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In the Know: Venice Update

This summer, you’ll hear less English spoken in the streets of Venice, but the weak dollar doesn’t mean that all the news is bad. Some of the city’s most coveted hotels are offering great rates, including the palatial new Ca’ Sagredo and family-friendly San Clemente, and some pensiones are not only bargains for value-conscious travelers but make memorable bases from which to explore the city (you can now stay at a mosaic atelier and take classes in this historic craft). If you plan it right, Venice can resemble a treasure hunt to kids, complete with exploring secret passages of the Doge’s Palace, visits to craftsmen in their studios, biking around the Lido, sailing on a restored fishing boat and eating at a shaded table on a lively campo. (We’ve added a list of great outdoor seating.) Grown-ups will appreciate that the absence of American crowds has made favorite haunts such as the Guggenheim Collection and the Ca’ Rezzonico less jammed and last-minute reservations at coveted spots like the Palazzo Bauer’s De Pisis possible. And while you’re at the Palazzo, check out Sete-Cento, the most exciting news in Venetian fashion in a decade. The couture house was founded by the young nobleman whose family owns the Bauer last year, and the beautifully made designs are sold by appointment at his atelier. Because some unique finds are worth bringing back—even at the current exchange rate. In fact, our Where To Shop section lists the city’s top one-of-a-kind craftsmen.

First to Go: Tanzania Lodges & A Special Offer

Already blessed with famous lodges like Singita Grumeti, Tanzania just saw the opening of two special safari camps, in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. These are some of the world’s renowned regions for game viewing: the Serengeti has the great migration, a semi-annual parade of wildebeest, gazelles and other herbivores, and equally spectacular is Ngorongoro, a gigantic unflooded calder, that typically holds over 30,000 animals. And now, thanks to Lemala Ngorongoro and Lemala Serengeti, there’s another eco-smart way to visit them.

Special Offer for Indagare Members

VirginBush Safaris has some last-minute spots available on one of their September safaris in Tanzania (due to clients dropping out) and is offering them at an almost 20% discount ($13,500 per person). The itinerary includes a stay at the Selous reserve, based at Sand River Camp, and a multi-day stay at the Greystoke Chimp Camp in Mahale National Park, which is almost always booked solid.

This Month’s Dream: The Lodge at Woodloch

A destination spa in a sleepy corner of Pennsylvania is exciting news; a destination spa owned and run by two former directors of Canyon Ranch is totally thrilling. The Lodge at Woodloch, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from New York, is the culmination of owner Ginny and John Lopis’ decade-long experience consulting some of the world’s top properties, including the Cloisters at Sea Island and Barbados’ Sandy Lane. The setting is blissfully bucolic (in PA’s lake district), guest rooms are spacious, the cuisine healthy and delicious, and the 40,000 square-foot, multi-level spa, comes with twenty-seven treatment rooms, fireplace-studded lounges and a magnificent indoor-outdoor pool area. The only decision guests have to make is how to divide days.

New on Indagare: Corsica

Yes, stylish travelers like Charlotte Gainsbourgh, Emmanuelle Béart and Daniel Auteuil, have long flocked to this gorgeous French island, but despite a certain jet-set caché, Corsica remains the flip side of St. Tropez —a place of privileged serenity and privacy. Blessed with stunning wild landscapes and powdery stretches of white sand beaches, the so-called Isle of Beauty now also boasts superb Michelin-starred restaurants and an ever-expanding circuit of chic hotels, ranging from ultra-contemporary boutique properties to a privately owned three-bedroom in a crenellated 16th-century tower. What locals and loyal visitors love the most—and try hard to keep secret—are the island’s hidden charms: small coves accessible only by boat or on foot; family-owned vineyards that produce Corsica’s renowned vintages; the best hiking along scenic Cap Corse and al fresco dining in one of the fishing villages on the rugged northern coast. You may be snacking on fresh seafood salad and lobster spaghetti sitting next to Princess Caroline or Monica Bellucci, but follow the locals lead and ignore them.

Also new on Indagare: Eva Lorenzotti’s suggestions on the best of Cairo ; a member postcard on a philanthropic vacation in the Dominican Republic ; an in-depth destination report on Barbados ; a Q&A with author Meg Nolan on her favorite secret hideaways in Italy ; a British ex-pats take on how best to tackle Tokyo and tips on beating jet lag from the author of a recently published book on sleep.

Indagare in Action: Member Benefits

In honor of our one-year anniversary, we are thrilled to introduce Indagare Plus, a program of discounts, benefits and special amenities at select properties and carefully vetted companies around the globe. From now on, when you see a hotel listed on our site, check to see if it’s marked with the Indagare Plus sign. The Plus indicates that special benefits are available to members who book through Indagare. Just click on the Plus to see more information and find out if the benefits apply to your membership level. Participating properties include some of the finest in the world, like Relais & Chateaux and Orient Express, as well as outfitters like Abercrombie & Kent. It’s our way of thanking you for helping make our first year such a success. Let us leverage the power of the Indagare membership to make your next trip even more memorable.