Masseria Belvedere is an expertly restored Italian 16^th century masseria now functioning as a sophisticated guest house for up to 16 people. Located in the Puglia region, Masseria Belvedere drew our attention because of its elegant, low profile. Another redeeming quality that is even more significant than the low profile is the complete lack of distracting modern embellishments.

The architects have allowed the original natural stone walls to continue to speak the loudest. Everything else, including the gorgeous – and very modern – infinity pool stays discretely in a supporting role. Architects Nicolò Lewanski and Federica Russo, partners in Lecce, Puglia-based Valari have taken an enlightened, unintrusive approach that has not only produced a cohesive, well-functioning new whole but has also created a lasting legacy for the handsome compound.

A masseria is a fortified farmhouse built in the 16^th century on the estates in the Puglia region of Southern Italy. Usually, it consists of a pair of buildings running along two sides of a central high-walled courtyard.

The Masseria Belvedere property extends over a hectare and a half of land that faces the Adriatic coast and includes an ancient olive garden. The structure is L-shaped with the original two-level farm house forming one wing and the restored stables the other.

The architects decided right from the start that they would not increase the vertical mass of the buildings. Rather, they would focus on the horizontal. The result is not only an unintrusive overall profile, but also a set of gorgeous terraces, lawns and al fresco dining areas and, of course, the beautiful infinity pool.

Another aspect of the architects’ approach was to not attempt to define the function of each segment or area of the compound, either inside or outside. Instead, things are left open, often unfurnished and, in a sense, undefined, although everything is clearly walled and segmented.

We love this feeling of possibility and openness. This is not a place where one must accomplish or strive and where every space has a set function in which one must participate. This is what we call an authentic, relaxing atmosphere. Limitless opportunities when the environment presents no demands on its inhabitants.

The eight bedrooms of the complex are located in the 500 square-metre (5,382 sq.ft) main farm house. Most of the living areas and public spaces are in the former stables. Both structures are characterized by the original vaulted ceilings, exposed natural stone and a subdued colour palette.

Masseria Belvedere is situated in the d’Itria Valley in the province of Brindisi. The closest airport is the Brindisi Airport about 20 minutes’ drive away. The closest shops are in the ancient Roman port town of Carovigno, about seven minutes’ drive from the masseria. The beaches of Torre Santa Sabina, the resort town of Specchiolla and the Torre Guaceto Nature reserve are all within 10 to 15-minute drive away as well.  Tuija Seipell

Images: Lorenzo Zandri

The post Masseria Belvedere, Carovigno, Puglia, Italy appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

The brand-new Pera Perou villas are located on the mountainous, sun-baked Kefalonia, an island in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. With its colourful history stretching all the way back to antiquity and beyond, Kefalonia offers a dreamy and magical backdrop for this small, secluded resort.

Athens-born owner and designer Kleoniki Androni has always been in love with Kefalonia and now that she also lives there herself, she knew the main attraction at Pera Perou must be the view.

There was no need to compete with the panorama of the sapphire-hued sea unfolding from the villas’ enormous windows and sliding doorways. This is enough.

Consequently, her three remote and secluded stone villas were created from the rock on which they stand. Both literally and esthetically they are of the island. They look as if they had been here for a long time.

She has extended the minimalist, earth-toned sensibility to every detail in the well-equipped villas. Everything speaks the language of balance and harmony with materials that belong – rough wood, stone, baskets, tactile textiles.

We of course love this kind of simplicity and balance. It takes talent to be able to select each brand-new item and still produce an atmosphere of peaceful, timeless, sun-baked permanence.

Some of Androni’s most inspired solutions include the use of understated built-in features. Most of the beds are simple platforms; the bars and counters are built-in as a many of the shelves and storage features. Various white-washed stone planes function as seating, side tables or steps. A gorgeous monolithic white slab backs the outdoor shower. These features create a sense of age and permanence yet they also seem completely modern.

We also love the cool firepit by Dutch Happy Cocooning, the tactile textiles by the Greek Vagenas and the absolutely beautiful free-form dishes and ceramic art by Athens-based Chrisa L’iarmacopoulou.

