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In a tourism sector that is sometimes accused of being too standardized, the \u201cRelais & Ch\u00e2teaux\u201d<\/b> formula continues to stand out successfully.<\/p>\n
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The association, founded in France in 1954, has upheld the same philosophy since its inception: to promote its members (now 580 in some 60 countries), which are independent hotels and restaurants, most often family-run, by men and women committed to \u201cbringing their local culture to life and sharing it, and passing on their passion for beauty and goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n
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In 2024, its 70th anniversary year,<\/b> and \u201cdespite an unstable geopolitical context,\u201d it posted, based on statements from 92% of its members<\/b>, an 8% increase in turnover<\/b> to \u20ac3.2 billion.<\/p>\n
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With 42.1% of turnover, gastronomy<\/b> \u201cis more than ever a major economic driver\u201d for Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux. Its growth (+8%)<\/b> last year was close to that of accommodation (+9%)<\/b>, the association’s other long-standing pillar, which accounted for 49%<\/b> of the total.<\/p>\n
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In France,<\/b> the country of fine dining par excellence, the restaurant business (+2% vs. 2023 to 53.3% of business volume) even surpassed accommodation (+4% to 41.1%<\/b>).<\/p>\n
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France<\/b> continues to account for 60% of the network’s business volume<\/b>.<\/p>\n
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Elsewhere in Europe, Italy (+12%<\/b> vs. 2023), Spain (+21%), and Germany (+31%)<\/b> stand out as the most dynamic foreign destinations.<\/p>\n
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In Germany, the North Sea and Baltic Sea are particularly attractive, as are classic destinations in Italy such as Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Puglia, and Rome.<\/p>\n
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French tourists staying at Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux properties prefer to stay close to home, with a preference for trips within France or to neighboring countries. But they are also increasingly appreciating places that offer a variety of experiences: +124% for houses located in animal reserves, +51% in spa towns and +22% in vineyards.<\/p>\n
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The Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux brand is a decisive factor, as demonstrated once again by a consumer study conducted in 2024 by Vertone for the association in France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, and Germany, on a panel of 2,491 travelers staying in 4- or 5-star hotels, including Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux customers. 58% of those surveyed said they would not have stayed at the property if it had not been part of the Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux network<\/b>!<\/p>\n
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Laurent Gardinier, President of the Association<\/b>, and the entire Board of Directors are well aware of this and are working hard to consolidate trust and loyalty<\/b> among travelers. They have therefore decided to enhance the quality of its members by increasing the frequency of inspections, which now take place every two years instead of every three.<\/p>\n
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This has not prevented the network from continuing to thrive since Laurent Gardinier’s arrival in 2023, with 68 new members from 33 countries<\/b> joining the network since then.<\/p>\n
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Nine new Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux hotels and restaurants, located on four continents (Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania), have just been announced.<\/p>\n
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Four are located in Europe, including two in Italy and one each in France and Scotland.<\/p>\n
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In Italy<\/b>, these are the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni<\/b>, on the shores of Lake Como, housed in a 19th-century aristocratic villa, and the future Borgo Pignano Florence<\/b>. The latter is set to open in 2026, with 32 rooms and suites in an estate described as \u201cone of the most serene and peaceful places in the capital of Tuscany.\u201d<\/p>\n
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France<\/b> is represented by the Auberge de L’Ill-H\u00f4tel des Berges & Spa<\/b>, located in Illhaeusern, in picturesque Alsace, combining exceptional cuisine, accommodation (18 rooms and suites) and a wellness area. In Scotland, Prestonfield House<\/b>, \u201cthe true embodiment of a Scottish manor house,\u201d built at the end of the 17th century and located a short distance from the center of Edinburgh, has also joined the list.<\/p>\n
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In South America<\/b>, the Susana Balbo Winemaker’s House & Spa Suites, based in Mendoza (Argentina), has been selected. It combines seven suites in a beautiful historic residence with gardens, wellness facilities and services (sauna, massages), experiences around the world of wine (tastings, introduction to wine production, etc.), and a restaurant. On the same continent, the 25 villas of Awasi Santa Catarina, located on a private peninsula on Brazil’s Emerald Coast, also caught the association’s eye.<\/p>\n
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In Asia<\/b>, Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux has selected the G\u014dra Kadan Fuji<\/b> in Japan, a traditional ryokan<\/b> founded in 1948 next to the iconic mountain, and The Sarvato in Jaipur, India<\/b>, an exceptional restaurant located within the City Palace, still the residence of the royal family of the pink city.<\/p>\n
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Finally, in the Pacific, in French Polynesia, the Tikehau<\/b>, the only hotel on the atoll of the same name, surrounded by paradise, has also joined the association.<\/p>\n
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