Luxury Travel & Hotels

Four Seasons Provence Offers Experiences for All

by Unknown (RSS feed) — Apr 16th 2011 at 11:01AM

By: McLean Robbins

The Four Seasons Provence at Terre Blanche sits in a unique location – it's not on the French Riviera's famed coast, nor is it located in the chic towns of Nice, Cannes or St. Tropez. The resort instead sits between the three towns, nestled at the base of the hillside village of Fayence and near the towns of Mons, Tourettes and Grasse.

Still, the resort offers a variety of private experience for guests seeking a retreat with a variety of customized experiences. A-listers flock to this hotel during peak times like the Cannes Film Festival, and stars like Angelina Jolie have holed up at the hotel for a few weeks of privacy. This writer had the pleasure of spending a few days at the resort earlier this month.

Tags: four seasons, four seasons provence, luxury hotels, travel

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Sleep with Rolex & Patek Philippe at Florence's Luxe L'O - Hotel L'Orologio

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 16th 2011 at 9:01AM

Under the patronage of new Italian luxury hotel group Whythebest, one of Florence's hippest and best-hidden boutique hotels is getting set to welcome the fashion crowd to the city this summer during the Pitti Uomo men's shows.

L'O - Hotel L'Orologio is unique in being inspired by the prestigious world of international high-end watchmaking as well as by owner Sandro Fratini's personal collection of over 2,000 vintage timepieces. If you appreciate haute horlogerie – and what man of style doesn't? – it's hard to imagine wanting to stay anywhere else.

Tags: Florence, Italy, luxury hotels, Patek Philippe, Rolex, Whythebest Hotels

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Seven Stars, Suite Luxury on the World's Most Beautiful Beach

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2011 at 2:01PM

The luxe Seven Stars resort in Providenciales on the Turks and Caicos islands presides over the world's best beach, according to the new TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards. It was also just named the world's Most Romantic Hotel or Resort in About.com's 2011 Readers' Choice Awards. Looking at its luxurious pool area (above) fronting the fine white sand and ultra-blue sea of Grace Bay it's easy to see why. You can of course stop in for a quick getaway but Seven Stars is perfectly equipped for longer stays as well thanks to its massive, luxuriously-equipped suites.

Tags: beach, hotel suites, luxury resorts, Providenciales, resorts, seven stars, spa, swimming pool, Turks and Caicos, worlds best beach

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Reach the Beach: Luxury Resort Style in the Turks & Caicos Islands {Exclusive Feature}

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2011 at 9:01AM

Click above for a high-res image gallery

The Turks and Caicos islands in the British West Indies is well known for having the world's most beautiful beaches. It also has some of the world's most stylish and luxurious beach resorts, which are remarkable for their amazingly private settings and lush natural landscapes, far removed from the over-development that plagues some other Caribbean hotspots. The perfect setting for our latest style feature, we're sure you'll agree.

Parrot Cay, located on a pristine 1,000-acre private island, including a mile-long powdered beach, is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy complete with an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach villas with private pools (above).

The villas are a favorite with celebrities including Donna Karan, Bruce Willis, Keith Richards and Sir Paul McCartney. Some like Willis and Karan were so entranced they decided to build their own beach houses on the island. Want to own one? So do we. Parrot Cay is currently offering a small selection of villas for private ownership, starting at $10 million.

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Wreck Week 2011 at Rosewood's Little Dix Bay: A Luxury Diving Paradise

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) — Apr 15th 2011 at 8:01AM

We've long loved Rosewood hotels for their understated luxury feel -- each of the brand's properties, spread throughout the US, Caribbean and Europe, offers a unique ambiance that blends in with the surroundings of the area but singularly top-notch service and amenities.

That's part of the reason we're so eager to show off their newest luxury package offered at Virgin Gorda resort Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands. The third annual "Wreck Week" offers unparalleled access to some of the Caribbean's best dive sites and includes five days of diving -- 14 dives total on 13 wrecks.

Tags: british virgin islands, bvi, carribbean, little dix bay, luxury travel, rosewood, virgin gorda

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Architecture, Nature & Elegance at Amanyara, Turks & Caicos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 14th 2011 at 8:01AM

Tags: Aman resorts, Amanyara, bar, luxury travel, resort, Turks and Caicos

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Luxist Takes the Honda CR-Z to the Camelback Inn

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) — Apr 12th 2011 at 4:01PM

There's a desert to the west of Los Angeles, the dusty, scrubby kind riven by arroyos and snow-capped ranges. The city is protected from that barren terror by a kind of East Wall, a monumentally wide buffer of concrete that are actually cities and towns everyone knows about but few ever visit on purpose – places like Monrovia, Cerritos, Montebello, Pomona.

Occasionally, though, there comes a reason to cross that desert, and you want a good camel when such time comes. We found a proper mount in the Honda CR-Z, a two-seat hybrid to play miniature steel dromedary for our Bedouin sallies.

The destination was an oasis 380 miles due east tucked behind Scottsdale's Camelback Mountain, in Paradise Valley, and aptly named The Camelback Inn. Once there, having braved, well, nothing really, we would quench our thirst with some of the finest drinks ever sipped by any traveler, weary or otherwise...

Tags: arizona, camelback inn, cr-z, honda, honda cr-z, hybrid, marriott, phoenix, resort, scottsdale

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Autumn Culinary Retreat Package at Australia's Luxe Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Apr 5th 2011 at 11:01AM

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, an Emirates property and Australia's first luxury conservation-based resort, is celebrating autumn in Australia with the "Autumn Retreat" package for gourmet aficionados.

A member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, the luxe resort is located within its own 4,000 acre conservation reserve nestled between two national parks. This secluded refuge features 40 individual suites surrounded by private decks, each with its own indoor/outdoor swimming pool. The resort's architecture is designed to be reminiscent of traditional rural Australian homesteads.

The Autumn Retreat package includes an on-site cooking demonstration by a Wolgan Valley chef featuring fresh autumnal produce from the resort's kitchen garden and local suppliers, showcasing uniquely Australian cuisine enhanced by a seasonal, regional and organic food philosophy.

Tags: Australia, cooking, Emirates, food, luxury resorts, suites, Wolgan Valley Resort Spa

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Lifestyle Asset Group Launches a New Luxury Residence Collection

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) — Apr 3rd 2011 at 10:01AM

Lifestyle Asset Group's Residence, Blue Sky Lodge, Deer Valley Utah

Lifestyle Asset Group, a new fractional ownership company, described as the "next generation of luxury vacation ownership," has launched.

This group has created a novel hybrid residence collection, based on the investment fund/equity-based club model. Lifestyle Asset Group allows 100 participants to collectively own 12 residences. The residence's average value is $2.5 million. With a one-time capital contribution of $300,000, each equity owner enjoys seven years of residence access booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Equity owners have the option to transfer their interests at any time without penalties or fees. As part of the Collective Asset Ownership (CAO) model, Lifestyle Asset Group says it operates in a debt-free mode, as it sells interests in the club structure as a means to create collective ownership of multiple real estate assets.

Tags: destination clubs, Investment Funds based Clubs, Lifestyle Asset Group, Private Escapes, Richard Keith, Vacation Clubs

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The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong: Highest Hotel in the World Opens

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) — Mar 30th 2011 at 4:01PM

Want to get high ... legally? No, we're not talking a Salvia trip à la Miley Cyrus, but a literal 118 stories high.

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong yesterday announced the opening of their 16th property in Asia, which boasts the title of "highest hotel in the world." Located at the very top of the International Commerce Centre (ICC) in Hong Kong and occupying floors 102 to 118, the hotel takes the honors away from the current title holder in Dubai.

"The opening of this landmark hotel in Hong Kong is the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to delivering the very best product, facilities and service in this international gateway city," said Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

Arrival
Don't prep for a long elevator ride just yet. The hotel's arrival lobby is actually located on the ninth floor of the building, where guests will pause before being transported to floor 103, which offers panoramic views of Hong Kong and the harbor.

Gallery: The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong

Tags: highest hotel, hong kong, hotels, luxury hotels, luxury travel, ritz carlton, ritz carlton hong kong, the ritz carlton

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Ralph Lauren's Cars, Private Parrot Cay Villa & More in Bid to Save the Earth Auction - Part 2

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 29th 2011 at 10:01AM

Parrot Cay Villa for auction in Bid to Save the Earth

Last week we reported on the host of international celebrities, creative icons, industry leaders and conservationists joining together with famed auction house Christie's to support the 2011 Green Auction, a momentous live event and companion online auction raising funds and awareness for the preservation and sustainability of the planet.

Christie's has partnered with luxury charity auction site charitybuzz.com to put more than 200 coveted auction packages online from now through April 7 to raise funds for Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Conservation International and the Central Park Conservancy. Supporters can make a Bid to Save the Earth at www.charitybuzz.com/BidtoSavetheEarth.

A companion invite-only event and live fantasy auction hosted by Seth Meyers will be held at Christie's New York on March 29 in partnership with Vogue's Runway to Green. The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by Tiffany & Co. on the night of the live auction, with designer collection selections available online through Net-A-Porter.com.

In part one of our report on the incredible experiences on offer, we focused on the big ticket items estimated at over $100,000 apiece, including a ride with Harrison Ford on his private plane. Now we're selecting some of our favorite lots across a range of expected prices (N.B.: Lagerfeld and Ducasse are being auctioned off live tonight):

Tags: Alain Ducasse, auctions, bid to save the earth, celebrity auctions, Chanel, charity, Charity Buzz, Christies, christies+bid+to+save+the+earth, christiesbidtosavetheearth, environment, Ferrari, Girard-Perregaux, green+auction, greenauction, Karl Lagerfeld, luxury travel, Paris, Parrot Cay, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren car collection, Robert F. Kennedy, Turks and Caicos

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Refresh, Rehab, Revive: A New Facelift for The Old Hollywood Roosevelt

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) — Mar 29th 2011 at 9:01AM

Since 1927, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel has been the local meeting place of bygone luminaries, including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. Monroe stayed when her career was just emerging, while Monty stayed during some of the filming of From Here to Eternity.

