Opening Soon or Big Changes Ahead!

Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. Shuttered since 2020, slated to reopen in 2026 after an extensive renovation. The Montecito property marked its centennial on February 6, 2026, exactly 100 years after its grand opening ball. The Beach Road leading to the resort is lined with palm trees, iconic southern California! Plans feature 138 revamped rooms and suites, new bungalow suites with plunge pools, a 150-foot lazy river, a 3,557-square-foot family pool, and an adult pool. Dining: a new Nobu restaurant is part of the extensive renovation plan. A seasoned FS GM has ensconced from another Four Seasons property to pave the Golden Path – waiting for Little Birdies to share more news!

The Arrival: the once very small Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is planning a major Terminal Improvement Project, featuring a 33,000-square-foot, two-story addition to the existing terminal. The expansion includes enhanced security screening, baggage claim, more seating, and outdoor dining. Construction is expected to begin in 2027. The little café in the tower has closed, a family favorite!

Vesper Bar The Dorchester London

The Dorchester London Many suites have undergone complete refurbishment, I recommend the Garden Suites, connect to five bedrooms!  The penthouse and rooftop pavilion are pending, but Vesper Bar is divine! If you are clever, reserve the exclusive spot in Vesper Bar. Tucked away in The Snug – an intimate 8-seater space, made entirely private by the swish of a tasseled curtain – you’ll enjoy the best of our cocktails and light bites in your own discreet cozy corner.

Vesper Bar The Dorchester London

Mandarin Oriental is expanding into Egypt with a major portfolio of luxury properties, including the upcoming Mandarin Oriental Shepheard, Cairo (expected 2027), along with managing two iconic heritage hotels—Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract, Aswan and Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace, Luxor—plus a luxury Nile cruise launching by July 2027. 

Mandarin Oriental Old Cataract Aswan A historic colonial-era hotel known for hosting Agatha Christie, scheduled for significant renovations and management takeover by 2027. I convinced my guide to let me trot off in a pony cart for a Rye Manhattan at sunset overlooking the Nile.

Mandarin Oriental Winter Palace Luxor A historic 1886 property near the Temple of Luxor, undergoing full restoration. Our VIP clients stayed on their first trip 20 years ago!

All Aboard! The Art of Sleep

Timeless Journeys the Legend Expands: The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE) offers ultra-luxury overnight Journeys from Paris to Italian destinations including Venice, Verona, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. Operating from spring through autumn, these 1920s-style trains feature Art Deco cabins, fine dining, and scenic routes through the Alps.

Key 2026 Paris-to-Italy Routes Paris to Venice The classic Journey crossing Switzerland, offering views of the Gotthard route before arriving at Santa Lucia Station.

Paris to Amalfi Coast (New 2026): A new itinerary starting 4 May 2026, featuring a stop in Pompeii and a stay at Caruso, a Belmond Hotel in Ravello.

Paris to Florence (New 2026) Scheduled for September 2026, pairing the train Journey with a stay at Villa San Michele, one of our VV Favorite properties!

Paris to Portofino  Available in October 2026, concluding with a stay at Splendido, A Belmond Hotel. May I say it again? One of our VV Favorite hotels – Belmond does Italy Ottimo!

Paris to Verona: Offers journeys culminating in the historic city of Verona.

Highly Recommend!

Exclusive Experiences Wine & Unwind Close to Home!

San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito – The Ranch has a historical guest list: Groucho Marx, Winston Churchill, Sinclair Lewis, and John Huston, who finished writing the screenplay for The African Queen while in residence. Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh exchanged midnight wedding vows on the grounds, and Camelot began here with John and Jackie Kennedy honeymooning in the cottage that now bears their name.

syr collectortour hero
San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito

Tucked away in the leafy foothills of Santa Barbara, San Ysidro Ranch offers a unique blend of privacy, peace, and tranquility in an idyllic setting. Thirty-eight vine-covered cottages surrounded by incredibly landscaped gardens with flowers always in bloom under a canopy of stately sycamores and gnarled oaks make this exclusive property destination unplugged from the rest of the world. Citrus groves, olive trees, brilliantly colored lantanas, lily pond, and the sweet smell of orange blossoms, fragrant magnolias, and jasmine make you think that you have just discovered a slice of paradise.

