Matcha is having its moment, with the appetite for the beverage having grown exponentially outside Japan in recent years. Travellers looking for matcha and a meaningful, meditative cultural practice are able to immerse themselves through the art of chado (Japanese tea ceremony), deepening their appreciation through an experience that engages the senses on both a physical and a spiritual level. However, for visitors to Japan who don’t find the flavour of matcha to be quite their cup of tea, Japanese coffee culture might suit the palate. Inspired by 19th-century Western literary salons, retro-style cafés or kissatens invite quiet contemplation through attentive service and nostalgia-inducing Shōwa-era aesthetics often soundtracked by either classical music (meikyoku kissa) or jazz (jazz kissa). Almost always independently owned and operated, kissatens are the result of thoughtful and careful curation.
Here are five kissatens, each with its own distinctive vibe, to check out the next time you’re in Japan.
Elevated Elegance
Photograph by Ooki Jingu.
Koffee Mameya Kakeru (Tokyo): Reservations are required for this truly unique coffee establishment, more akin to an omakase tasting menu. Located a 10- to 15-minute drive from Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, it’s housed in a former warehouse and has recently hosted events with coffee growers from Brazil, Panama, and Santa Barbara, California.
Vintage Appeal
Monozuki (Tokyo): Time travel feels possible at Monozuki (founded in 1975), with its antique clocks that add to the mid-century charm of the venue, which focuses on black coffee. Just how old-school is it? Monozuki has no website or Instagram account. You can find it in real life at 3 Chome-12-10 Nishiogikita, Suginami City, Tokyo.
Hip and Moody
Gion Ishi Kissaten (Kyoto):Escape the crowds at Yasaka Shrine and enjoy a cup inside a distinctive Brutalist building that is also home to a jewelry, fossil, and mineral store (five minutes by car from Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto). The spot’s 1970s-style decor features impressive cypress-wood wall panelling.
Considered Design
Bread, Espresso & Arashiyama Garden (Kyoto):A 210-year-old thatched-roof home takes on a new life (with coffee beans roasted on-site) through the vision skillfully executed by the Kimoto Yosuke Architectural Design Room, which was shortlisted for the Sky Design Awards for its work. Patrons can choose from sitting Japanese style (shoes off, at low tables on the floor) or in the Western fashion, both with views of the stunning garden. Can’t make it to Kyoto? The cafe just opened its first U.S. outpost, in Redondo Beach, California.
Diner-Chic Charm
Iwata Coffee (Kamakura):A popular day trip from Tokyo, coastal Kamakura is home to Iwata Coffee, established in 1945. This café on Komachi Street has a long literary history (and was even visited by John Lennon and Yoko Ono). It specializes in “nel drip” coffee, a brewing method invented in Japan that brings out the flavour of the beans by filtering it through cotton flannel (or “nel”) for a mellow finish.
What will we covet next? A who-what-where report from the frontlines of luxury fashion, design, dining, and more.
01
THE SUMMIT OF EXCLUSIVITY: Limited-edition lines, such as Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades home and furniture collection, represent an increasing focus for high-end brands. With worldwide distribution more available than ever for a maison’s main lines, it’s no longer enough for price to confer exclusivity. Luxury houses dream up extra offerings characterized more by scarcity and whimsy than by simple cost. A standout from the 2025 Objets Nomades roster is the Kaleidoscope Cabinet (pictured below, left), produced with Brazil-based Estúdio Campana. More than two years of development went into the creation of this exquisite limited edition (there are only eight)—with time spent on everything from the gold-plated brass hinges to the curved bottom drawer. (The drawer was so difficult to achieve, it almost stymied the entire concept.) —Mark Ellwood
02
FASHION RESET: A changing of the guard electrified the runways for the Spring 2026 season. In Milan, Dario Vitale’s first solo outing for Versace mixed bold colours with slim cuts evocative of Gianni’s 1990s heyday, while at Gucci, Demna’s tribute to the label’s iconic motifs included maximalist interpretations of the horse bit and the GG monogram. From Paris, highlights included Jonathan Anderson’s modern take on the New Look at Dior; Pierpaolo Piccioli’s sculptural designs in a “neo gazar” fabric at Balenciaga; Michael Rider’s blend of French minimalism and preppy chic at Celine; and technicolour-bright pieces, inspired by an Ellsworth Kelly painting, from Loewe designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez (the founders of Proenza Schouler). But few designers stirred more anticipation than did Matthieu Blazy, formerly of Bottega Veneta, with his debut collection for Chanel. On a runway themed to Coco Chanel’s love of astronomy, Blazy offered his interpretations of the house’s iconic codes, from menswear influences to textural tweeds and colourful feathers (see photo above). The overriding idea? Said Blazy, “I just wanted to have fun.” —Laurie Brookins
03
SENSE OF PLACE: Since its 2023 debut on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list at number 37, Sézanne at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi has continued its rise. In 2025, it rocketed to the list’s number-seven spot; it also holds three Michelin stars. Under chef Daniel Calvert’s direction, Sézanne is celebrated for its 12-course tasting menu highlighting seasonal Japanese ingredients. Calvert credits the restaurant’s success to an unwavering pursuit of excellence: “That’s what you strive to do—a little better every day.” —Degen Pener
04
ICONIC CHARMS: Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor were photographed in the 1970s wearing Alhambra—the famed collection that Van Cleef & Arpels debuted in 1968—but today, as men increasingly embrace luxury jewelry, it might be NBA legend LeBron James, Olympic fencer Cheung Ka Long, or the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas sporting the striking four-leaf-clover designs (tiger’s-eye style shown). The newest Alhambra examples showcase clovers of blue agate, while others include onyx, historically a talisman against negative energy. —L.B.
