suddenly the city is yours. Five minutes to Königsplatz, a drift down to Marienplatz, a shortcut into museums and markets, all by foot, as if Munich has been tailored to your pace. Yet when you turn back, when you push open the doors again, you’re greeted by the stillness of a park. It’s an odd and satisfying trick—the ability to hold pulse and pause in the same space.

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

Inside, it unravels in layers. The spa first, an entire floor given over to water and steam and that pool—long, luminous, unapologetically generous. Munich rarely gives you this. You float, and the ceiling seems to rise with every stroke, a cathedral of chlorinated air. Saunas, treatments, therapists who seem to know where the tension hides before you’ve even said a word. It is a sanctuary disguised as a hotel amenity.

Then the interiors you notice them before you even try. Furniture that insists on being touched, wood that looks like it could still whisper, velvet that soaks up the light, patterns that converse. Someone here has a hand for colour and a memory for detail. Olga Polizzi’s design eye, precise and idiosyncratic, lives in the upholstery, in the rhythm of the corridors, in the way each suite is its own little manifesto.

And then the art, everywhere, quietly, loudly, unashamedly: paintings, photographs, sculptures, even prints tucked into the suites, waiting on side tables like letters from someone you admire. It feels curated not in the stiff museum way but in the sense of a friend with impeccable taste who fills their home with things you secretly wish were yours. Contemporary, bold, and varied. A hotel that collects art not to live with it.

The Charles opened in 2007, a child of Berlin architects Hilmer & Sattler and Albrecht, a modern gesture standing by nineteenth-century gardens. The building has already won its share of awards for stone and form, but what lingers is atmosphere. One hundred and sixty rooms, suites that open to balconies and light, bathrooms with heated floors and long baths that want you to linger until you prune. At the very top, the Monforte Royal Suite, a sundeck lifted above Munich, a stage for morning espresso or midnight wine.

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Lobby

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

None of this stands alone. The Charles is part of the Rocco Forte constellation, a family of hotels scattered across Europe—Sicily, London, Rome, Palermo, Florence, Brussels, Edinburgh—each one stitched into its city with personality, each one guided by the same family hand. Founded in 1996 by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi, the group has built a reputation less on empire and more on intimacy, places that feel designed not produced, hotels that wear their locations like bespoke suits. The Charles carries that ethos in Munich, central yet calm, crafted yet lived-in, a hotel that belongs here. Enjoy yourself!

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A Trilogy of Sanctuary in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

.culture vulture
ANANTARA Dubai
*A Trilogy of Sanctuary in Dubai + Abu Dhabi

Three locations, each an assertion of presence. Anantara is a series of spaces where design, texture, and stillness hold weight.

Every structure absorbs its surroundings, channeling them into a physical language of light, shadow, and material. From the shifting tides of Palm Jumeirah to the concealed solitude of the World Islands and the sharp precision of Abu Dhabi’s coastline, these spaces occupy their landscapes without hesitation.

The Palm unfolds, an engineered silhouette on water. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort emerges from it, a sequence of overwater villas hovering above the Arabian Gulf. Lagoon-access rooms dissolve the separation between built and natural, leading directly into stillness. Mekong orchestrates flavors in precise balance—chili, tamarind, lemongrass, each note exact. The Beach House moves with the tide, a rhythm of salt air and slow conversation. The infinity pool holds its place in the horizon, a reflective line of movement. The Anantara Spa shifts perception through Hammam rituals, gemstone steam rooms, and Ayurvedic recalibration.

Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
© Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort
© Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort / Restaurant Qamar Terrace View
© Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

A vessel glides from the city, cutting through water, delivering guests to something unseen from the shore. Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort holds space in the silence, its edges dissolving into sky. Seventy accommodations—rooms, suites, villas—each defined by texture, proportion, and air. Beachfront Pool Villas stretch into the sand, Ocean View Suites catch the glow of the city at dusk. Qamar composes Middle Eastern and Indian influences into a singular expression. Helios captures Mediterranean elements without imitation. Luna’s rooftop turns the skyline into an unfolding sequence of reflection and shadow.

