Relais & Châteaux, a collection of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants, has added 11 properties to its portfolio.
The properties span across Africa (Botswana), the U.S. (Louisiana), Europe (Spain, Romania, and France), the Middle East (Israel and Egypt), and Asia (China and India).
Africa
Located on Botswana’s Okavango Delta—one of the largest inland deltas in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site—is Relais & Châteaux Sitatunga Private Island, an exclusive retreat encircled by narrow waterways winding toward the vast Okavango swamps in the south.
To build the two guest suites and two-bedroomed villa, wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert employed recycled wood wherever possible to protect the environment and honor local traditions. The canvas-constructed accommodations, each with a private veranda and pool, are raised above the ground and were designed to hang in large bamboo and wood “fishing baskets,” as a nod to the local fishermen. The interiors feature a mix of natural woods, linens, and soft touches.
Relais & Châteaux Sitatunga Private Island in Botswana
United States
In the late 1980s, chef Emeril Lagasse opened his flagship restaurant, Emeril’s, in New Orleans. Fast forward three decades later, enthroned as an acclaimed American celebrity chef and author, Lagasse has handed the reins off to his son, Emeril John IV, as the restaurant underwent renovations and became a new member of Relais & Châteaux.
Europe
Relais & Châteaux Finca La Donaira, perched above the Serranía de Ronda in Andalusia, Spain, is nestled deep in farming country spanning more than 1,700 acres. Designed as an all-inclusive experience, the property comprises a restored farmhouse and outbuildings renovated with natural materials. The nine rooms and suites of the farm feature preserved exposed stone and whitewashed walls that are complemented with colorful, rustic rugs and a mix of rural and contemporary furniture.
Surrounded by forests and meadows in Transylvania, Romania, Relais & Châteaux Matca Hotel is a traditional farm concept boasting 16 rooms and two independent villas in outbuildings with pointed shingle roofs. Each of the rooms are defined by white walls, light wood, and warm fabrics.
Relais & Châteaux Les Lumières in Versailles
Arriving later this summer in Versailles, France is Relais & Châteaux Les Lumières. The 31-key hotel, housed within two 17th-century pavilions, showcases contemporary décor akin to the welcoming comfort of a private residence.
Chef Laurent Petit and his wife Martine will launch Relais & Châteaux Le Clos Vauban in Langres, France this October. The boutique retreat will open with eight rooms (inclusive of four suites) in a 19th-century residence, which was formerly an officers’ mess hall.
The third French property to join Relais & Châteaux is the 23-room Château Sainte Sabine. Housed in a grand 16th-century residence situated on 20 wooden acres, the property is fashioned with antique furnishings, toile de jouy, and historic prints that imbue each of its rooms and suites with the understated charm of aristocratic homes of the past.
Middle East
The recently renovated Relais & Châteaux the Drisco Tel Aviv is one of the oldest hotels in Israel. Century-old frescoes adorn the walls of the lounge and bar, which was once frequented by some of the great writers of the 19th century. The elegant décor of the 40 guestrooms (including four suites) lends the property an intimate and peaceful atmosphere.
Relais & Châteaux La Maison Bleue
Relais & Châteaux La Maison Bleue in El Gouna, Egypt stretches grandly along a private lagoon near the Red Sea. This adults-only, 13-suite establishment draws architectural inspiration from Italy and North Africa, with nods to the Golden Age. Towering colonnades topped by Corinthian capitals, floors of marble and precious parquet, and coffered ceilings richly adorned with frescoes are found onsite.
RELATED: Laurent Gardinier on Relais & Châteaux’s Evolution
Asia
In Asia, Relais & Châteaux Sitara Himalaya is an opulent hideaway perched on a slope 8,200 feet above India’s Kullu Valley. Each of the 10 guestrooms feature a blend of local craftsmanship and English influences. Tibetan rugs, handwoven brocade panels, and hand-painted murals are placed alongside comfortable sofas upholstered in floral chintz or tartans.
King’s Joy, a Relais & Châteaux venue in Beijing, China, is the first vegetarian restaurant in the world to be awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide and one Green Star for sustainability. The restaurant occupies a group of traditional buildings surrounding a central patio. Inside, the dining room is bathed in natural light from the large glass roof, while spaces separated by openwork panels in wood look out onto a bamboo forest.
Relais & Châteaux Sitara Himalaya in India
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