1: The new Kaleidoscope Cabinet from Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades collection.
3: Morel mushrooms with white asparagus and roasted chicken sauce at Sézanne.
05
PERFECTLY POISED IN LONDON: Understated. Discreet. Refined. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane exemplifies this era’s embrace of quiet luxury. The original Four Seasons in Europe, the London hotel celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2025 by earning three Michelin keys for the second year in a row, while its Yannick Alléno–helmed restaurant Pavyllon London retained its Michelin-star honour. A collection of 18 recently renovated suites (some with terraces overlooking Hyde Park) feels like a sanctuary in the city, as does the spa, which offers treatments and wellness therapies ranging from a jet-lag massage and body brushing ritual to a holistic facial based on Chinese medicine techniques. The property shares its three-Michelin-keys distinction with its Four Seasons sister hotels in Megève, France; Athens (Astir Palace); Tokyo (Otemachi); and Paris (George V). —Pavia Rosati
06
AI HYPERCAR: In a sign of how artificial intelligence is entering the luxury auto world, the start-up Vittori unveiled its first hypercar, the Turbio, in October. Designed with the famed Italian firm Pininfarina, the vehicle features a sleek and sculptural silhouette derived from hundreds of AI-generated concept renders, and AI-powered 3D printing methods influenced the shape of the carbon-fiber and titanium chassis. Only 50 models will be made, produced in collaboration with Pininfarina. —D.P.
07
BRITISH WINE WINS: The bubble’s popped: French sparkling wine no longer retains its stranglehold after a series of upstart wineries bested Champagne’s finest at several contests—and those triumphant vintages are from England, where the terroir mirrors that of Épernay but the climate retains the crispness essential to superb fizz. Specifically, it was Nyetimber’s 2016 Blanc de Blancs Magnum that pipped four shortlisted candidates for the crown at the International Wine Challenge awards in September, the first time a wine from outside of Champagne has taken the title. Order a bottle or two of Nyetimber at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi. —M.E.
08
EAR CANDY: In a sea of on-the-go audio options, Bang & Olufsen’s Beo Grace wireless earbuds stand apart for their chic refinement and world-class sound quality. The striking earbuds with polished aluminum stems are remarkably lightweight—enough that each earpiece can rest on a flower petal. Even the pearl-blasted aluminum charging case is elegant and can stylishly sit on a valet tray when not in use. —Beau Hayhoe
5: Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane celebrated its 55th anniversary last year.
09
VINYL RENAISSANCE: Vinyl has serious staying power, as seen in the number of listening bars opening worldwide. To get that hi-fi, high-design experience at home, look to Wrensilva’s meticulously engineered record consoles, available in a variety of wood finishes, each one a statement piece. The San Diego–based company’s latest offering is the Wrensilva Larrabee Creator Edition M1 console, a limited-edition collaboration with the Grammy-winning mix engineer and Larrabee Studios owner Manny Marroquin. Built to integrate with Sonos audio systems, the console is a study in both striking good looks and remarkable sound quality. —B.H.
10
ULTRA PERSONALIZED: No other fashion company in the world is quite like NB44. Founded by Nicolas Bijan Pakzad, the invite-only, membership-based brand takes the personalization of luxury to the next level: Each quarter, it sends a custom-built trunk (pictured below, left) of its stylish menswear to its clients, who include Wicked director Jon Chu, with each delivery tailored to the wearer’s lifestyle. Clients can purchase what they like and request any changes they desire, such as remaking a burgundy zip-neck sweater in navy with a shawl collar. —B.H.
11
HANDPICKED FOR HOME: If, like most style obsessives, you’re still mourning the demise of MatchesFashion.com, fret not: co-founder Tom Chapman, with his signature edgy, eclectic eye, is now running Abask, an online outlet specializing in home and design. The site epitomizes the search for exclusivity that remains a core driver for luxury. It features 2,000 or more handpicked treats, both antique and contemporary, as well as its own reissues of design classics from the likes of NasonMoretti, the Murano-based glassworks. This season’s particular focus: Japanese makers. Take your pick between Kyoto-based Seikado, renowned for exquisite pewter for almost 200 years; Kagawa-based Mori Glass, including the studio’s striped tumblers (pictured below); and the Tokyo-based contemporary home line Thursday Furniture, among others. —M.E.
12
EFFERVESCENT AND LOW ALCOHOL: Move over Aperol. There’s another spritz in town. And in 2025, it took over the world. The Hugo Spritz is an invigorating form of floral refreshment born of the Italian Alps—an assemblage of St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Prosecco, fresh mint, lime, and soda. Though it was initially conceived 20 years ago, the Hugo is surging in popularity now, thanks in part to today’s no- and low-alcohol movement (see “Zero Proof, Full Flavour”). The ginger-tinted drink retains body and flavour while having half the alcohol content of a typical martini. —Brad Japhe
10: NB44’s special delivery: a custom-built trunk packed with a new seasonal wardrobe for the client.
