A cozy beach hut in St. Barths. An ultra-luxury hotel opening in Venice. A decadent brunch in Paris.
Here, three must-visit destinations to add to your travel itinerary.
Airelles Aims High in Venice
Is it fair to judge a luxury hotel operator based on a tiramisu serving the size of a small cheesecake? When Airelles hosted a candlelit dinner in Paris recently to announce its first property in Italy — which opened this month on the Venetian island of La Giudecca — you certainly got a sense of its famous generosity: That Italian dessert came with a side order of baba aux agrumes, cream puffs and Cédric Grolet’s famous trompe-l’œil nut pastries.
The 45 rooms and suites at the Airelles Palladio Venice are spread over three 16th-century buildings, which also house fine dining venues helmed by Nobu Matsuhisa, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Norbert Niederkofler, plus a large spa and wellness center. In low season, rooms start at 1,400 euros, and include its famous “open” mini bar. The French hotel company operates eight exceptional properties in France, including in Courchevel, Versailles, Saint-Tropez and Gordes.
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By the Sea
Ask Yasu Michino how he ended up building the Yellow Hut, his seaside bolt-hole on St. Barths, and he describes a series of fortunate events.
The Paris-based leather goods designer first landed on the island by coincidence, visiting a friend from his fashion school days at Studio Berçot who lived on nearby Saint Martin. He’d been warned about St. Barths’ pricey, party reputation, but once there, “there was no going back,” he recalled.
Something about the sea, the nature and the rhythm of life on the island charmed him to his core. Over the years, he kept returning, slowly becoming part of the community — a mix of locals and regulars from Paris, New York and beyond.
Eventually, he felt he needed a more permanent set-up than the admittedly lovely guest rooms of his friends. He didn’t just tell people about this wish — he manifested it on his favorite spot on Plage du Colombier. Standing by a little pier, he told the sea and stars he wanted “something small… just a piece of land I could come back [to] and call home.”
Not long after, he was told of a rundown beach shack for sale. When he visited, it was “basically a garage with a roof,” with only shutters keeping the elements at bay. Over two years, he turned it into a cozy spot with the sea lapping at its feet, all sun-kissed deck and pool, bright yellow livery and modern comforts such as Starlink Wi-Fi.
A place for sketching by the water, cooking after a trip to the local market and “finding your rhythm again,” Michino’s one-bedroom Yellow Hut is now available for bookings, starting at $4,000 a week.
Brunch at Prunier
Hands-down one of the most storied restaurants in Paris, recently refreshed Prunier is adding brunch to its offering.
Come the weekend, caviar will continue to take pride of place behind the striking turquoise Art Deco facade on Avenue Victor-Hugo, but it will come with friends that include salmon gravlax, soft-boiled eggs — with buttered brioche soldiers! — plates of oysters and bikini sandwiches.
Those with a sweet tooth will only have to cross the black marble-and-mosaic floor to explore the dessert buffet where options range from French toast and homemade whipped cream to fresh fruit, strawberry pavlovas and canelés, a baked treat that hides a tender, rum-and-vanilla flavored heart under a caramelized crust.
Prunier, 16 Avenue Victor-Hugo, 75116 Paris
