Relais & Châteaux: new properties

Three times per year, Relais & Châteaux energizes its network by adding new members. Each property embodies the association’s values of local heritage, humanity, sharing and commitment.
Ever since Relais & Châteaux was founded in 1954, it has been dedicated to spreading its original Art of Living concept to champion culinary expertise, multiculturalism and a sense of tradition through its 550 exceptional hotels and restaurants on every continent.
Visitors who travel to these nine new Relais & Châteaux properties are invited to explore their unique environment and culture. From a sustainable farm in Bulgaria bordered by grapevines and mountains to handcrafted tents in a national park in Sri Lanka, these properties are driven by a shared love for passing on their heritage and values. They have chosen to do this by offering guests an experience rooted in a family-oriented atmosphere on a human scale.

Blair Hill Inn, Maine (United States)
This is a place for recharging your batteries, in a hotel surrounded by stunning scenery nestled in the American countryside. Blair Hill Inn stretches across 21 hectares of land and has an unobstructed view of clear blue Moosehead Lake. Once settled in their inviting and cozy rooms, guests are free to gaze at the view, spend some relaxing time at the spa, enjoy a delicious meal made from fresh local products or join an activity in the great outdoors. No matter what they choose, pure peace and quiet are always on the menu.


Nayara Springs, Alajuela Province (Costa Rica)
Nayara Springs is one of the world’s most romantic hotels, and for good reason. Tucked away in the Costa Rican rainforest, this spot offers the perfect ingredients for a lovers’ getaway – starting with the exquisite setting. The hotel sits amid lush natural vegetation close to the inactive Arenal Volcano and guests stay in spacious villas with a swimming pool on the private terrace. The goal here is to spend time cut off from the rest of the world as you soak in the beauty of the primeval forest and indulge in activities like hiking or watching rare birds. Before turning in, you and your partner can enjoy a massage at the spa or a wine tasting on the shaded patio.

Au Crocodile, Strasbourg (France)
Au Crocodile started out as a small inn famous for a stuffed alligator that Captain Ackermann brought back in 1801 from Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt – but all the chefs since then have certainly brought it fame in their own right. Chef Franck Pelux’s inventive cuisine is made from raw seasonal products and follows his every whim.

Château de Valmer, La Croix Valmer (France)
If you want to enjoy the beauty of the French Rivera but avoid the crowds, head to Château de Valmer. Located on its five hectares of tree-covered grounds along the Mediterranean coast, this family estate has a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Saint Tropez. Total peace and quiet is the main attraction all year round. Guests traveling alone can stay in a villa or one of the treehouses scattered throughout the property. But don’t even think of skipping out on the hotel’s amazing amenities, like the L’Occitane spa, outdoor swimming pool and beach. Chef Jimmy Coutel runs the gastronomic restaurant that harvests products from his organic kitchen garden.

Landromantik Wellness Oswald, Kaikenried (Germany)
Sitting on the edge of the Bavarian forest, Hotel Oswald is a haven for city-weary travelers. This luxury thermal spa resort is the perfect prescription for worn-out urban warriors. To provide guests with some well-earned downtime, they have thought of everything: from warm, cozy rooms and a spa and sauna, to fitness classes and outdoor activities like skiing and hiking. Chef Thomas Gerber is in the kitchen delighting visitors, especially with premium regional meats and sausages butchered and made on the premises.

Zornitza Family Estate, Zornitza (Bulgaria)
Bordered by grapevines and mountains, Zornitza has achieved its goal of becoming a hotel complex with a perfect blend of luxury and nature. Its warm and inviting private suites were specially designed to make guests feel at home. They are great for families looking to spend time together on a unique vacation while visiting the nearby towns and museums, hiking in the mountains or rafting on the Struma River. Back at the hotel, guests usually meet up at the restaurant Aestivum to recover from the day’s adventures over a glass of the property’s very own wine. Zornitza produces wine, honey, truffles, jam, cheese, eggs, fruit and vegetables on its sustainable farm.

Avaton Luxury Villas Resort, Halkidiki (Greece)
Avaton Luxury Villas Resort lies amid Mediterranean gardens on the coast of the Aegean Sea and is the ideal spot for unwinding, reflecting and exploring the local World Heritage sites like Mount Athos with its twenty Greek Orthodox monasteries and the ancient city of Stagira – one of Halkidiki’s largest ancient cities located near the current Olympiada. The property’s sixteen villas offer every comfort imaginable, even a private tasting of the chef’s cuisine.

Blue Margouillat, Saint-Leu (Réunion)
As long as you’re escaping to the other side of the world, you might as well better choose a place to stay. With its panoramic vistas of the Indian Ocean, Blue Margouillat is heaven on earth. This large colonial house overlooks Saint-Leu Bay and houses ten rooms with terraces and two roomy suites below. The property is completely detached from the outside world, so guests can truly unplug and recharge their batteries. And a note to newcomers: the outdoor patio was designed for eating lunch and dinner with endless ocean views, and from which you can see passing whales in wintertime. A total change of scenery.

Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park (Sri Lanka)
The newly opened Wild Coast Tented Lodge is a one-of-a-kind complex that sits at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and the jungle. Comprised of handcrafted tents scattered throughout the vast wilderness of Yala National Park, the lodge blends in perfectly with the backdrop of rocky coastline. The dwellings offer a breathtaking view of the ocean and every modern comfort from inviting beds and bathtubs to a private pool. Budding explorers can learn about the area by sampling Sri Lankan specialties cooked up by the restaurant’s chef or by enjoying a spa treatments made from local products like Ceylon tea and cinnamon.

About Relais & Châteaux
Founded in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is an association of over 540 exceptional hotels and restaurants run by independent men and women who share the same passion for their profession and for maintaining authentic relationships with their clients. Located on every continent, from the vineyards of Napa Valley to Provence and the Indian Ocean, the members of Relais & Châteaux invite each of you to discover the art of living through the specific culture of the locale and to share in a unique human adventure. Each member of Relais & Châteaux is profoundly determined to protect, share and showcase the richness and diversity of dining and hospitality throughout the world. They endorse this ambition, in keeping with the preservation of local heritage and the environment, through the Relais & Châteaux Vision, presented to UNESCO in November of 2014.

www.relaischateaux.com

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