Pera Perou consist of three villas: two two-bedroom, 120-square-metre (1,291 sq.ft) villas directly connected to the pool, and one smaller (60 sq.m, 645 sq.ft)) open-plan villa with a private infinity pool and private jacuzzi. All are equipped with the latest technology and fully equipped kitchens. Tuija Seipell

Photography: Ioanna Roufopoulou

The post Pera Perou Luxury Villas, Kefalonia, Greece appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

When Sophie and Frank De Jonghe were given the opportunity to buy their neighbour’s property, they didn’t hesitate even for a moment. Initially, they intended to use the cute 1960s villa as a guest-house for their friends and family but the project grew and expanded and is now MUD Residence, a rental property offered for holiday retreats for up to four people.

The cottage is located in the green village of Oud-Heverlee at the edge of Heverlee Forest and Meerdaal Woods. The area is part of the province of Flemish Brabant between lively historic Leuven Leuven and cosmopolitan Brussels.

From the outside MUD Residence does indeed seem rather cute but after the extensive renovation the property is now a modern, minimalistic and spacious.

The owners developed the design with interior designer Andy Kerstens who not only reconfigured the existing floor plan completely but also designed a steel-and-glass extension to extend the living room and connect it more directly to the garden.

Natural materials and subdued hues create a harmonious and timeless backdrop for the vintage and classic design furniture and decorative objects selected by the owners and the designer.

Our favourite part of the renovation is the smart use of flagstones both inside and out. The flagstones add a sense of history while also creating another connecting element between the house and the garden.

The landscaping was completed by Out-Haverlee-based Filip Butaye . Tuija Seipell 

Images by Piet-Albert Goethals

The post MUD Residence, Oud-Heverlee, Belgium appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

To briefly recap, Castello Di Reschio was formerly the fiefdom of the Bishop of Todi located on the Umbrian side of the border between the then Papal States and the former Grand Duchy of Tuscany (The opposing Tuscan Castle can be glimpsed from the highpoints of the estate over the road which now demarcates the border between the two regions). After the collapse of the tobacco industry which once dominated this pocket of Umbria in the mid-twentieth century, the estate would go into a period of economic decline which would see much of the property’s 2,700-acres of farmland return to a state of semi-wilderness, its 50 outlying farmhouses all fall into various states of disrepair and it’s fortified Borgo would become a dilapidated near-ruin. At least, that is, until 1994. At this time the estate would be purchased by Count Antonio Bolza who would embark on setting the property upon a very different trajectory and begin the long process of restoring and regenerating the land and its dependant buildings into the remarkable estate it is today.

After graduating from architecture school in London, Count Antonio’s son, Benedikt Bolza (also Count Bolza), would soon take up the baton from his father and would stamp his own impressive mark onto the grounds. One by one the homesteads of the estate would be restored and rebuilt into luxurious accommodation for discerning new owners from around the world, transforming them into idyllic holiday homes set in the golden afternoon light of the iconic Italian countryside. Count Benedikt would fuse master Italian craftsmanship with his own distinct vision for each unique residence on the grounds, designing engineering marvels like the monastic-like underground wine cellar of ‘Casa Delle Suore’, to the grand hand-carved travertine cantilevered spiral staircase of ‘Palazzo’. No detail escapes Count Benedikt’s attention, everything from light fixtures to furniture are all designed to his exacting specifications.

And it’s this extraordinary singular vision, this commitment to creating something truly special, which sets Reschio apart. This monumental project of transforming the immense estate is made all the more exceptional by the knowledge that this is, first and foremost, a family-run affair, an idea passed down between generations.

Of the 25 homes on the estate which have been restored and converted into luxury Tuscan-style villas there are ten available to hire when the owner-families are not in residence. The newest of these transformations is the recently completed ‘Casa Delle Suore’. In this property Count Bolza achieves new levels of refinement as he appears to hone his craft with each new build.

Thought to be a former nunnery, the ‘House of the Sisters’ is set in an exceptionally private pocket of the estate. Re-orientating the original inward-looking courtyard-style compound (unique on the grounds of Reschio) outwards, Bolza has designed ‘Casa Delle Suore’ to take full advantage of the sweeping surrounding views of the Umbro-Tuscan landscape. Allowing light to flood in, each window frames a picture-perfect moment of golden fallow fields alternating with rolling wooded hills.   

