Aperture

🥂 Palermitan entrepreneurs Giuseppe Costanza, Gioele Errera, and Giorgio Naselli are set to open Vermuteria on May 14, dedicated to vermouth—a wine infused with herbs and spices originating from 18th century Turin. Vermuteria will offer a vast selection of vermouths and is designed as a sophisticated, multisensory experience, featuring live music sets and a unique interior. This new venue extends the trio's successful ventures, including the cocktail bar "I Corrieri" and the pizzeria "Caddìa – Condivisioni culinarie," further cementing their reputation in Palermo's gastronomy scene. Located at Piazza Cattolica n. 5, 90133 Palermo, Vermuteria aims to create an unparalleled experience combining refined drinking and quality music.

🎉 The ORGANICS SkyGarden in Milan unveils its "Tropical Menu Equatore," a mixology and gastronomic experience celebrating tropical and equatorial flavors. Food options include dishes from Kenya, Ecuador, Brazil, Kiribati, and Colombia, alongside tropical-inspired desserts like manioc balls from Congo. The Equatore drink list features exclusive cocktails with international ingredients. Available every evening from 18:00 to 00:00, with the kitchen open until 22:30, at Hyatt Centric Milan Centrale, Via G.B. Pirelli, 20. The SkyGarden offers a taste and atmosphere journey on Milan's spectacular terrace.

🍴 "Futura", Rome's first independent restaurant by Chef Anastasia Paris, born in 1994 in Celano (L'Aquila), opened on April 9 in Rione Monti at Via Panisperna 222a. With just 20 seats, half arranged around the chef's table overlooking the open kitchen, the intimate restaurant reflects her extensive experience across Italy and abroad, including Australia. The evolving menu consists of 8-9 fixed dishes changing bi-monthly and 5-6 rotating weekly specials, accompanied by a wine selection of 50-60 labels starting at 20 euros, curated by partner Luigi Carofilis.

🏠 Helvetia & Bristol of Starhotels Collezione introduced two new panoramic suites on the fifth floor, with views of Florence landmarks. Suite 560 (66 sqm) overlooks Brunelleschi's dome and Giotto's bell tower, while Suite 550 (74 sqm) offers a glass balcony with city views. Both suites mix classic elegance and contemporary design, featuring traditional Florentine craftsmanship. Exclusive room service partnerships include Cibrèo and Iginio Massari Alta Pasticceria. Starhotels recently secured a 10-year, €350 million financing deal with a banking pool to replace the previous €460 million loan due in 2027, focusing on maintaining and enhancing their portfolio, acquiring new hotels, and signing new management contracts.

🏡 Maison MUSA, created by MUSA Lago di Como, offers four independent villas with 4 to 12 beds, providing hotel amenities with the privacy of a home. Guests can enjoy personalized meals by ROTEO chefs, private cooking classes, wellness treatments from MUSA Beauty, and exclusive services such as boat tours and butler services, all with a panoramic view of Lake Como. Maison MUSA aims for a tailored experience that blends luxury, discretion, and authenticity on Lake Como.

🍰 Pastry chef Rocco Cannavino, known as "Zio Rocco," is opening his first Roman Lab Store on Thursday, May 8, at Via Alessandria 112, operating from 8 PM to 2 AM. The shop will feature high-quality leavened products, including ten types of customizable creams and various croissant styles. Zio Rocco, with a presence in Naples and Pomigliano d'Arco, aims for international expansion with his brothers. Ten staff were hired for the Rome opening, focusing on artisanal products and local collaborations. Zio Rocco, born in 1984, has been recognized by Italia Squisita, featured on Food Network's "Dolci di notte," and has worked with chef Ernst Knam. He's also known for inventing "brioche pandoro" and has a strong social media following.

🏖️ St. Regis Hotels & Resorts launched its first property in the Dominican Republic at the exclusive enclave of Cap Cana, Punta Cana. The hotel, designed by Acebal Canney Arquitectos & Asociados with interior design by Crafted by Chapi Design, features 200 rooms, including 36 swim-up suites and a 600 square meter presidential suite. It includes four pools, a Kids and Youth Club, nine restaurants, a spa with 14 treatment rooms, a fitness center, and 650 square meters of event space. Golf enthusiasts can enjoy the nearby Jack Nicklaus signature Punta Espada course. George Fleck, senior vice president, expressed excitement and plans to double their resort portfolio in the next decade.

🏠 Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) welcomed 25 new properties in Q1 2025, following a record year with 82 new affiliations in 2024. With over 620 independent hotels in more than 90 countries, new experiences are offered in destinations like Ireland, Italy, Germany, Guatemala, and more. Notable openings include Münchner Kindl-House of Hütter on April 4 in Munich, ROMEO Roma in January, and the 73-unit Villa Haven Resort Maldives opening in December. SLH is expanding to new locations such as Riga, Massachusetts, Girona, and others, with a variety of urban and seaside retreats, including The Retreat Koh Chang in Thailand, Eagles Palace in Greece, BESPOKE Tulum in Mexico, and more.

🏕 SLS Barcelona, brand of Ennismore/Accor, makes its European debut with a 471-room and suite hotel on the waterfront of Port Forum, Barcelona. The rooms, designed by Rockwell Group, each have a private balcony or terrace with opulent, playful interiors, including hand-shaped golden curtain tiebacks and anthropomorphic portraits. With six exclusive restaurants and bars, the hotel aims to be a culinary hotspot. It features three swimming pools, a 24/7 gym, and spinning room, free bicycles for exploring, and wellness sessions by Edan Studios. An extensive underground spa is expected to open by late 2025.

🏠 Atmosphere Core, with 9 resorts in the Maldives, is set to open 17 new hotels in India between 2025 and 2027, along with 2 more in the Maldives and 1 in Sri Lanka. The company, led by chief commercial officer Stéphane Laguette, has also made its European debut with Borgo Monchiero in Piemonte, Italy, under the Heritage by Atmosphere sub-brand, which emphasizes history, culture, and pleasure. The Italian property will not feature a 'Maldivian touch' but will be deeply rooted in local heritage, targeting guests interested in food, wine, and culture, including those from the USA and Asia.