A five star ancient monastery

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V has a five star hotel dedicated to him in Utrecht located within a historic complex known as Duitse Huis that is made up by an ancient monastery, founded by the Cavalieri Teutonici in 1348, and its dormitories. The structure housed a military hospital dating back to the XIX century, which was particularly modern and efficient for its time, it was operational and treated patients until the late ‘80s when the local municipality took over the property and began renovations. The complex underwent considerable restoration and in the early 2000 was entirely refurbished and transformed into a luxury hotel. The present day construction rises in- between the city walls and the local water channels and is made up by three different buildings: the Medieval wing in the middle, the Napoleonic residence towards the West (Luigi Bonaparte, the general’s brother had purchased the property in 1807) and the Roman wing towards the South, the lower level is entirely dedicated to the wellness area and its sauna, vapor bath and covered heated pool. The look of the building is designed by the architecture studio of Heine & Va de Rijt, and is contemporary with strong use of large glass windows. The majority of the rooms and suites are located in what was the old military hospital and both the drapes and furniture have been selected with care to respect local tradition and craftsmanship. The brasserie (found in the old Monastery’s kitchen) and the extraordinary Grand Restaurant Karel V (what was the old dining hall) are in the central wing and open onto a wide courtyard lined with statues that face a rich and green garden. Guests are invited to take in the spectacular view of the Duomo and the panorama from its bell tower and to walk through the city, in particular Utrecht’s museum quarter which is only a few steps away from the main shopping street.

Macon, una cittadina che sorge sulle rive del fiume Saona, è vista da chi proviene dal sud della Francia come la porta per la Borgogna. Situato nel centro- est della Francia, il territorio è caratterizzato da colline ondulate, ricoperte di vigne e foreste con tutte le sfumature del verde, interrotte da castelli, piccoli borghi,rupi isolate che emergono improvvisamente. La regione Borgogna evoca vini fra i più famosi al mondo e cantine secolari, ed è facilmente raggiungibile attraverso autostrade provenienti da Parigi, Lione, ma anche in quattro ore da Torino tramite i tunnel del Monte