Suspension shapes experience. Hammocks drift above water, their rhythm dictated by the wind. A cinema at the water’s edge shifts perception, the moving image aconversation with the night. The Anantara Spa moves inward—Lava Shell Massage, Thai Salt Pot Therapy, weight, release, recalibration. Abu Dhabi’s coastline becomes a canvas, a composition of white forms against deep blue. Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat is not a replica, but a study of volume, proportion, and light. Twenty-two rooms and suites, each an articulation of space.

Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat / Duplex Suite
© Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat / Exterior Beach
© Gerry O'Leary

Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat / Duplex Suite Bedroom
© Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

Walls curve, negating sharp divisions. Infinity pools extend forward, tracing invisible thresholds. Thalassa refines Mediterranean culinary philosophy, an exercise in restraint. Oia Oasis breathes in mezze, coffee, the slow movements of evening. Time flows without measure. The spa envelops guests in sensation—Himalayan salt therapy, Hammam rituals, deep immersion in warmth. A movement inward, a fusion of body and space. These spaces exist in form, texture, and light. Surfaces shift, absorbing and releasing, shaping perception without effort. Water carries its weight with quiet certainty. Air moves unhindered, expanding into every corner. The journey follows no path.

Anantara crafts a unified experience, where each destination extends into the next, connected by a rhythm of design and presence. The Palm, the World Islands, Abu Dhabi’s coastline—each location carries its own energy, shaped by landscape, architecture, and atmosphere. The flow between them is seamless, an uninterrupted immersion into place and sensation.

Hotel Belvedere Locarno

.culture vulture
Hotel Belvedere Locarno
*A House of Art, Light, and Quiet Grandeur

Belvedere Locarno reads like a living collection, scenes arranged for calm, curiosity, and return.

The house carries a long arc—15th-century origins, hospitality since the late 19th—and the tone remains personal, shaped by a host family culture that prizes genuine welcome over performance. The city’s Piazza Grande sits within walking distance; the lake is always in the frame. Art steers the rhythm from the ground floor onward. Antonio Guanse’s L’art est Genèse (1962) holds the hall like a prologue, across from Georg Fischhof’s romantic cycle—twenty late-19th-century canvases joined into a single narrative field, restored and composed in 2007. A poised Cycliste de la Belle Époque glides by; Felice Filippini’s self-portrait brings a Ticino accent. Everyday museum, everyday movement.

Faces carry the story forward—Jean Talbot’s expressionist studies, a gentleman by Horace Richebé, and the elegant Peintre gentilhomme by René Thomsen. At bar level, photographs nod to the city’s cinephile heartbeat with portraits of illustrious guests from more than seventy editions of the Locarno Film Festival. This is the hotel’s soft bridge between garden hush and Piazza nights on the giant screen. Dining works like a miniature curation. La Fontana Ristorante & Bar carries 14 Gault&Millau points and a kitchen that thinks in Mediterranean lines with local detail. The walls chart the neighborhood through Claudio da Firenze (Claudio Domenici): views of Ascona, the Piazza Grande, and the Madonna del Sasso; a painted Belvedere from the early 1900s; a carved, polychrome wooden ceiling with mythic motifs. Summer steps outside to Grotto al Sasso for gelato, snacks, and an aperitivo under vines. Mornings begin generous; autumn folds in chestnuts, mushrooms, and game, with terraces that keep their warmth deep into October.

Ristorante La Fontana
Hotel Belvedere Locarno

Some rooms feel like chapters you want to re-read. Sala Affresco layers a monumental Renaissance stone fireplace—telamons, masks, garlands—with an 18th-century ceiling fresco of Persephone, a clear seasonal metaphor. Still lifes by Eugène Petit, Edmond Céria, Constantin Le Roux, and Joseph Villeclèr gather nearby; a mid-century Matterhorn view finishes the arc. Sala Veranda glows with Louis Wilmet’s L’Aurore, a dawn that quietly lifts the floor.

