Long associated with its futuristic pavilions and image-led journeys, Futuroscope has now become far more than a park one simply visits for the day. Between a night aboard Station Cosmos, a dinner delivered through the loops of Space Loop, the radically different atmosphere of the Ecolodgee cabins, a surprisingly ambitious dining scene and the immersive aquatic world of Aquascope, we discovered a genuine destination in its own right.

Overlooking the harbour of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Hôtel de Toiras cultivates a distinctly French vision of hospitality: historic without feeling frozen in time, refined without ever becoming intimidating. From a suite overlooking the sailing boats to a discreet interlude at Villa Clarisse and the celebrated lobster pasta at George’s, we discovered a house where every detail seems to reveal another fragment of the island.

Some champagne houses have a signature one recognises even before trying to define it. At Veuve Clicquot, that signature lies in a particular kind of energy: solar, structured, audacious. A way of making champagne not merely a symbol of celebration, but a wine of character, capable of fully inhabiting the table.

In Amsterdam, luxury is often associated with canals, historic townhouses, intimate salons and the discreet charm of centuries-old façades. Pillows Maurits at the Park chooses a different kind of rhythm. Set on the edge of Oosterpark, in the eastern part of the city, the hotel reveals an Amsterdam that feels calmer, more local, and quietly refined.

At Inter Scaldes, Jeroen Achtien welcomed Rui Paula for a four hands dinner shaped by the sea. Two chefs, each awarded two Michelin stars, two distinct territories and, behind the precision of the plates, a genuine connection between the teams of both houses.