With 199 rooms and 45 suites, the hotel features W’s signature Sound Suite recording studio — a first for the U.K. and the second in Europe — as well as a rooftop deck with 360-degree views of Scotland’s capital city.

Spanning 1,600 square feet with views of the Edinburgh skyline, the Extreme Wow Suite offers a living area, dining room, a private terrace with views of Edinburgh Castle and a rock bar inspired by the city’s volcanic origins.

The guestroom features a round, super-king-sized bed, and bathroom amenities include a private sauna. 

Three on-site eateries include Sushisamba restaurant, serving a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisine; the W Lounge; and Joao’s Place, a Brazilian-inspired speakeasy.

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The 44-suite property will reopen in May as the Andronis Minois as a member of Small Luxury Hotels.

The property, situated 500 feet from the water’s edge, was renovated this year and features a lounge, wellness spa and culinary program. Multi-bedroom suites offer private pools and terraces overlooking the Aegean Sea. 

The extensive activity menu includes horseback riding, sea diving, kite and windsurfing and watersports. 

Off property, guests can explore nearby villages, including the basilica of Koimisis Theotokou, perched at the highest point in Naoussa.

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The 60-room, ski-in/ski-out property is located in Val Gardena on the Alpe di Siusi, one of Europe’s largest high-altitude plateaus in Northern Italy’s South Tyrol.

Guestrooms feature views of the Dolomite Mountains range, a Unesco Natural World Heritage Site.

Dining options include the casual Alpina Chalet, the Mountain Restaurant and the Lobby Lounge. 

Other amenities include the Como Shambhala Retreat, with indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, relaxation zones, a fitness center and a beauty salon.

Year-round activities include hiking and mountain biking in warmer seasons and snowboarding and cross-country skiing in winter.

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In an effort to curb overtourism, Amsterdam is beginning to crack down on everything from cruise ships to cannabis. And while the appeal of the Dutch capital city stretches beyond red lights and green delights to world-class museums and charming neighborhoods, many don’t look to extend their Netherlands stay beyond this single city. That is a mistake.

A true second city, industrial Rotterdam trails only Amsterdam in terms of population but is greater in size and scope. While many immigrants left from its massive port to start a new life overseas, Rotterdam is now home to a multicultural mix of more than 173 nationalities. 

After being decimated in World War II, Rotterdam rose from the ashes of its postwar devastation with a strong vision for the future. The result is a cutting-edge city making tremendous use of its international influence while remaining distinctly Dutch.

Amsterdam has centuries-old canal homes. Rotterdam has striking, modern architecture.

The calling card of Amsterdam is its canals, which even early — and wealthy– merchants and residents could appreciate. The narrow, gabled homes lining the city’s signature waterways sprang up during the 17th century and remain today (albeit in some cases slightly tilted).

Rotterdam is first noted in history books in the late 1200s, but it came to prominence in the 1600s when a sea route to the East Indies spring-loaded Dutch shipping and commerce. 

However, while Rotterdam is far from a new city, it was entirely rebuilt after being razed during WWII. A metropolitan center with hundreds of years of history was forced to step boldly into the middle of the 20th century with a renewed eye for urban planning. The result is a variety of contemporary architectural styles that create its present skyline. 

Home to many of the tallest buildings in the Netherlands, Rotterdam is dubbed “Manhattan on the Meuse” for its horizon of skyscrapers.

The Lijnbaan, opened in 1953, is the main shopping street of Rotterdam. It’s notable as the first purpose-built pedestrian-only street in Europe and the inspiration for similar car-free commercial centers across the U.S. The De Doelen concert hall, rebuilt in 1966, is known for its acoustic perfection. The Erasmusbrug, constructed in 1996, is a stunning, stark-white suspension bridge known to locals as “the swan.”

Amsterdam has “coffee shops.” Rotterdam has actual coffee shops.

The Netherlands decriminalized cannabis in the early 1970s, and the open availability of this largely forbidden substance has since drawn curious visitors from abroad for decades. While using the drug in public is still not permitted, establishments known as coffee houses are omnipresent across Amsterdam. There, customers can purchase edibles and pre-rolled joints and even enjoy them on-site.

While the same laws and availability of cannabis apply to other cities throughout the Netherlands, including Rotterdam, it’s not as much of a draw for tourists as it is in Amsterdam. What we found instead during our stay was an actual coffee house — and so much more — that encourages storytelling from the substantial local immigrant population to be kept on permanent record. 

