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ICONIC NEW ENGLAND SEASIDE RESORT, OCEAN HOUSE, RHODE ISLAND TO LAUNCH INNOVATIVE GONDOLA WINTER DINING EXPERIENCE - 'THE FONDUE VILLAGE'

Following the popularity of last year's exclusive ‘Fondue Express’, the first in-gondola dining experience in North America, Ocean House, Watch Hill is expanding the successful concept in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot with the launch of the new ‘Fondue Village’.

November 9thNORTH AMERICA

The iconic resort will unveil the next chapter of its one-of-a-kind winter culinary pop-up experience, bringing fine food and whimsy to New England from 2 December 2019. On top of a bluff of the scenic Atlantic Coast, adjacent to the Ocean House and amidst sparkling Christmas trees, twinkling pines and ski lodge décor, the Fondue Village includes three thoughtfully-designed ski gondolas in gleaming Veuve Clicquot yellow lacquer. Stationed around a crackling fire pit, each vintage gondola has been impressively restored, and outfitted with heated custom wood floors, fine Alpine textiles, chandeliers, and plush seating, imported traditional Swiss and Austrian glassware and china, and an authentic cuckoo clock, providing a luxury dining experience à deux, or a warm gathering of friends. Guests can indulge in an exclusive Alpine-themed four-course menu with select champagne pairings from Veuve Clicquot. To further elevate the experience, guests of the Fondue Village will be provided with stylish white Titanium outerwear from Columbia’s Extreme Eco down jacket line. Both sustainable and chic, each coat is made from 100% recycled fabric from 27 plastic bottles. Lunch or dinner guests will arrive to the Ocean House’s North Lawn and enjoy a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rich Champagne, before being led by their personal server to the Fondue Village. Ocean House’s culinary team has created a delicious four-course, prix-fixed menu with optional Veuve Clicquot champagne pairings. Highlights include a traditional Swiss Raclette; a meat plate of Bresaola, Black Forest ham, cornichons and pickled vegetables; cheese fondue, and Swiss plum tart with cinnamon ice cream and assorted Christmas cookies. Guests will also receive a collection of Swiss chocolates as a departure gift. The Fondue Express can accommodate groups of up to 16, and a portion of all proceeds will benefit the Ocean House Fund for Charitable Giving, to help children and families in need.

HOW: The Fondue Express is available from 2 December 2019 to 31 March 2020. With Veuve Clicquot Champagne pairings, the gondola dining experience is available for $560 (currently approx. €505) for up to four people, plus gratuity and tax, and $840 for up to six (approx. €757). For guests who prefer not to have pairings, the cost is $400 (approx. €360) for up to four people and $600 (approx. €541) for up to six people. Reservations are required by visiting oceanhouseri.com/culinary/fonduevillage

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SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

February 2nd

SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

A REGENERATIVE FARM STAY SHAPED BY SEASONS, FRIENDSHIP AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Sweden

Sibbjäns began quietly, the combined dream of Jonas Nordlander and Sanna Rönn, who with close friends and many meaningful couples Pontus and Kina Zeidler share a life between Stockholm and Gotland. Over the past four years, they have steadily transformed this former horse farm into a regenerative stay that feels singular to anywhere else in Scandinavia.

After a soft opening in 2025 for friends and family, the farm stay now enters 2026 as its first full season, opening more intentionally to a like-minded global community drawn to nature, food, and thoughtful design.

 

A PLACE TO REST

 

22 individually designed rooms sit across the Hotel and ‘The Bunkhouse,’ each named after important women in the family and among their friends. Adorned with classic Scandi touches of sheepskin throws, limewashed walls, soft palettes, and contemporary art, the spaces are designed for comfort.

Buildings are framed by wildflowers and constructed using traditional methods, much of the work completed by hand, with local craftsmanship central to the process. Architect Maja Berg has been a key contributor, working alongside Erik Larsson, a Master of Gotlandic Craft Heritage, who built some of the original buildings himself and continues to pass on traditional building knowledge to the next generation.

THE KITCHEN FOLLOWS THE FARM

At the heart of Sibbjäns is a working farm home to hens, Mangalitza pigs, horses, and sheep, with agriculture guiding both the kitchen and the guest experience.

In the gardens, lead gardener and local Karin Winarve brings a quiet hand to what thrives here across meadows, vegetable beds, and fruit-growing plots. Produce is grown on-site and harvested seasonally, forming the backbone of a true farm-to-table approach—one that pauses entirely during the winter months when the land rests.

 

EXPERIENCES & ‘VIKING WELLNESS’

New for the 2026 season, wellbeing at Sibbjäns is restorative rather than prescriptive. Inspired by Nordic traditions and the physicality of outdoor life, the evolving wellness offering includes:

  • A hand-built yoga barn

  • A wood-fired sauna

  • An outdoor gym

  • Recreational spaces

  • The beginnings of what will become one of the world’s most beautiful tennis courts.

The surrounding landscape invites guests to engage with nature on its own terms, from cycling or horse riding across open farmland to kitesurfing along Gotland’s windswept coastline (widely regarded as one of the finest spots in Europe for the sport). This is ‘Viking wellness’ in spirit—elemental, grounding, and quietly transformative.

 

SWEDEN’S ‘SUNSHINE ISLAND’

Gotland is Sweden’s sunniest destination, known for its distinctive light, limestone landscapes, and strong ‘right to roam’ ethos. Open from Easter through to Christmas and closed entirely during the dark winter months, Sibbjäns follows the natural calendar rather than resisting it.

Reaching it is part of the journey:

  • A short flight from Stockholm to the island’s capital of Visby, followed by a drive across the island.

  • A ferry crossing that reinforces the sense of arrival somewhere distinct and deliberately unhurried.

  • For those preferring a more direct approach, arrival by helicopter is also possible.

At its core, Sibbjäns remains a place for friends old and new built slowly, grounded in nature, and designed to endure.

BRENNERS PARK-HOTEL & SPA REOPENS AFTER LANDMARK RENOVATION

November 5th

BRENNERS PARK-HOTEL & SPA REOPENS AFTER LANDMARK RENOVATION

A New Chapter Begins as Europe’s Legendary Grand Hotel Returns

Alive with the Spirit of the Black Forest and the Cultural Pulse of Baden-Baden

Germany

Following a meticulous two-year transformation, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, the original grande dame of the Oetker Hotels portfolio, proudly reopens its doors – ushering in a revitalised era of timeless hospitality and contemporary finesse.
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