luxury travel

Take Holiday Gifts to the Next Level With a North Pole Arctic Expedition Cruise

Have you ever wanted to visit the North Pole? Thanks to Quark Expeditions, now you can gift this experience to yourself and a friend for a cool $48,760. To celebrate the company's 20th anniversary of their first Arctic voyage, they're offering up to 128 guests the chance to enjoy a cruise to the top of the world that begins June 23, 2011 in Helsinki, Finland.

Travelers will cruise to the North Pole in the most-sophisticated icebreaker on the planet – 50 Years of Victory. The Russian ship can cruise at 21 knots in open water and crush through ice 10 feet thick.

Each of the 128 guests will enjoy an exterior-view cabin and access to two bars, a library, gym, saunas and a swimming pool. When Victory is not acting as a passenger vessel, the ship escorts merchant vessels through the treacherous Northeast Passage.

In addition to the twin cabin category, the ship has mini-suites, suites, one Victory suite and five Arkitka suites that cost $70,160 per cabin. An Arkitka suite has a spacious bedroom with a single bed and a sitting room with a sofa bed. The private facilities have a bathtub. Amenities include a TV/DVD combination, coffee maker, and safe.

All meals, accommodation and activities are included in the cost, as is the charter air transportation between Helsinki and Murmansk, Russia, the embarkation and disembarkation point. The champagne toast and barbecue on the ice is a highlight of the adventure.

Helicopter sight-seeing as the ship crushes through the Arctic Ocean pack ice is also part of the package price. Southbound shore landings will be made in Franz Josef Land, remote islands just 10 degrees from the North Pole. Polar bear and walrus inhabit the Arctic paradise.

Travelers can book online or toll free via 1.888.892.0171.

Tags: adventure travel, arctic adventure, cruise, luxury travel, north pole, quark expeditions

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

The Classicist: Bespoke Leathergoods from Norton MacCullough & Locke

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style, The Classicist

Norton MacCullough & Locke, the new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury which The Classicist first wrote about earlier this year, is introducing a new collection of custom-made small leathergoods. Founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe, Norton MacCullough & Locke creates only individual, hand-crafted pieces. NML's Head of Design Lester Ng and CFO David Manchee developed the collection to incorporate both function and practicality whilst retaining the Norton MacCullough & Locke aesthetic and principles. Ranging from iPhone and iPad cases to card holders, document wallets and passport covers, each piece in the new collection is hand-crafted in England by specialist leatherworking artisans, utilizing the finest materials and traditional techniques.

The firm offers a range of leathers, colors, finishes and personalization options to ensure that each bespoke piece is both unique and exclusive, giving the consummate bespoke experience. There's no need to travel to London to commission them however; the luxe accessories can be purchased by downloading the bespoke order form from the Norton MacCullough & Locke website. Following approval of a visual sample (and payment confirmation), the pieces will be created and delivered within 4-8 weeks. In addition to the styles, materials and personalization options offered via the site, Norton MacCullough & Locke will source specific leather types and colors for your piece upon request, specializing in exotics ranging from ostrich, crocodile and lizard skin.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke Bespoke Leathergoods

Tags: bespoke, crocodile, exotic leather, humidor, iPad, iPhone, leather, leathergoods, London, luggage, luxury travel, mens style, Norton MacCullough Locke, travel, trunks, UK

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Hunt with Eagles on Dunhill's Luxury Adventure Tour

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style

Famed London luxury goods firm Dunhill is collaborating with UK adventure travel firm Black Tomato on a new series of excursions replicating a famed Dunhill journey in 1930. In that year Dunhill's Clement Court traveled overland from Paris to Japan to secure the very finest Japanese lacquered goods for the firm. Dunhill and Black Tomato are now offering modern versions of Court's epic journey, with appropriately luxurious accommodations and adventuresome activities along the way. The excursions are designed to demonstrate that "luxury is something more discerning, more elusive and more unique than just a price tag", as they put it.