11: Striped Mori Glass tumblers at Abask.
13
SUNNY DIAMONDS: The ubiquity of lab-grown diamonds has had a ripple effect on the fine-jewelry industry: Retailers are seeing rising interest in natural coloured diamonds that stand out among look-alike icy white cultured stones. In-demand hues include warm whites, ambers, and yellows—the last a favourite and a focal point of the new Talk to Me, Harry Winston collection. Among the pieces from this series is a ring highlighting a 5.02-carat, pear-shaped yellow diamond, as well as 26 pear-shaped and round brilliant diamonds, set in 18-karat yellow gold and platinum. The message is clear: in a market flooded with sameness, rarity and uniqueness still rule. —Victoria Gomelsky
14
SPLENDOUR IN SPAIN: In 2025, Four Seasons garnered the most property rankings on the latest World’s 50 Best Hotels list, which also named the company the “most admired hotel group” in the world. A remarkable seven Four Seasons properties were lauded across the full list (with extended rankings 51 to 100), including Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. Opened in 2020 as part of the Centro Canalejas Madrid complex, the hotel stands in the heart of Madrid’s historic city centre—now revitalized with galleries, boutiques, and cafés—and serves as a beacon of the neighbourhood’s transformation. On the seventh-floor roof terrace sits Dani Brasserie, where Michelin-starred dishes by chef Dani García mix Spanish and Andalusian flavours, and visitors and Madrileños alike take in the panoramic views, appreciating the city’s past and present. —Julie Pham
15
KNITTED AND FITTED: Nothing says “quiet luxury” quite like chic knitwear, be it cashmere or a fine merino wool. And few names in the space do knitwear better than N. Peal, established as a men’s haberdashery in London in 1936. In 2025, the brand teamed up with actor and travel-show host Stanley Tucci for a capsule collection of irresistible pieces, from cashmere quarter-zips and superfine silk-blend polos to cashmere-and-silk bird’s-eye jacquard ties. —Tres Dean
16
THE ARTISANAL DIFFERENCE: In 2018, Johann Rupert, the chairman of Richemont, co-founded the nonprofit Michelangelo Foundation with an express mission: to champion craftsmanship of all kinds. Makers were to be celebrated, and their skills propagated. So, the foundation launched Homo Faber—a pop-up exhibition, held regularly in cities like Venice and Seville, that showcases artisan works. Now, it’s offering an always-on option: a series of handy craftsmanship-oriented guides to different cities on the Homo Faber website. The 11-stop itinerary for Florence, for example, features everything from the perfumer Aquaflor to the workshop of Daniele and Letizia Traversari, fourth-generation mosaic makers with a particular aptitude for portraiture. —M.E.
15: Stanley Tucci wearing pieces from his capsule collection for N. Peal.
17
MECHANICAL LEAP: Ahead of 2025’s Watches and Wonders fair in Geneva, speculation about Rolex’s upcoming debut buzzed across social media. When the company officially revealed the Rolex Land-Dweller—its first entirely new model since 2012—the excitement proved justified. The watch features a slim, vintage-inspired case paired with an integrated flat-link bracelet, marking a fresh aesthetic direction. More important, the timepiece holds Rolex’s groundbreaking Dynapulse escapement, a new mechanism that governs the transfer of energy from the mainspring to the hands. Watch insiders have praised the robust and efficient movement as a game-changer precisely because it reaffirms that mechanical innovation can be pushed to new heights. “An accomplishment like this happens every couple hundred years,” says Paul Boutros, the head of watches for the Americas at the auctioneer Phillips. “It’s revolutionary.” —V.G.
18
CULTIVATING EDEN: Through his five-year-old lifestyle brand Flamingo Estate, former advertising executive Richard Christiansen has somehow made regenerative agriculture downright glamourous. In 2025, he took it to new heights. Think collaborations with chefs such as Alice Waters and Evan Funke to guest-curate Flamingo Estate’s coveted produce boxes; limited-edition jars of pickles dreamed up with Pamela Anderson; and a steady stream of swoon-worthy skincare, soaps, and standout candles like the decadent Prinsesstårta (pictured below, left), inspired by San Ambroeus’ iconic Principessa cake. Nestled in the hills of Los Angeles, Flamingo Estate crafts everything using organic ingredients grown at more than 140 regenerative farms—proving that sustainability can, in fact, smell amazing. —D.P.
19
PICKED AT THE PEAK: Amid all the tweezer-y ornamentation and pageantry of fine dining, there is ultimately nothing more luxurious than a piece of perfectly ripe fruit. Consider Tomat, a Los Angeles farm-to-table restaurant near LAX, where the most succulent thing on chef Harry Posner’s menu might be a pastel green slice of arava melon, harvested at Weiser Family Farms, that he caps with a few pieces of white strawberry kimchi and droplets of sesame oil. At Ki, in L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighbourhood, chef Ki Kim occasionally winds down his Michelin-starred Korean tasting menu by slicing up a ripe and just-right summer peach and dusting it with lime zest. “When the fruit itself tastes that good,” Kim says, “there’s no need for much else.” —Jeff Gordinier
20
CARRY THE DAY: Fashion is offering an alternative to the quotidian canvas tote, something a little more luxurious: the leather tote as an everyday carryall. The bag of the moment? Superstar designer Willy Chavarria’s signature, genderless W Tote bearing a bold “W” topstitched across its front and back panels. —T.D.
