Couples Retreat, the new Vince Vaughn - Jon Favreau comedy that's big at the box office, stars a number of talented actors but they had to work hard not to be upstaged by the beautiful location - the St. Regis Bora Bora in the South Pacific. The lush resort, a favorite celebrity getaway since it opened in 2006 - Nicole Kidman and Keith honeymooned there while Eva Longoria and Tony Parker and others have enjoyed its tropical splendors - is offering an exclusive Couples Retreat package celebrating the film's opening and continuing through May 31, 2010. The package offers guests a four or five night stay in a Premiere Overwater Villa where Vaughn, Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristen Davis, Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell's characters stay in the movie, as well as other experiences seen on the big screen including couples yoga on the lush 44-acre property's pristine beaches, massages at its world class Spa Miri Miri, outrigger canoe lessons, a jet ski tour in the lagoon's pristine crystal waters, and dinner at Lagoon, the St. Regis Bora Bora's Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant.

[via JustLuxe]

A couple weeks back we wrote that Prince Harry would be competing in in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic during his first official visit to the U.S. In the match, which took place this past weekend on Governor's Island, the Prince's Sentebale polo team triumphed over Ralph Lauren's Black Watch, captained by Polo model Nacho Figueras, five goals to four. VIP spectators at the historic event who enjoyed afternoon tea prepared by Sandro Micheli, executive pastry chef at Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York, included Madonna and her male model pal Jesus Luz, Kate Hudson, Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Chloe Sevigny and LL Cool J.

On May 30 Britain's Prince Harry will play in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic during his first official visit to the U.S. Last year we told you about the launch of the Manhattan Classic, the first polo match to be played in NYC in 70 years. For this year's event the famed St. Regis hotel is offering an Aficionado package, including a stay at the ultra-luxe hotel, VIP seating at the match for two guests, and brunch the next day with Nacho Figueras, captain of Ralph Lauren's Black Watch polo team (and a Ralph Lauren model).

The St. Regis will feature its renowned Afternoon Tea at the polo match, and Sandro Micheli of Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York has created a special menu for the occasion. At the match taking place on Governor's Island, the Prince will play opposite Black Watch on a team captained by Nick Roldan. Veuve Clicquot is donating proceeds from the event to American Friends of Sentebale, a charity supporting at-risk children in Lesotho, Africa, founded by Prince Harry and Lesotho's Prince Seeiso.

[via JustLuxe]

Enthusiasm for the noble sport of polo and the luxurious lifestyle it entails has never been more in evidence. It seems the economic downturn has done little to dampen it, perhaps because polo's roots are so steeped in class and tradition. Over the past several months we saw Veuve Clicquot stage the first polo match in New York City in over 70 years; St. Regis inaugurate a major new International Polo Cup; the Snow Polo championships take place in Aspen and St. Moritz; and the first Desert Palm Nations Polo Cup in Dubai. Polo player Johnny Lynn (above) saw it all coming. In 2001 he founded Polistas, the first true polo lifestyle brand, made for polo players by polo players, and now he's opening up branches all over the world.

Lynn, a Canadian-born former financier who plays polo internationally and teaches as well, conceived of Polistas to outfit polo teams with high quality clothing and accessories both for playing in and for après polo. An immediate success, polo and equestrian enthusiasts of all stripes soon gravitated to his flagship store in London's famed Burlington Arcade. The name Polistas is Argentine slang for "polo players" and it is the classic Argentinian polo lifestyle - rugged, laid-back and timeless - that comes through in Polistas' products and attitude. For the past six years Polistas has had a major presence at Harrods and other high-end boutiques worldwide, and has been selected as the official supplier to several major tournaments, including the Veuve Clicquot British Open Gold Cup, The Hildon Queen's Cup, and the Prince of Wales Trophy in the UK.

London's luxe Lanesborough Hotel (above) has partnered with famed luxury goods brands Asprey and Verdura on a pair of exclusive "design experience" packages through March 31st. The packages available at the 5-star Regency-style St. Regis property on London's Hyde Park Corner in Knightsbridge include an opportunity to personally design a one-of-a-kind Asprey leather bag, and a private appointment and estate consultation at Verdura, one of the world's foremost jewelers. The Asprey experience at their Bond Street flagship is focused on a creative session with one of their in-house designers to create a bespoke leather handbag or briefcase from an extensive selection of exotic skins, including alligator, crocodile, python and ostrich.

The Verdura experience involves viewing the jewels of the house's legendary founder, Duke Fulco di Verdura, as well as a consultation to evaluate your collection and advise you on key "estate" additions. Verdura designed jewels for legendary figures from Coco Chanel to Babe Paley and Princess Di. The Asprey experience includes accommodation in an Aspley suite and costs about $1,600 per night with a three night minimum stay; the Verdura package includes accommodation in a Junior Suite and costs about $1,000 per night with a three night minimum. Back in November we reported that the Lanesborough's posh library bar was offering the world's oldest cognac at $6,000 a shot.

[via JustLuxe]

The luxe Lanesborough Hotel in London has just acquired the world's oldest bottle of cognac, distilled in 1770, and is offering it to patrons of their plush Library Bar (above) for £4,000, or about $6,000, per shot. That's considerably more than the ultra-expensive Louis XIII Black Pearl Magnum cognac my colleague Lisa Palladino wrote about last summer, which cost $2,500 per shot. In addition to the 240-year-old tipple, the Lanesborough, a St. Regis property, just installed a new walk-in cigar humidor, the first of its kind in a London hotel. The humidor houses 1,000 cigars and contains 25 private lockers for the personal collections of top patrons, who can enjoy Cuban and even pre-Castro smokes in the hotel's posh Garden Room.

[via JustLuxe]

One of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands is getting into the polo game in a big way this summer with the first annual St. Regis International Cup. England and Italy will compete for the prestigious trophy in the inaugural match, taking place this Sunday (the 31st) at the historic Cowdray Park Polo Club in West Sussex, surrounded by the ruins of Cowdray Castle.

Of course, St. Regis isn't about to slack off when it comes to hospitality either. They've partnered with Asprey, Veuve Clicquot and Audi to create the ultimate VIP tent at Cowdray, where a crack regiment of St. Regis butlers brought in from the hotels will cater to the toffs' every need. Even the general public will be able to avail themselves of a bar serving the signature St. Regis Bloody Mary. Damned democratic of them, no?

Ah, to be Hollywood honeymooners, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. They took their Gulfstream jet to French Polynesia and ended up at the St. Regis in Bora Bora. The newlyweds are reportedly enjoying the new $15,000-a-night Royal Estate. We first heard about this suite last October and thought it was impressive when it was reported to be 8,000 square feet. It now turns out that this amazing space is 13,000 square feet and includes a private pool. The resort also includes a spa, several restaurants including an overwater dining experience and 24-hour butler service.

UPDATE:  It looks like Eva Longoria and Tony Parker are there too.

If you aren't spending your weekend in a lovely place, why not plan to spend an upcoming one somewhere nice, like San Francisco. The relatively new St. Regis should be your resting place when you're not taking tea at the Japanese Gardens or eating Dim Sum in Chinatown. The St. Regis features an oh-so swank decor of neutrals and whites with luxurious linens and baths. The rooms are some of the largest in the city and have automatic draperies and plasma screen TVs. Located next door to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the hotel is in a great spot for exploring the city. If you get tired of climbing the never ending hills of San Fran, revive at the 9,000 sq ft Remede Spa.