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The Lodge at Kauri Cliff is the best hotel in New Zealand
The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is the only property in New Zealand that has made it to the 2012 Gold List of the World’s Best Places to Stay with an impressive score of 98.4. The list was drawn up by the US magazine Cond Nast Traveler where it took inputs from its readers. The scores assigned here suggest the percentage of respondents who rated a property excellent or very good on specific criteria depending on the property in question. Similar ratings and lists were drawn up for other segments like hotels, resorts, and cruise lines.
Star Wars themed Evian bottles
Star Wars can be rightly said as a cult in every respect. Starting from money, car wraps, movie props, memorabilia, Lego sets, chairs, droids, hotels, up to golfing sets you will definitely think you have seen it all. But not that really as designer Mandy Brencys is out with a strange concept involving Evian bottles. The designer has conceptualized Evian water bottles to look like Star Wars characters as well as lightsabers at the same time.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal invests $300 million in Twitter
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Saudi Arabia’s Prince has recently invested an amount of $300 million in Twitter. It has no apparent connection whatsoever with the recent activists using Twitter as a medium to express their opinions and bring together the masses in this year’s Arab uprisings.
According to analysts in October of this year Twitter was valued at about $8.4 billion, which means should be about 3.6% of the company. It so seems that this investment was made several months ago when existing Twitter shareholders sold $400 million of shares.
In an emailed statement from Prince Alwaleed’s talks about this transaction with San-Francisco based Twitter Inc., which he said was part of a drive “to invest in promising, high-growth businesses with a global impact.” Prince Alwaleed has focused his investments in several verticals including banks, hotels and media companies, such as Citigroup Inc., News Corp., Apple Inc. and Time Warner Inc. News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal. He is also developing a new Arabic-language satellite-news channel with Bloomberg LP.
Luxury Hotels in Las Vegas
No matter where in the world you are, you still must have heard about Las Vegas. Las vegas is also known as “Sin City,” it takes entertainment to a whole new level and offers more to see and do than one could possibly think off. This land is full of more casinos per square foot than the no. of houses in the land and a population teetering at 600,000. Las Vegas is internationally renowned for its gaming and adult entertainment. Las Vegas exudes opulence around every corner and is not all about late-night debauchery. Luxury lovers from near and far heard to the city to partake in its rich culture and refined offerings. The city that never sleeps has reinvented itself time and time again and has proven to be a lasting landmark in American history.
Las Vegas is usually remembered with two words “the strip”. This three-mile stretch is home to some of Las Vegas’ most extravagant hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants and fine boutiques. Las Vegas has a wide variety of luxury hotels in Las Vegas to choose from; we compiled a list of some of our favorites with quick overviews.
Bellagio Las Vegas:
The Bellagio Las Vegas Hotel has the AAA Five Diamond Award for six consecutive years in its kitty. It is a five-star resort and casino. It has also been on the Cond Nast Traveler Gold List for the past six years as well as having received the Four-Star Mobil Travel Guide Award for seven years running. Only the best in quality and service is being provided by a long lasting tradition with the Bellagio Las Vegas. The entrance hall is a magnificent reception area dazzling our guests with its marble and Bellagio-themed art dcor, plunging them in a realm of Luxury and past splendor. (more…)
12 Extreme Concierge Requests
You ought to be real careful at the time of selection in order to be able to catch a concierge off guard; they’ve seen it all. Almost all the broad spheres of creativity have been explored by the hotels starting from marriage proposals with 100 cupcakes to requests for monochromatic meals, hotel concierges to guests’ every whim. More than just asking for soy milk with your coffee or securing a near-impossible restaurant reservation, the most memorable guest requests are way outside the box “” like all-green-foods-all-the-time outside the box.
Utterly unexpected yet exciting and equally charming concierges take on guests’ wants and needs all around the globe. The Stanley Hotel, which inspired The Shining, hosts ghost tours, has storytellers who recount (true) ghost tales, and employs a paranormal investigator, but their concierge will never forget when a couple requested to have dinner with the ghosts of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley in the Cascades Restaurant and were dead serious.
Then there are requests that border on the downright bizarre. One couple at the Four Seasons Resort in Whistler took a helicopter tour to a glacier and came back with an enormous ice cube that had to be shipped to their South Carolina home, intact.
The staff at the DUKES London Hotel won’t ever forget one woman who required all-white foods. Not just white bread on sandwiches and white sugar instead of brown, literally everything had to be the color white. And the concierge at the Charleston Place learned that lavish, pampered requests aren’t only for adults. They accommodated a family last year for their son’s birthday with an opulent feast from Kushi oysters to grilled kangaroo. It was their son’s seventh birthday.
Residences at W Retreat Koh Samui beleaguered at Rich Hong Kong Jet Setters
Residences at W Retreat KohSamui are located in Thailand, they also offers a pristine living environment which is far too lavish. The turbulence of European economy and the gradual saturation of the American market have led to luxury property dealers seeking the support system right in Asia. Most of the consumers and clients come from financial capitals like Hong Kong and Singapore.