The concept of discovery and exploration has been a hallmark of the Dunhill brand since 1893, as reflected in its most recent collections. The luxury packages are priced from about $4,500 and include destinations such as Paris, Moscow, Mongolia and Japan. Experiences include a private tour of the Louvre in Paris while the museum is closed, a flight in a Russian fighter jet above Moscow, learning eagle hunting in Mongolia (above) and bathing in Japan's oldest mineral hot springs. Guests can also opt to recreate Court's entire journey, including 10 days in a private cabin on the Golden Eagle Trans Siberian railway, starting at about $44,000.

Source

Tags: Black Tomato, Dunhill, hunting, Japan, London, Louvre, luxury goods, luxury travel, Mongolia, Moscow, Paris, Russia, train, travel, UK

Exploring Hotel Kura Hulanda, Curacao

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino is a dream-come-true hotel for anyone who wants an authentic, lively place to stay with a community feel; and, of course, all the luxury of a five-star hotel with four-diamond-rated dining. The hotel's unique character comes from its long history as a Curacao neighborhood, as well as the keen eye of Netherlands native Jacob Gelt Dekker, who bought up the neighborhood house by house, established the hotel and to this day curates its glamorous decor and amenities, as well as the artwork both in and out of the extensive Kura Hulanda Museum.

Kura Hulanda is enchantingly appointed with antiques, art and astronomy artifacts from all over the world, increasing its elite, opulent allure and aura of adventure. Dekker, an author, explorer, philanthropist and world-traveler, has created a timeless village here, just steps away from the world-famous floating bridge and central Willemstad. His on-site museum (literally his private collection, gathered piece by piece on his travels) houses the largest collection of African artifacts and anthropological exhibits in the Caribbean and has an extensive exhibit chronicling Curacao's dark history as a major slave trade hub. Dekker also owns two adjacent buildings which are used as medical centers for the local community and for what he hopes will one day become a well-known medical tourism industry. He visits the hotel frequently and maintains his own private quarters on the property.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Hotel Kura Hulanda and exploring its unusual grounds with my camera. Below is a photo tour of this fabulous, Small Luxury Hotels of the World member hotel, including the vibrant and regal bridal suite, decked with furniture from a palace in India. Hotel Kura Hulanda has been open since 2001 (the museum opened in 1999), and you're not likely to find a more fascinating place to stay on the small island of Curacao. The Marriott is wonderful, and the Hyatt is well-beloved, but Kura Hulanda is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, full of scenic delights and old-world charm at every turn.

Gallery: Hotel Kura Hulanda - A Splendid Find in Curacao

Tags: Curacao, Jacob Gelt Dekker, Kura Hulanda, Kura Hulanda Museum, Luxury Travel, Willemstad

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Tanzania's Lupita Island, a Real-Life 'Fantasy Island'

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

This is my mid-summer's fantasy vacation: A stay on a spectacular 130-acre private island off Africa with open-air luxury rooms set in a pristine natural habitat. Accessible only by boat. Price: If you have to ask ... (A family cottage with two bedrooms and two baths is $2,600 a night. One bedroom units rent for $863 per person or $518 for a child sharing. Meals and water sports are included.)

Guests of Lupita Island, located on Africa's Lake Tanganyika in south western Tanzania, stay in detached, open-sided thatched-roof villas with views of Africa's second largest lake. The resort provides a variety of water sports, luxury dining, relaxation, spa services and the fact that there is a very good chance no one can reach you by cell phone. That's called a getaway vacation.

The luxury resort, which completed a major renovation in June 1010, was designed to blend in with the environment. It is surrounded by dense indigenous forest, open grassland and rocky outcrops. The Lupita Island Resort accommodates guests in a 13 luxury suites and 2 presidential suites, which have private plunge pools and the option of star beds. The plunge pools are fed by a constant flow of water through the suite resembling a soothing mountain stream.

