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The Fearrington InnSider - Reflections From Relais & Châteaux Rendez-Vous

November 24, 2025

REFLECTIONS FROM RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX RENDEZ-VOUS: WHERE AUTHENTIC HOSPITALITY STILL LEADS THE WAY

Last week, a few of our team traveled to Boston for the annual Relais & Châteaux Rendez-Vous—a global gathering that brings together member properties from around the world. While this conference is held in a different country each year, this was the first time since 2007 that it returned to the United States, and we were incredibly proud to help host nearly 500 international guests here. Colleagues joined from as far away as Japan, South Africa, Europe, and South America, creating a vibrant energy that I look forward to every year.

Four people pose together at an elegant event; two women in formal dresses stand on either side of two men wearing chef jackets, with a decorated dining area and star-like lights in the background. Fearrington Village

These gatherings are meaningful on so many levels—an opportunity to reconnect with industry friends, exchange ideas, compare notes on what’s working (and not working), and learn about new, creative innovations happening across the Relais family. This year’s theme was especially timely: AI—“Authentic Intelligence.”

The goal wasn’t to replace the heart of hospitality, but to understand how AI can support our work behind the scenes: streamlining the repetitive tasks that take up so much of our time so we can stay focused on what truly matters—the guest experience. I especially enjoyed bringing these insights home to share with my team. While industries everywhere grapple with AI replacing jobs, one thing was made clear again and again: hospitality will always require human connection.

Our Relais & Châteaux colleagues remain deeply committed to the values that define us—warmth, intuition, care, and genuine, unscripted moments of service. As we incorporate new tools to help us work more efficiently, we will never lose sight of the essence of Fearrington or the heart of Relais & Châteaux: creating meaningful, personal experiences for our guests.

It was an inspiring few days, full of learning, camaraderie, and excitement for the future—and I look forward to carrying that energy into the season ahead.

Theresa Chiettini