OPENINGS
What a wonderful world!
LA FANTAISIE PARIS, FRANCE
In the 9th arrondissement in the heart of the Faubourg-Montmartre neighborhood, on Rue Cadet, named after brothers Jacques and Jean Cadet who were 16th century gardeners and supplied the royal court with fruits and vegetables, is where you will find La Fantaisie, which opened July 1st.
The hotel’s design is “the dream of the garden brought to life” to quote, well, them, and intended to be a switch-off from the hustle and bustle of urban life. There are 63 rooms and 10 suites set by the Swedish designer, Martin Brudniziki, who claims he took his inspiration from nature, which, you know, everyone says, and, really, isn’t that great a leap of imagination. Wining and dining is under the direction of Dominique Crenn, the only female chef awarded three Michelin stars in the US. This is her homecoming and her vision revolves around local and sustainable products, and zero plastic and waste. If the food is as good as you’d think, there surely won’t be any waste there. And yes, there is a spa, and it’s sympatico with the whole sustainability vibe.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG CENTER QUEENS, NEW YORK, USA
The Louis Armstrong Center, at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, New York, opened July 6, to further preserve the legacy of America’s music icon, with a permanent home for the 60,000-piece Louis Armstrong Archive. Located across the street from the Museum, the 14,000 square feet building features Here to Stay, an exhibition of Armstrong’s phenomenal and trailblazing career, and has a 75 seat theater for films, performances, community events and lectures.
https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/our-new-center/
RECENTLY OPENED
1 HOTEL MAYFAIR LONDON UK
1 Hotels, a nature-inspired — oh, wow! What took everyone so long to figure this out! Nature is literally life — luxury lifestyle brand, opened their UK flagship in London this month, their first property in Europe. 1 Hotel Mayfair is located on Berkeley Street, overlooking Green Park and walking distance from Bond Street, Piccadilly and Buckingham Palace (you need an invitation to get inside the last one).
Built and refurbished from two existing buildings, the property has 181 rooms and 44 suites and 35 of the suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor spaces looking onto the park. Dining is Dovetale, the restaurant and garden terrace, wining is Dover Yard, a cocktail bar, and Neighbours the lobby bar and café.
https://www.1hotels.com/mayfair
UNDER CANVAS NORTH YELLOWSTONE, PARADISE VALLEY, MONTANA
Under Canvas have just opened their 11th luxury camp, just 45 minutes from Bozeman. Situated in 50 acres with a mile of exclusive riverfront access of the Yellowstone River, there’s fishing and floating right outside your tent. Well, when I say “tent”, these king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms with hot shower and toilet that flushes, and wood-burning stoves and more, with breathtaking views of the Absaroka Mountain Range, redefine “glamping.” Or properly defines it in the first place. Whatever.
In the evening, gather around the firepit under the vast open sky and watch the stars, and see what they look like without light pollution!
https://www.undercanvas.com/camps/north-yellowstone/
COMING SOON
NOBO HOTEL SAN SEBASTIAN, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN
San Sebastian is renowned for its Basque cuisine and boasts the second most Michelin stars per capita in the world, and is widely considered the greatest gastronomic destination in Spain. This is defensible. And now add the latest Nobo Hotel, overlooking La Concha beach, with 13 guestrooms and 4 suites designed with Basque craftsmanship and Japanese style. There is a signature Nobu restaurant serving “new” style, Japanese cuisine (newer than the last new, one imagines), with views of the ocean. On the second floor try the bar and terrace for drinks.
And, of course, there is a gym. (Hahaha! Like you’re going there for the gym… Seriously, enjoy the food, sleep in, worry about the gym when you get home.)
https://sansebastian.nobuhotels.com/
THE PENINSULA LONDON, ENGLAND
1 Grosvenor Place, London SW1, is one of the most prestigious addresses in London and now it belongs to the new Peninsula hotel, opening in September. The architecture and design were apparently conceived to embody the best British craftsmanship — a term with a wide open interpretation — and to blend with the heritage buildings of Belgravia. There will be 190 guestrooms and suites, plus 25 luxury residences (snap one up!) bars, restaurants and lounges, all centered around an off-street courtyard designed in the style of a beautiful English garden. This is where you check-in.
Also on the ground floor, if you want to do a bit of shopping but don’t feel like walking far, there is an arcade with nine boutiques, but if you want to walk to Harrods, or the boutiques of Bond Street, they’re just about 15 minutes away.
A 25 meter indoor swimming pool will be open later this year. Just in time for winter! The English are wits.
https://www.peninsula.com/en/london/5-star-luxury-hotel-belgravia