The Verhalenhuis Belvedere, also called the Stories House, is situated in the neighborhood of Katendrecht, which became the first Chinatown in Europe after hundreds of Chinese workers were imported as cheap labor during a sailors’ strike in 1911. 

The history of the building, including its life as a secret jazz club and hiding place for Jewish children during WWII, is enough to fill pages. But its current role as a cafe/exhibition space/story studio strives to honor the Belvedere’s many roles over the years as a community hub for all cultures.

In addition to artists-in-residence and a place for residents to record their stories in the attic, the cafe hosts a guest chef every day in its Folk Kitchen. This exposes patrons to new cuisines for lunch, alongside a bevy of traditional Dutch treats. The idea is Rotterdam in a pastry shell. 

Amsterdam has bicycles. Rotterdam has e-bikes.

As soon as you set foot in Amsterdam, you will likely have to navigate a busy bike lane. Cycling is part of the DNA of the city, which has more bicycles than inhabitants. Less than 50 miles away, Rotterdam is bustling, as well, but the 125-square-mile municipality is more spread out. Commuting by car is the default here, but residents and local government are working to improve the public transportation of the city, including its cycling network.

Currently, there are more than 350 miles of bike paths around Rotterdam. But due to its sprawling layout, it makes sense that so many are adopting electric bicycles, a 21st-century twist on the classic that befits this more modern second city.

E-bikes have been gaining in popularity worldwide over the past few years, but they shine as a more accessible option for anyone looking to explore a destination on two wheels. With so much ground to cover in Rotterdam, e-bikes are a boon for tired tourists as well as car-free commuters.

Along with several locations that rent e-bikes, the city has also incorporated charging stations in free bike-parking areas. Another option is bike sharing: global company Donkey Republic specializes in e-bike sharing with an app. Plan a route along the New Meuse River or a route winding through local parks and forests — with a few windmills along the way, of course.

Guided e-bike tours are highly recommended for the uninitiated and include themes from architecture to cuisine. 

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The property, set to open in early 2024, will feature direct access to the beach via a private gate leading to a coastal path, a cove with fishermen’s huts and a local restaurant.

Amenities will include nine suites, all with sea views, terraces and fireplaces.

A 360-square-foot penthouse will feature wraparound sea views from its terraces, bathtub and sinks in black clay by Studio Loho, a custom bed and two Valentine Schlegel-inspired fireplaces. 

Other accommodations include a two-bedroom tower with winding stairs leading up to a large terrace, half-moon shaped bedrooms with arched windows facing the sea with fireplaces and Juliet balconies, separate living rooms and bathrooms with Calacatta marble sinks.

Downstairs, the tower will feature a living room with kitchenette and en suite bathroom.

Fincadelica Xarraca will also offer an open-plan living and dining room with double-height ceilings, stone walls and pine beams, and furnishings include velvet Arflex Marenco sofas, midcentury lounge chairs and a polished-stone coffee table.

Prices start at about $59,000 per week in low season and from $105,000 per week in high season, including the services of a house manager, breakfast service and cleaning team. Chef and food and beverage staff will be available at an extra cost.

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Located minutes from the Palace of Versailles in France, the property was once owned by the Oberkampf-Mallet family and has been fully renovated by 2BDM Architects, which specializes in preserving historic buildings, monuments and gardens. 

The property has 35 acres of gardens surrounding the estate, two restaurants, a bar with a terrace and a state-of-the-art conference center with 18 meetings rooms and the 1,800-square-foot Baccarat ballroom.

Guests will also have access to the Spa du Montcel by Sothys, which features a heated indoor and outdoor pool, a sensory shower, snow cave, sauna, fitness room and seven treatment rooms. 

Decor elements include Toiles de Jouy printed canvas in the guestrooms; two works of art: “Long Term Parking” by Arman, a sculpture of 59 cars encased in concrete to form a 60-foot tower; and “Hommage a Eiffel” by Cesar, a plaque made from pieces of the Eiffel Tower. 

The interior design was overseen by Ferry Interior Design, and a landscape gardener Frank Neau was responsible for the exterior architecture and garden.

The property is located 30 minutes from Paris-Orly Airport and a short walk from the Jouy-en-Josas train station. Paris city center is about a half-hour away by train.

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The 144-room contemporary hotel features a glass facade and interiors inspired by the annual Venice Film Festival, with cinema memorabilia and portraits of movie stars.