Particularly inviting is the 16m x 4m swimming pool featuring gently cascading water down the shallow stone steps leading from the pool lounge terrace and inviting guests into the infinity-edged pool below overlooking the rest of the estate.

Another intriguing feature is the aforementioned underground brick domed wine cellar. An almost meditative sensation comes over as you descend into the dimly lit cool and calming space. Although built to keep wine at a perfectly even temperature year-round, one can’t help but be drawn to this space and feel tempted to enjoy a glass of good wine, or whiskey, in this very location.

Stunningly appointed throughout with bespoke furniture designed by Count Bolza himself, the house is studded with unique pieces sourced from the antique markets of Parma and innovative design features crafted from salvaged elements of the original structure. In this way ‘Casa Delle Suore’, while boasting every possible modern amenity, still preserves something of the character of the old building’s past, epitomised in the great care taken to preserve the two ancient mulberry trees which greet guests as they enter the courtyard.

The lasting impression left by Reschio is one of renewal and continuation. What was once found in a state of near-ruin has now been re-purposed and has found a new incarnation. And in that same spirit of renewal ‘Castello Di Reschio’ is about to embark on yet another transformation, the culmination of years of planning and work and probably the crowning moment of the original idea to purchase the land, as the Borgo itself, the focal point of the Estate nears completion and conversion into a luxury boutique hotel.

Scheduled to open in June next year (2020), the hotel will accommodate 36 rooms. Fortunately, we were treated to a guided tour of the worksite to inspect the facilities being retrofitted into the medieval fortifications of the Borgo along with an inspection of the workshops where the hotel’s future furniture and fittings, even art is being designed made and/or collected. To say we’re excited to see Count Bolza final vision fully realised would be an understatement. More to come on this next year.

Also within the grounds of the Estate is the new and exquisitely designed ‘Ristorante alle Scuderie’, a restaurant and bar recently opened in June this year (2019) which will serve as a destination restaurant for the region and will be open to not just the Estate homeowners (or their renters), or future hotel guests, but also to the general public. Showcasing produce sourced from the restored farmland of the property and its surrounding local region, including Reschio’s own olive oil and wine, the restaurant, coupled with the hotel will represent the final transformation for Reschio, from exclusive Estate which only a very select few could experience to inviting a wider audience to sample the Bolza family’s curated slice of Umbrian paradise.  Bill Tikos.

The post ‘Casa Delle Suore’ House At Castello Di Reschio – Umbria, Italy (Review) appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

Athens, unlike some of the other capitals of Europe, is not a city we would describe as glamorous at first glance. It’s been described as ugly and congested, a stopover for the approximately 33 million visitors to Greece this year alone, while on their way to the ever so chic greek islands. Aside from the obligatory tour of the Acropolis, many travellers don’t pause long enough in this ancient city to really discover what some are calling the continent’s most vibrant cultural metropolis. So this year, we decided to explore Athens for ourselves. What we discovered is an exciting city bursting with life, cool bars, elegant restaurants, great hotels and, of course, countless espressos and frappe. Our conclusion is that Athens is a city that deserves several days of a seasoned traveler’s time.

One of the highlights of – and initial reasons for – our Athens stay was an invitation from the family that owns and operates the newly opened, neo-modernist boutique Perianth Hotel that is part of the Design Hotels collection.

Perianth is located by the Byzantine-era Agia Eirini square in a neighbourhood resembling New York’s Soho. The hotel is perfectly positioned just far away enough from the crowded tourist traps, yet within convenient distance form some of the city’s main sites such as the Acropolis and the National Archeological Museum.

The neighbourhood is bustling with fashionable people hanging out at cool cafes sipping their freddo cappuccinos and enjoying themselves at one of the area’s many great eateries, cafe’s, bars and nightlife hotspots.

We sampled and liked, for example the Third Place, the local favourite Kosta’s Souvlaki, great bars like “6 dogs” and the incredible ice-cream bar Kokkion.