Gallery: Lupita Island

Tags: african travel, island, Lupita, lupita island, luxury travel, tanzania

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An Exclusive Window on Siena's Speedy Horse Race

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

If you blink during The Palio de Siena in Italy, it's not like you'll miss the entire horse race. But you'll miss a lot of it, since the whole thing typically takes 90 seconds.

The Palio was developed in the 16th century as an alternative to bullfighting. For nearly two action-packed minutes, horses and bareback jockeys tear around the Piazza del Campo, pictured above, albeit not on race day. During the race, the streets are lined dirt. The turns are sharp, jockeys are often thrown, but since the race is scored by the horse and not the jockey, a horse can still win even if its jockey is crumpled on the ground somewhere.

Crowds will throng to watch the action on August 16th, but you can rise above them if you book a package offered by Castel Monastero, called "Your Private Window on Siena's Palio". The three-night package includes, among other things, a VIP seat on the palazzo overlooking the San Martino curve. (Champagne and snacks included, natch.) Pricing starts at 1,000 Euro per night for a superior room.

Tags: horseracing, hotel deals, italy, luxury travel, palio, Siena

Savor Truffles, Olives and More During Umbria's Harvest

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Attention Italian food lovers: this is a tour that you're not going to want to miss. This November, Dream of Italy is offering a six-night tour of Umbria during harvest time. The itinerary includes truffle hunting (with truffle dogs), followed by a truffle dinner, a tour of an olive meal to watch olives being pressed into olive oil, pizza and pasta making classes, as well as tours of Perugia and Assisi to fill up your time in between meals.

To add to the harvest vibe, accommodations are at a 17th century farm house, La Fattoria del Gelso, near Assisi, pictured above. This is now a proper hotel villa, but it's also still a working farm -- they grow the region's famous Cannara onions.

The tour cost, excluded airfare is $2,450 per person, based on double occupancy; the trip runs from November 6th-12th.

Tags: cooking classes, hotel deals, italian travel, italy, luxury travel, olive oil, truffles

Travel Dreaming: World Cruises; Galapagos Islands top Virtuoso's Annual Travel Survey

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

ar-flung locations are tops on travelers' "bucket lists," states the fourth annual Travel Dreams Sweepstakes Survey, released last week by leading travel network Virtuoso®.

"This year's survey results reflect a shift in consumers' motivation to travel," says Elaine Srnka, editorial director for VIRTUOSO LIFE, the travel network's in-house magazine. "Travelers want to see the world. They are no longer content with staying in one place. Whether it's visiting the far corners of the earth on a world cruise, hiking through remote Machu Picchu or tasting local cuisine through cooking schools, travelers want unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences."

Travelers opted for a world cruise as their top "trip of a lifetime" experience. Visiting all seven continents and the new wonders of the world were also top-rated wish list items. The Galapagos Islands were ranked the number-one island escape, the second best outdoor adventure destination and the third best destination for family travel.

The top 10 dream destinations also reflected readers' longing to visit far-off lands, with Australia, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Greece nabbing the first five spots. Paris held onto its reign as the most romantic city to spend time with a loved one, as well as the best gourmet city. Rome remains the city with the most beautiful architecture, and Tuscany continues to be the wine region travelers want to toast the most. Again this year, readers felt going on a safari to Africa would merit the best outdoor adventure.

Nearly 11,000 readers of Virtuoso's magazine, VIRTUOSO LIFE, participated in the survey.

Tags: galapagos, galapagos islands, luxury travel, survey, virtuoso, virtuoso life, world cruise

Goyard Limited Edition Book in a Bespoke Trunk

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

Goyard, the luxurious Parisian luggage maker founded in 1853, is coming out with a limited edition book about the history of the illustrious firm fitted in a bespoke trunk (above). Goyard, whose cases feature a pattern of interlaced chevrons, has long had a devoted clientele of celebrities and royalty. Aristocrats such as the Grand Duke of Russia, the Maharajah of Kapurthala and the Duke of Windsor all traveled with Goyard luggage; as we reported in April, Chanel kingpin Karl Lagerfeld now brings dozens of Goyard trunks and suitcases with him on his journeys. The book is limited to just 233 numbered copies available by special order only complete with custom trunks priced at about $7,250.

