Relais & Châteaux is delighted to announce 13 new properties have joined the association, four of which will open in 2019. This is the first time Relais & Châteaux has given membership to hotels and restaurants before they have launched. Each of these properties embodies the values of the association: being committed to preserving local heritage and the environment while offering unique experiences and quality service in exceptional settings. From walking in Mark Twain’s footsteps in Bermuda to tasting the history of the Mornington Peninsula through cuisine served in Melbourne to the return of the Alajmo brothers in Italy, Relais & Châteaux unveils its thirteen newest members, all with singular and inspiring histories to share.
Grantley Hall, Grantley (United Kingdom) – Opening in June 2019
Grantley Hall, located near UNESCO World Heritage site Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, is a distinctly different luxury hotel and wellness retreat, set against the stunning backdrop of the Dales. Built in 1680 and surrounded by beautiful landscaped grounds, Grantley Hall features 47 exquisite rooms and suites with Lalique toiletries, a tranquil spa with indoor swimming pool and extensive spa facilities. The property has a diverse range of restaurants from British to pan-Asian, creating an endless variety of delicious gourmet experiences for guests to savour. Owner Valeria Sykes is passionate about restoring the Grade II listed mansion house back to its original splendour and making the most of all the wonderful produce and resources available in her native Yorkshire.
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Hotel Plaza e de Russie, Viareggio (Italy) – Opening in June 2019
Built in 1874 in the historic city centre and boasting a sea view, the Hotel Plaza e de Russie was the first hotel to open for business in Viareggio. It once hosted members of the Russian nobility, who spent their holidays on the beaches of Versilia. From the crystal-clear waters of Elba Island to Cinque Terre and the surrounding medieval villages, visitors can make the most of this idyllic location to explore a captivating region in a minimum of time. The hotel, with Murano chandeliers and antique furniture as décor, has forty-four elegant guest rooms and a restaurant with a panoramic view (Lunasia, with one Michelin star). Chef Luca Landi’s gourmet Mediterranean cuisine gives pride of place to seafood and local ingredients.
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Palais Ronsard, Marrakech (Morocco) – Opening in February 2019
Tucked away in Marrakech’s Palmeraie, surrounded by lush greenery, is Palais Ronsard which stands majestic with its 1930s inspired facade. With interiors using contemporary and traditional materials, wall frescoes and custom-made furniture blending Baroque, neo-Moorish and even Art Deco create an oasis of tranquil refinement. The Palais has twenty-two suites and six rooms in pavilions with gardens and pools, all in intimate harmony with the luxuriant surroundings. Shaded lanes meander beside shimmering waters as waterfalls whisper and murmur nearby. The restaurant reinterprets Moroccan dishes with a light and delicate touch for an entrancing dining experience.
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Blackberry Mountain, Tennessee (United States) – Opening in February 2019
In wild imposing natural surroundings, the owners of Blackberry Farm will open a property that prioritises overall wellness, outdoor adventure and inner serenity. Rooms take the form of cabins and cottages designed to disconnect from the world and reconnect with oneself. The hotel’s two restaurants (Firetower and Three Sisters) both have sublime views and serve the creations from Chef Josh Feathers who uses healthy ingredients and combines local flavours and culinary techniques. The property will also launch a large underground spa offering Ayurvedic treatments.
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Rosedon Hotel, Bermuda (Caribbean)
A five-minute walk from the capital and a short distance from the beach, the Rosedon Hotel has made its home in a listed house of archetypal Bermudian style. Each of the forty rooms decorated by artist Lee K. Petty has its own unique style. For seventy years, the tropical garden has been home to gigantic bird of paradise plants, banana trees, hibiscus and frangipani. Leisure activities are available in abundance, from golf to boat outings to traditional, English-style afternoon tea. The Huckleberry Restaurant, named as homage to author Mark Twain, who loved Bermuda, is renowned for its steamed mussels and the gluten-free menus Chef Matthew Weber prepares upon request.
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Le Calandre Restaurant, Rubano (Italy) – 3 Michelin stars
Founded in 1981 by two culinary enthusiasts, Erminio Alajmo and his wife Rita Chimetto, Le Calandre is now run by Raf and Max, their two sons. After after honing his skills in the kitchens of Alfredo Chiocchetti, Marc Veyrat and Michel Guerard, Max became chef at Le Calandre in 1994. Nine years later, he was awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide. The Alajmo family’s emblematic restaurant is a worthy, wondrous establishment serving extremely creative cuisine.
