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The Salon 94 owner also shares the most recent additions to her collection. The Salon 94 owner also shares the most recent additions to her collection.

A 20th-century archival design is poised to become a modern Bulgari icon. A 20th-century archival design is poised to become a modern Bulgari icon.

GRU is planning to open the first lunar hotel in six years’ time. 

You’ve been to the furthest throes of Antarctica, you’ve ventured through the Mongolian desert, and you’ve navigated the Amazon rainforest — what’s next? A trip to the Moon, of course. Leaving Earth has long been on the bucket list of the more adventurous traveler, but with the announcement of the ‘First Hotel on the Moon,’ a stay on our planet’s outer atmosphere might be closer to reality than ever.

See also: The Most Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2026

What is the first hotel on the Moon?

Announced by Silicon Valley start-up GRU Space, the first lunar hotel is projected to open in 2032, with initial construction processes beginning as early as 2029. While space tourism is becoming an increasingly realistic endeavour – SpaceX has run several multi-day civilian orbital missions and Virgin Galactic semi-regularly hosts paying passengers on suborbital spaceflights — GRU is the first to look at materials that already exist on the Moon to build a hospitality endeavor. 

The first hotel on the Moon (dubbed ‘v1’) will accommodate four guests and will be equipped for several-night stays. Fully manufactured on Earth, the inflatable structure will be robotically deployed and inflated in situ, according to the start-up. 

Details on the amenities and interior design of v1 are limited, but GRU has specified that it will be “equipped with a full Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), including carbon dioxide removal and oxygen generation, water reclamation, and thermal control.” It will also have an emergency evacuation system and a solar flare storm shelter. Plans are also being made for surface experiences including Moonwalks and golf.

V1 is being designed to last for up to 10 years on the Moon’s surface; following this, v2 will be deployed. While GRU has stated the “final size and layout” of the second iteration of its space hotel will “evolve as we get better at building on the Moon,” it will be inspired by the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco — a Beaux-Arts-style faux palace, with a monumental stone rotunda. Current 3D models for the project predict a central rotunda, with three smaller interconnecting pavilions.

Unlike the plans for v1 launch, GRU anticipates that its technologies will have advanced enough by v2 to transform existing lunar soil into safe and durable building blocks, dramatically reducing costs. V2 will accommodate a total of 10 guests for a currently unspecified period of time. 

Ahead of its 2032 launch, GRU is proposing a series of lunar experiments, including a pressurized payload test, inflatable construction tests using small-scale replicas of the proposed v1 hotel, and sample collections missions.

See also: Ranked: The World’s Most Powerful Cities

Based on successful hospitality projects on the Moon, GRU is planning to extend its operations to a hotel on Mars and, eventually, the first human civilizations in space. Plans for Martian deployment begin in the mid to late 2030s.

How much will the first hotel on the Moon cost?

Would-be Moon tourists can register their interest now, with a non-refundable $1,000 application fee due immediately. GRU has claimed that applications will be reviewed in 2027, with candidates due to be selected based on specific mission roles. Successful applicants will then be asked to pay a further deposit of either $250k or $1m, depending on role. The company has not confirmed a final cost for a stay at the first hotel on the Moon, but has noted that it will “likely exceed $10m.”

Who is building the first hotel on the Moon?

Behind GRU Space’s ambitious plans is founder and CEO is Skyler Chan – a 22-year-old Canadian native that graduated early from Berkeley’s prestigious Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences program; became an Air Force-trained pilot aged 16; built software for Tesla; and created a NASA-funded 3D-printer that was launched into space. According to his company’s website, “Skyler has been obsessed with how to make humanity interplanetary his entire life.”

Step inside the enchanting world of custom lighting. 

The right illumination can create ambience, soften harsh edges, and imbue a sense of warmth. However, not all light sources are of the same quality. A custom chandelier, for instance, will always stand head-and-shoulders above the rest.

These meticulously made creations can range from minimalist to monumental, bringing scale, ambition, and elegance into the room. There are a select few brands that have spent years honing this craft, and whose bespoke work truly stands out – their attention to detail shines in every piece of cut glass or sculpted bronze. 

Cox London

Cox London’s creative process is rooted in artistry. Its co-founders, Chris and Nicola Cox, first connected over their shared love of sculpture, before ultimately founding their eponymous studio in 2005. Over the years, the brand has become well-known for its grand chandeliers made of brass, iron, or bronze – and welded entirely by hand. Most designs mirror the natural world, like Magnolia Grandiflora, which is composed of iron leaves and illuminated cotton blooms. 

