Lake Como’s latest luxury addition: EDITION
Few can resist the beauty of the lake described by Virgil as Italy’s greatest. It’s been the playground of the rich and famous since Roman times, and you might do worse than look to HBO hit Succession for your anthropological guide to today’s Como. The latest reason to visit will be the new Edition hotel, which re-envisions the faded glory of the Britannia Excelsior Hotel in the small town of Cadenabbia on the west shores of the lake. Highlights will include two penthouse suites, a floating pool and restaurants with breathtaking views of Lake Como and the Bellagio mountains.
Portugal as you’ve never seen it before: MAST stilt houses
Stilts aren’t just for the Maldives. In Portugal, 50km south of Lisbon, a new hotel formed of 50 houses on stilts is being built in an abandoned salt lagoon. Located on the Sado Estuary, this delicate landscape surrounded by Atlantic pine forests and rice paddies is home to a resident population of bottlenose dolphins, saltbush plants and brine shrimp that attract flocks of flamingos and oystercatchers. The salina is being transformed into an eco-conscious tourist destination by Copenhagen-based architecture studio MAST with 50 hectares becoming a nature reserve (see first image). The stilt houses will be prefabricated off-site using Portuguese cross-laminated timber to avoid impacting the environment and will add much- needed tourist accommodation. The houses, the first of which are scheduled to open to guests in late 2025, will be reached via boat, kayak or a series of bridges that connect with local nature trails. An old salt production building will become a restaurant and spa, and a new birdwatching tower will deliver views across the wetlands and seafront.
#yachtlife: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
The one per cent’s holiday favourite shows no signs of losing appeal. But, if you’re not a billionaire, the next best thing is the hotel superyacht. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection was launched in 2022 to give guests everything they love about the hotels (first-class service, world-class design, outstanding restaurants), but at sea. The Ilma (pictured) is its second yacht. And in July, its third ship, Luminara, will launch with a summer of sailing along the coastlines of Portofino and the Côte d’Azur to Barcelona, while the winter will be spent in the Asia Pacific. The ten-deck, 242m superyacht is large enough for 226 suites (up to 452 guests) – with five restaurants, six bars, a wine vault, three pools and a spa – but still small enough to feel intimate. A platform at the stern allows for kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkelling. In the evenings, there’s live music, hand-rolled cigars at the humidor, cocktails and stargazing from the observation terrace.
Mérida’s historical home: Hotel Sevilla
Far from the clamour of Cancún, Mérida is known for its Mayan heritage, colonial architecture, cuisine and cenotes. In the oldest part of the city is a villa with its roots in the 16th century, which will reopen as Hotel Sevilla under the auspices of Mexican boutique pioneer, Grupo Habita. Its architecture and interiors have been reimagined by Mexico/Berlin architecture studio Zeller & Moye (whose work includes the Apple campus through to earthquake-resistant housing in Mexico City). The promise is a renovation that “maintains the raw structures of the historical building as ruins”. There will be 17 rooms, four suites, a spa, a pool, a sub-tropical garden, a restaurant, a lounge, a bar, a library, and several street-level stores.
A city landmark: Fairmont Golden Prague
The 1970s Brutalist Fairmont Golden Prague remained the city’s best hotel until well after the fall of communism in 1989. The latest renovation promises to rebuild its reputation, adding a rooftop Michelin-starred restaurant taking in Prague’s 100 spires, and long-term residences that attract visiting Hollywood crews. Art remains key. As general manager Gerhard Struger explains, “Alongside the painstaking restoration of original artworks, we’ve added a layer of modern artisanal skills, including dozens of new chandeliers from different Czech glassmakers – a skill that’s on the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity list.” The hotel sits on Miloš Forman Square, named after the Czech director of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Don’t miss the intricate chandelier made of glass pills in the Cuckoo’s Nest Bar.
Nine-room Cypriot splendour: Amyth of Nicosia
Nicosia is a mix of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot cultures, packed with museums and art galleries that celebrate the country’s heritage. Located within mediaeval Venetian walls, Amyth of Nicosia is an intimate nine-room hotel in a 100-year-old villa dating to the early 20th century and where architectural details, decorative ceilings and walls, as well as the vintage tiled floor and grand staircase, have all been exquisitely renovated. Book a stay at the sister property, Almyra in the coastal town of Paphos for a two-destination break.
