Hotel Openings

🎨 Designer Helle Mardahl opens flagship store in Copenhagen's historic Frederiksstaden district, formerly a royal jeweller's shop. The interior combines the building's traditional architectural elements with Mardahl's modern, candy-inspired glassware. Mardahl collaborated with File Under Pop for the store's color palette, featuring soft shades and dusty blue curtains contrasted by flamingo-pink double doors. The dark mahogany flooring was replaced with soft beige linoleum by Tarkett. The space showcases the studio's glass containers, candlestick holders, drinkware, and bonbon-shaped pendant lamps.

🏕 Ennismore and Sun Hospitality Group announced the signing of Rixos Phu Quoc, set to open in mid-2026 as the first all-inclusive Rixos resort in Asia. Located on Hon Thom Island, Vietnam, the resort will boast over 1300 guest rooms with ocean views, 22 dining options, and a range of facilities including a wellness spa, kids club, and water sports. Phu Quoc was recently voted the second-best island in the world by Travel+Leisure's World’s Best Awards 2024. Guests can access the resort via a 15-minute cable car ride from the mainland.

🍽 In 2024, the U.S. witnessed numerous restaurant and bar openings, featuring Italian eateries and unique concepts like astrology-themed cocktails and mushroom-based dishes. New York City, Miami, Austin, D.C., Denver, and Nashville saw these openings, with Nashville hosting Fancypants, offering a "choose your own adventure" experience, and D.C.'s Ama transforming from a café to a dinner spot. The article showcases 11 special restaurants from this year.

🎄 Hilton Lake Como offers a seasonal experience for Christmas and New Year 2024/25 with activities like ice curling, live candlelight concerts, cocktail masterclasses, festive feasting, and a special NYE celebration. Ice curling is available from 1st December 2024 to 31st January, daily 12pm-7pm. Candlelight Concerts start at €34pp on dates including 8th, 15th, and 20th December. The Spritz Masterclass costs €25pp, offered daily from 12pm-5pm. Festive dining by Executive Chef Stefano Ghielmetti starts at €75pp for groups of 15+. NYE dinner is €295 per adult, €147 per child. Rooms at Hilton Lake Como start at €350 per night with breakfast. Book at https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/mxpcohi-hilton-lake-como/.

🍴 Chef Evan Funke expanded his culinary empire with the opening of Mother Wolf in Miami’s Design District on October 5. This marks the third Mother Wolf locale, following Los Angeles' early 2022 debut and a Las Vegas branch opened later the same year. Mother Wolf Miami boasts a 10,000-square-foot space featuring a pasta lab, and offers a Roman-inspired menu with handmade pastas, brick-oven pizzas, and a selection of seafood and meat dishes. The bar complements the dining experience with over 400 wine labels, focusing on organic and sustainable options, and a cocktail menu with Italian influences.

🏡 Angelo Cappellini, known for classic and contemporary furniture designs, inaugurated a 100 square meter showroom space in Baku, Azerbaijan, showcasing products in three settings: living room, dining room, and bedroom. The Avenue showroom features the Louis XVI dining room Cezanne with a 3.2-meter table, Esedra sofas, Louis XVI coffee tables, and the Sissi Bedroom collection. This expansion strengthens Angelo Cappellini's market presence and facilitates connections with local architects, designers, and private clients.

🍸 St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel's The Hansom presents "A Taste of Timelessness" cocktail collection, inspired by Victorian era & modern London. New signature cocktails include St. Pancras Royale, Mariachi Paloma, Rum Rita, Raffinato Bianco, and The Empress, starting at £17. Venue Manager Alex Kovac highlights the fusion of history and modern flavors. Collection available to public and guests at https://www.thehansom.co.uk/.

🍴 Washington Street Hospitality, known for Pasta Beach in Boston and Rhode Island, opened Legami in Charleston, S.C. on October 9. Eldredge and Tyler Ropolo, whose parents launched Pasta Beach in 2002, lead the family-operated venture. Legami serves Italian cuisine with a modern twist, offers a two-story dining experience, seating 180 guests, and features a menu crafted by Michelin-starred veteran chef Andrea Congiusta. Beverages are curated by James Ruggiero, including signature items like the Legami Martini.

🍴 Executive Chef Freddy Vargas opened Aitana in New York City's Virgin Hotels on Nov. 15. Aitana offers Latin-Mediterranean cuisine with views of the Empire State Building and features geometric chandeliers and a curated wine selection by sommelier Andrew McFetridge. Vargas, with Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican heritage, infuses his family recipes with fine dining experience, offering dishes like tostones with caviar and a 24 oz. dry-aged ribeye. Inspired by chef Emeril Lagasse, Vargas pursued a culinary career after a brief college stint. Aitana is Vargas’s ninth restaurant venture, reflecting his philosophy of elevating traditional dishes with modern techniques.

🍕 Miami welcomes international culinary influences with the opening of Momento by Ikaro, a Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant's outpost, in Downtown Miami mid-August. Chefs Carolina Sanchez from Ecuador and Iñaki Murua from Spain's Basque region unveiled their first U.S. establishment, merging their backgrounds. Momento spans 4,733 square feet, seating 80, and features a menu with seasonal ingredients, wood-fired branzino, and a bar with global wines. Ikaro Spain gained its Michelin star in 2018 while Michelin arrived in Florida in 2022.