Amenities include the cinema-themed restaurant 8 Millimetri Cicchetti & Wine and dedicated meetings spaces that can accommodate up to 130 participants. 

The property is near the Gallerie dell’Accademia, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Campo Santa Margherita.

The launch closely follows the opening of the Avani Palazzo Moscova Milan Hotel and is the brand’s second property in Italy.

Double rooms start at $196 per room, per night, including breakfast and taxes.

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Firefighters and other emergency responders worked into the night trying to extract bodies and squelch the flames.

The bus was carrying foreign tourists, including Ukrainians, according to a Venice official, when it fell from an elevated street Tuesday in Mestre en route to a camping site near the community of Marghera.

“The people in the bus found themselves surrounded by flames,” said Mauro Luongo, commander of the Venice firefighters team. “The scene we found was terrible. It took about one hour to extract some of the bodies.”

Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the crash scene was “apocalyptic” and declared the city in a state of mourning.

Four of the injured were in serious condition following the accident, which happened on the mainland just 4 miles northwest of the old city of Venice, said Renato Boraso, a Venice city official. Two of the dead were children, Venice prefect Michele Di Bari said.

The injured were transferred to five different hospitals in the region.

According to local media, the bus fell a few meters before crashing close to Mestre’s railway tracks, where it caught fire.

The Veneto region governor, Luca Zaia, told RAI state television that the cause of the accident was still unclear.
“This is an important tragedy, but it’s difficult to understand how it happened,” he said. “The bus was new and electric, and that street wasn’t particularly problematic.”

In 2017, 16 people on a bus carrying Hungarian students died in an accident near the northern city of Verona. And in 2013, 40 people were killed in one of Italy’s worst vehicle accidents when a bus plunged off a viaduct close to the southern city of Avellino.

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Located in the Kruununhaka district, the Hotel Maria features 117 guestrooms, including 38 suites, two restaurants and bars, a ballroom, a chapel and state-of-the-art spa and wellness facilities.

The property comprises four historic buildings built between 1885 and 1930, and guestrooms feature custom furnishings from American furniture specialist RH. Amenities include large “American-style” beds, state-of-the-art technology and bathrooms equipped with marble walk-in showers, traditional Finnish saunas and/or steam rooms, soaking tubs, gas fireplaces and televisions.

The two-bedroom, 1,722-square-foot Imperial Suite offers butler service, two bathrooms with a steam room, spacious living areas and library and a dining room with optional private dining experiences. 

The Maria Spa and Wellness Club, set to open in spring 2024, will feature a large, coed Finnish sauna, steam room, cold- and warm-water plunge pools, Jacuzzi, four treatment rooms and the services of a Wellness Concierge.

Spa treatments will use Biologique Recherche products, and the Spa Bar will be located in a greenery-filled, fully enclosed atrium sanctuary. 

Rates start at $496, including taxes and breakfast for two.

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The breakdown, which hit on a late-summer holiday Monday that is one of the busiest days of the year for air travel, saw thousands of travelers stranded at airports. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said it was the worst incident of its kind in almost a decade and it would take days to “get people back to where they should be.”

The National Air Traffic Services said initial investigations showed that the problem “relates to some of the flight data we received.” It gave no specific information on what caused the trouble.

“Our systems, both primary and the back-ups, responded by suspending automatic processing to ensure that no incorrect safety-related information could be presented to an air traffic controller or impact the rest of the air traffic system,” chief executive Martin Rolfe said.

“Our systems are designed to isolate the problem and prioritize continued safe air traffic control,” he added.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium said 790 departures and 785 arrivals were canceled across all U.K. airports Monday, and knock-on effects continued to affect dozens of passengers Tuesday.

At least 32 departures from Heathrow, Europe’s busiest air hub, were canceled Tuesday, and 31 arrivals axed.

British Airways, which operates the most flights to and from Heathrow, was the worst affected airline.

Gatwick, London’s second-busiest airport, was similarly affected Tuesday.

Passengers stuck at airports across the U.K. described their frustration.

Katrina Harrison and her family, including her 1-year-old twin grandchildren, spent the night with no food or bed at Leeds Bradford Airport after their flight to Turkey was canceled Monday.

“There were no hotels to stay in, we couldn’t get the car out of the car park … We haven’t slept. We tried to sleep on the floor but couldn’t. Luckily the children could sleep in the pram,” she said. “We’re hoping to get on a flight tonight but if it doesn’t happen tonight, we’ll have to go home.”

This report was published by the Associated Press.

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