Aperture

🍴 Eden Mill, a Scottish distillery, launched Golf Gin made with botanicals from the Old Course golf resort in St Andrews, available in the UK at Waitrose for £29. In Mexico City's Roma Norte, Café Arixi, a Sardinian-inspired bar restaurant, was opened by the MWA group, co-founded by the Lawrence Milias, who married in Sardinia. In Guinea-Bissau, Africa, chimpanzees were filmed consuming fermented African bread tree fruit, with up to 0.61% alcohol content, possibly shedding light on the origins of human alcohol use.

🏦 The Palace Company from Mexico acquired a property managed by Kryalos Sgr's Fondo Comet in Rome, planning to transform it into a luxury Baglioni Hotels&Resorts with 131 rooms. The location, an ex-17th-century Augustinian monastery, is near the Trevi Fountain. The Palace Company aims to expand to 20 properties in five to seven years. In the last year, the group reported revenues of $1.7 billion, with over $1 billion from vacation club sales and bookings.

🏖️ In May 2025, House Of Nine launches Superyacht Cruise, a luxury hospitality project offering sea voyages along Tuscany's coast. The brainchild of the Moretti family, the cruise features a 5-star boutique hotel experience at sea. CEO Ginevra Moretti, known for her eclectic and maximalist designs, has refurbished vintage yachts into floating boutique hotels. The fleet includes "Curiosity," a 45-meter motor yacht with 800 square meters of space, 6 cabins for 12 guests and 10 staff, and "Electa," a 44-meter sailing yacht with 450 square meters, 4 cabins for 10 guests and 8 staff. The itineraries showcase Tuscany's hidden gems, such as Elba and Giglio islands, and offer water sports, authentic Tuscan cuisine, and a selection of fine wines and champagnes.

🏨 Condé Nast Traveller's 2025 Hot List features 58 top new hotels, selected for exceptional hospitality, innovative design, and unique guest experiences. The list, in its 29th edition, was compiled by editors who visited these properties over the past 12 months, including locations like Le Dune Piscinas in Sardinia, Hotel Romeo in Rome, and Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in London. The collection spans across continents from the Americas to Asia, Europe to Africa, highlighting destinations such as New York City, Bali, Kyoto, and the Seychelles.

🏡 Baglioni Hotels & Resorts is set to open a new luxury hotel with 131 rooms, located near the Trevi Fountain in Rome's Via delle Vergini. The property, formerly owned by Fondo Comet, is part of The Palace Company's 100% acquisition. It's situated on the site of a 17th-century Augustinian monastery, now home to the baroque Church of Santa Rita da Cascia. This will become the fifth Baglioni property in Italy and the second in Rome.

🏡 Villa Riviera Resort reopens offering beauty, romanticism, and authenticity in the Gulf of Tigullio. This Adults Only hotel features two historic residences—Villa ‘800 and Villa ‘900—encompassing 15,000 sq. meters of Mediterranean parkland and offering 15 detailed rooms with sea views. In 2025, Chef Matteo Armanino introduces a new gastronomic vision with a tailored and narrative wine pairing project. ARIA, a contemporary Michelin-selected restaurant as of 2024, and TERRA, an osteria showcasing authentic Ligurian flavors, enhance the culinary experience. Villa Riviera also boasts an infinity pool, wellness spa, and provides unique local experiences, including boat tours and guided walks, making it an extraordinary venue for weddings and corporate events.

🏠 Donatella Versace to open the Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant in Miami Beach, adjacent to the former Versace Mansion, now owned by Nakash Group. Joe Nakash announced the hotel will offer high-end Italian cuisine with interiors reminiscent of the Mediterranean coast. Chef Alessandro Morrone will lead the culinary team, offering dishes like rigatoni alla 'nduja and truffle cacio e pepe. The venture is in collaboration with Vida & Estilo.

🏖️ The newly opened Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique by Hilton boasts 148 rooms and 40 suites on a cliffside overlooking Playa Penca, Costa Rica. The luxury resort features six unique culinary experiences, a multi-level pool, kids' club, fitness and spa center, wellness activities, and event space. President Hilton Americas, Danny Hughes, highlights the unparalleled luxury and hospitality offered. Guests staying three or more nights by May 31, 2025, get a 20% discount and a resort credit.

🍹 The International Bartenders Association (IBA) will mark its 70th anniversary in 2025. IBA competitions have limited public and media visibility, and according to mixologist consultant Giorgio Cor, they have become self-referential. Samu Lissoni suggests that being listed in the World’s 50 Best Bars, which can increase revenue by 20%, is more impactful than winning IBA World Championships. Simone Caporale's Sips in Barcelona, former number one, is currently third in the world, with top bars earning €5,000 per event. A new bar in Hong Kong, Montana, is set to open in summer 2025 by influential mixologists Simone Caporale and Lorenzo Antinori.

🏖 OLM Nature Escape, an apart-hotel in Valle Aurina, Alto Adige, is a circular, energy self-sufficient structure with bioarchitecture in Caminata di Tures, Bolzano province. Offering 33 ApartSuites, 25 with private Finnish saunas, it encourages guests' freedom from conventional schedules. Utilizing larch wood, minimalist design by Andreas Gruber Architects, and renewable energy sources, it has earned the GSTC certification. It features a natural summer bathing pond and offers a weekly culinary program including APÉRO Dinner and theme nights curated by Chef Berni Aichner. Located in the Vedrette di Ries-Aurina Natural Park, it promises a tangible experience of freedom.