The transformation of Monastero Santa Rosa—a former monastery built in 1681 in the town of Conca dei Marini—into a resort worthy of this year’s Best of the Best honor took more than a decade. Here, we examine some of the property’s colorful history and its metamorphosis into a modern luxury resort. Rooms with a View Carefully planned by the nuns who called the hillside property home in the 17th and 18th centuries, Monastero’s L-shaped structure allows for every guest room in the hotel, which opened in May 20…

In its 47th year, the Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance (held this time on June 30) is known for its lineup of some of the world’s best cars, from prewar classics to modern exotic models. This year’s featured marquees won’t disappoint: Cadillac is highlighted in the American sector, with a presentation from before the World Wars to 1976, and Ferrari is the European featured brand, showing cars spanning every decade.  
The event is moving to the San Mateo Event Center in San Mateo, Calif.—some 15 miles n…

Known for its use of luxurious materials, such as shagreen, precious metals, and polished horn, Scala Luxury has amassed an inventory of more than 450 furniture and accessories designs, all of which are customizable. Now, for the first time in its 10-year history, the company has added beds—also customizable—to its offerings. Eight designs make up the inaugural series, and the first three of those beds ($16,000 to $29,850) were introduced in May. They feature such materials as brush-polished brass, stainless s…

To mark its 50th anniversary, Lamborghini unveiled an outrageous one-off concept called the Egoista. This single-seat car celebrates Lamborghini’s long-standing appeal to ego through building extreme cars that shout “look at me!”
“This is a car made for one person only, to allow them to have fun and express their personality to the maximum,” says Walter De Silva, the car’s designer and the design head for Volkswagen. (VW owns Audi, which in turn owns Lamborghini.) “It is designed purely for hypersophisticated…

The Frank Gehry–designed New York by Gehry tower, which was completed in the spring of 2011, rises 76 stories over Lower Manhattan and stands 870 feet tall, making it the tallest residential building in North America. Also lending to the structure’s unmistakability is its asymmetrical steel facade, which appears to ripple like fabric. Ninety-six percent of the 899 residences in this landmark design have been rented, but one of the three recently completed penthouse units—Penthouse North—is still available.
T…

The new Level Shoe District—a 96,000-square-foot shoe store—is just one of Dubai’s emerging design-related hot spots, many of which Robb Report Home & Style recently covered in its May/June issue (see City Style: Dubai). The London- and Singapore-based firm Shed created Level, which is located in the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping center. More than 250 designers are carried within the emporium, which consists of 40 boutiques and four areas featuring multiple brands; these spaces are Women’s Desig…

The art of distillation has been practiced for thousands of years; no one really knows who the first distillers were. However, we do know the name of the longest-reigning distilling family in the world. With a 322-year history of distilling, the Netherlands-based Noletfamilyis currently helmed by 10th-generation Carolus H. J. Nolet—the chairman of Nolet Spirits Worldwide—and his two sons Carl Jr., the executive vice president of Nolet Spirits USA, and Bob, the distiller and executive vice president of Nolet Sp…

Brimming with picturesque fjords, glistening glaciers, and exotic wildlife, Chilean Patagonia has long been a photographer’s paradise. Starting this September, shutterbugs of all skill levels can shoot like a pro when they join one of Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa’s new puma photo safaris. Led by a team of experts that includes the wildlife photographer Pia Vergara, the marine biologist Rodrigo Moraga Zúñiga, and the veterinarian Cristina Trugeda Harboe, the five-night package (priced from $4,700 per person…

For the die-hard surfing enthusiast, the Four Seasons Maldives is offering a set of exclusive getaway packages to its third annual surfing championship, in Kuda Haraa. The event, which takes place from August 26 through September 2, features six international former champions—including the Australian surfer Damien “Dooma” Hardman—vying for a $25,000 prize. Spectators will have an unparalleled view of the competition from the Four Seasons Explorer, the resort’s three-deck catamaran. Adding to the event’s intima…

Just in time for Cape Cod’s busy summer season, the Mansion at Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club has reopened after a $40 million renovation of the property and resort. The Mansion features 31 two- and three-bedroom villas and 90 guest rooms, and has private access to the resort’s exclusive beach as well as a personal concierge service for villa guests. Located in the charming beach town of Brewster, Mass., the property has fused modern elegance with classic New England sensibilities and traditional Cape Cod sty…