san ysidro secluded cottages
San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito

Whether you’re a collector of rare wines or unique experiences, San Ysidro Ranch’s new “California Wine Country” package offers an extraordinarily elegant way to explore this celebrated region. Enjoy a five-day itinerary of private wine tastings, picnics, and much more – all thoughtfully curated by chefs and sommeliers with innate knowledge of the Santa Ynez Valley.

Romantic  Cottages individually decorated cottages feature a gated entry with an enclosed garden and adjacent private parking. Interiors are sprinkled with antiques and original artwork recalling a relaxed European country-home feel. Furnishings include Persian rugs, stone fireplaces, king-sized four-poster beds, oversized sunken spas, and outdoor rainfall showers.

The Ranch provides several premier dining settings featuring a palate of herbs and vegetables harvested from the onsite chef’s garden. The Stonehouse, a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning restaurant, is located in a 19th-century citrus packing house and has a romantic full-bar lounge and separate dining room with an outdoor terrace and a crackling fireplace. For a more casual destination, the Plow & Angel offers more regional cuisine and a convivial ambiance as a local favorite. Housed in a storybook setting, the Carriage House features fireside dining with French doors opening to a private stone-paved courtyard, ideal for intimate gatherings and celebrations. The Wine Cellar features a masonry barrel-vaulted ceiling with a stunning glass doorway leading to a patio canopied by lantern-lit loquat trees, next to a crackling fireplace. If you prefer a more intimate setting, arrange for private dining in the original Old Adobe, a California historical landmark built on the property in 1825.

san ysidro restaurant stonehouse at night
San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito

Fly SouthWest out of Oakland to Santa Barbara now- so convenient compared to the fog plagued SFO /SB Route!

Exclusive Summer Wine & Dine Offering:

  • Four Night Stay With Wine and Cheese Welcome Amenity: Each of the intimate bungalow-style cottages offer a private entrance, complimentary cottage-side parking with an electric vehicle charger, cozy fireplaces and private backyard gardens with outdoor rain showers and sunken spas. Guests are greeted with a bottle of local wine and artisanal cheese plate. 
  • One Day Bike Rental and Gourmet Picnic Basket: Enjoy a bike ride into Santa Barbara with a self-guided tour of the best tasting rooms in town, plus a gourmet picnic basket to enjoy around property, in town or at the beach. 
  • Private In-Cottage Wine Tasting: Advanced Sommelier Tristan Pitre will guide guests through a customized flight of 6 wines in the comfort of their cottage. The flight can be tailored to individual interests and the overall experience is designed to be fun, engaging and educational.
  • Private Wine Tasting Trip to the Santa Ynez Valley: Santa Ynez Valley is one of California’s most appealing wine regions offering a relaxed, uncrowded experience with some of the best wine and food in the state. We will organize a custom itinerary for you, including round-trip transportation, featuring some of the top wineries in Santa Ynez Valley, all just a short ride away.
  • Four-Course Dinner at Stonehouse and Wine Cellar Tour: Set inside a 19th century citrus packing house, the Stonehouse Restaurant exudes the rustic romance of its historic setting. Executive Chef Matt Johnson will prepare a customized four-course meal with wine pairings picked by the sommelier. Guests will also get an exclusive look at the 12,000 bottle wine cellar featuring some of the most sought-after vintage varietals in the world, accompanied by a glass of bubbly and canapes. 
  • Vinatherapy Wine Wrap at the Salon & Spa: The Vinatherapy Wine Wrap is a luxurious body treatment removing dead skin cells and deeply hydrating while utilizing the powerful antioxidant properties of the grape. After, sip a bellini on the vine-covered spa patio next to a cascading waterfall while enjoying smells of fragrant rosemary and lavender.
san ysidro ranch view of the gardens
San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito