South America

South America's First Luxury Fair Coming to Brazil in November

Filed under: Events, Wealth, Luxury Shopping

Sao Paulo in Brazil will host the very first luxury fair in South America from November 23 – 25, an indication of the growing economic clout of the country and the BRIC nations in general. Modeled on the millionaires' fairs popular in places like Moscow, Expo Luxo will feature the latest high-end products including luxury cars, yachts, private jets, helicopters, jewelery, watches, fashion, electronics and technology, home decor, cosmetics, real estate, spirits, gourmet goods and artwork, along with providers of "premium and luxury" services such as architecture, interior design, landscaping, concierge services, private chefs and more. Over 100 international exhibitors are expected along with an audience of about 35,000.

Tags: Brazil, BRIC, economics, events, Expo Luxo, helicopters, luxury fair, millionaire fair, millionaires, South America, wealth

Indoor Polo, Anyone? Incredible Brazilian Equestrian Estate Listed at $17.5 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Sports

An incredible equestrian estate outside of Sao Paolo in Brazil featuring the only indoor sand polo field in Latin America has been listed for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $17.5 million. The eye-popping property occupies 59 acres and includes 20 stables to house your precious thoroughbred horses, 18 paddocks and a professional grade outdoor polo field as well. The stunning 17,000-sq-.ft. Spanish Colonial main residence has six luxurious suites, refined living and dining areas, three grand fireplaces, an office, library, outdoor kitchen, terrace with panoramic view of the polo field, an inground pool with a swim-up bar also overlooking the polo grounds, and tennis / basketball courts. The lush grounds feature towering palms, tropical flowers and rolling lawns. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Sao Paolo Equestrian Estate

Tags: Brazil, equestrian, estates, horses, JamesList, Latin America, luxury real estate, polo, real estate, South America

Hone Your Photography Skills on a Private Jet Tour of Central & South America

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jay Dickman (above) is leading an incredible 16-day private jet tour of Central and South America, part of the National Geographic Expeditions program, set to take place from Mar 26 - Apr 10, 2011. Dickman, a National Geographic Expert who has covered events as diverse as the war in El Salvador to the Olympics for numerous publications including National Geographic magazine, is part of the Olympus Visionary Program, a group of prestigious professional photographers who all use Olympus cameras like the brilliant new PEN E-PL1 for professional and personal assignments. The luxe trip via a custom Boeing 757 takes you through lush rain forests, magnificent mountain ranges, lively cities, and the legacies of mighty civilizations.

Destinations include Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica, from "the soaring pyramid temples of the ancient Mayans to the alluring grace of Argentina's tango, and from the awe-inspiring rush of Iguazú Falls to the serene rain forests of the Amazon", with luxury hotel stays in between. As the excursion is priced at $46,950 per person, you'll obviously want to make sure you get great photos – which Dickman helps ensure, leading photographic expeditions and discussing technical as well as aesthetic issues that make for great photography and photographs. Book your seats now as space is limited.

Tags: Brazil, camera, Costa Rica, digital camera, Jay Dickman, luxury travel, National Geographic, Olympus, Olympus PEN E-PL1, Peru, photographer, photography, private jet, South America

Magual Polo Tournament Slated for Argentina

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Sports

Polo season in the Hamptons may be over and done with, but things are just starting to heat up on the sporting scene in Argentina. From November 27 to December 4 the Magual Polo Tournament will take place at the Magual Polo Club at the height of the country's polo season. Located about 45 minutes outside Buenos Aires, Magual is a vast polo complex with several polo fields and 150 horses. It's run by the Di Paola polo playing dynasty, notably Marcos Di Paola, the oldest of three brothers and an 8-goal player who is ranked in the top 20 worldwide among polo professionals. Marcos is a regular on the annual polo circuit that runs from Argentina to Florida to England, Spain and France, and various North American, South American and European teams are expected to compete in the exciting tournament including the Aventus polo team of the famed Creed fragrance company that we wrote about back in June.