Corridors act like local atlases. Casa Sole moves through historical images of the Belvedere, Locarno, the Madonna del Sasso, Verzasca gorges, the Maggia, and Mario Botta’s churches. Casa Luna lines the walls with posters—originals and reproductions—from the Locarno Film Festival, while Casa Stella assembles “Ticino in European Painting,” a pocket survey of how this landscape echoes across centuries of art.

Wellness follows the same curatorial logic. The corridor to OASI BELVEDERE Spa • Wellness • Beauty features eight large panels by V. P. de Cayeux, Vence-inspired homages to Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, and Chagall—color grammar before water. Inside: 2,200 m² of calm with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam, a Kneipp path, a bright gym, and four treatment rooms. Adults-only windows secure quiet. Treatments meet the guest where they are—Guinot facials, alpine Alpeor formulas, and rituals using camellia oil pressed from the hotel’s own garden. Yoga, meditation, crystal therapy, and Pilates in the green stretch the day without rush.

Guest rooms—ninety in total—open to light; many step onto balconies with lake views. Suites offer an intimate scale of collecting: Hannes Portmann lithographs, landscapes by Max Goviet, Raymond Quibel, and Charles Verbrugghe, and floral still lifes in quiet dialogue with the view. The effect is domestic and deliberate, a private edit for each stay.

Garden Oasi Belvedere Spa Wellness
Hotel Belvedere Locarno

Treatment Room
Oasi Belvedere Spa Wellnes & Beauty

Oasi Belvedere Spa Pool
Hotel Belvedere Locarno

Oasi Belvedere Spa Wellness Centre by night
Hotel Belvedere Locarno

The garden edits the pace again. Two crystalline-marble works by Alex Näf—Lamusir and Ovaloid—trace smooth, tactile lines among the paths; Ernst Schneider’s granite figure, L’ospite (“The Guest”), stands as a sentinel to arrivals and returns. Benches, fountains, bocce lanes, and tucked terraces turn the grounds into a sequence of scenes.
Connection stays elegant and literal. A funicular stops at the hotel: upward to the Madonna del Sasso for a panoramic pause, downward into the old town and along the promenade. From here the itinerary draws itself—alleys and arcades, boats on Lago Maggiore, vineyards in Malcantone, autumn trails under copper beech and chestnut. The Belvedere sits at the hinge of refuge, culture, and city life; an address that filters noise and amplifies experience.

What endures is the human temperature. Professional, warm, and unforced, the team moves with a reader’s eye for detail and a host’s sense of timing. Breakfast tastes like holiday, the spa understands time, the garden rewards wandering, La Fontana serves clarity rather than show. People return because the house remembers how to receive them—an everyday museum, a working home, a view that settles in and stays. Enjoy Yourself!

visit Hotel Belvedere Locarno Website for more info www.belvedere-locarno.com
all images (c) Hotel Belvedere Locarno

A Retreat into WALD.WEIT - Rheingau Review

.culture vulture
WALD.WEIT
*Where the Forest Breathes and the Vine Whispers

High above the Rheingau valley, somewhere between the sacred silence of the forest and the poised rows of Riesling vines, lies WALD.WEIT, a sanctuary designed to hold you.

The architecture emerges as a tribute to nature, shaped by its rhythm and presence. A rhythm of vertical wood, floor-to-ceiling glass, and gentle curves echoes the tall stillness of the Hahnwald that surrounds the property. Every line seems drawn from the land.

WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat, Lobby
seen Tim Karapetian

WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat
Architecture

From our first step onto the elevated plateau near Kiedrich – a town that feels too poetic to be real – WALD.WEIT invites breath, real breath. That kind that expands your ribs, your pace, your presence.

