Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
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Airelles Announces Top Culinary Talent for Debut Venice Property
Airelles is preparing to open its first property outside France this April, and has unveiled the culinary team that will lead its three dining venues in Venice: Nobu Matsuhisa, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Norbert Niederkofler.
Guests of Airelles Palladio, Venice can anticipate Matsuhisa’s famed omakase and Japanese fusion at Matsuhisa by Nobu. Palladio, by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, will mark the chef’s first Italian opening, following outposts in New York, Tokyo, and most recently London, and will occupy the historic Palladio building at the heart of the Airelles Mansion. Norbert Niederkofler will helm Villa Frollo, which will serve Venetian-inspired cuisine in a candlelit setting.
Perched on Giudecca Island, Airelles Palladio will span three 16th-century buildings set within two acres of gardens. The property will feature 45 keys, including 17 rooms, 28 suites, a private three-bedroom villa with a pool and garden, and a 4,800-sq-ft presidential suite with four bedrooms. Guests will also be able to enjoy the city’s largest spa and wellness center, as well as three swimming pools.
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Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice, is Now Open for Reservations
Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice, is now accepting reservations. Located on the lagoon waterfront at Riva degli Schiavoni, steps from Piazza San Marco, the hotel comprises three interconnected palaces: the 15th-century Palazzo Dandolo, the 19th-century Palazzo Casa Nuova, and Palazzo Danieli Excelsior, added in 1950.
Opening with 120 rooms and suites – expanding to 176 by 2027 – Danieli emphasizes flexible accommodations for families and friends, with many rooms offering unobstructed views of the lagoon and its islands. French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon has transformed the interiors using glass, mirrors, and a Venetian-inspired palette of celadon blues, soft pinks, golden yellows, and rich terracotta.
Executive Chef Adriano Rausa will lead Restaurant Terrazza Danieli, perched atop the hotel with lagoon views. Danieli Spa will open in late 2026, featuring three treatment rooms, including a couples suite, plus a sauna and hammam.
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A New Luxury Safari Lodge is Coming to South Africa’s Elephant National Park
Opening in March 2026, Mantis Hiddn in Addo sits at the heart of South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park, giving guests prime access to surrounding wildlife. The boutique lodge will feature ten one-bedroom suites, two two-bedroom suites with private decks, and two four-bedroom villas with infinity pools.
Wellness is central to Hiddn’s ethos. In partnership with organic African skincare brands, the lodge’s spa offerings will incorporate local ancestral botanical knowledge, and guests will be able to enjoy treatments such as lymphatic drainage, deep tissue massage, crystal healing, and the ‘Bliss and Dream Sight’ rituals. There will also be yoga, breathwork, art therapy, and nature-led experiences on offer.
The lodge will have a distinctly sustainable ethos, crafted using eco-friendly materials and low-carbon modular architecture, and engaging around 75 local community members through training, employment, and profit-sharing.