In fact, our biggest problem during our four-night stay at the Perianth Hotel was deciding if we should just stay at our Perianth Penthouse Suite all day and night, or go out. It was not an easy choice as our expansive 116-square-metre Perianth Penthouse Suite on the top floor of the five-story hotel had 360-degree views of the Acropolis and the Lycabetus hill, two bedrooms, a living room, dining area, bar, and a rooftop terrace with a pool and Jacuzzi.

We have enjoyed great views from many hotel rooms all over the globe, but this was just magical. The view from the Suite was indescribably mesmerizing, the absolute star of our entire experience in Athens. The Penthouse is orientated perfectly to maximize the view of the Acropolis. The floor-to-ceiling glass doors open up to a vast terrace with its bar, pool and Jacuzzi. Even in the main bedroom, you fall asleep and wake up to the spectacular views. We spent hours watching the sunset changing the light over the monument from golden hues to delicate pinks.

The 1930’s five-story hotel has only 38 rooms which is one of the features that make this such a gem. No crowds, always personal service and no noise. Perianth was designed by Greece’s hottest design firm K-Studio that seems to have designed everything that is cool in Greece right now from Vora in Santorini and Casa Cook in Crete to the new Mykonos airport.

But, as always, the true test and the real heart of a hotel is its service. We loved the attention to detail and the team’s eagerness to serve. Perianth’s owners had had the building for several years but they were not sure what to do with it. Siblings Alexandra, Anastasia and Konstantinos Sgoumpopolous finally settled on opening a hotel. Konstantinos is a Zen monk and his Zen Center also operates in the same building. Anastasia brings the love of art and fashion to the table and Alexandra is the born hostess.

We were impressed by the entire staff as everyone spoke perfect English, seemed genuinely excited to work there, were super helpful with booking restaurants and recommend the cool things to see and do in Athens.

On their advice we dined at Nolan where chef Sotiris Kontizas, drawing on his Japanese and Greek heritage, has fused together the two distinct and disparate culinary traditions of east and west into one of Athens’ most extraordinary and unique culinary experiences.

Another restaurant we recommend is Island Club, about 45-minute taxi ride from the centre of Athens. The restaurant transforms into a dance and bar venue at night but it is truly chilled.  Don’t be surprised if you bump into Greek celebrities such as Anna Vissi, who is apparently a regular. You easily lose track of time at Island Club, and the next thing you know it is just before sunrise and you are not yet back at your hotel.

For Perianth Hotel, we envision a bright future. In spite of their lack of previous hotel experience the owners of Perianth Hotel have created a new standard in luxury on the Athenian accommodation scene. The family has created an elegant sanctuary away from the surrounding busy street life and at the same time, the hotel has become a destination in its own right adding to the fabric and the cool vibe of the area.

We feel they are onto a good thing with this venture and we have already humbly suggested they expand their boutique hotel concept to the Greek Islands. Let’s hope there will be a ‘Perianth Villas’ opening in the not so distant future…

The post Perianth Hotel, Athens, Greece appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

Staying in a luxury top-floor suite at Aman Tokyo is an experience that redefines what a stay at a mega-city hotel can be.

Aman Tokyo is Aman Resorts’ first decidedly urban resort. It occupies the top six floors (levels 33-38) of the Otemachi Tower, the headquarters of the Mizhuo Bank that was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox.

Aman Tokyo opened in 2014 and its design is one of grand achievements of Australian architect Kerry Hill who passed away this August at the age of 75. He specialized in hotel design in tropical Asia and designed hotels for Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha long before Zecha went on to found Aman Resorts in 1988.

By then Zecha had realized that there was a definite market for minimalist high-end boutique resorts in remote, natural settings. Kerry Hill designed in total of nine of the currently 32 Aman resorts including two in Sri Lanka, one in China, one in Cambodia and one in Shima, 300 km southeast of Tokyo.

The entrance lobby of Aman Tokyo on the 33^rd floor is what we’d describe resembling an entrance hall to a major art gallery or museum. It is grand in the truest sense of the word with high ceilings and vast expanses of open space.