The hotel’s design speaks in quiet textures. Neutral tones, tactile materials, and forms that feel shaped by the land itself. Inside the WALD.WEIT Suite, nature enters fully—through floor-to-ceiling windows, through the scent of wood, through stillness that fills the room like light. Every surface feels deliberate and every detail rests. Beds are oriented toward the treetops, terraces suspend you above the canopy, and silence is full of birdsong and stillness.

Then there’s the spa. Panoramic rooftop saunas, the hands of a massage team whose intuition needs no words, and treatments that seem to tap into the landscape’s own wisdom. Inhale fir, exhale fatigue. The upcoming 6,500m² spa extension promises an infinity pool that slips into a natural swimming pond, a body of water that mirrors sky and self.

At WALD.FEIN, the restaurant, the forest arrives again, but this time as flavor. Chef Falk Richter distills the region’s essence into each course, foraging aesthetics into the plate: fermented cauliflower, gold trout with dandelion and topinambur, and venison with birch bark pasta. Each ingredient local, each dish a dialogue. We sipped Robert Weil’s Riesling as a continuation of the story outside. With 300 labels to explore, each bottle unfolds its own complete tale.

Robert Weil Riesling at WALD.FEIN Restaurant

WALD.WEIT Rheingau Hotel & Retreat
seen Tim Karapetian

WALD.WEIT Suite
seen Thomas Ott

WALD.WEIT Suite
seen Tim Karapetian

WALD.WEIT Suite
seen Tim Karapetian

WALD.WEIT carries its strength in the quiet continuity between indulgence and intention. Sustainability lives in every layer, from the geothermal system beneath the earth to the timber sourced from local forests, from smart automation that regulates warmth and light to architectural decisions rooted in ecological responsibility. The result is a place that speaks fluently in the language of longevity, where the air feels as considered as the materials, and where presence becomes part of the rhythm.

Beyond the retreat, the landscape opens into centuries of cultivated beauty. A forest path leads to Kloster Eberbach, where stone and silence hold Gothic history with grace. Further through the valley, the Weingut Robert Weil invites you into a world where Riesling is understood and where the process behind every vintage is shared with the joy, passion, and precision it deserves. A visit here is essential, as an immersion into the aesthetic and spirit of the Rheingau.

Time at WALD.WEIT stretches gently and days move between walking trails and mountain paths, between spa rituals and quiet forest air, between meals that nourish and views that still the mind. The garden welcomes you back after movement, after discovery, and after reflection. There’s only a returning to something grounded, deliberate, and whole.

This place resonates and every detail, from architecture to atmosphere, extends an invitation to dwell in balance—with the land, with time, with yourself. Enjoy your stay!

visit WALD.WEIT Hotel Website www.wald-weit.com
follow on Instagram @wald.weit.retreat


all images (c) WALD.WEIT

DAS.GOLDBERG Hotel - Bad Hofgastein Review

.culture vulture
A Family Journey to DAS.GOLDBERG
*Where Silence, Stone, and Sky Gather

Above the rooftops of Bad Hofgastein, DAS.GOLDBERG rests on a plateau that opens wide to sky and valley.

The air holds a kind of hush, broken only by the movement of fir trees and the sound of water from the natural lake below. Stone, glass, wood, and gold-toned light structure this place, a rhythm that repeats across its suites, pathways, and spa.

Arrival is through a drawbridge. Inside, patterns form in a bed of sand beneath a suspended pendulum. The lobby’s air tastes of roasted beans from the in-house coffee roastery. Each object here is chosen: leather, linen, light, all part of a quiet design language shaped by Austrian hands and alpine sensibility. Our family—two adults, two children—stepped into this rhythm without resistance. Mornings began with homemade granola and spelt breads; evenings closed with five thoughtful courses and the warmth of herbal tea. In between we had slow walks through tall grass, long views from the terrace, moments of immersion in the infinity pool and whirlpool that catch the last of the sun.

The design of DAS.GOLDBERG speaks through materials, it´s aged oak, alpine wool, slate, and handblown glass. The rooms open fully to the mountains, with large windows and balconies that stretch into the air. A swing chair waits beside the fireplace, while golden accents trace through the neutral tones of each suite. The silence is soft, not empty, it´s full of breath and light.