As impressive as they are, each design has humble beginnings. “The fastest way to get an idea out in the open is from head to hand,” says Chris Cox. “If we don’t put pencil or charcoal on paper, ideas will remain ideas, unlikely to come to fruition.” This method served as a starting point for one of the brand’s recent creations: Mater Quercus, or “Mother Oak,” as it translates from Latin. For this project, Cox created full-scale charcoal drawings depicting meandering branches and clouds of foliage. It was a custom piece for interior designer Victoria Davar, who designated it for an area above a fireplace.

After the sketch is done, the artisans take over – Cox London employs over 65 in its studio. The process for Mater Quercus involved several months of intricate metalwork, and then threading the wires through to illuminate the piece. “It’s not unusual for 20 members of our team to touch a single chandelier,” he says.

Lasvit

The Bohemia region in the Czech Republic has a long history of glassmaking, a legacy that deeply informs artisan brands like Lasvit. Its bespoke installations are some of its most impressive and well-known works, adorning the lobby of the St. Regis Qingdao and the Langham Hotel in Jakarta. 

Custom projects unfold via a carefully organized chain of communication. The brand employs 16 in-house designers – one is assigned to a project based on the brief. “When clients come to us, sometimes they have a vision for their space, sometimes they have none – it’s a range,” says Jana Růžičková, Lasvit’s head of design. For the indecisive, ready-made samples, sketches, and even mockups provide a sense of what the final piece will look like. Even after it’s all been approved, the in-house designer will work closely with the craftsmen; they may even accompany the chandelier when it’s being installed to make necessary adjustments.

What’s central to Lasvit is its continued innovation within the medium. One of the brand’s best-known creations is Herbarium: A technique that creates the imprint of a branch or herb within the glass. “We collect them from local nature, and pour the liquid hot glass over the leaf,” says Růžičková. “It burns down, leaving just the imprint.” The beauty of the process is that it’s endlessly customizable for clients – if there’s a botanical that you like, chances are Lasvit can render it in glass.

Herbarium was the product of an annual workshop in the Czech countryside, but designers are given days to freely create and think of new ways to reinvent glass as a medium. “During every bespoke process, we have to experiment,” says Růžičková. “I try to come up with new shapes, and new combinations of techniques to create something really unique.”

Saint Louis

To say Saint Louis has a long history is a bit of an understatement. The heritage brand dates back to 1586, making it the oldest crystal manufacturer in France. Over the years, the brand has accumulated a wealth of knowledge when it comes to manipulating glass and molding it into shapes both contemporary and classical.

This know-how is carefully passed down from master to apprentice via direct, hands-on mentorship. “It usually takes about 10 years for an artisan to start mastering the core of their crafts,” says Jérôme de Lavergnolle, the brand’s president and CEO. “They’ll keep learning and refining their techniques their whole life.” Many will work 30 to 40 years at the manufacturer; it’s not uncommon to see multigenerational families in different parts of the workshop. 

Saint Louis is perhaps most well-known for the different colors that it can render in crystal, including sky blue, chartreuse, and amber. Piecing them together, along with the many components that the artisans can create, allows for thousands of different iterations. For example, the brand once constructed a chandelier that was almost 30 feet tall – it consisted of 220 lights, and weighed over 5,000 lbs. Larger projects like this one can take hundreds of hours to manufacture, with a dozen different craftsmen involved over the course of several months. The end result is well worth it: “They capture the light in unique ways,” says de Lavergnolle. “They’re as stunning during the day when turned off as they are at night when the lights are on.”

The brand-new ultramodern residence in the Aspen Camp neighborhood of the exclusive Promontory community overlooks the dramatic peaks of the Uinta Mountain range. The brand-new ultramodern residence in the Aspen Camp neighborhood of the exclusive Promontory community overlooks the dramatic peaks of the Uinta Mountain range.

The designer and TV personality’s modern Venice retreat delivers warm, lived-in vibes with a side of her signature white-on-white palette. The designer and TV personality’s modern Venice retreat delivers warm, lived-in vibes with a side of her signature white-on-white palette.

The Microsoft cofounder is selling a modest four-bedroom home that borders his 66,000-square-foot compound in Medina, Washington.  The Microsoft cofounder is selling a modest four-bedroom home that borders his 66,000-square-foot compound in Medina, Washington. 

The British marque likely built less than 3,000 cars in total across several model lines during its 65-year history, which ended in 2020. The British marque likely built less than 3,000 cars in total across several model lines during its 65-year history, which ended in 2020.

Tim Heywood and Falcon Tenders have made a runabout with sophistication in spades. Tim Heywood and Falcon Tenders have made a runabout with sophistication in spades.

Drinks experts explain why stronger spirits are back. 

If you just read the headlines, you’d think everyone was running scared of alcohol; that there was only one way for drink’s strength to head – and that was down. But rather counter-intuitively, high-proof spirits are also on the up – not just in whisky (which has a tradition of cask-strength bottlings) but also gin, rum, and tequila.  

