La Fiermontina Ocean, Moroccan Enchantment with a Taste of Italy

Camel Caravan Three on my horizon, Morocco is one of the hottest destinations in the world. Luxury hotels and charming boutique properties are opening at an astonishing pace.

On the North-western edge of Morocco, washed by the Atlantic Ocean, there is a place apart – where wild birds still roam on gold-colored unspoiled beaches and stretches of the road see more sheep and donkeys than cars. A pristine land of sunlight-draped dunes and swathes of verdant hills that cross rural villages.

Choose a 4×4 car and comfortable shoes to enjoy your adventure at La Fiermontina Ocean!

Enchanting directions to the property from my landing in Casablanca: to arrive, take the Khmiss Sahel exit and then take the road towards the village of Dchier. You will find yourself on an unpaved road through an oak forest. Follow the unmarked 5 kilometers road until you see a chicken farm on the right.

Immediately after the farm, you will find the entrance to the hotel. Look for a majestic entrance with a concrete block gate: Welcome to La Fiermontina Ocean.

Images of Morocco generally depict medina alleyways, lofty Sahara dunes stretching for hundreds of miles, camels and stone riads ringed by palms and courtyards with small pools. La Fiermontina Ocean is the new Moroccan addition to the owners luxurious properties in Lecce, where they have La Fiermontina Luxury Home and La Fiermontina Palazzo Bozzi Corso, while in Paris there is La Fiermontina Vendôme, a scrumptious apartment.

Four unique properties reflecting the different souls of the Fiermonte family. Transporting their Italian glamour to this property, south of Tangier on Morocco’s west coast, it’s a beach front retreat just north of Larache. It’s set across a new resort and an old village, within a reserve, with more traditional hamlets nearby.

The Story: La Fiermontina Ocean synthesizes and reflects the life and personal journey of Antonia, grandmother of the owners Fouad and Yasmina Filali, and of her brother Enzo. Their life took them first from Italy to France and then to Morocco. The new hotel was born from the meeting between Antonia Fiermonte, a Catholic Italian in the 50’s, and the “Cadi”(Judge of the Islamic Law) Thami Filali, on their respective children’s’ wedding. That meeting would act as a bridge between the Orient and the Occident and would later inspire their grandchildren in this poignant endeavor in an untamed natural environment.

I’ve enjoyed a delightful stay at La Fiermontina Lecce, set in a walled olive grove with an outdoor pool on the edge of Lecce’s historic center, offering a haven for art lovers in a natural Italian garden environment. An oasis amid the creamy limestone Baroque architecture, Lecce, is also known as the Florence of the South.

Boutique hotel La Fiermontina is an homage to Antonia Fiermonte and the two artists who loved her.

 Travel Trends 2023 – Shoulder Season is Dead.

Where to GO – Japan, better book now for 2024, Cherry Blossom Journeys for this year sold out last summer. A combination of Covid rollover reservations and cherished Cherry Blossom Customs, this tradition has always been popular. It may be a secret, but spring in South Korea is just as magical as the country shrugs off winter and reemerges bearing the pop of Cherry Blossom shades and scents. The most popular place to see cherry blossoms in Korea is the Jinhae Gunhangje Cherry Blossom Festival, which has attracted over 2,000,000 visitors per year in past years.

Cherry Blossoms, Japan

Sicily, led by the outrageous popularity of White Lotus, clients clamor to trek the trails and plop at super swanky Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina. Even if you just make the hotel your only seaside destination, the 14th-century Dominican convent turned luxury hotel in the coastal town of Taormina, has stunning views not just of the Ionian Sea, but also of Mt. Etna volcano and the Greek Theatre of Taormina, a historical landmark. Famous guests, including our chic clients, who have shared their praise include Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren, King Edward VIII and Oscar Wilde. History, art, and delicious food – everyone loves Italy, even if you are island based. Sicily’s luxury hotel scene has been enriched in the last few years, by the classic Belmond properties, Grand Hotel Timeo, and Villa Sant’Andrea, as well as newer hotels Il san Corrado di Noto and Rocco Forte Hotel Villa Igiea. Imagine two weeks crisscrossing the island – I once settled into a village for an inspiring week in summer to participate in a David Tanis cooking school.

