JUST CHECKED OUT: VILLA PASSALAQUA... LAKE COMO'S NEW CROWN JEWEL

Lake Como, in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, continues to be one of the most sought out destinations by Mapps clients, year after year. Set against the foothills of the dramatic Italian Alps, and only a 45 minute drive from Milan, the lake area is home to the most elegant villas, scenic small towns and fragrant gardens.

This past September I decided to head back to Northern Italy after a 4 year hiatus and check out the brand new Villa Passalaqua hotel, as well as the elegant Mandarin Oriental and Il Sereno Hotel.

We spent our 4 days in Lake Como lounging by the pool, cruising the lake and eating and drinking way too much pasta and Barolo wine than we needed. Below, I share some snaps from my iPhone and a few of my favorite spots. —

Travel Notes: Lake Como is a perfect 3-4 night stay and combines beautifully with Portofino, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast.

P.S. we are planning summer travel for Europe 2023 now, so do not wait too long to plan, space is filing up in all the good spots.

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LAKE COMO

Hotel Stay: Villa Passalaqua

https://www.passalacqua.it/en/

Mapps X Passalaqua:

VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast & 100.00 food and beverage credit.

Lunch Spots: Giacomo & Locanda La Tirlindana.

Villa Tours: Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello.

Apertivo: The bar at Passalaqua or Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

Dinner Spots: Osteria Figli dei Fiori, Convivialità, Trattoria del Glicine and La Terrazza.

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ELISA REPORTS BACK ON HER COUPLE'S GETAWAY TO ITALY

September is my favorite time of year to go to Europe. The weather is in the low 80’s, the mass tourist crowd is gone but still busy enough to have a buzzy vibe and you can finally score a table at the latest hotspots with ease… well, most of the time. With all five children settled back into their respective schools, we decided to pack our bags and head to Italy for ten nights, dividing our time between the island of Capri and the city of Florence with a delish pizza lunch stop in chaotic Napoli. We spent our days in Capri lounging poolside or at various beach clubs with long, lazy lunches or on a boat, island hopping. In Florence, it was all about living like a local and immersing ourselves in the food, the wine and the culture. To say we lived la dolce vita, would be an understatement and it served as a wonderful reminder to both of us why it is so important to continue to carve time for each other away from the craziness of our busy lives. Below, I share some snaps and a few of my favorite spots ( I hit the ground hard to curate the perfect list for clients )… and I promise, we really did miss the kids— xx E

P.S. we are planning summer travel for Europe 2022 now, so do not wait too long to plan, space is filing up in all the good spots.

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CAPRI

Hotel Stay: The Capri Touch Suite at Capri Palace Jumeriah which was absolutely gorgeous.

Mapps X Capri Palace: VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits.

https://www.capripalace.com/en/

Lunch: The Spagetti alle Vongole at La Fontelina and La Conco de Sogno, the lobster pasta at Le Riccio and the Zucchini Spaghetti dish at Lo Scoglio.

Apertivo: Aperol Spritz on The terrace at Grand Hotel Quisisana.

Dinners: The tomato, mozzerella salad at Da Paolino, truffle pasta at Villa Verde and the white pizza Aurora.

Post Dinner Spot: Anema e Core Taverna for live music and dancing.

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FLORENCE

Hotel Stay: The Master Suite at The Place Firenze, completely obsessed.

Mapps X The Place: VIP upgrade status, complimentary daily breakfast and resort credits.

https://www.theplacefirenze.com/

Lunch: The Terrace at The Place

Enoteca: Le volpi e l'uva.

Apertivo: The Negronis at Serra Torrigiani.

Dinner: Osteria Cinghiale Bianco

Post Dinner Spot: The Lodge Club

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NAPOLI PIT STOP

On our way from Capri to Florence, we pressed pause for 2 hours to eat lunch where pizza was born. I cannot recommend Pizzeria da Concettina ai Tre Santi enough… absolute carb and dairy perfection!

http://www.pizzeriaoliva.it/en/

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SHAKEN OR STIRRED: PARIS'S SUMMER COCKTAIL

Summer is the ideal season to tap into your inner mixologist. Take a detour from the trodden trail of classic cocktail recipes with Le Bar du Bristol’s summer make-it-at-home special, the Caribou Mule.

THE CARIBOU MULE

Ingredients

50 ml Bulleit bourbon whiskey
15 ml organic maple syrup
20 ml lime juice
30 ml cranberry juice
30 ml cloudy apple juice
50 ml ginger beer 

Method

Pour whiskey, maple syrup, lime juice, cranberry juice and apple juice into a cocktail mixer. Top with ice and shake until combined. Fill a glass with ice and pour over with cocktail mixture. Add ginger beer to fill and stir.

 Garnish ideas: mint leaves, orange peel, star anise and bourbon cherries.

 Chin-chin!

THE INSIDER: J.K. PARIS

J.K. Hotels are famous for their chic modern decor and high-touch personalized guest service. With outposts in Rome, Florence and Capri, we were chomping at the bit to see their most recent unveiling, this time in Paris. We asked General Manager and friend of Mapps, Riccardo Ortogni to take us inside.

ACCOMODATIONS

ROOMS: 29 including suites, all individually styled with Italian furnishings and Parisian accents.