18: Flamingo Estate’s Prinsesstårta candle, inspired by San Ambroeus’ iconic Principessa cake.22: Marc Jacobs at his pop-up with artist Anna Weyant at New York Fashion Week. Photograph by BFA.
21
THE NEW GILDED AGE: Gold, if you haven’t noticed, is on a tear. In October, the precious metal’s price topped $4,000 an ounce for the first time. While the rising cost of the material has rattled the fine-jewelry industry, consumers appear undeterred and are leaning even harder into gold despite—or perhaps because of—its soaring value. Pieces of the moment include David Yurman’s 18-karat gold Sculpted Cable bangle bracelet. —V.G.
22
ALL THINGS GREAT AND SMALL: Perhaps Goldilocks was wrong when she settled for that just-right-sized bed. Across design culture today, a rule-breaking focus on playing with proportion is afoot, from the goofily gigantic to the endearingly Lilliputian. In the latter camp, several British makers offer custom miniatures of iconic architecture, from Mulvany & Rogers to Chisel & Mouse, which recently released a mini Thomas Jefferson Memorial to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. In September, zeitgeist-surfer Marc Jacobs partnered with white-hot artist Anna Weyant for a pop-up installation during New York Fashion Week, where the pair created a life-size, dollhouse-like landscape. Visitors could meander through, enjoying such outré details as an oversize two-headed teddy bear. —M.E.
23
LUMINOUS INNOVATION: Sweet Chemistry and Knesko are redefining skincare with distinct, science-backed approaches. Sweet Chemistry face products feature the brand’s proprietary Matrikynes complex, a mix of bioactive peptides found in upcycled bovine bones, to boost skin density and hydration and reduce fine lines. Meanwhile, GemClinical Technology infuses gemstone particles into Knesko’s decadent treatments to stabilize active ingredients like CoQ10 and vitamin C and to help activate the body’s chakras, or energy centers. The Knesko collection includes the Diamond Radiance Collagen Face Mask, which is used in the signature facial at the Beverly Hills Spa at Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel. —Elycia Rubin
24
EPICUREAN EXCELLENCE: The same year that French haute cuisine was crowned the best in the world at the biennial Bocuse D’Or chef competition (in 2025), two redoubts of haute gastronomie retained their three-Michelin-star rankings: Le Cinq at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, and Caprice at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. At Caprice—a temple of opulence with dazzling Czech crystal chandeliers, a glass catwalk, and stunning views of Victoria Harbour—the central open kitchen is where the culinary magic happens, with chef Guillaume Galliot and team leaning into luxurious ingredients; think blue lobster from Brittany, Alaskan king crab, and Japanese Saga beef. The wine list is extensive, as is the selection of cheeses at Caprice Bar. —Nicola Chilton
25
LIQUID ARTISTRY: In 2025, three establishments at Four Seasons were honoured by the World’s Best 50 Bars list: Virtù at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi (renowned for the use of Japanese produce with French spirits); Argo at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (noted for its innovative ingredients); and BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, which excels not just because the drinks are outstanding but also thanks to storytelling. BKK Social Club’s latest narrative-driven menu takes inspiration from all things Mexico, with creations like the Frida Kahlo (with Michter’s Bourbon, lavender-infused maple syrup, and coconut) and the Lucha Libre (a Michelada-style highball). “Each drink tells a part of Mexico’s story,” says Philip Bischoff, beverage manager at the Bangkok hotel (which the 2025 World’s 50 Best Hotels list named the second best on the planet). —Vincent Vichit-Vadakan
The travel industry pros are starting to make their predictions for the year ahead, and, as expected, we’re seeing a wide range of opinions. European destinations are on the rise. So are African safaris. Interest in luxury tours by train is ticking up. Likewise for luxury yacht cruises (in 2026, the highly anticipated Four Seasons Yachts launches). Ahead-of-the-curve jet-setters will be flocking to Svalbard, Norway. Or maybe it’s New Zealand.
The one trend that the experts seem to agree on? Increasingly, travellers are yearning for experiences—trips that have visitors meeting locals, learning new skills, and soaking up new cultures. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up five classic, and increasingly popular, destinations that have a lot more to offer than just lounging by the pool (though, that’s also a welcome option, of course).
Lisbon
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon offers a Sidecar Tour through the city’s narrow streets.
If you feel like everyone you know has been posting vacation photos from Portugal as of late, it’s not your imagination. According to USA Today, Booking.com data showed higher year-over-year flight searches for Portugal across every month in 2025. Roughly the size of Maine, the country has something for everyone: beaches, mountains, wineries, and eminently walkable cities.
The most popular destination in Portugal is arguably Lisbon, a city steeped in history (it’s older than Rome!) and bathed in sunlight (it’s one of the sunniest places in southern Europe). There’s no shortage of cultural sightseeing to be had here, but the capital city is not just for history buffs and architecture enthusiasts.
