November 14, 2011: The Relais & Châteaux Guide 2012 introduces three new UK members located in Scotland – Greywalls Hotel and Chez Roux in Muirfield, Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island in Argyll, and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Auchterarder – and one new member in Ireland , Ballyfin Demesne in Co. Laois. Globally, 45 new members bring the total number of fine hotels and restaurants to 518 worldwide in almost 60 countries. There are also five new destinations including Neuchâtel in Switzerland , Brussels in Belgium , Porto in Portugal , Beijing in China , and, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia .
Relais & Châteaux is proud to welcome the distinguished Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho, as the new Relais & Châteaux Ambassador 2012 and names 19 new Grands Chefs – five promoted from within the existing membership and 14 that are also new members – increasing the total number of Grands Chefs Relais & Châteaux to 160 of which seven are located in the UK and Ireland . The 2012 trophy winners are also featured. Brief details of the new members, new Grands Chefs and 2012 trophy winners follow in alphabetical order (unless otherwise stated):
NEW MEMBERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND (4)
Ballyfin Demesne: Irish Regency mansion in stunning garden estate at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, Co. Laois , Ireland
Greywalls Hotel and Chez Roux: next to the Muirfield golf course, Berwick , Scotland
Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island: a 120 hectares island, Argyll , Scotland
Restaurant Andrew Fairlie: within Gleneagles, Auchterarder , Scotland , UK
NEW MEMBERS IN EUROPE (21)
Anne de Bretagne: contemporary villa on the Jade coast of Saint Malo , France
Beau-Rivage Hotel: overlooking Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Bellevue Syrene 1820: with views of the Gulf of Naples – in Sorrento , Italy
Castillo de Arteaga: a castle in Urdabai natural park, Spain
Chalet de la Forêt Restaurant: a forest location close to Brussels , Belgium
Combal.Zero Restaurant: culinary art at the Rivoli Museum of Modern Art, Italy
De Lindenhof: magical décor and dishes on the Giethoorn waterfront, The Nertherlands
Het Roode Koper: within the Veluwe forest in The Netherlands
Hôtel Au Cœur du Village: Les Aravis ski resort in La Clusaz, France
Hotel Le Place d’Armes, in the town centre of Luxembourg
Hotel Restaurant Spa Rosengarten: in the Tyrolean village of Kitzbühel , Austria
La Bastide: 18th century charterhouse in Gascony , France
La Peschiera: former Bourbon fishery on the Adriatic coast, Monopoli , Italy
Maison Decoret: a Napoleon III chalet in Vichy , France
Neri Hotel & Restaurant: medieval palace and 18th century mansion, Barcelona , Spain
Ramon Freixa Madrid Restaurant: Mediterranean cuisine in Madrid , Spain
Restaurant Guy Lassausaie: at the gateway to the Beaujolais region, Lyon , France
Saint James Paris: château-hotel, close to Champs Elysée, Paris , France
Schlosshotel Burg Schlitz: in a fine 19th Century estate, West Pomerania, Germany
The Yeatman: in the heart of Porto , Portugal
Villa Crespi: Moorish villa on Lake Orta , Piedmont , Italy
NEW MEMBERS IN THE AMERICAS (10)
Algodon Mansion : 1920s mansion in La Recoleta district of Buenos Aires , Argentina
Awasi: among the geysers, volcanoes and salt flats of the Atacama desert, Chile
Del Posto Restaurant: classic Italian food in the heart of New York City , USA
Hastings House Country House Hotel: Salt Spring island, opposite Vancouver , Canada
Marea Restaurant: Italian seafood on Manhattan ’s Central Park South, USA
Ocean House: Victorian mansion on Rhode Island , New England , USA
Restaurant Europea: local terroir of Montreal , Canada
The Ranch at Rock Creek: quintessentially the wild west, Montana USA
Twin Farms: secluded in Vermont , USA
The Surrey Hotel & Spa: Beaux-Arts townhouse, Manhattan ’s Upper East Side, USA
NEW MEMBERS IN ASIA PACIFIC (10)
Bettei Senjuan: with views of Mount Tanigawa , Japan
Huka Lodge: on the banks of the Waikato River , upstream from Huka Falls , New Zealand
JE Mansion: at the heart of the business district of Beijing , China
Jinmai Brilliant Resort & Spa: amid the world’s largest tea garden in the Yunnan , China
Kashiwaya Restaurant: purest Japanese culinary tradition in Osaka, Japan
Le Moût Restaurant, French expertise/Asian flavours in Taichung , Taiwan
Qualia: on Hamilton Island , Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Saffire: in the heart of Freycinet National Park, Tasmania , Australia
Villa Samadhi: geniuine peace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Wanakarn Beach Resort & Spa: one of 15 villas on the beach front near Phuket , Thailand
NEW GRANDS CHEFS (19 – in alphabetical order of restaurant name):
Joseph Lenn: Blackberry Farm , Tennessee , USA
Pascal Devalkeneer: Chalet de la Forêt, Brussels , Belgium
Gunnar Thompson: Château de Sureau , California , USA
Davide Scabin: Combal.Zero, Rivoli , Italy
Martin Kruithof: De Lindenhof, Giethoorn, The Netherlands
Mark Ladner & Mario Batali: Del Posto, Manhattan , USA
Peter Tempelhoff: Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel, Cape Town , South Africa .