In the spa, the hotel´s guests move through warmth and water. A golden Caldarium made of 420,000 kilograms of stone recalls the region’s history of healing and gold. A natural lake, heated by the earth, lies below. The scent of pine from the saunas and the warmth of the stone underfoot invite long pauses. Guests rest in quiet rooms lined with pine wood. There, heart and breath settle into something slower.

The philosophy of DAS.GOLDBERG carries through every detail. “Wald.Wiese.Wertvolles” is their framework. The kitchen works closely with local farmers and foragers. Grains from Pongau, herbs from the garden, trout from the hotel’s own pond. Flavors stay close to the land and a separate menu each evening opens with plant-based dishes drawn from meadow and forest.

Children move through the hotel like small explorers. The landscape offers everything, streams to follow, stones to stack, fields to cross barefoot. Indoors, the architecture holds calm, designed more for stillness than play. There is no room of noise or toys, so families who travel with very young children may find fewer structured spaces. Here, the invitation leans to wander, collect flowers and feel the shape of time unfold without schedule.

DAS.GOLDBERG Hotel, Wellness Spa
(c) Günter Standl (cropped)

DAS.GOLDBERG Hotel, Restaurant
(c) Günter Standl

The staff move with intention, gliding through the space with a presence that feels attentive and unobtrusive, shaping each encounter into something intuitive. There is a sense of ease in the way requests are anticipated before they are spoken, in the way names are remembered without rehearsal, and in the way Vera and Georg Seer remain part of the hotel’s living rhythm. They appear not as distant figures behind the concept, but as active hosts who share morning coffee, recommend walking paths, and offer small moments of connection that feel sincere.

The experience shifts with the seasons. In the colder months, snow gathers along the spa’s edge and softens the views beyond the infinity pool. Skiers arrive and depart directly from the hotel’s slope-side location, stepping into the day with no delay. Inside, the warmth of wood, water, and steam creates a kind of cocoon, while outside the world is white and still. When the snow fades and the air warms, trails open in every direction. Guests move outward into the hills, toward lakes that mirror the sky and forests that breathe in silence.

The yoga space stands with quiet dignity, shaped from darkened timber and framed by the peaks beyond. Its walls carry the weight of sun and weather, and its floor feels grounded, connected to the hillside. With each movement, the room becomes a shelter for breath and stillness. Nothing interrupts, nothing pulls the attention away.

Throughout DAS.GOLDBERG, the experience unfolds without rush. The architecture offers balance, the materials speak softly, and the food aligns with the rhythm of the day. Each element holds its place without seeking notice. There is no division between what is offered and what is needed. Families find their own pace among meadows and pine, couples sink into quiet rituals, and those traveling alone move with freedom through rooms, trails, and moments of pause. The landscape, the design, and the intention behind every detail form a complete expression of presence, not as a performance but as a way of being. Enjoy your stay!

visit DAS.GOLDBERG Hotel Website www.dasgoldberg.at
follow on Instagram @dasgoldberg


all images (c) DAS.GOLDBERG

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments *Artful Living in Berching

.culture vulture
Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments
*A Space for Creativity, Comfort, and Culture

reviewed Alban E. Smajli

Berching, surrounded by rolling landscapes and historical architecture, offers a setting of quiet energy. At its center stands Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, a collection of restored and newly built spaces developed by Stephanie and Michael Zink. Each room tells a story shaped by architecture, art, and attention to detail.

The hotel consists of 15 apartments and suites, some housed in baroque buildings from 1686, others created through contemporary craftsmanship. Guests find antique doors, preserved ceilings, and restored floors. Elements from the past continue through handpicked vintage furniture, while newer additions add depth and warmth. Materials, tones, and surfaces are arranged with calm precision, forming interiors that carry elegance and a lived-in sense of comfort.

