Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
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Rocco Forte Unveils The Carlton Milan
Rocco Forte Hotels has opened its tenth Italian address, The Carlton Milan, timed neatly with the upcoming Winter Olympics. After a $60 million overhaul, the renewed hotel houses 71 rooms and suites, all decorated in the brand’s signature contemporary style, with subtle Art Deco touches.
Highlights include a 3000-sq-ft Irene Forte Spa, with a sauna, steam room, sound beds, and a nail salon. The hotel's Carlton Bar nods to Italy’s aperitivo culture, with cocktails inspired by Milan in the ’60s through ’80s. The garden will follow in spring 2026.
Looking forward, Rocco Forte isn’t slowing down, with more Italian openings on the horizon over the next two years: Costa Smeralda in 2026, and Sicilian and Neapolitan projects, Palazzo Castelluccio in Noto and Palazzo Sirignano in Naples, in 2027.
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Four Seasons Yachts Reveals 2027 Sailings
Ahead of its inaugural season launching in March 2026, Four Seasons Yachts has unveiled its full 2027 Mediterranean collection, with 33 new voyages and over 40 new destinations. Sailings will run from March to November 2027, covering the Med’s peak season and drifting into the shoulder months.
2027 will launch with an entirely new set of itineraries, with no repeats from the previous debut year. Egypt will be joining the roster for the first time, with three itineraries timed for quieter months that will take guests to the Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings, and Alexandria. Other new ports include Lisbon, Rimini, Zakynthos, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
This update follows the announcement that Four Seasons I will debut later than planned, missing its original Caribbean season. The 95-suite yacht – previously slated for a January 25, 2026 Caribbean launch – is due to set sail in the Mediterranean in March 2026.
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L’Apogée Courchevel Returns with All-New Dining Destinations
L’Apogée Courchevel, part of Oetker Hotels, reopens this month, with all new dining spaces from Kelly Wearstler. The redesign and reopening will also mark the opening of the lauch of Beefbar at L’Apogee, coinciding with the restaurant’s 20th anniversary.
“The French Alps provided a remarkable canvas for my first European hospitality project. I was inspired by the monumental scale and raw beauty of the landscape – and sought to create interiors that feel deeply connected to the setting, while offering intimacy, warmth, and a sense of place,” says Kelly.
Wearstler has reimagined the main dining spaces into five distinct areas, with decor inspired by a mix of Brutalist influence and Alpine aesthetic: think near-black stone, brushed timber, natural fabrics, and a palette of greens, charcoal, and ochre.
Highlights include the Piano Lounge with its custom Edelweiss piano; the Central Bar with vintage pine seating and a Nathalie Ziegler chandelier; and the Salon, a low-lit room with mirrored ceilings and mountain views.
The East and West Dining Rooms will be home to Beefbar, which is framed by timber-lined banquettes and vintage European pieces. Beefbar’s Courchevel outpost joins its Alpine siblings in Megève, Méribel, and St. Moritz.