Tags: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Creed, England, equestrian, horses, Magual Polo Club, Polo, south america, sports

The Classicist: Learning the Art of Polo at Estancia Vik

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, The Classicist

In our column on photographer Aline Coquelle's brilliant book about the wide world of polo, we discussed some of the exotic locations where the sport of kings is played far from the the hermetic hemisphere of the Hamptons and Palm Beach. At Estancia Vik, a recently opened, ultra-luxurious private retreat in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay, you can now learn the ancient and noble game while enjoying all the amenities one would expect from a world class resort. A stylish haven of art, nature and design, the Estancia is situated on 4,000 acres taking full advantage of the pristine beaches, spectacular rolling landscape and relaxed, bohemian setting the area is famous for. Designed to be a coveted destination for the curious and design-forward international traveler, it's a sprawling Spanish colonial structure featuring white adobe walls and a red tin roof, designed by Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio with some dramatic avant-garde design flourishes.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. Estancia boasts 12 spacious suites each designed by a different Uruguayan contemporary artist, wine cellar, gym, spa, game room, a traditional Uruguayan barbeque pit, polo field, stables, several outdoor patios and gardens, rivers, lakes and a 65-ft. Absolute Nero stone swimming pool overlooking the lush countryside and the ocean in the distance (the beach is a mere five miles away). The property has partnered with with Haras Godiva Polo Management to provide a number of polo packages for all skill levels. Beginners and first-time riders may elect to try an introductory course, while a family who plays can have a group session and intensive, one-on-ones can be arranged as well. Ponies and all equipment except for riding boots are provided. They are currently offering a polo package including two nights at the Estancia and three polo lessons, will also be available from March through October for $1,750.

Gallery: Polo at Estancia Vik

The Estancia also hosts major polo events on occasion, for those who prefer the role of spectator. On Jan. 4th the La Dolfina team, consisting of Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr., Ernesto Gutierrez, Juan de Dios Cincunegui and Federico Heinemann, played the Fiat Linea team of Andres Cassarino, Fernando Pigni, Cristiano Rattazzi and Bartolome Castagnola, with the highly exciting match ultimately ending in a draw. Following the event which was attended by a the chic sporting set the players' helmets were auctioned to benefit local school, each having been painted by some of the South American artists whose work is represented at Estancia Vik.

Tags: equestrian, Estancia Vik, EstanciaVik, horses, hotel, polo, resort, South America, SouthAmerica, Uruguay

W Unveils 1st Hotel in South America, the W Santiago

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

W Hotels Worldwide just unveiled its first ever hotel in South America, W Santiago and The Residences at W Santiago in Chile. The W brand's 33rd hotel, W Santiago is the cornerstone of a larger, mixed-use complex, Isidora 3000, which includes a convention center, boutique office space, and high-end retail shops in addition to the W Hotel and W-branded residences. Developed by the Territoria Group, W Santiago is located in the heart of the fashionable El Golf district of the Chilean capital city and surrounded by the magnificent peaks of the Andes. Renowned New York designer Tony Chi partnered with native Chilean designer Sergio Echeverria to create cutting edge interiors for the hotel and residences that are a cool, contemporary take on the varied Chilean landscape. The property features several restaurants and bars as well as a rooftop pool overlooking the city lights (above).

Tags: Chile, hotel, Rande Gerber, RandeGerber, rooftop bar, RooftopBar, Santiago, South America, SouthAmerica, W Hotels, WHotels

Small Splurge: A Selection of Fall Wines

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Click Wine Group, the privately held, Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world, has a standout collection of vintages in $10 - $13 range, starring Root: 1 from Chile and the indefatigable Fat Bastard. Their Global Wine Collection consists of signature varietals from world-class appellations with easy to pronounce (and sometimes amusing) names and appealing, consumer friendly packaging aimed at taking the intimidation out of wine. They have something for virtually every palate and autumnal occasion. To meet growing consumer demand, Root: 1 recently added two new varietals to its lineup: a smooth, richly flavored Carmenere and a crisp, fresh Chardonnay. Carmenere is Chile's signature varietal, a deep colored, full-bodied wine that offers the charm of Merlot and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Produced in Colchaugua Valley, Root: 1 Carmenere is deep red in color with gentle tannins and rich flavors of plum, blackberry and spice. Root: 1 Chardonnay is not the heavily oaked kind that has become a wine snob's cliché, but rather a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Grown in the cool, coastal Casablanca Valley, renowned for producing the best white wines in South America, Root:1 Chardonnay is fresh, expressive and balanced with melon, honey and toasted hazelnut flavors. Also well worth trying is the Root 1: Sauvingnon Blanc, a crisp wine with citrus notes and a fresh, clean finish. The ungrafted rootstock produces a bright, tropical fruit flavor that pairs perfectly with salads, seafood and creamy pasta sauces.