Take the new British luxury gin Aureus Vita – it’s bottled at 123.6 proof/61.8 percent abv, which is several degrees higher than most Navy Strength gins. The strength, the packaging, and the design of the still draw inspiration from the ‘Golden Ratio’ 1:1.618, which recurs in art, architecture, music, and nature (the gin’s proof represents a ratio of 1.618 to 1 between alcohol and water). Rich and powerful, in an almost cake-y type way, the gin sells for a punchy $235 per bottle.

See also: Why Runners Are Falling in Love with Wine, Beer, and Whisky Regions

The Botanist gin – which is made by Islay’s Bruichladdich distillery – recently launched a 100 proof/50 percent abv spin-off, The Botanist Distiller’s Strength, which offers an amped-up, but still extremely elegant, platform for its 22 foraged botanicals.

“I was inspired by Bruichladdich Distillery’s long practiced art of bottling whisky at 50% abv,” says head distiller Adam Hannett, “and at this strength, flavorful oils from distillation are enhanced, the viscosity is richer, and it’s this richness that carries the flavor of the spirit.”

Some more high-end aged sipping rums have been upping their proof as well, in a bid to position themselves more like a single malt whisky. The excellent Exception Cask Selection series from Foursquare in Barbados often features cask-strength and high-strength editions around the 120 proof (60 percent abv) mark. 

American whiskey has also been hitting the heights. Woodford Reserve recently released its strongest whisky to date, Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Chocolate Whisper Redux which is bottled at a whopping 139.4 proof (69.7 percent abv).

As agave drinkers get more discerning, there has also been a noticeable increase in high-strength tequilas and mezcals.

“The past few years have seen a big increase in high-proof products,” says Grover Sanschagrin, founder of US-based agave spirits recommendation app Tequila Matchmaker. “And we’ve seen higher-than-average ratings for high-proof products […] our users get quite excited to try them.’”

Top performers in a Tequila Matchmaker blind-tasting included Siembra Valles High Proof Tahona (99 proof/49.5 percent abv), Trujillo Manifesto 56 (92.6 proof/46.3 percent abv) and the ‘still-strength’ Santo Fino Blanco 110 (110 proof/55 percent abv) and Amatiteña Tequila Blanco Origen (98 proof/49 percent abv).

Sanschagrin believes “high-proof products, especially still-strength tequilas, are the closest thing to the source, and are often the most expressive of cooked agave […] Aroma and flavor can be muted because of the higher alcohol, but the finish will be a lot longer and evolve on the tongue, and the mouthfeel is often more full-bodied, thick, and oily.”

The Whisky Exchange’s head buyer Dawn Davies MW, however, is at pains to point out that more is not always more.

“There’s this idea among some spirits drinkers that bigger is automatically better. But what matters more is balance; that the spirit is bottled at the strength that’s right for itself. I think for most spirits, the strength that carries flavor really well, but isn’t too alcohol forward, is actually round the 44-48 percent abv (88-96 proof) mark.”

There’s another, more cynical, reason why whiskey producers in particular may be leaning into high-proof, and that’s a simple case of over-supply, says Marten Lodewijks, managing director of drinks analyst IWSR.

“Through the pandemic there was a massive increase in demand, so whisky producers put more whisky into barrels. That demand then plateaued and is now starting to decline. So, there’s a whisky glut – which, for producers, is a challenge.

“If whisky producers can generate interest in higher-abv products then they don’t need to water down the whisky as much before bottling, and they get fewer bottles out of a barrel. So, there’s a concerted drive to push up the abv because then they can off-load more barrels at a premium.”

See also: Scotch Has Lost Its Way – Can It Come Back?

An advantage of high-strength spirits is you can dilute them to your taste. Scotch whisky has a strong (and very respectable) tradition of this – and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The key is to add water in tiny increments (using a dropper helps), and taste as you go. You’ll find the whisky evolves and different characteristics come to the fore.

Another easy way to add dilution gradually is stirring with ice, and that’s why the Old Fashioned is such a great cocktail for showcasing high-strength whiskies.

On the agave front, Sanschagrin recommends using Pantera de Oro’s 106 proof (53 percent abv) cask-strength extra-añejo to make a Tequila Sazerac. “I make them at home all the time and it’s perfect for that.”

Max Venning, co-owner of the acclaimed Three Sheets cocktail bars in London, often uses tiny amounts of high-proof spirits to give his cocktail recipes a lift. “I might use a dash of agricole rum to give a drink a subtle funky, fermented note. Longer-aged, higher strength cask-aged spirits tend to have more vanilla and body which can be great for adding depth, texture and, often, sweetness to a drink.”

The Botanist Distiller’s Strength is great, he says, “because it allows you to get a martini really, really cold because you can stir it down for longer, without losing the intensity and nuance of its lovely wild, floral botanicals.”

Just sometimes, more is more.