RICCARDO’S FAVORITE: “The J.K. Signature Suite, my favourite Suite in Paris, we have only one and it is nearly 90sqm. It was designed personally by Michele Bonan with pieces of furniture from the Flea Market in Paris. The room features a stunning bathroom with a huge and sexy shower and a fireplace (not usable). Furthermore the living room and the bedroom are separated by a unique cube of bronze made by an artisan in Tuscany, that is a walk-in cabinet. I love this beautiful "apartment" for a long stay, fantastic for a couple but suitable also for families with 1 or 2 small kids as the sofa turns into a comfortable bed.”

DINING

With successful stints in both Miami and Aspen, it was time to go global. Casa Tua ( a MAPPS fav ) opened its first international location at J.K. Place Paris. Nestled on the ground floor of the hotel, the restaurant features it's signature open-air kitchen and serve delicious Italian cuisine and fine wine.

THE LOUNGE BAR

The perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee while reading Le Monde or for pre-post dinner cocktails where guests choose between sparkling French Champagnes and the finest Italian Negronis served in Paris.

J.K. WELLNESS

The Sisley Spa offers signature treatments and features an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and a fully-equipped gym.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

MAPPS X J.K PLACE AMENITIES: Special nightly rates, a complimentary upgrade subject to availability, daily breakfast at Casa Tua and a spa credit.

GETTING HERE: The hotel is 35 minutes from Charles De Gaulle Airport by car, on the Left Bank of The Seine River. The hotel is a stone’s throw away from Musee D’Orsay.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: March - May, September-December.

IDEAL GUEST: J.K. junkie, one who prefers small hotels that have an at home-like atmosphere.

P.S. Contact info@mappstravel.com for our complete guide to Paris.

A very special merci beaucoup to Riccardo and Team J.K.

BEHIND THE SCENES: NOBODY THROWS A PARTY LIKE FOUR SEASONS HOTELS

Every December, the industry’s top agents and suppliers who specialize in luxury hotels and exceptional experiences around the globe descend upon Cannes for ILTM, an elite, by invitation only, international travel conference. To kick off the week, Four Seasons throws their annual lunch of a lifetime for their global Preferred Partners at their nearby property, the legendary Four Seasons Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat. The theme was the dramatic art of fashion. The weather was bliss, the Champagne flowed like water and the food game was sublime. A glimpse of my afternoon below xx Elisa —

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LE SHOW

LE SCENE

THE CLIENT POSTCARD: PICTURE PERFECT PUGLIA

Hotel: Borgo Egnazia

“After so many summers spent in Positano, we wanted to try something different. We missed the charming towns and food offerings we found years ago in Tuscany but did not want to give up the coastal vibe of the Amalfi Coast. Puglia gave us the best of both worlds. The grounds at Borgo were breathtaking, truly an amazing property with a great bar, impeccable service, gorgeous rooms and a lovely spa. Every week they set up a festival on their grounds with amazing food stations, pasta making areas, pizza ovens, all kinds of crazy food, wine, music and dancing! Def must!”

Masha & Ilya’s Tips: Do not miss a stroll through the town of Alberobello. It is really beautiful and unique and sunset time was really special. Lunch at The White Beach Club in Torre Canne is a definite must and we also loved going to Ricarrdo’s Bar for drinks (awesome music) and then walking over to Osteria Del Tempo Perso for dinner, was delicious.

BEHIND THE SCENES: ELISA TURNS THE BIG 40 IN PARIS

With only 4 days to explore Paris and celebrate my big 40, I hit the streets running to pack in all of its’ glory. The goal? I set out to perfect my guide to Paris, breaking down each neighborhood by highlighting the top cultural landmarks and pairing it with incredible dining experiences to make my clients' future stays seamless. I had the opportunity to test out a few new restaurants, visit the latest museum opening Atelier de Luminere and checked into one of my favorite hotels on the planet, La Reserve Paris. Here are some highlights below... Happy Birthday to me xx Elisa

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Checking in...La Reserve owner Michel Reybier kept a journal for several years of everything he would want in a hotel of his own, starting with the slippers and going all the way to the flowers and hand-selected vintage books in the library. While the location put me in the heart of the Champs, the 40 room hotel felt more like the home of my chic friend with Eiffel Tower views… delivering the ultimate romantic hideaway in one of my favorite cities in the world.

ROOM TO BOOK: My personal favorites are the Imperial Suites and the Prestige Junior Suites.

MAPPS X LA RESERVE: Category upgrade at booking, daily complimentary breakfast and spa credits.

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Ellsworth Kelly at the Louis Vuitton Foundation took my Sunday morning coffee to a whole other level #swoon

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Scored a table at the latest hotspot Girafe. Eiffel Tower views and killer razor clams = perfection.

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Atelier de Luminere, Paris’s first digital art center was gorgeous, presenting classic pieces to immersive music- & video. We were lucky enough to catch the Van Gogh exhibit.

PRO TIP: Book the 11am time slot, block off an hour and then head over to Le Servan or Double Dragon, just a few doors down for an epic lunch. The restaurants open their doors at noon and do not take reservations, so timing accordingly is imperative.

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My new amour, Maison Labiche. Striped tees and sweatshirts with customized monograms and graphics located in Le Marais, one minute from the city’s best pizza, Big Love. #StripeGirlForever #ECB #MAPPS