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Large Garden Apartment Engelwirt
© Erich Spahn

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Balcony Room Engelwirt
© Erich Spahn

Stephanie Zink developed each interior with the hand of a designer and the eye of a collector. Her experience in fashion and material design guides the color schemes—deep red-oranges, light blues, and gentle greys—layered onto antique wood, terrazzo, linen, and stone. The furniture includes selected pieces from Moroso, Moooi, Moormann, Wegner, Thonet, and Prouvé. Lighting by Ingo Maurer and Artemide highlights artwork and architectural detail without distraction.

Each apartment holds original works by established artists such as Michael Sailstorfer, Gregory Forstner, Rinus Van de Velde, Paul Kooiker, or Matías Sánchez. Paintings, photographs, and sculptures are present in every room, hallway, and common area. Guests share space with these pieces—at the kitchen table, across from the bed, near the desk. The atmosphere reflects the Zinks’ philosophy of living with art rather than observing it at a distance.

Work-friendly amenities are built into many apartments. Desks, natural lighting, and strong connectivity allow guests to extend their stays, combining travel and work without disruption. Fully equipped kitchens support longer visits. Several apartments are maisonettes, offering additional space for writing, reading, or creative focus. Twelve apartments include kitchens, allowing complete independence.

Just beyond the hotel, the Zink Gallery welcomes visitors by appointment and is open to the public on Sundays. Located in Waldkirchen, 15 minutes from Berching, the gallery presents international contemporary artists in a building designed by Atelier Dimanche. The architects also planned the Engelwirt restoration and new buildings. Their work integrates preserved baroque elements and modern geometry with exacting continuity. The gallery also houses the Engelwirt’s own distillery, further anchoring the hotel in a world of craftsmanship and process.

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Probstapartment 1
© Erich Spahn

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Salon Engelwirt
© Erich Spahn

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Justizia Apartment Engelwirt
© Erich Spahn

Engelwirt Hotel & Apartments, Berching
Maisonette City Wall Engelwirt
© Erich Spahn

Gallery Zink Waldkirchen
© Erich Spahn

The Engelwirt interiors speak through harmony rather than statement. The courtyard invites quiet gatherings. A café and concept store showcase regional wines, handmade soaps, ceramics, books, and specialty foods. Seasonal events and local collaborations add to the rhythm of daily life.

For those seeking focused time with teams or partners, Engelwirt offers spaces for meetings, planning sessions, and creative exchanges. The salon, the winter garden, and select apartments accommodate small gatherings. The setup includes kitchen access, regional catering, and on-site coordination. Gallery visits, cooking classes, and guided walks through Berching extend the experience beyond the meeting space.

Berching itself offers a rhythm that suits the Engelwirt mindset. Streets remain calm, the preserved town wall encircles history without excess. Music events such as the Gluck Festival, artist talks, and farmers markets draw locals and guests into quiet interaction. The nearby canal, trails, and woodlands invite stillness and movement without effort.

At Engelwirt, nothing interrupts the flow of time. The surroundings, the interiors, the artworks, and the services operate with the same intention: to provide a grounded, generous place to stay, to work, to think, to feel. Enjoy!

visit Engelwirt Website www.engelwirt.com
follow on Instagram @engelwirtapartments

Discover Lugano Riviera in 2025

Lugano's Hidden Charms
*Sunshine, Art, and the Taste of Luxury

Lugano blends Mediterranean ease and Swiss chic, radiating over 2,300 hours of sunshine each year. Luxury is woven into vibrant art scenes, immersive experiences, and gourmet delights.

Here, days are graced by an ever-present sun, illuminating the turquoise waters of Lake Lugano. The region invites travelers to indulge their senses—whether through leisurely strolls along picturesque promenades, encounters with Renaissance masterpieces, or dining in the refined ambiance of local gastronomy. Every moment in Lugano is a refined encounter, a harmonious interplay between nature, culture, and especially luxury.