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Ristorante Quadri, Venice (Italy) – 1 Michelin star
The Ristorante Quadri, another Alajmo Group property, is in one of Venice’s most beautiful old cafés with a unparalleled views of Piazza San Marco. In the poetic interior décor by Philippe Starck, the authentic Venetian cuisine by Silvio Giavedoni enjoys a modern touch, all served in a setting given new life by magicians of style and taste.
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Château de Drudas, Drudas (France)
The Château de Drudas in the country’s Occitanie region is a listed historic monument occupying an 18th-century residence. Owners Jean and Françoise Rossi have completely renovated the building in keeping with the style of that era. Stucco, ornamentation, friezes, frescoes, parquet floors and precious wall hangings give the place inimitable charm. The castle has twenty-three rooms, including six duplex suites, and a spa offering a choice of Californian, Ayurvedic or Swedish massages and even Hawaiian lomilomi. Michelin-starred Chef Éric Sampietro creates a gourmet menu that places priority on plants.
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Dragsholm Slot, Hørve (Denmark) – 1 Michelin star
The castle was built in the mid-13th century by the Bishop of Roskilde. Though renovated in the 20th century, Dragsholm Slot is one of the oldest castles in Denmark. Geopark Odsherred, which surrounds Dragsholm Castle, was the first of its kind in Denmark to be designated as an internationally recognised Geopark in 2014 under UNESCO. It now has thirty-four guest rooms, two restaurants and a church. A superb herb garden dating back to the castle’s earliest days, as well as fertile fields surrounding the property, give Chef Claus Henriksen the freedom to create his eco-friendly cuisine that changes with the seasons. Inside the castle and nearby, guests can enjoy a wide range of activities, from wine tastings and guided forest walks to flower-arranging workshops.
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Gaggan restaurant, Bangkok (Thailand) – 2 Michelin stars
Gaggan, a restaurant in central Bangkok, serves creative cuisine in a whitewashed, colonial-style wooden house. Chef Anand Gaggan, who came to Bangkok on a short-term consulting assignment, fell in love with the city and has never left Thailand since. With a menu reflecting his recollections of street food and the diversity of regional Indian cuisines, his restaurant now ranks fifth in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, first on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list and has two Michelin stars. Dining there is an unforgettable experience.
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The Purist Villas & Spa, Bali, Ubud (Indonesia)
The Purist Villas & Spa, surrounded by rice fields and lush vegetation, instantly inspire feelings of serenity and harmony. All the guest rooms, arranged in villas, are elegantly decorated with natural materials and local artwork from the personal collection of owners Yvonne Hulst and Alberto Cortes. Ubud, celebrated for its medicinal plants and herbs, is a place unlike any other. The hotel’s restaurant, Café Balisimo, is overseen by Chef I Wayan Putu, who cooks up nutritious, season-specific menus crafted with the region’s best and freshest ingredients. The spa offers a range of specialised Ayurveda treatments to bring both body and mind back into balance.
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Restaurant Sühring, Bangkok (Thailand) – 2 Michelin stars
After years of working in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, twin brothers and Chefs Thomas and Mathias Sühring opened their restaurant Sühring in 2016 in a charming 1970s villa in downtown Bangkok. The establishment, already awarded two Michelin stars and ranked fourth on the 2018 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, has an atmosphere that is both casual and elegant. The brothers’ concept was to create an at-home ambiance in which guests can experience cuisine inspired by Germany, their travels and their childhood memories.
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Laura at Pt. Leo Estate, Merricks (Australia)
Laura, which opened in March 2018, was named after Jaume Plensa’s celebrated 30-tonne cast iron sculpture. In keeping with the moniker, the team serves fine cuisine in a modern and elegant setting within the exceptional Pt. Leo Estate, surrounded by its own vineyard and sculpture park. The dishes are the culinary creations of Culinary Director Phil Wood. The tasting menu is the gourmet expression of the Mornington Peninsula, crafted from the region’s finest ingredients and producers: duck eggs from Heritage Farm, goat’s milk from Main Ridge Dairy and vegetables from Benton Rise Farm. Head Sommelier Andrew Murch adds his epicurean expertise to this Mornington Peninsula culinary journey with his bespoke wine list.
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