The hotel itself was named after Theodore Roosevelt, who provided some of the initial funding for the star-studded spot. It was also the first place where the Academy Awards were held.

Within our century, this was the hotel where Prince stayed in 2007, where Michelle Pfeiffer sang on a piano in the film, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and where one of the last episodes of Entourage was filmed.

And as for location, it is right in the middle of classic Hollywood: located on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, across from Grauman's Chinese Theater.

Yet, like any 80-year-old Hollywood star, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, now owned by Thompson Hotels, needed to refresh and renew -- and recently, after a reported $35 million facelift, this process is complete. The 300-room hotel is again ready for the spotlight, with the redesign of the Cabana Rooms as well as the debut of three unique entertainment venues: Public Kitchen & Bar, The Spare Room and Beacher's Madhouse.

Tags: Beachers Madhouse, Cabana Rooms Hollywood Roosevelt, David Hockney underwater pool mural, Hollywood Roosevelt History, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, hotel, old Hollywood, old Hollywood hotels, Studio Collective Design Firm, The Spare Room ThompsonsHollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Thompsons Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Tropicana Pool

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The Swanson Late Bloomers: A Late Harvest Wine Trend in Napa Valley

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) — Mar 26th 2011 at 8:01AM

Swanson Winery Entrance

Napa Valley is an environment committed to preservation, populated with those who perfect the essence of multi-layered taste -- be it food, wine or both.

French Laundry and Bouchon are in Yountville, also known as nirvana for Thomas Keller pilgrims. Exceptional wineries are tucked away, often from highway view, in Rutherford, Saint Helena, Oakville, and Calistoga. Resorts are also hidden: The Inn at Carneros (up a side road, behind a garden wall), Calistoga Ranch (in a private canyon), Meadowood (at the end of Meadowood Lane and near the base of Howell Mountain) all removed from plain sight, all worthy of joyous discovery.

Those who retreat to Napa that often engage in wine tastings also discover trends. On a recent journey, I uncovered the emergence of late harvest wines that are becoming increasingly well-known and more appreciated than ever before. Swanson Vineyards makes three exceptional late harvest wines, and has evolved into one of the leaders in this field.

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How Savvy a Traveler are You? Take the Condé Nast Test and See

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) — Mar 23rd 2011 at 8:01AM

"The Conde Nast Traveler Where Are You?" is a coffee-table extravaganza based on the travel magazine's monthly contest.

Readers in every issue since 1993 are challenged to identify a secret international location. Each page is a puzzle ranging from desolate deserts and scintillating cities to architectural icons and undersea wonders shot from a glass-bottom boat.

There are no dead giveaways.

The clues are there for those with good visual memories who have been around the world more than once. And for those who haven't, you can still test your travel savvy.

One invitation to figure out where a photo of an earth and stone structure was shot begins like this: "You are looking into a spiral pit, one of a series dug into the ground by a pre-Christian civilization." Another begins: "You are standing in a former watchtower...surveying a town that has looked this way for five hundred years."

You won't have to wait a month to get the answers as in the travel magazine's "Where are you?" page as they are listed in the back of the book ($65).

Tags: Assouline, books, conde nast, conde nast traveler, The Conde Nast Traveler Where Are You, travel guide

Luxe Destinations: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Mar 22nd 2011 at 3:03PM

We recently reported on JetBlue's great new direct service to the island paradise of the Turks & Caicos. To help you plan your glamorous getaway, Luxist is featuring the best of the Caribbean hotspot's luxury resorts, beginning with our top pick, Parrot Cay, situated on a private island.

On 1,000 pristine acres including a mile-long powdered beach, the resort is an elegant combination of glorious nature, understated luxury and unparalleled privacy. The first private island property from COMO Hotels and Resorts, it features an award-winning holistic spa, healthy gourmet cuisine and beach houses with private pools.

Parrot Cay's rooms are designed to maximize light, facing the sea or the island's natural landscaping, and awash in ocean breezes. Balinese day-beds, four-posters and private pools encourage relaxed lounging outdoors, while interiors come in whitewash and teak, with many of the Hamptons-style houses offering direct beach access.

There are also luxe villas belonging to private owners who make their properties available to rent. The spa, COMO Shambhala Retreat at Parrot Cay, overlooks mangroves and wetlands rich with birdlife. Situated just behind the beach is one of the world's most beautiful swimming pools.

We'll see you there.

Gallery: Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos - Preview