Hassler Roma; Ocama

What’s New?

• This autumn, the Hassler Roma will unveil a two-level, 7,534-square-foot travertine spa beneath the Spanish Steps, featuring four treatment rooms, a couple's jacuzzi suite, Finnish and Bio saunas, a steam room, a Kneipp path, an ice room, and a Technogym studio. The subterranean wellness retreat also includes a 42 by 20 foot pool.

• This October, Tenuta di Murlo is unveiling a new three-bedroom villa with its own small spa. The spa is being built in the former stables and will have an indoor pool (and an outdoor pool), a hammam, and a sauna. The villa is "new" in the fact that it was a crumbling 13th-century ruin that is being lovingly restored into a luxury villa. 

• Wainwright’s Tavern launched Tavern Tuesdays this summer. Each Tuesday, a special menu is on offer. On August 18, there will be a Farm Stand Dinner celebrating summer bounty with Corn on the Cob, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella, Barbecue Chicken and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie; August 25 will be an Elevated Hotdog and Hamburger Cookout with a choice of Lamb burger, Tuna Burger, Banh Mi Hotdog, or Street Corn hotdog; and the final dinner, September 1, will be an end of summer BBQ with Baby Back Ribs, Grilled Chicken Kebob, or Whole Grilled Lobster served with Mac ‘n Cheese, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, House Salad and Grilled Corn on the Cob.

Trends and Happenings

• Back to School: adults can channel that back to school feeling with a vacation where you come back with new knowledge.

  • High End Journeys creates custom itineraries in Egypt, and there is an endless amount of fascinating history to learn, from the pyramids at Giza to the temples of Aswan. 

  • Visitors to Ocama in the Dominican Republic can hone their Spanish skills by requesting Spanish immersion. Upon request, the staff will speak to guests only in Spanish, and excursions with local Spanish speaking guides can be arranged. 

  • At Tenuta di Murlo, guests can learn the art of beekeeping with the resident apiarist. After learning how to keep and tend to the bees, then get to taste some delicious honey. 

• Winter in the Med: Your August Instagram feeds may be full of whitewashed cycladic houses and Italian seaside towns, but the Mediterranean is seeing a small surge in off-season visitors. Lucie Kittel, founder of Domino Travel, has seen a shift in luxury travelers realizing they don't need beach weather to enjoy the Mediterranean. They're prioritizing exceptional hotels, food, culture, and hiking over beach clubs - and that means destinations like Rome, Sicily, Athens, and even Greece's mountain regions are becoming part of the conversation. The key is choosing places that have a real year-round community, not just a summer tourism economy.

  • Rome is wonderfully temperate in the winter months, with many days reaching the mid 50s. The Hassler Roma is the prime location in the Eternal City, right at the top of the Spanish Steps with views over the rooftops. Carmen’s Bar is the spot to end the night, with a Negroni in the stylish, moody, jewel box of a bar.

  • According to Eugenia Pereira, founder of Bliss Travel, Greece is increasingly evolving into a year-round destination as its mild Mediterranean climate, vibrant cities, and active winter regions offer a quieter, more authentic local experience beyond traditional summer beach travel. While many seasonal island resorts close, luxury mainland coastal properties on the Athens Riviera and extended-season resorts in Crete provide relaxing seaside escapes paired with cultural activities, wellness, and local gastronomy. Beyond the coast, historic urban centers like Athens remain lively, while regions such as the Peloponnese, Epirus, and Mount Parnassus showcase Greece's mountains, ancient sites, road trips, and secluded luxury retreats ideal for winter exploration.

  • Laura Massoni, founder of SeeItaly, says that more travelers are choosing to visit Italy between November and March to enjoy fewer crowds and an unhurried local experience. Driven by this demand, luxury coastal properties—including Villa San Michele, Anantara Convento di Amalfi, and Rocco Forte's Villa Igiea and Verdura Resort—are extending their operating schedules into late autumn or staying open year-round. For DMCs, this trend reflects a broader shift toward prioritizing high-quality, immersive experiences over peak-season travel.