This is where you become immediately convinced that this is definitely not a hotel, this is a luxury minimalist spa resort in the sky. Surrounded by engawa, a wooden feature dividing the inside and out, the lobby is nearly 30 metres high.

You are also immediately stunned by the incredible views. Aman Tokyo is in Otemachi with views of the Imperial Palace Gardens and the surrounding Tokyo landmarks, and within a few steps from the bustle and boutiques of Ginza.

At this point you will not yet realize that you have already been introduced to the main features of your stay.

You will be spending much of your time in awe of the relaxed feeling you achieve in your bath or in the spa, staring out the window day and night mesmerized by what you see.

Another tell-tale sign of the fact that you are in an un-hotel are the walkways to the suites and deluxe rooms. The ceilings are high, the corridors are wide – none of the jail-like, space-saving dorm-hall feel you encounter even in the finest of hotels.

The art found throughout the hotel, including the hallways, is also stunning. Perhaps the most elegant are the stucco flowers in the corridors. Sakan, or Japanese plaster is an ancient craft art that modern building methods are rapidly leaving behind. But here, one of the few remaining Japanese plasterers, Syuhei Hasado, has combined the age-old practice with contemporary techniques to reinvent the tradition. Graceful, precise and inspired by nature, his hand-made stucco art is a perfect addition to the minimalist surroundings.

Your suite is like a luxury residence, with separate living and dining areas, bedrooms and what will become the centre of your stay: the bathroom with its furo, a deep soaking tub. You will end up taking a bath every morning and every night, just soaking up the relaxing water and admiring the breathtaking views from your floor-to-ceiling windows. It truly feels like you are bathing in the sky.

The massive rooms are all decorated in an elegant, minimalist Japanese style with Washi paper, wood and stone features. Earth tones, nothing contradictory, all serene.

And if you ever leave your room, you will be equally – if not more – impressed in the pool and spa area. Enormous, elegant, truly grand. The high ceilings and the sheer scale make the spa a masterpiece of design. Here, you start to become transported into another era, into another dimension – somewhere outside the mundane daily life. Order some drinks at sunset and devour the sensory overload. 

Aman Tokyo is already nearly four years old, but you would never know it. There isn’t a nick or bruise or fray anywhere. Everything is pristine, impeccable, orderly and calm.

The attention to detail in every aspect of our stay was incredible. So very Japanese, we thought. 

What stood out above all was the level of service from the staff and the Concierge team. Tough as it was to leave our suite and the spa, as first-time visitors, we wanted to see Tokyo as well.

Tokyo is not an easy place to navigate for a foreigner who does not speak Japanese, but the Concierge staff made it all easy. Not only were they able to recommend places that a first-time foreign visitor would not have even thought to look for, they were also able to book tables at the hardest-to-get restaurants. Truly impeccable. Bill Tikos.

The post Aman Tokyo – A Resort In The Sky (Review) appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

Dolomites, Italy

The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park by Brazil (Pic – Massimo Vitali)

Chamonix Mont Blanc (Pic – Isabelle Jouvie)

Cathedrals Beach, Galicia, Spain

Loggas beach, Corfu island ~ Greece

Lofoten, Norway

Winnats Pass near Castleton Derbyshire, UK

Amsterdam (Pic – Sander Fennema)

The Seven Sisters Waterfall in Norway.

View the previous listings on our Amazing Places page here

The post Amazing Places To Experience Around The Globe (Part 7) appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

But when we review our images, videos and stories from Di Reschio, the one thing that has become even clearer over time is the feeling that we were transported to some unspecified luxurious time period between ancient history and tomorrow. A perfect ‘time is standing still’ moment, offering relaxation and pampering, yet managing to surprise and delight at every turn.

With the estate itself a testament to how beautifully structures can age, combined with the extraordinary attention to detail in the restoration, and topped with every modern amenity one could wish for, it all appeared – and still does – almost too beautiful and perfect to be true.

We kept thinking that it resembled a movie set, yet there wasn’t a single fake or pretentious item in the place. Everything felt that it belonged here, and somehow always had belonged, even if reality proved otherwise.

