Why rent a luxury hotel room when you can step it up a notch and have a villa instead? Many people don't consider villas by sheer reason that the thought doesn't occur to them, or if it does it's intimidating because people aren't sure how it works. It's really not that complicated, and the benefits of having your own luxury home (as opposed to just a suite in a hotel) at your disposal for the duration of your vacation are amazing.

As far as which villas you might want to consider take a look at the 10 on this slide show, which are complete with villa renting tips like how to consider whether or not you'll need to rent a car and how to choose the best season. Apparently Croatia is becoming one of the hottest villa-vacation hot spots in Europe, and Meikloeur Castle in Scotland is one of the priciest renting for $37,200 per week (but for that you get your own 18 hole golf course).

If you've got both expensive taste and a sweet tooth then you may want to add at a least a few, if not all, of the world's most expensive desserts to your wish list of things to try. The list topper (and therefore THE most expensive dessert in the world) is The Fortress Aquamarine from Wine3 at The Fortress in Galle, Sri Lanka. The focus of the sweet treat is an 80-carat aquamarine gem resting on a specially shaped sliver of fine chocolate representative of the company's logo. It's a gorgeous looking dessert, but not many have any idea if it tastes equally as good since priced at $14,500 the restaurant has yet to sell their first one.

Via The 9

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to combining technology and luxury vehicles is doing it in a way that is user-friendly, because it's about convenience, fun, and safety -- not frustration. These luxury cars can do everything from play your mp3s and DVDs to adjust automatically to treacherous driving conditions and off-road terrain. And perhaps best of all, they look good doing it.

• Audi TT Roadster 3.2 Quattro $44,500
• BMW 335i Sedan $39,675
• Cadillac CTS $32,500
• Ferrari 430 Scuderia
• Infinity G37 $32,000
• Lexus LS600h L $104,765
• Land Rover LR3 $49,300
• Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport $37,275
• Porsche 911 GT2
• Volvo XC70

Here at Luxist I'm hardly the handbag expert (that's Sandy and Marsha's department) but when I saw this article I couldn't help but chime in. I love a cute purse just as much as the next girl, but some of these are priced upwards of $100,000 and $200,000! Are they really worth that much? Maybe I don't love purses as much as the next girl...

Personal feelings of value aside, several of the creations on this list of the world's most extravagant handbags are truly gorgeous, and many have so many diamonds and so much gold that justifying the price tag definitely gets easier -- it's an investment! My favorite? The Nancy Gonzalez Porousus Bag, which is actually one of the more reasonable bags on the list coming in at number 9 and costing only $30,000. And here are winners 1-5:

• Chanel "Diamond Forever" Classic Bag, $261,000
• Hermes Matte Crocodile Birkin Bag, $120,000
• Lana Marks Cleopatra Bag, $100,000
• Leiber Precious Rose, $92,000
• LV Tribute Patchwork Bag, $42,000

Following the spending trends of the wealthy is big business, obviously, and it seems one of the places all their money is going is into filling up their huge homes with loads of pricey decor and expensive gadgets. The rich are looking to make their environments beautiful and comfortable and their lifestyles convenient, and they've got the money to do it right. Hand-embroidered sheets from Leron, the Grand Palais Chateau 180 Stove from La Cornue, and a $2.5 million dollar "Bat Cave" vault are just a few of the things many of the super rich feel they simply must have. What's on your list of luxury "must haves?"

People who have money and taste are ever looking for different and more exotic ways to relax and entertain themselves, and the world of cruises is no exception. Trips to the Caribbean and the Bahamas are all but mainstream, so luxury cruises are moving towards smaller more personal ships and less common locations. And the world's most expensive luxury cruises are no exception, with popular locations ranging from the Baltic to Africa to Antarctica, and prices soaring upwards of $2,000 per person per day in some cases. Money like that will get you the best rooms, interesting adventure options (like kayaking in the Antarctic), upscale shore excursions with exclusive perks and privileges, and of course travel at the peak of the sometimes short seasons. Where do you want to go? I don't think I could decide!

So we all know models make a lot of money, but do you know just how much? And if you had to guess which one was making the most money right now who would you pick? I just love the lists Forbes comes up with, and here's another great one of the world's top earning models. Its list has a total of 15 of the wealthiest models, and I've included the top 10 here:

• Gisele Bundchen: $33 million
• Kate Moss: $9 million
• Heidi Klum: $8 million
• Adriana Lima: $6 million
• Allessandra Ambrosio: $6 million
• Carolyn Murphy: $5 million
• Natalia Vodianova: $4.5 million
• Karolina Kurkova: $3.5 million
• Daria Werbowy: $3.5 million
• Gemma Ward: $3 million

How many of them do you recognize? And wow, Gisele is way ahead of the competition!

We already saw the recommendations from Bride.com for their top five honeymoon destinations, released just in time for the upcoming late spring/summer wedding season. According to Forbes magazine, eighty percent of weddings are followed by a trip for the newlywed couple, who spend a total of $8.6 billion annually on them and an average of $4,400 per couple. People are traveling further afield on these vacations, intending to make the trip into the event of a lifetime as they set out on their newly married life.

Forbes has just selected their picks for the top luxury honeymoons. Of course, some of these picks are quite a bit more costly than the average honeymoon  -  we refuse to use the phrase "moneymoon" -  but are well worth it. The most luxurious stays include:

Anse Chastanet on Santa Lucia is in one of the Caribbean's most breathtaking locations, with over 600-acres of lush garden, tropical flora and gorgeous beaches. Couples can do everything from scuba to shopping or nothing at all. The honeymoon package is $4,480 for a seven night stay (in June) and includes everything but wine, champagne and airfare.