Herbonto

14/09/2022

Fifteen years ago, the tragic passing of Bernard Loiseau, one of France’s most iconic chefs, could have meant the end of his legacy. Instead, it led to a new chapter in his budding hospitality empire with his wife, Dominique, at the helm. Over time, she turned the Relais Bernard Loiseau, a five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel and double-Michelin-starred table in the sleepy town of Saulieu into a luxury retreat. But culinary stars are a dwindling draw these days and Madame Loiseau knew she needed something more than exquisite food to entice travelers to stopover for more than a night. Transforming the property’s formerly modest spa into a four-story fantasyland of wellness and organic dining was risky for such a small town but paid off. Villa Loiseau des Sens, the 16,000-square-foot balneotherapy spa is set within a modern, Morvan oak–paneled lodge with all the right amenities: indoor pools, massage alcoves, water bikes, ten treatment rooms, an area dedicated to skin exfoliation, and a laid-back neo-bistro. But it’s the 700-square-foot private spa suite outfitted with a steam room and sauna with panoramic views of the Auxois mountains that make it worth a full weekend escape.

14/09/2022

Slopeside bragging rights weren’t enough for Wes Edens, the billionaire hedge-fund titan and visionary behind Caldera House. His eight-suite dream hotel at Jackson Hole had to be tramside, with north-facing rooms actually looking out upon Big Red, the 100-passenger aerial shuttle going up and down the peaks. Edens and his three ski-addicted business partners spent six years and nearly $100 million building their ultimate adventure base, culminating in a collection of penthouse-like suites that feel like private chalets masquerading as a hotel. L.A.-based studio Commune and local architects Carney Logan Burke collaborated on the American Craftsman-meets-alpine-hideaway interiors, and perks include an on-site gear shop and the largest ski lockers in the country. Wanting to embrace the community, Edens opened an outpost of universally loved Italian restaurant Old Yellowstone Garage on the second floor and curated a team of regional legends, including Olympic skiers, to help create guest experiences.

14/09/2022

Surrounded by the most splendid gardens on the Amalfi Coast, this historic Ravello property can trace its origins back to the 11th century. The villa was largely rebuilt in the early 1900s by Lord Grimthorpe (an English co-designer of Big Ben), and it soon attracted the likes of Virginia Woolf, Greta Garbo, and E.M. Forster. The sumptuously decorated suites include vaulted ceilings, Majolica tile floors, and cheerful frescoes. Michelin-starred restaurant Il Flauto di Pan serves elegant twists on homestyle local dishes, such as white rabbit ragù and marinated Cetara anchovies. But the villa’s simplest delight is also its most spectacular: Gore Vidal once said that the view from the garden’s belvedere was the most beautiful place in the world.

06/09/2022

Legend holds that on his pilgrimage across Asia, the Buddha stopped to rest where the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers merge, in the middle of what we now know as Luang Prabang. He prophesied that a rich and powerful metropolis would rise along these banks. Though that apex only lasted from the 14th to the 16th century, this Kingdom of a Million Elephants lived on for architect Bill Bensley, who celebrated this era at Rosewood’s low-slung riverside retreat. Minimalist it is not. Hilltop tents overflow with romantic touches—chubby camp beds, clawfoot tubs, silk and velvet accents. At riverfront villas, the rush of water somersaulting over time-smoothed boulders acts as nature’s alarm clock for an early morning meditation with monk-in-residence Sommaiy. Deep community ties mean guests take tea with Tiao Somsanith Nithakhong, a local royal turned patron of lost Lao arts, or join a procession of 800 saffron-clad novices gliding through rice fields and primary forests for a private blessing ceremony. Rosewood’s elephant figurine–festooned cocktail bar is a delightful aerie arched over the waterfall, and make sure to ask to see the secret boutique, stocked with finds like kaleidoscopic scarves woven by a cooperative of young disabled Laotians who are some of the town’s most promising artisans.

06/09/2022

Dublin’s Docklands are known as the “Silicon Docks,” with the European headquarters of Facebook, Google, and Airbnb all taking up residence here. The Marker Hotel, a sleek geometric building in the middle of Grand Canal Square, is the district’s unofficial landmark. There’s a hip vibe throughout, from the light-filled lobby to the bedrooms bursting with pops of color. The moodily lit infinity pool is the best in the city, with a eucalyptus-scented steam room. Open seasonally, the rooftop bar has killer views of the city and as far out as the Dublin mountains. Guests have guaranteed access—and you're guaranteed to make friends with the bartenders.

06/09/2022

All things cozy and Austrian meet in this legendary inn, which first welcomed guests in the 15th century and now lists Prince Charles among its loyal fans. The hotel is in the heart of the medieval old town, surrounded by shops displaying wrought-iron guild signs. You can walk to pretty much anything, including Mozart’s birthplace, just down the street. Because driving can be a hassle—pedestrian-only areas, inscrutable road signs—you’re better off taking the train from Vienna or Munich. If it wasn’t so authentic, you’d swear a set designer had orchestrated the vaulted ceilings, antique farmers’ furniture, stag heads, and staff in lederhosen and dirndls.

06/09/2022

There is nothing that does not dazzle at the Santa Caterina, hewn from a cliffside off the staggeringly stunning Amalfi Coast—and even on looks alone, we’d have to agree. Terraces cleaved from natural rock formations and sprinkled with citrus groves and assorted gardens appear with astonishing regularity around every turn, ready to lend themselves to a quiet moment. The interiors are vaguely reminiscent of one of the island’s little Catholic churches—white walls, white linens, vaulted ceilings, gold-hued curtains, little baroque wooden chairs, and tiled floors decked out in primary colors—pretty angelic, really, and not a bad vibe to gravitate toward when you're seeking a peaceful stay away (you could also try the spa!). Some rooms feature ceramic accents and charming family heirlooms, and all bathrooms benefit from Bvlgari toiletries.

01/09/2022

The pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by gardens like a Jane Austen film set. On the grounds there’s a personable cottage for weekending families, a world-class equestrian center, and a serious cooking school. But you don’t have to whip up your own supper. Chef Hywel Jones plates up exquisite food in his eponymous restaurant. That in itself is a reason to stay. So are the roaring fires, the paneled libraries, the canopied four-poster beds, and the moody oil paintings. A purposeful drive in recent years to make the place feel less formal has resulted in a cheery bounce in the staff's step, a raising of chatter levels to almost a hum in the evenings, and a relaxed atmosphere where you can wear your robe down to the ESPA spa and back again without feeling like a terrible slob. Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates. This country retreat feels resonant and rooted, delightfully British to the core.

01/09/2022

Opened in 1910 as the Bellevue Hotel, the downtown Beaux-Arts building has a long history of welcoming visitors to San Francisco. But when it re-opened in 2018 with a fresh redesign by Perkins + Will, a new era began. The rooms are decorated with expressive pops of color, statement walls, and a collection of furniture that seems to know no decade. Active travelers will be glad to hear that each room comes with its own yoga mat, and free bike rentals help you cruise around and explore the city with ease.

01/09/2022

01/09/2022