R.B. Fitch and his wife drew inspiration from their travels abroad and transformed this farm in the middle of North Carolina into an elegant country village with, at its heart, Fearrington House Inn & Restaurant. The pastoral setting with its herds of Belted Galloway black and white cows grazing nearby, white-columned façades, rocking chairs and courtyard gardens make it an exceptional place, the perfect summer retreat. Guests can withdraw to comfortable rooms in the inn, relax at the bar, stroll around the delightful boutiques, and dine in the former farmhouse with its magnificent gardens. Grand Chef Colin Bedford serves a menu with Southern influences using vegetables from the kitchen garden and seasonal ingredients, for example a sweet potato risotto with truffles and wild mushrooms, baked monkfish with braised ox tail and traditional hot chocolate soufflé. 

When you cross the threshold of La Villa, which nestles on the slopes above Calvi, you enter an exceptional world. Jean-Pierre and Marion Pinelli have turned the quintessentially peaceful and harmonious La Villa into one of Corsica’s leading destinations. The parkland overlooks the bay and the silhouette of the Citadel in the distance. Commune with more than seven acres of beautifully-landscaped countryside – all rooms enjoy stunning panoramic views over the Citadel and Calvi Bay. Grand Chef Sébastien Sevellec and his team will treat you to culinary experiences created from prime local ingredients from the Corsican terroir, such as friteau of langoustines with lime-scented bulghur wheat or pan-fried rump of Corsican veal with garden peas and pancetta. His sous-chef is in charge of the Callelu, La Villa’s new restaurant overlooking the harbour, where the menu features seafood. In order to highlight the general atmosphere of well-being, La Villa provides with the Spa Anne Sémonin a large space for individual care. Every year Marion Pinelli organises contemporary art exhibitions in the estate and Jean-Pierre, a classical music enthusiast, organises “Les Nuits de la Villa”, a series of prestigious recitals in an open-air amphitheatre.

Landhaus Stricker offers a wonderful getaway on Sylt, an island with an exceptional natural beauty and singular culture. Linger a while in the hotel’s well-stocked library before retiring to the cosy bar for a stimulating conversation. Whatever the weather, the private spa with its pool, sauna suite and beauty and fitness facilities ensure a perfect balance between exertion and relaxation. Grand Chef Holger Bodendorf offers in his eponymous restaurant a cuisine with Southern French accents in a Mediterranean setting. You will enjoy the lamb from the Danish Knuthenlund farm with its herb-crusted rack, stewed neck with shallot marmalade and glazed shoulder with artichokes or the subtle variations around champagne and apple as a dessert.