Those who enjoy staying active on vacations, take note: the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon is slated for March 8, 2026, and the EDP Lisbon Marathon, billed as “probably the most beautiful in the world,” will be held in October. Another event to bookmark for next year: the Lisbon Tango Festival in June, which offers five days of tango dancing, including performances, classes, and dance parties.
The Varanda Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon.
STAY AT: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. Centrally located and packed with amenities (including a rooftop outdoor running track), the hotel is a plush home base for exploring both the city and the surrounding vineyards and villages.
SIGN UP FOR: a Sidecar Tour and see Lisbon up close and personal from a vintage motorcycle driven by a private tour guide. Or consider the Sintra and Cascais Tour, a daylong excursion that hits the historical palaces at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sintra, as well as the seaside resort town of Cascais.
Hoi An
Hoi An’s Ancient Town.
Another country enjoying a steep rise in tourism: Vietnam. According to Bloomberg, it’s now the third most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia (behind Thailand and Malaysia). Long, narrow, and S-shaped, the country is bordered by China to the north, Cambodia and Laos to the west, and the South China Sea to the east; driving the length of it takes at least a week. Our recommendation: Head to Hoi An, the “city of lanterns” on the central coast, where you’ll be able to sample a little of everything—quiet countryside, the meandering Thu Bon River, and a picturesque beach, to boot.
Hoi An is famous for its Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where visitors will encounter a unique blend of centuries-old Chinese, Japanese, and French architecture set along the Thu Bon River. On the 14th of every month (when the moon is full), the neighbourhood turns off its electric streetlights in favour of colourful lanterns, creating a jaw-droppingly beautiful nightscape. For a dose of good luck, send a floating candlelit lantern down the river.
A recently renovated villa at Four Seasons The Nam Hai.
STAY AT:Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam. The quiet beachfront property is an ideal location from which to explore nearby landmarks (including three UNESCO World Heritage sites).
SIGN UP FOR: one (or all) of the many cool cultural immersion options offered by the resort. Our pick: The Wet Rice Farm Culture experience, in which guests bike to nearby rice paddies, enjoy tea with a farmer, learn rice cultivation, and end with a meal with the farmer’s family. (And don’t forget to take advantage of the complimentary Vietnamese Coffee Tasting on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m.)
Tokyo
The neon lightscape in Tokyo is unparalleled.
Japan shares the top spot with Vietnam for the highest tourism growth rate in the first half of 2025 (a whopping 21 percent increase in international travellers compared to the previous year, according to the World Tourism Barometer, published by UN Tourism). And the most visited destination in Japan? Tokyo, of course.
Often cited as the most populous city in the world, Tokyo is nothing if not bustling. Visitors won’t lack for things to do in this metropolis that exquisitely mixes the futuristic with the ancient. Whatever you’re interested in, there’s probably a market, festival, or celebration devoted to it. A few particularly unique events to bookmark for your trip to Tokyo in 2026: the January, May, and September Grand Sumo Tournaments; various cherry blossom festivals in late March to early April; and the Sanno Matsuri, a days-long, mid-June festival, held only on even-numbered years, that showcases traditional Japanese music, dance, and drum performances, prayer ceremonies, and a Shinto ritual parade.
All guest rooms at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi enjoy incredible city views.
STAY AT: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi. Perched on the top floors of a 39-story high-rise in the financial district, the hotel is located right next to the Imperial Palace. (Reservations at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi are currently unavailable, as it is undergoing renovations; it’s set to reopen in the spring of 2026.)
SIGN UP FOR: the Suibokuga class to try the art of Japanese ink wash painting or the Kodo workshop to learn the art of incense appreciation. First time in Tokyo? Consider joining the hotel’s Tokyo Essentials guided tour of the city’s landmarks and neighbourhoods.
Milan
The Piazza del Duomo in Milan.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will be held at multiple locations in Northern Italy in February, including Milan—which means that all eyes will soon be trained on the unofficial design and fashion capital of the world. This is good news for anyone hoping to visit Milan next year, as it will be dressed to the nines and more than ready to play host.
Other much-anticipated events include Design Week in April (composed of the renowned furniture fair Salon Internazionale del Mobile and Fuorisalone, a series of design-focused exhibitions and happenings throughout the city) and the thrilling Italian Grand Prix in Monza, in September. But you don’t need a tentpole event to visit—with its alluring triumvirate of fashion, food, and frescoes, Milan is truly wonderful any time of the year.
A Premium Room at Four Seasons Hotel Milano.
STAY AT: Four Seasons Hotel Milano. The 15th–century convent turned luxury hotel is located in the heart of the Fashion District, just steps from the Duomo di Milano, the iconic and intricately designed Gothic cathedral that took nearly 600 years to build.
SIGN UP FOR:day trips to Lake Como, Courmayeur Mont Blanc, and the Franciacorta vineyards for some Northern Italian fresh air. And if it’s more of Milan you want, you’re in luck—the hotel offers walking tours, after-hour museum visits, private shopping excursions, and more.
Sydney
Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Condé Nast Traveller UK’s Readers’ Choice Awards named Sydney “Best City in the World” last year, citing the “indoor-outdoor way of life the Aussies embrace so well” as the reason it’s so beloved by visitors. (Where were Paris, Tokyo, and New York, you ask? In the No. 6, No. 12, and No. 20 spots, respectively.)