The back story of this incredible estate and the family that runs it, is just as unbelievable and romantic as any fantasy we could conjure up. In 1994, Count Antonio Bolza and his wife, Angelika, purchased Castello di Reschio, a 2,700-acre estate in the hills of Umbria, Italy. They set out to restore and renovate the disused farmhouses on the estate that dates back to 1202.

Over time, the Count’s son Benedickt Bolza (now known as Count Bolza) graduated from architecture school and joined the family operation, taking over the planning, design and renovation.

He met his future wife, Nencia (of the princely Corsini family of Florence), at Castello di Reschio where she was hired by his parents in 1998 to paint decorative trompe l’oeil murals.

Eventually, the couple took over the estate’s largest castle as the home for themselves and their now five children. It was the most challenging to renovate, says Count Bolza, but it is beyond amazing. The couple has no regrets about the painstaking work they’ve done on it and offer tours for the guests.

So far, they have renovated about 25 villas on the estate, catering to an international elite client base of buyers and renters.

We stayed at the Palazzo that sleeps 10. The staircase in the centre of the house alone took our breath away. And the attention to detail in absolutely everything on the entire estate. From custom-design (by Count Bolza) furniture to incredible amenities including Ortiga Sicilia toiletries that we completely fell in love with.

On arrival, at lunchtime, our house was bustling with cooking and soon a delicious lunch was served at the huge table. This was a precursor to the astonishing mealtimes we were to enjoy throughout our stay.

Swimming pools, gyms, tennis, cooking lessons at your own house, and eating, of course, eating. Everything as fresh as can be and everything produced locally.

As we were focusing on doing as little as possible, we were delighted to be spectators at Conte Bolza’s Tuesday evening dressage performance. As he and his white horse moved elegantly around the paddock, we were seated under a maharaja tent, and served Italian hors d’oeuvres and wine.
The entire setup felt like we were witnessing an old-world European aristocratic tradition, and we were probably not too far wrong. Dressage does have deep European roots dating back to before Renaissance, and horses have played a vital role in this former frontier fief situated on the border between the former Papal States and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

And within a five-minute drive from our Palazzo was the estate’s restaurant, Osteria – that’s how large the estate is – where chef Marco Pellegrini creates the Di Reschio cuisine.

Unpretentious, delicious, fresher than fresh. Italian. Perfect bright-red vine ripened tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, pasta, gazpacho, bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and chilli, and wine. You get the idea. We think we have found our heaven on earth and it is called Castello Di Reschio.

A short video we produced on the most extraordinary place we experienced last summer – Castello Di Reschio in Umbria, Italy. – Bill Tikos

The post Castello Di Reschio, Umbria, Italy appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

Tropea, Calabria, Southern Italy.

The garden of Saiho Ji in Kyoto, Japan.

Atlantic Ocean Rd, Norway

The Dunes of Lencois, Brazil

Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California

La Grotta Cove, Corfu Island, Greece

Vintgar Gorge, Triglav National Park, Slovenia

Qikeng Don in Wulong, China

Valloires Abbey Garden, France

Blanket Bay Lodge, New Zealand

Tulip Fields, Amsterdam

View the previous listings on our Amazing Places page here

The post Amazing Places To Experience Around the Globe (Part 6) appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.

The Sphinx, Giza, Egypt

Fjadrargljufur, Iceland

Folegandros, Greece.

Green Lake in Upper Styria, Austria

Hotel Hospes Maricel, Mallorca, Spain

Seven Sisters Waterfall, Norway

Central Park, New York City

Platja D’Aro, Girona, Spain

Skatftafeli, Iceland

Bolgheri, Tuscany

Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, Australia

Dingle Peninsula – Ireland

Trolltunga – Odda, Norway

Emerald Lake, Alaska (Pic Lynn Zaik)

The Devetashkata Cave, Bulgraria

Lefkada Greece

El Nido Palawan Island, Phillippines

More Amazing Places To Experience Around The Globe (Part 1 – click here)

More Amazing Places to Experience Around The Globe (Part 2 – click here )

More Amazing Places to Experience Around The Globe (Part 3 – click here )

More Amaing Places to Experience Around The Globe (Part 4 – click here )

The post Amazing Places To Experience Around the Globe (Part 5) appeared first on The Cool Hunter Journal.