Tags: Chile, click wine group, ClickWineGroup, Fat Bastard, FatBastard, Root: 1, Root:1, Seattle, South America, SouthAmerica, wine

Austria, Switzerland Top World's Best Places to Live

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

vienna Europe – the same corner of Europe, actually – claims the first three spots in Mercer Consulting's annual Quality of Living Survey. Vienna, Austria and Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland lead the list, followed by Vancouver, Canada and Auckland, New Zealand in a tie for fourth.

Little has changed for the top half of the top 10. Last year, Zurich nabbed the top spot, and Vienna and Geneva shared the #2 spot. Vancouver is unchanged year-over-year, and Auckland's #5 finish last year is roughly the same as its tie for fourth in 2009.

Not only are the top places to live ostensibly enjoyable, you're more likely to be there for a while. Life expectancies in these cities start at 79 years. It's better than living a nice long life in a dump, I guess.

The United States doesn't appear until the bottom of the top 30, with Honolulu and San Francisco. From Asia, only Singapore picks up a spot in the world's 30 best places to live. South America and Africa are not represented at all. It's strange, I half-expected to see Mogadishu on this list.

Of the 215 places listed, Baghdad has the distinction of finishing last. Sometimes, common sense prevails.

Source

Tags: africa, asia, auckland, austria, baghdad, california, canada, geneva, geneva switzerland, genevaswitzerland, hawaii, honolulu, iraq, iraq war, IraqWar, mogadishu, new zealand, newzealand, san francisco, SanFrancisco, singapore, somalia, south america, SouthAmerica, switzerland, vancouver, vienna, vienna austria, viennaaustria, zurich, zurichswitzerland

First Boutique Luxury Hotel in Peru's Incan Capital

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The first boutique luxury hotel has just opened in Cusco, Southeastern Peru, the historic capital of the Inca Empire. Situated in a meticulously-restored colonial mansion that is probably the first Spanish building ever constructed on the ancient site, La Casona Inkaterra features eleven luxurious suites surrounding a sumptuous courtyard that's nearly 400 years old. The hotel, which is only a short distance from famed Machu Picchu, a UNESCO world heritage site, boasts modern amenities like radiant heated floors and iPod docks that would have shocked the original inhabitants.

[via UrbanDaddy]

Tags: Hotels, Inca Empire, IncaEmpire, Incas, La Casona Inkaterra, LaCasonaInkaterra, Machu Picchu, MachuPicchu, Peru, South America, SouthAmerica

Hotel Unique in South America's New Glamour Capital

by Jaime El-Helw (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Holiday Guides

Hotel Unique in Sao Paulo, Brazil is a breathtaking achievement by local architect Ruy Ohtake. It is easily recognizable as it resembles a big slice of watermelon; with dramatically sloping sides and flat-topped roof and round, port-hole-style windows for the seeds. It is a sleek, cutting-edge structure and so attracts a lively clientele; it is the IN place to stay if ever in the "helicopter-capital of the world". The average room price here is approximately $360 USD. They have all the amenities that one comes to expect of a luxury boutique hotel and is the perfect spot for the young and hip traveler or the newly-wedded-- this place will let you get to know someone in a hurry. This hotel features guest rooms with bathroom walls which disappear with a push of the button and one of the chicest bars in the city -- don't even show up unless you're a perfect ten. If you're traveling solo, you are sure to meet at least one someone special in the lobby. It has an informal, chill vibe with the requisite Brazilian trip-hop music and a few lounge chairs grouped around low tables. A chilled bottle of champagne greets the incoming guests, great for breaking-the-ice. And check out the crimson-red pool on the roof -- I don't know what to think here; probably something you have to experience before you decide, wonderful for a sultry late-night swim or just wildly unnatural?

Gallery: Hotel Unique