Parco Ciani Lugano
Lugano Region
seen by Antonio Ravazza

Hotel Principe Leopolde
Lugano Region

An Artistic Voyage in Lugano

Lugano is a haven for art enthusiasts, a region where creativity is embedded in everyday life. At MASI Lugano—the Museo d’arte della Svizzera italiana—visitors explore collections that span antiquity to contemporary expressions, displayed within the elegant Palazzo Reali and the dynamic LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura center. These prestigious institutions are pivotal in showcasing classic Swiss and international contemporary art, offering exhibitions that stimulate reflection and aesthetic pleasure.

Venture beyond the city center and discover Montagnola, home to the Hermann Hesse Museum. Dedicated to the German literary giant Hermann Hesse, who lived and created here, the museum illustrates the profound influence this serene landscape had on his masterpieces, such as Siddhartha and The Glass Bead Game. An upcoming exhibition, "In Hesse's Gardens: On Compost, Art, and Mindfulness," promises to captivate visitors by linking the physical act of gardening with profound literary insight.

Unique Experiences Await

Lugano elevates traditional tourism by offering interactive and memorable experiences. For those seeking sensory engagement, Art-Alchemy presents a one-of-a-kind gin workshop, merging creativity with alchemical mysticism. Led by artist Gaba Müller and alchemist Mattia Regazzoni, participants craft their personalized gin and custom-designed bottles, creating tangible memories wrapped in a unique blend of artistry and aroma. Wine lovers and pottery enthusiasts find common ground in the "Wine and Clay" experience at Momento Ceramics. This activity pairs blind wine tastings with hands-on pottery, motivating participants to sculpt their creativity while savoring select local wines. It's an intimate moment of inspiration, taste, and of craftsmanship.

Gourmands are equally spoiled with the "Taste my Swiss City Lugano" experience, which provides a self-guided culinary journey through Lugano’s hidden culinary gems, featuring stops from traditional Gastronomia Bernasconi to sophisticated Grand Café al Porto. It’s an authentic exploration designed for those eager to taste the true flavor of Lugano beyond the typical tourist routes.

The View Lugano
Lugano Region

Villa Castagnola
Lugano Region

Natural Splendors and Scenic Routes

Lugano's nature invites exploration, boasting over 900 kilometers of hiking trails and 400 kilometers of mountain biking paths. Monte Brè offers breathtaking vistas from a height of 935 meters, including a glimpse of Lugano's twin mountain, the iconic Monte San Salvatore. The charming artist village Brè entices visitors with quaint stone houses and enchanting alleyways leading down to Gandria, a historic fishermen’s village.

Back in Lugano’s heart, the Parco Ciani offers floral abundance and lake views, culminating in the bustling Piazza della Riforma, where pastel-hued palaces frame idyllic evening aperitivos. Here, one discovers the essence of Lugano’s Italian soul expressed through architectural grace and the rich palette of regional cuisine.

To fully embrace Lugano’s luxury, your accommodations should match the destination’s grandeur:

The View Lugano – A contemporary retreat that epitomizes exclusivity. Set atop a hillside, each suite offers spectacular panoramic views of Lake Lugano, blending modern design with impeccable comfort.

Villa Castagnola – Housed in a historic villa surrounded by lush gardens, this elegant hotel merges Mediterranean charm with Swiss precision. It’s renowned for its fine dining and cultural refinement, offering guests a stay that’s both relaxing and inspiring.

Hotel Principe Leopoldo – A residence of noble origins, Hotel Principe Leopoldo exudes classic luxury. Overlooking the lake and mountains, it provides guests with impeccable service, outstanding cuisine, and an ambiance of timeless elegance.

Monte Bre Primavera and Monte Brè
Lugano Region

Lugano offers an exceptional luxury experience, where art, culinary delights, and nature harmoniously merge. Sophistication is present in every sun-drenched vista and elegantly plated dish. Lugano awaits—ready to enchant you with its blend of Swiss precision and Italian joie de vivre. It is a luxurious discovery, crafted from the essence of unforgettable experiences. Enjoy!

visit Lugano Region www.luganoregion.com