Passerine goes out every Sunday. On the first Sunday of each month, it’s a roundup of the hotel news I’m most excited about, and where I’d send you. This month starts in St Barths, where Airelles took over Le Guanahani this morning.
The Lead: Airelles takes over
Airelles is my favorite hotel brand at the minute, because they are doing hospitality exceptionally well. It’s a distinctly French group with something of a cult following, and I predict they’re going to be the new Aman. They started in France, opened a stunning property in Venice, Airelles Palladio, and as of today they’ve taken over the former Rosewood Le Guanahani in St Barths.
Three things set them apart. The first is the experience they offer across properties. Le Grand Contrôle is the only hotel inside the Palace of Versailles, and they offer private after-hours tours of Versailles and the Grand Trianon, so you feel like French royalty. The second is gifting. Every time you leave the room, you come back to something new and usually personalized, like Ladurée macarons, exotic fruit or local snacks, and you leave with the ultimate goodie bag. On arrival there are initialed pajamas, and hats and toys for the kids. The third is kids and families. It’s really hard to do kids well, and for a group this small to excel with them at every property while still appealing to couples is impressive. I don’t have kids, and I don’t particularly want to be around them on vacation, and they still get the balance right.
Le Guanahani sits on Grand Cul-de-Sac, a protected reef lagoon that’s shallow and flat, so you can swim really far out. It’s great for paddleboarding, sea turtles and kids, and the vibe is relaxed and casual. Cheval Blanc, its obvious rival, is on Flamands, a wide-open beach facing the ocean, which I personally prefer, though the sand and surf change with the weather so the beach conditions can change pretty dramatically. Cheval Blanc is restrained, modern and artful, while Airelles tends to be maximalist in a very well-designed way. If you’re a couple and would rather not see kids, I’d go Cheval Blanc. If you’re a family, Le Guanahani.
One caveat: I’m not sure this season is the one to try out Airelles, because I believe the more extensive changes come after the season ends. I’d expect the full Airelles version by next winter.
Openings
Fouquet’s Gstaad opens December 4th. Gstaad is getting new players, and Four Seasons is expected to follow, hopefully in 2027. If you’re going to Gstaad, make sure you take someone who’s been before. Gstaad is relaxed old money, and the same families come back to the same hotel on the same dates every year, so even though it’s relaxed, it can feel cliquey. New openings should make it a little less intimidating for a newer crowd.
One thing to know is that Gstaad’s top hotels, the Alpina, the Gstaad Palace, Le Grand Bellevue and now Fouquet’s, aren’t ski-in, ski-out. They have shuttles and chauffeurs who make it easy, but skiing isn’t the sole focus. If skiing is truly the reason you’re going, and not just the après, the shopping and the spa, Courchevel has the better infrastructure and connects to the Three Valleys. If you’re going to Courchevel, make sure you get the newest Cordova ski suit. Rosewood opened there last season to great feedback, more boutique hotels are coming this season, and the top hotels in Courchevel 1850 start from €3,000-€5,000 a night for base rooms, and over festive, far more.
Suvretta House, St. Moritz. It got a lot of buzz last season, especially around I.C.E., the International Concours of Elegance, a classic car show held on St. Moritz’s frozen lake. It’s the only hotel in St. Moritz with its own private ski lift, so you can ski in and out. St. Moritz is a little flashier than Gstaad, and this is a fun one for ski season if you want Switzerland with more energy.
Singita Elela, Botswana, opens in December. Singita is the top luxury safari brand in Africa and the benchmark for what a safari’s hard product should look like. Elela is a big deal because it’s Singita’s first property in Botswana. It sits on the Abu concession, a large private concession in the Okavango Delta, and it’s small, with just eight private camps of one to four bedrooms each. I’m hoping to scout it personally in early 2027, so I’ll have notes and will report back. Botswana usually isn’t a first safari. If you already have one safari under your belt, it’s where a lot of people go next, to see the Okavango Delta. For a first, I recommend South Africa, either the Sabi Sands or Kruger, and Singita has lodges in both. They also have Tanzania, and Rwanda for gorilla trekking.
St Clement, London. The new hotel from the founder of Soho House, right on the Thames. It’s contemporary and boutique, with Café Clement on the ground floor, and it’s only been open a short while, but the energy is high and there have already been some high-profile stays. People are loving the overall design and also the bathroom cabinets, which is such a niche, specific thing. I haven’t stayed yet. I have breakfast with the team next week and I’ll see it properly in the spring.
Worth Booking Now
One of the biggest luxury hotel brands, with properties all over the world (hint: one of them was just named best hotel in the world by 50 Best List), is running a 30% off sale right now. It’s only open to a few select partners, and Passerine is one of them. If you want to know which brand it is or want to find out, reach out and we’ll plan your next trip.
Scouting Soon
In early December, I’m in Mérida for a wedding, then on to Mexico City. It’s a whirlwind, at least ten hotels across the two cities. I’m excited to stay at the newly renovated Four Seasons Mexico City and to see a brand-new property that hasn’t opened yet, along with classics like Casa Polanco, the Ritz-Carlton and the St. Regis. I’ll report back. If there’s a hotel in either city you’d like me to look at while I’m there, reply and let me know.
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Passerine goes out every Sunday.