Purchasers may choose from 12 different colors for the trunk, with monograms, stripes and other embellishments available at an additional cost. The number of the edition is painted on every trunk. Continuing the heritage of Goyard's prestigious collections from the 1920s, the book "resonates with and celebrates the golden age of luxury travel, from horse-drawn carriages to the great transatlantic ocean liners." Traditional letterpress techniques were used for the book, produced in collaboration with famed French art publisher Devambez and printed upon custom made vellum paper featuring its own watermarks.

Gallery: The Goyard Book

Tags: book, Duke of Windsor, France, Goyard, Karl Lagerfeld, luggage, luxury travel, Paris, royalty, trunk

Tell Us Everything, Travel Entrepreneur Katrina A. Garnett

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Tell Us Everything

Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor Katrina Garnett recently launched My Little Swans, a luxury family travel web site for adventurous families looking for one-of-a-kind adventures that involve things like lunch at a Bedoin camp in Jordan and sailing Alaska's Inside Passage on a private yacht. Unlike her previous, very-techie businesses, this one was born out of Garnett's hobby: She's originally from Australia and she and her husband regularly take their three children on ambitious trips across the globe.

Garnett's not intimidated by traveling with kids, instead she's passionate about the advantages of exposing children to world cultures. MyLittleSwans.com aims to cut out the travel agent by featuring itineraries from her many trips with restaurant, hotel, shopping and other suggestions of places she and her concierge partners have personally vetted. Plus, the site's selected list of tour operators in each of those destinations can arrange for custom adventures from a backstage tour of a Chinese opera to a hiking trip with the Maasai tribe in Tanzania.

Garnett – and by extension her site – is like that in-the-know friend always up on the newest, hottest and best. But she also shares the little-known, like her personal watchmaker in Switzerland and jeweler in Paris. She spent two years and more than $2 million of her own money developing the site and made sure it included a social media aspect, which she believes is essential for web 2.0 success. We chatted with this firecracker over drinks at New York's Gramercy Tavern and asked her to Tell Us Everything.

Why did you decide to go into travel?
I've been planning world adventures for my family for 15 years, from the time my firstborn was less than a year old. Over the years, numerous friends and acquaintances have sought me out for travel advice, so I've shared my itineraries and photos with them, and they've taken the same or similar trips and loved them.

But as the number of requests grew – and the Web became increasingly difficult to navigate from a discerning point of view – I saw there was need for a comprehensive trustworthy online resource that makes it easy for families to plan extraordinary journeys and to go straight to the source for the best guides and insider experiences.

My Little Swans is not just a bunch of pretty pictures and opinions. There are, of course, countless travel websites and online sources, but I think few that are developed with an eye to the future and a deep understanding of the tech underbelly; I'm a total tech nerd. And as most of my friends know, I'm also a bit of a perfectionist and can be a nut when it comes to research, so the MLS content reflects this 150 percent and always will – nothing is "pay for play" or ad-driven.

Tags: argentina travel, armani hotel dubai, concierge service, family travel, family travel ideas, hermes, katrina garnett, lanvin ballet flats, luxury family travel, luxury travel, luxury vacations, maasai, my little swans, rocky mountaineer, shanghai tang

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The Zein Nile Chateau

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

There are some who believe that the only truly elegant way to see Egypt is by dahabieh, or private boat. Even in this highly exclusive niche, a few vessels stand heads and shoulders above the rest, like The Zein Nile Chateau -- the first dahabieh built to international luxury standards, complete with air conditioning, expansive windows and graceful, enchanting decor inspired by Egyptian history.

The Zein Nile Chateau consists of four rooms and two suites and can accommodate up to 12 guests for trips up and down the Nile, docking virtually anywhere. "With a dahabieh serving as a floating hotel, it is possible to go beyond Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, continuing past some of the most beautiful scenery along the river. The Temple of Horemheb is cut into the riverside rocks at Gebel Silsila; the pre-Dynastic capital of Upper Egypt, El-Kab, has tombs and temples dedicated to the vulture goddess, Nekhbet," says a statement from Abercrombie & Kent about the advantages of traveling this way.

