SUMMER REPORT

Nothing beats summers in the Mediterranean and for this year we have the latest, so you can already start planning for next year.
Over in Paris suite # 417 at the Ritz is the best suite we have seen in a long time in the city (at 2000 Euros per night is actually a pretty good price compared to the competition) and nothing beats the pool at the Ritz during the hot summer. During fashion week La Societe gets crowed with celebrities, the Salmon da Rosa and the tender Bouef are a most here. For long stays in Paris there is nothing better than the apartments with full hotel service and clear view of the TE of La Reserve. Speaking about La Reserve and moving on to the French Riviera, La Reserve also opened its doors in Ramatuelle (st tropez) and it is without competition the best hotel there. If you are traveling for a few days and with no kids the hotel will work just fine, but for the best experience with friends or families, stay for a week in one of the 4 or 5 bedrooms villas and you will be able to completely relax in a spectacular surrounding without the bust of St Trop but close enough for a lunch at the wonderful Palmiers, the always present club 55, or a crazy night at Les Caves du Roy, otherwise stay at home and enjoy the brilliant Spa.
Moving up north the Eden Rock still a classic with the sexiest pool of the Riviera, and just before arriving to Monaco Le Cap Estel is facing strong competition with the relaunch of the super chic Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, without a doubt the most beautiful scenery of the Cote Azure is Cap Ferrat and now the Grand Hotel has super luxurious (and well expensive) rooms with its quintessentially club Dauphine and a new super Spa. Try the lasagna with Caviar at is Cap restaurant and don’t miss a romantic dinner at Paloma Plage.
Changing the Mediterranean sea for the Lake Garda, Villa Feltrinelli is a special place for a relax weekend. Arrive in style with a nice car from exclusive rent ideally a new phantom convertible or the always fun F. Rosso, Venture to the Opera in the Fabulous close by Arena de Verona, swing by the lake watching the sunset in a classic Riva and rest in the best turn down service anywhere in the world before jumping to la Dolce Vita, to one of our favorite places anywhere in the world JK Capri. Capri is relaxed yet chic and unpretentious. Arrive in style by helicopter to avoid the busy Scafos, if you can stay on a Boat it will be ideal to combine with the Pristine Aeolian Islands otherwise The wonderful JK will do more than fine with a residential feeling of the spectacular design from Michele Bonan & trainees by the elegant Owner Ori Kafri, remain as good as when they opened their doors 2 years ago. Try to secure the Master room # 16 with a lovely view and ideal space, the best night out restaurant remains Aurora with the famous Pizza Al Aqua our favorite store, Tonino’s

100% Capri and the ladies can’t stop buying the custom made Sandals at Da Constanzo, for lunch La Fontelina still a winner when it comes to sea side lunch, modest yet fabulous ask for Nicola to get the best table, and don’t miss the Gamberi crudo (raw shrimps) and if they have Riccio (sea urchin) they are to die for, spaghetti Vongole and spaghetti with Riccio and the best white wine sangria of Italy, make sure to arrive by boat with young charming captain Gianluca in the classic 32’ Imago and after lunch venture to the different grottas for a wonderful Swim. It’s true that June and September are less crowed but it’s also true that the water is much pleasant during July and August; another good sea side restaurant in Amalfi, Conca del Sogno very convenient for those in Positano and also Capri, we will never chose Positano over Capri but one night will not hurt, it remains to touristy but undeniable lovely and of course our first choice will be the romantic Sirenuse with it’s lovely sunset.

We headed down to Sicily to see the newly opened Verdura Resort by Rocco Forte which is one chain that we applaud as they are definitely doing a good work worldwide. Verdura if you like resorts has a great potential, especially for families with kids, great golf, and the biggest Spa in Europe with state of the art facility’s will be their second biggest asset of the property, the pool lacks ambience and you don’t feel in Italy, service needs a lot of work (like every new property) but at least we saw the good will on their employees. Dinner is far better than lunch, the best shrimp tartar that we’ve tried anywhere. We will definitely not come all the way from America just to this destination but if you are in the area and would like to visit the famous Ruins of Sicily and play some golf you won’t be disappointed.

Sardinia saw the opening of the new Billionaire’s Beach club following the success of the night club, and the beach club is even better, with the right crowd and very selective. Still no good hotels in the area (even with the astrotophic rates) so unless you are on a boat don’t even bother.
Finally the number one Ranked hotel in the world by many, the “George V” in Paris is without any doubts a fantastic hotel! Our number one? I don’t think so. Where to start, I don’t like its façade compare to the Opulent place Vendome or the chic Montaigne (yet very close) the bathrooms in all the rooms are the same as they are in Mexico and in many other city’s (they lack character) specially if we are talking about the # 1 hotel in the world, rooms are perfectly comfortable but they lack any wao factor, the Spa Pool is too small, but I love that they use 100% natural Sodashi products, I don’t see why they charge you $300 for a cream that cost $50 online, service in their restaurants to slow and pricey, and I hate the fact that they almost charge you to breath, when it comes to number one I get very critic as nothing but the best will do. On the positive side, overall service is really good so good that sometimes bothers, the house keeper goes six times per day to check if the rooms is ok, the flower arrangements are definitely the nicest in the world and creates and overall ambience that is hard to surpass, everybody recognizes you by name, and the courtesy car should be implemented by many hotels, so far only the George V and FS NY have this privilege. And the list of details can continue.

I hope this will guide you for your future summer plans and look forward to share much more experiences together.

Warm regards,