Italian charisma, is that redundant?

Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Sicily
Sicily

Spring Summer or Autumn in Paris? – if you haven’t booked yet, get out your candle’s, rosary, and Bhutanese prayer beads. The Rugby World Cup train visits 51 cities in France during a 4-month Journey.  Veuillez m’excuser” – please accept my apologies if you have not reserved Paris yet. One of our savviest sophisticated couples will spend a glorious month as Parisians at La Réserve Apartments. At home in Paris with the Eiffel Tower as your neighbor.

Sleekly neutral and lavishly roomy, the first-class serviced apartments facing the Eiffel Tower, are perfect for travelers wanting to blend as chic locals, invite the entourage. This is not Emily in Paris! Carry your cashmere and smart walking shoes.

La Réserve Apartments, Paris
La Réserve Apartments, Paris

Bhutan was one of my most glorious adventures ever. Slowly western culture will invade and diffuse the pureness of the Happiest Kingdom. Visit before the traditional values, beliefs are modified. Nothing prepared me for my Journey to this tiny Himalayan country, memories still wash over me in waves. Staying in five individual Amankora properties, meeting gentle and kind locals, hiking through mountain landscapes unlike any other, dining on local delicious delicacies, wandering through colorful ancient temples, and learning Bhutanese customs. With the recent opening of the Trans Bhutan Trail, a 250-mile sacred hiking trail for the first time in 60 years, more hikers will be drawn to this mountain Paradise!

Captivated by rich history and ancient culture? Egypt is overrun by Americans this year, plan now for next spring or fall. In sharing once in a lifetime adventures, it’s hard to ignore the allure of Africa and the Middle East, and in particular, Egypt – the pyramids are still magnificently standing, having withstood every imaginable world crisis. The history, the pyramids, the sphinx, and the ancient burial tombs all standing amid a hectic twenty first century life.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

Morocco – if you read my posts, you appreciate my obsession! Our clients are following my lead, as is most of America, Morocco is one of The Hottest travel destinations. Book in advance for the best five-star properties and stand by in fall, as I uncover the new luxury hotels in Tangier and visit a small riad in the Atlas Mountain’s – opened by well-known Marrakech hotelier, giving Kasbah Tamadot a little healthy hotel competition.

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Also, on the hot list is Colombia. With world-class coffee plantations, amazing beaches to the north and west, remarkable dining, rich history, and friendly people, Colombia tourism is exploding. Colombia’s diversity runs from mountain peaks to tropical grasslands, from spectacular museums and private art collections to coffee plantations, from ancient history to natural wonders.

Ancient mysteries come to life in cities rife with culture and charm. Near the city of Agustin more than 500 life-sized carved volcanic stone figures and tombs litter the Forest of Statues, amid native trees and flowers.

Four Seasons Vasa Medina Bogota

Cartagena has become one of South America’s most vibrant cities – and the undoubted queen of Columbia’s northern coast. Offering old-world luxury, exquisite fine-dining options, and a hip nightlife. Having witnessed 500 years of piracy, wars and slavery, Cartagena’s Walled City is steeped in history. Every house and street here have meaning – right down to the intricate door handles used to signal your hierarchy in society.

Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, Cartagena

Colombia’s capital of Bogota is rich with vitality, a blend of world-class restaurants, and sophisticated shopping. The energy and creativity of Colombia’s capital city are best experienced with a stay at Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá. In the buzzing Zona Rosa area, find yourself just steps away from the city’s best shopping, nightlife, and cafés, then come back to settle in at the intimate, modern Hotel, where contemporary elegance is found everywhere from the spacious suites to the perfectly poured Colombian espresso.

More than 99.5% of Colombians speak Spanish. Oh dear, un poquito Español!