Mr. & Ms. Connoisseur | #11

Read Explore

! An invitation. A discovery.

We’ll admit it: We’re admirers of the art of book printing, old-school paper fanatics through and through—and even Connoisseur Circle’s lavish, successful array of digital media doesn’t change that. And lo and behold, “Explore: The Leading Hotels of the World,” the third volume in the series developed by The Leading Hotels of the World in collaboration with Phaidon/Monacelli and the New York–based media company The Slowdown, has just landed on our desk. Wow! Following the first two volumes, “Design” and “Culture,” “Explore” puts the “travel experience” front and center. That said, the starting point for these excursions to the world’s most beautiful places is the very idea that was already firmly established when Connoisseur Circle was founded 20 years ago: An outstanding hotel is sometimes even the reason to embark on a journey in the first place. “Explore” is anything but a traditional hotel catalog. Room sizes, marble bathrooms, and star ratings are mentioned, but they take a back seat: The featured hotels are judged more by the world that opens up to us just beyond their front doors. In Chile, at the Nayara Alto Atacama, you gaze up at the desert’s nearly pitch-black night sky; at the Datai Langkawi, a path leads through mangroves into the Malaysian rainforest; and at NIHI Sumba, “horse yoga” is part of the unique wellness program. The Scottish Gleneagles marries its rugged terrain with golf, falconry, and archery, while Terme di Saturnia showcases its millennia-old European bathing culture. Visually, *Explore* transcends the typical glossy aesthetic of a corporate coffee-table book. Under the direction of Spencer Bailey, founder of The Slowdown and former editor-in-chief of Surface, seasoned travel journalists describe hotels and destinations. This is complemented by recommendations from international experts, plus three concise day-trip itineraries for Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand. Each hotel serves as a host—and at the same time as a gateway to its surroundings. “Explore” is therefore very much in line with our media: Connoisseur Circle shows where the international luxury hotel industry is headed. Ostentatious status is a thing of the past. Individuality, curiosity, and the enduringly enriching experience are the real currency. “Explore: The Leading Hotels of the World,” Spencer Bailey, Monacelli/Phaidon, 304 pages, approximately 300 color photographs, hardcover, ISBN 978-1-58093-736-8.

United: A Steep Approach to

EuropeWhen a major U.S. airline announces the largest international expansion in its history for the summer of 2027, it’s a good sign for the tourism industry. Surprise: two new destinations have been added that have scarcely appeared on any American long-haul flight schedule to date: Luxembourg and Ljubljana. In total, United is adding ten new international destinations, eight of which are not served by any other U.S. airline with nonstop flights from the United States.
For European travelers, the Newark–Luxembourg route is particularly compelling. Daily service is scheduled to commence on April 2, 2027, and will be operated by an aircraft that is an aviation story in its own right: the brand-new Airbus A321XLR. Starting May 12, the Newark–Ljubljana route will follow with four weekly flights. Other new European destinations include Toulouse, Marseille, Ibiza, Valencia, Terceira in the Azores, Olbia in Sardinia, and Catania in Sicily. Additionally, new routes will be added from Washington to Milan and from Denver to Paris.

United has ordered 50 of these new aircraft and is specifically deploying the long-range single-aisle jet on routes that are too short for a Boeing 767 or 787 but too long for a traditional short-haul aircraft. According to United, the aircraft offers an advanced solution for premium passengers: Of the 32 premium seats, 20 are assigned to United Polaris Business Class and 12 to Premium Plus. The new Polaris Suite is particularly compelling: all 20 Business Class seats fully transform into flat beds, as contemporary standards demand; each seat offers direct aisle access and, for the first time, a sliding door that elevates privacy. In addition, United promises 19-inch 4K OLED screens with Bluetooth, convenient storage compartments, high-quality bedding, and—of course—Starlink Wi-Fi, since you’re either coming from or heading to the U.S. Connoisseur Circle, your correspondent, will also be traveling there shortly to test the Polaris—more on that in one of our upcoming issues.
united.com

