The holiday villas changing the way we travel

It was a misty Thursday morning, with the low Tuscan hills’ muted tones in the distance, when we set out with a six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo in pursuit of something my children both love and hate.
Truffles – the fungus, not the chocolates – are catnip in my house when they come in the form of musky oil on crisps (£3.95 at our local deli). On pasta, they’re less well received. But Antonia (six) and Henry (four) were suitably impressed with the set-up: a hipster and a farmer in pursuit of a high-value product; if there was a scent of earthy delights, there was also more than a whiff of a Famous Five mission.
We followed Paulo, president of the local truffle-hunting association, who was dressed in camouflage and accompanied by his dog, Millie, past a cemetery and into the hills, where we met our translator, Lorenzo, the landowner, who had abandoned a tech-focused life in cosmopolitan Siena to get back to nature (well, the sort of nature where one wears skinny jeans and Ray-Bans) with his family.
Millie had been in training from the age of two months: Paulo hid morsels of truffles under the ground or in the grass, making a game of chasing down this fragrant harvest.

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Auberge Resorts Collection Announces Strategic Partnership with Bdt & Msd Partners

PR Newswire | February 02, 2024

The Friedkin Group announced today that the company has entered into a strategic partnership with BDT & MSD Partners ("BDT & MSD"), a merchant bank built to serve the distinct needs of business owners and strategic, long-term investors. BDT & MSD, through its affiliated hospitality investment vehicle, will make a minority investment in Auberge Resorts Collection, the manager of the award-winning portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs set in some of the world's most desirable locations. In addition, BDT & MSD's hospitality vehicle intends to invest significant capital towards acquiring and developing luxury hotel and residential assets that will be branded and managed by Auberge Resorts Collection. The partnership reflects BDT & MSD's belief in Auberge Resorts Collection's unique brand positioning and focus on creating one-of-a-kind luxury hospitality experiences. The investment will support Auberge's continued strategic growth in the Americas, Europe and beyond, with a focus on gateway urban markets and high-profile experiential destinations. "This partnership further solidifies Auberge Resorts Collection's position as the leading name in boutique luxury hospitality and marks a new and exciting era for our world-class portfolio," said Dan Friedkin, chairman of Auberge Resorts Collection and chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group. "BDT & MSD's differentiated, long-term capital and expertise in luxury hospitality investments makes them a perfect strategic partner and will allow us to further grow the strength of the Auberge brand." "Auberge is a world-class manager of distinctive luxury hotel properties, with an exceptional track record of delivering curated guest experiences in the world's leading hospitality markets. We are excited to be a part of its future and look forward to partnering with Auberge's talented team to build on its differentiated strengths and accelerate further growth," said Coburn Packard, partner & head of real estate at BDT & MSD. Since becoming part of The Friedkin Group in 2013, Auberge Resorts Collection has grown into the leading name in boutique luxury hospitality, comprising 27 unparalleled properties across the U.S., Latin America and Europe, with a development pipeline of over a dozen hotels and two additional hotels planned to open in Florence and South Carolina this year. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the essence of the location to life through one-of-a-kind design that reflects the destination, exceptional cuisine and dining experiences that attract both the local community and global traveler, innovative spas and wellness retreats and highly personalized service.

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