The best way to have an authentic Aussie experience: get outside. In Sydney, that means heading to the beach (there are more than 100 to choose from, including famous Bondi Beach, where you can learn to surf), cruising Sydney Harbour (home to two world-renowned feats of engineering, the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge), strolling the 74-acre Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney, or bushwalking nearby Blue Mountains.
The Sydney Harbour Studio Club Suite at Four Seasons.
STAY AT:Four Seasons Hotel Sydney. The property not only has epic views of Sydney Harbour, but also is just steps from the Rocks, Sydney’s must-visit oldest neighbourhood.
SIGN UP FOR: the Outback Opal Mine Adventure and tour the region’s oldest opal mines with the stars of the hit reality TV show Outback Opal Hunters. Who knows? You may get lucky and strike opal.
What if luxury is not what you think it is? We tend to view certain foods as fixed and universal signifiers of “living well.” These are the ingredients that make everyone at the table smile and sigh when the server mentions them, and they’re the ingredients that usually come accompanied by a supplement, meaning that the server is happy to ask the kitchen to dollop or shave one of them onto your dish as long as you’re amenable to paying an extra $100 or so. Truffles, caviar, foie gras—behold the Three Musketeers of haute cuisine, with uni increasingly cast as the young D’Artagnan who has joined forces with the classic trio. Such ingredients have become so entrenched in contemporary menus, so ubiquitous, you might assume they’ve always dominated the epicurean conversation.
But luxury evolves—it moves around. One era’s cattle feed is the next era’s pricey indulgence. As the food essayist and New York Times critic Ligaya Mishan has written, “In medieval Russia, caviar was a peasant staple, less expensive than fish itself.” So abundant were the briny sturgeon eggs, and so removed from any idea of fanciness, that once upon a time, country folks shoveled heaps of caviar to their pigs “to fatten them up,” as Mishan tells us. (Lucky swine!)
Luxury is evolving right now, too, and the new idea of opulence often manifests in subtle ways. Beyond the realm of caviar and truffles, there are other ingredients whose appearance on a menu tells you that the chef is thinking deeply about the art of cooking and the experience of pleasure. Maybe the chef has decided to elevate staples, such as rice, corn, and butter, or draw on ancient methods of intensifying flavour by drying out an ingredient, be it salty mullet roe or a sweet persimmon. Here we present five examples of extravagance-in-evolution: five ingredients that represent la dolce vita in 2025, even though they’ve been around for centuries.
Heirloom Masa
Photograph by Vanessa Granda; food styling by Pearl Jones.
Photograph by Maureen Evans.
Dine in one of lauded chef Enrique Olvera’s restaurants—maybe Pujol in Mexico City, Cosme in New York, or Damian in Los Angeles—and you realize that few things come close to the deep, glorious earthiness of a tortilla made with heirloom masa. In fact, Olvera himself speaks of this ingredient in almost mystical terms: “The ability to taste the place,” he says. That, to him, represents the soul of luxury, especially in this age in which sturgeons can spend years swimming back and forth in stationary pools for the production of farm-raised caviar. “Luxury now is whatever is from that place that you cannot get any other place,” he says. “That flavour from the heirloom corn is from the soil, and flavour is a reflection of the health of the soil.”
Heirloom corn, unlike its mass-market counterpart, comes in myriad hues and husks and sizes and names, from Pink Xocoyul (native to Tlaxcala, Mexico) to Cacahuazintle, a large, white variety used in pozole. And through the centuries-old process of nixtamalization—the soaking of kernels in an alkaline solution that unlocks their essence (as well as their nutrients)—the resulting masa dough can express itself in an endless spectrum of flavours: nuttiness, sweetness, barnyard-iness, even cheesiness.
At Atlas Restaurant Group’s Maximón in Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Atlas corporate chef Aaron Taylor goes the distance in pursuit of these truer flavours and textures. He and the Maximón team buy whole yellow, blue, and white kernels from Masienda, a respected supplier of heirloom corn, and they nixtamalize and grind them on-site for tacos and quesadillas. “We do this every single day,” Taylor says. It’s a serious investment of time and labor, he adds, but “I think our tortillas are far superior to anything you find around town.”
Masa isn’t just food; it’s culture. When chef Miguel Soltero at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo in Mexico offers a quesadilla de milpa made with heirloom masa, that simple dish tells a story about all the good things that come from the milpa, or field, from corn to squash to chiles. And when Olvera, at Pujol in Mexico City, offers a basket of tortillas alongside a “mole madre” that has aged and deepened for longer than a decade, he is serving the greatest luxury of all: time.
Beurre de Baratte
Beurre de Baratte at Emeril’s. Photograph courtesy of Food Story Media.
At Emeril’s in New Orleans, a cart rolls up to the table, crowned by a pale yellow pyramid. That creamy tower is a solid mass of Beurre de Baratte, a French butter whose slightly tangy and nutty base notes and borderline cheesiness of texture come from the patient, tedious, time-honoured practice of churning milk by hand. “I prefer Beurre de Baratte, as it’s rich and complex,” says E.J. Lagasse, the chef at Emeril’s in New Orleans. (Yes, he’s Emeril’s kid.) “I love the saltiness of it and the velvety texture. In my opinion, it’s ideal served at room temperature, which is how we serve it at Emeril’s.”