Seen & Lived at Frauscher: A Boat Builder Captivates the World

We’re back from Lake Traunsee in Austria’s Salzkammergut region. Perfect weather for swimming and a cultural festival of the highest caliber (the previous artistic director, Karin Bergmann, has just accepted a position at the Salzburg Festival). Add to that a rare example of how Austrian craftsmanship traditions can give rise to a world-renowned luxury brand. But since the owners of this brand are quite modest when it comes to self-praise, we’ll have to take on that role today.
The Gmunden-based family business Frauscher has been building boats since 1927. Connoisseurs assert that performance, design, and technical innovation coalesce flawlessly here. Even the uninitiated can discern that Frauscher craft are not nostalgic classics but resolutely modern vessels—bearing a design language that is instantly recognizable in Saint-Tropez, Miami, or on Lake Garda.

To this is added a remarkable technological edge. The shipyard has been working on electric boats since as early as 1955. In 2008, it produced a production-ready hybrid sports boat, followed a year later by a certified hydrogen-powered electric boat. Electric mobility? New? At Frauscher, it has been a topic of discussion long before the current hype.

This expertise came to the fore through the collaboration with Porsche. For the fully electric Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom and Fantom Air models, the 800-volt drive technology from the electric Macan was adapted for use on the water. This collaboration not only earned multiple international design awards but also set a speed record at the 2025 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. When two premium realms—Porsche technology and Frauscher boatbuilding—converge, the next chapter of international expansion is surely on the horizon.

For those who find the entry-level prices on the water too high, there’s the chance to get to know the Frauschers as warm hosts on land. Their harbor apartments are located at Frauscher Harbor in Gmunden, which has been the family’s home base since 1946 and, with more than 200 berths, is the largest marina on the lake. Their location is exceptional: just a few steps from the water, with a view of Lake Traunsee and Schloss Ort, and yet only a ten-minute stroll from the heart of Gmunden. There is also a swimming area right at your doorstep. The comfortable, sportily appointed apartments are not a conventional hotel product, but rather an integral part of the vibrant Traunsee marina. In the morning, guests awake to views of boats and the lake, and those arriving with their own vessel can even use the moorings. That is what we love about luxury à la Salzkammergut: a lifestyle that is not ostentatious, but right on the water, combined with one of Austria’s most internationally successful design brands. Frauscher Harbor Apartments Traunsteinstraße 12, 4810 Gmunden.
www.frauscherhafen.at

Shangri-La Paris: One Palace, Many

FlavorsA culinary stopover in Paris: There, the Shangri-La is currently showcasing a level of versatility rarely seen before. French grandeur meets Asian precision, all on a world-class scale.
The latest addition is Maison Roland, an elegant bistro set in the garden of the former palace of Prince Roland Bonaparte. White tablecloths, Gien porcelain, and silver cutlery evoke the grand tradition of French fine dining, yet the cuisine remains refreshingly uncomplicated: Mimosa ice cream with salmon roe, a gazpacho for sharing, terrine de campagne, sole à la Grenoble, and oysters from Brittany. The ambience is refined and serene, even on the discreet terrace. Les Salons du Prince is equally charming. A fireplace, piano music, and subdued lighting create an intimate atmosphere. The menu ranges from caviar and dim sum to truffle croque, lobster roll, and linguine—cosmopolitan, elegant, and delightfully undogmatic.

A journey of discovery into the highest realms of Chinese culinary art begins at the luxury hotel’s third restaurant, Shang Palace. Executive Chef Tony Xu combines Chinese classics with top-quality French ingredients and modern flair. A highlight for us: the refined tea culture. During the Gongfu Cha ceremony offered by the hotel, tea isn’t simply brewed—it’s truly celebrated: plenty of leaves, a little water, small teapots, and several brief infusions continually reveal new flavors, turning a cup of tea into a journey of discovery.

A French bistro, an aristocratic salon, and Chinese haute cuisine all under one roof: it doesn’t get any more cosmopolitan than this. For us, that’s three very different reasons to stay at this hotel in the 16th arrondissement during our next visit to Paris. www.shangri-la.com