Christophe Bacquié: Hôtel du Castellet , Provence , France
Simon Taxacher: Hotel Restaurant Spa Rosengarten, Kitzbühel , Austria
Antonio Guida: Il Pellicano , Tuscany , Italy
Lan-Shu Chen: Le Moût Restaurant, Taichung , Taiwan
Jacques Decoret: Maison Decoret Vichy , France
Michael White & Jared Gadbaw: Marea, Manhattan , USA
Ramon Freixa: Ramon Freixa , Madrid , Spain
Andrew Fairlie: Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Auchterarder , Scotland
Jérôme Ferrer: Restaurant Europea, Montreal, Canada
Guy Lassausaie: Restaurant Guy Lassausaie, Lyon , France
Hideaki Matsuo: Restaurant Kashiwaya on the outskirts of Osaka , Japan
Antonino Cannavacciuolo: Villa Crespi, Piedmont , Italy
RELAIS & CHATEAUX TROPHY WINNERS:
Art de la Table Trophy for beautiful table presentation: Atrio Restaurante & Hotel in Cáceres ( Spain )
Environment Trophy (supported by Orlane) for absolute consideration of the environment working in harmony with nature: Il Melograno ( Italy )
Garden Trophy (in association with Rozès) for the most beautiful garden: Fearrington House Country Inn & Restaurant (USA)
Grands Chefs Trophies (in association with Taittinger) for gourmet cuisine, presented to five chefs: Christophe Bacquié, at Hôtel du Castellet ( France ); Antonio Guida of Il Pellicano ( Italy ); Peter Tempelhoff of The Greenhouse at The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel ( South Africa ); Gunnar Thompson of Château de Sureau and Joseph Lenn of Blackberry Farm (USA).
Innovation Trophy (in association with Nespresso) for skilful blending of tradition and innovation: Chiu Family of the Villa 32 in Taiwan
Lounge Trophy (in partnership with Grand Marnier) for an exquisite interior design and relaxing ambience: Oriental Lounge of the Grand Hôtel du Lac ( Switzerland )
Passion Trophy (in partnership with Hennessy) for commitment to the Relais & Chateaux values: Cédric Morel, Owner and Maître de Maison of Château de Feuilles ( Seychelles )
Rising Chef Trophy (supported by All-Clad) for the most promising rising stars of the association to Sébastien Sevellec of La Villa in Calvi (France) and to Fabrice Vulin at the Château de la Chèvre d’Or ( France
Savoir-Faire Trophy (supported by Genmorangie whiskies) in recognition of team-work, creativity, professionalism and excellence: Restaurant Schwarzwaldstube ( Germany )
Spa Trophy (in association with Laurent-Perrier) for a sublime Spa and well-being facility: La Côte Saint-Jacques & Spa (France)
Welcome Trophy (in partnership with Dom Pedrignon) for a sense of hospitality: Restaurant Richard et Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle , France
Woman of the Year Trophy (in partnership with Pommery): Carme Ruscalleda, Grand Chef and owner of Restaurant Sant Pau ( Spain ).
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Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of around 518 of the world’s finest hotels and restaurants in 60 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its ‘art de vivre’ across the globe by selecting outstanding character properties. Relais & Châteaux is also a family of hoteliers and grands chefs from all over the world who share a passion for their work and a personal commitment to making every guest’s visit an unforgettable treat for the senses. From the Napa valley vineyards to the beaches of Bali , via Provençal olive groves and South African game lodges, Relais & Châteaux has special places in every favourite corners of the world. www.relaischateaux.com
The Relais & Châteaux signature reflects this ambition: “ALL AROUND THE WORLD, UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.“ Maison des Relais & Châteaux: 10 Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1NG