The man behind the spread is Rodolphe Le Meunier, who grew up in a cheesemaking family in France, and whose approach to butter is patient and traditional and precise: cream from Normandy cows gets a chance to ferment, à la yogurt, before being churned and molded with wooden equipment of the type that might have been used hundreds of years ago. The result is cultured—in all senses of that word. It has depth.
At Corner Office, a wine bar in Taos, New Mexico, you might encounter it as a soft and silky bed for sardines. But the butter is so delicious that at top spots around the world—including the three-Michelin-star restaurant Caprice at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong—chefs step back and let it own the spotlight, serving Le Meunier’s Beurre de Baratte seasonally with bread. That’s it—that’s the dish. What could be more luxurious?
Bottarga
Photograph by Vanessa Granda; food styling by Pearl Jones.
Warm octopus salad with bottarga, at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
“I love [bottarga]. I eat it just cut up with a little olive oil on it. Caviar has its place, but bottarga has so much more complexity, for me. It’s one of those ingredients that’s still a little cultish.” —Nicholas Stefanelli, chef at Masseria
How special is bottarga? Put it this way: Jurgen Kulli, executive chef at Fuego Grill at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, uses bottarga that makes a trip all the way from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia to his kitchen on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. “It’s very rich in flavour,” says Kulli, who serves it with a carpaccio of dry-aged cobia, the large and hard-to-catch whitefish known for its subtle sweetness.
Bottarga doesn’t necessarily sound inviting—it’s basically a lobe of mullet roe that has been compressed and desiccated in the sun until it’s a chunk of orange-yellow umami wax—but at first taste, all doubts evaporate. At Mode Kitchen & Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, executive chef Gaurav Bide views it as the perfect funky counterpunch to fresh seafood, serving it shaved over yellowfin tuna tartare. At The Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, bottarga adds a bold note to the warm octopus salad.
“I love it,” adds Nicholas Stefanelli, the chef at Masseria, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant in Washington, D.C., who sources his bottarga from Gustiamo, a way station in New York’s South Bronx for all good things from Italy. “I eat it just cut up with a little olive oil on it. Caviar has its place, but bottarga has so much more complexity, for me. It’s one of those ingredients that’s still a little cultish.” At Masseria, Stefanelli shaves it over stuffed pasta with spring peas; at home, he uses it to luxury-boost a baked potato. It tastes like the sea and the sun, and bottarga aficionados know that there is only one sensible response when you spy it on a menu: Order it.
Heirloom Rice
Heirloom Rice, Photo by Vanessa Granda, Food Styled by Pearl Jones
Anyone who has enjoyed the highest level of sushi artistry knows what a difference the rice can make. Far from a bland canvas for fish, rice is often the component of a meal through which sushi chefs express the core spirit of their approach to omakase, selecting based on the grain’s taste, texture, and serving temperature. This is true beyond sushi counters as well. When chefs opt to use premium strains of rice that are rooted in tradition and terroir, take note, because this tells you that you’re in a restaurant that prefers not to cut corners.
What’s that nuttiness that you taste when you get a mouthful of shrimp risotto at Dunsmoor, a Los Angeles spot that celebrates traditional American foodways, or jollof-inspired crab rice at Bludorn, a Houston restaurant with an innovative approach to global ingredients? It’s Carolina Gold. An American variety, it was originally cultivated in the Lowcountry of South Carolina by West Africans who had been enslaved for their agriculture knowledge, and it almost vanished until the team at the heirloom grain company Anson Mills rescued it from obscurity. “We use it in all four of our restaurants,” says chef Aaron Bludorn. “There’s a richness to it that I can taste—almost a meatiness.”
Sticky and pearly, koshihikari rice is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Where Carolina Gold is robust, koshihikari is diaphanous, which is why chef Rogelio Garcia uses it to accompany Japanese bluefin tuna at Auro, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley. “I love working with koshihikari because of its pearl-like texture and aromatic quality,” he says. “There’s a subtle sweetness to it, a clean finish that allows the fish to shine while quietly elevating the dish. It’s not just about taste—its colour and sheen also create a beautifully refined presentation on the plate.” Rice is nice, but koshihikari and Carolina Gold are just a little bit nicer.
Hoshigaki
Photograph by Vanessa Granda; food styling by Pearl Jones.A hoshigaki dessert at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi.
If you have a food-obsessed friend who makes the Japanese snack at home (a practice that has been trending in recent years), you might spy hachiya persimmons drying in their kitchen. Squint and they almost look like golden lanterns hanging from a temple. The persimmons dangle on strings in sunlight and fresh air until they shrivel into gnarled, chewy, sugar-dusted delights. (Caretakers have to massage them now and then to break down pulp—talk about luxury.) They’ve been revered in Japan and across Asia for hundreds of years, but only in recent decades have hoshigaki begun appearing on Western menus. Raisins and prunes, of course, represent common examples of what happens when we concentrate the flavour of fruits by drying them out, but hoshigaki (known as gotgam in Korea) can take that process to an exalted place.
Pair them with a sharp cheese—as chef Ignacio Mattos occasionally does at Estela, his intimate and creatively influential flagship on East Houston Street in New York City—and the marriage of fruit and funk will make you melt on the spot. Honouring the seasonal nature of this Asian delicacy, pastry chef Michele Abbatemarco, of Michelin-starred est restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, serves hoshigaki in the autumn months with ricotta cream, chamomile gelato, persimmon jelly, candied persimmons, a mandarin sauce, and a dusting of coffee powder. Whatever the presentation, the best approach is to take your time relishing every bite—dried persimmons are a slow food, after all.