Gallery: The Zein Nile Chateau

Tags: abercrombie and kent, books, cruise, dahabieh, egypt, luxury travel, nile, travel

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Russia Right Now with Frontiers Travel

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

When it comes to planning a trip to Russia, you need an inside track, a tour planner who speaks the language and knows how to negotiate a tricky bureaucracy. Natasha Tichy, a senior travel consultant at Frontiers Travel, grew up in Russia and worked there as a guide and travel planner. Now, she's introducing Americans in two different trips to places and events they could never manage on their own.

Tags: luxury travel, moscow, russian travel, St Petersburg, volga

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Ventana Inn: A Sense of Calm in Big Sur

by Zack O'Malley Greenburg (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

From any direction, the drive to Big Sur is at once stunning and stressful, awe-inspiring and nauseating. Hairpin turns seem to punctuate every panorama, and as Highway 1 dips toward the Pacific and soars skyward, your stomach bounces along with it.

But when you leave the winding road for another, steeper, shorter street that runs up the side of Big Sur's highest hill to the Ventana Inn & Spa, a sense of calm sweeps over you. Perhaps it's the pungent scent of cedar that pervades the resort, or maybe it's the glass of wine you're given at check-in. Either way, the relaxation begins as soon as you arrive on the property.

Ventana has been that way since writer Lawrence Spector founded the resort in 1975 with funds earned from the film "Easy Rider." Early frequenters of the inn included Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw; more recently, Ventana has counted Anthony Hopkins and Oprah Winfrey among its visitors. All along, it's been a place for those who want to see – but not necessarily be seen.

And there's a lot to see. Though Ventana's 60 rooms and suites mostly resemble humble cabins on the outside, their interiors contain a mix of rustic and modern luxuries sure to please any vacationer. Each room comes with a view of valley, mountain, ocean, or all of the above. A private balcony or patio is also standard, as are real wood-burning fireplaces, heated stone floors, Egyptian cotton sheets, terry cloth robes, and of course, a flat-screen television. Many suites also boast private hot tubs.

Tags: awards-main, big sur, Big Sur coastline, California, Easy Rider, hotel, luxist-awards, luxury hotels, luxury travel, Post Ranch Inn, Sierra Mar, Ventana Inn

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Jetsetter Betters the Odds on Upscale Travel

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

There's a gap in the upscale travel market right now. The companies that plan these limited-access excursions aren't selling as much as they used to, and once-upon-a-time buyers still have a thirst for the experiences not available to the general public – but not at the prices they paid before the recession. A new website, Jetsetter, is planning to help luxury travel planners and buyers meet in the middle.

Jetsetter, now in beta, bills itself as a "flash-sale website" for the up-market. This Gilt Groupe enterprise is invitation-only. So, the opportunities provided are not subject to the mass competition of the entire travel market. Nonetheless, inventory is likely to move quickly, and the window within which to act is not wide. "International trip curators" roam the world to conduct primary research – including on-site visits. These experts, including veteran travel writers and industry experts, then compile their findings on Jetsetter's site, with editorial accounts and photographs used to help would-be travelers make informed decisions.

Members of the online community will receive e-mail alerts every evening announcing the coming sales. Once that e-mail goes out – at 8 PM – the clock starts to tick.

Destinations available through Jetsetter include The Cotton House on Mustique, Negresco in Nice, the Paws Up resort in Montana (an amazing space) and Encantado in New Mexico.

Tags: encantado, france, gilt, gilt groupe, gilt.com, GiltGroupe, jetsetters, jetsetting, luxury travel, LuxuryTravel, montana, mustique, new mexico, NewMexico, nice, paws up, PawsUp, recession, resort, resorts, travel, travel writers, travel writing, TravelWriters, TravelWriting, upscale travel, UpscaleTravel