People who live in popular tourist destinations like Tokyo and Paris know that autumn is the best season. Spring is when the crowds begin; summer, when they peak; and winter is festive but at the whim of Mother Nature. Fall, though? That’s when they get their streets back. If you enjoy your vacation on the quieter side, it’s a perfect time to visit.
Below, we’ve rounded up four Four Seasons destinations to consider booking off-peak. Open sidewalks and friendly locals await.
Fall in Paris
Visit the best Parisian boutiques with a shopping insider.
We may be biased, but autumn is the best time of year to visit the City of Light—and Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, the best place to stay. Let us count the ways: It’s housed in a gorgeous Art Deco landmark building. It’s located in the Golden Triangle neighbourhood of the 8th arrondissement, just off the Champs-Élysées, steps from world-class shopping. Some suites have jaw-dropping views of the Eiffel Tower.
Oh, and did we mention the property has a trio of Michelin-starred restaurants (between them, they’ve won six stars)? Three-starred Le Cinq by Christian Le Squer—considered one of the world’s most exquisite examples of French dining—is a restaurant that foodies plan entire vacations around. Two-starred L’Orangerie offers refined French cuisine in an airy conservatory setting. And Le George specializes in Mediterranean flavors and sustainable sourcing.
From mid-September to mid-November, you’ll have the opportunity to book a So Chic, Darling! experience with a local fashion insider, who will take you on a chauffeured tour of must-visit boutiques and ateliers. At tour’s end, recharge with a stop at a café for pastries and drinks.
For a getaway that combines foliage viewing with sophisticated dining, look no further than Montreal, where you can get your fill of gourmet bagels, next-level smoked meats, flaky French pastries, and, of course, poutine, Canada’s national dish. One of only two North American cities to crack the top 10 on Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Food Cities in the World list for 2024 (Vancouver shares the honour), Montreal is a must-visit for those with big appetites and discriminating palates.
Foodie travellers will want to consider aligning their Montreal visit with MTLàTABLE (October 30 to November 16), the popular annual event where diners enjoy prix-fixe options at more than 150 participating eateries. A postprandial walk along the trails at Mount Royal Park for a dose of autumn colours and crisp air is a must. The forest-like park, initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted (who designed New York City’s Central Park), is known for its city skyline views.
Once you’ve had your fill of fall foliage, retreat to Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, where, naturally, there’s a stellar restaurant on-site—world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson’s Marcus Restaurant + Terrace—in case you’re still hungry. Looking to detox after all the indulging? Book a luxurious treatment at the hotel’s Guerlain Spa, one of only five spas in Canada to be rated five stars by Forbes Travel Guide.
Tourists may think of Tokyo as a futuristic city of skyscrapers and neon lights, but it’s also filled with plenty of ways to engage with nature. In fact, according to a recent survey, Tokyo ranks No. 1 on the list of cities with the most green spaces in the world—all of which makes it a great destination for fall foliage viewing.
When it comes to a place to stay, you have two standout options: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. Otemachi is the newer, larger property, boasting 190 guest rooms and suites and occupying the top floors of a 39-story high-rise in the financial district. In addition to its award-winning bar, Virtù (one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024), and Michelin-starred restaurant, est, the hotel’s most-buzzed-about feature is its jaw-dropping views. When the elevator doors open into the lobby, guests are wowed by the panorama of the city and, best of all, the grounds of the Imperial Palace below, right next to the building.
For a more boutique, street-level experience, consider the Marunouchi hotel, which has just 57 guest rooms and suites and is located next door to Tokyo Station. The accommodations are currently undergoing a renovation (to be finished by March 2026), but the hotel’s spa and prized restaurant, Sézanne, recipient of three Michelin stars and winner of Best Restaurant in Japan on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, remain open. Headed by chef Daniel Calvert, the elegant restaurant interprets Japanese ingredients through the lens of French cuisine.
Get your fill of mountain biking before the snow arrives.
Ask locals in any traditional ski town their favourite time of year, and you may hear a surprising answer. While winter is when they can enjoy their beloved snow sports, autumn is when they get to experience nature the way it’s intended to be experienced: without lines.
Visit Vail in the fall, and your encounters will be more colourful (think yellow and orange and red)—and potentially more rewarding. No, you probably won’t be able to ski or snowboard, but those mountains hold other opportunities for fun. Biking, hiking, trail running, fly-fishing, and horseback riding allow you to fully engage with the majesty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.
Another reason to book an autumn stay in Vail: Oktoberfest. Thanks to its Bavarian-inspired village center, Vail has become one of the best spots in the U.S. to celebrate the iconic brews-and-bratwurst festival. Extra credit: Come dressed in your lederhosen or dirndl, and enter the costume contest for bragging rights.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail, just steps from the high-end restaurants and shopping at Vail Village, is the ultimate luxury basecamp for your fall vacation. After a day spent outdoors, it’s time for après-ski at the resort. After all, après-ski isn’t just for the winter months; it’s an attitude—and a year-round pursuit.