There would be only 12 villas and it is on the basis of invitation only. Amburaya Hotels & Resorts and Istithmar World are the owners of the residences. The idea is to bring a new level of indulgence to Thailand, and it has been made possible by this luxury residence in order to bring the best of everything.
The invitations would be handed out at 4th to 7th November 2011 at W Hong Kong. It is pretty clear that Thailand is going to be the next big luxury destination for most in the world, thanks to its sleaze and glamour.
Peace Hotel’s Nine Nations Suites
The true expressions of the world’s great nations and cultures are the Nine Nations Suites in Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel. The Nine Nations Suites, several of which were a part of the original hotel then known as The Cathay Hotel when it opened in 1929, were the creation of the founder Sir Victor Sassoon. Sassoon, a businessman from a famous banking family, was a bon vivant who lived in Shanghai and often hosted known figures such as Charlie Chaplin, Bernard Shaw, and Noel Coward, who wrote “Private Lives” while in residence. It was a heady time to live in Shanghai as the city rose to global prominence. The Cathay Hotel was considered the top luxury hotel in the city for decades.
The leading hospitality designed the new suites by the interior design firm HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates, reflect the international nature of The Peace Hotel and the spirit of 1930s luxury travel. The French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and German suites have been redesigned by HBA in keeping with the original concept of presenting different national and historical styles, the Chinese, Indian, English and American suites have been preserved from the original Peace Hotel.
The American suite has a vintage Hollywood glamour theme. The English Suite goes Victorian with paneled walls, brick fireplaces and molded plaster ceilings. The Chinese Suite features an Imperial dragon design on the scarlet ceiling. The design is complimented by red lacquer furniture offset by gold-colored walls.
The Italian Suite evokes modern Italian design and has a marble bath room has a deep claw-foot tub with a bath-side LCD screen and a whirlpool. The Japanese Suite has tatami mats, shoji screens and furnishings suggest traditional Japanese design motifs. The French Suite presents an Art Nouveau style with classically figured wall paper; walnut carved furniture and luxuriously designed fabrics.
The Spanish Suite features rich patterns and solid wood furniture and a bathroom with a claw-foot tub with bath-side LCD screen and a whirlpool. The Indian Suite has intricate filigree plaster work on the walls, ceilings from which hang extravagant pendant lights and rich Indian carpets on the floor.
Saudi Arabia Prince Alwaleed puts Raffles Hotel up for sale
Prince Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia starts getting rid of his assets. Last month the billionaire’s Kingdom Holding Company sold its 50% stake in the exclusive Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva. And now the Prince has decided to put the esteemed Raffles Hotel in Singapore up for sale.
The Prince is hoping raise funds by selling parts of his hotel empire. These could include his 33 percent stake in Movenpick Hotels and possibly even The Savoy, London, which is scheduled to reopen at the end of the year after a $150 million overhaul. “He’s having a very challenging time,” one analyst close to the Prince told the Times. “He’s definitely a seller rather than a buyer. He’d sell just about anything at the right price, although finding buyers able to fund such deals is the challenge.”
The legendary Raffles Hotel is up for sale for a price tag of up to $450 million, media reported. Raffles Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Singapore, dating from 1887, and named after Singapore’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles. It is known for its luxurious accommodation and superb restaurants.
Safari Air introduces around the world trip
Safari Air introduces first green around-the-world adventure by luxury private jet. The private jet service announced that it is set to take flight on October 15th with the world’s first 21-day “Around the World Grand East Africa Safari.” Designed exclusively for eight passengers aboard a luxurious Gulfstream IV private jet, this 25,450 mile once-in-a-lifetime adventure will depart from Orange County, California’s John Wayne Airport.
The adventure will include the Great Pyramids of Giza, Hong Kong Harbor and Taj Mahal with stopovers at lavish hotels in Quebec City, Edinburgh, Cairo, Agra-India, Hong Kong, Guam and Honolulu. The centerpiece of this amazing journey will be a two-week African safari by award-winning Micato Safaris beginning in Kilimanjaro and featuring one week in both Tanzania and Kenya at the finest tented safari camps and lodges.
Ken Jillson, CEO and founder said, “By flying relatively short daytime flights, jet lag is minimized, thus creating a leisurely eco-friendly around the world experience for our passengers”. The features of the Gulfstream IV include: Custom-designed Safari Air interiors, 61″ stand up cabin comfort, 10 luxurious Fresh-stitched leather seats Separate large sofa, Rolls-Royce engine, 527 mph maximum cruise speed.
D Pet Hotels, an ideal place for your pooch to relax
President Obama says it’s time to stop spending and start saving. But those few wealthy ones who are unaffected by the huge economic crisis continue to spend for themselves and not only for themselves but also for their darling pets.
D Pet Hotels is an exclusive resort and spa, in Los Angeles, that offers a unique experience from high-end luxury boarding to amazing relax services. There are standard bowWOW suites which include doggie beds and flat screen TVs and there is also the Uber double suite: 22ft x 17ft of pure elegance and comfort, including modern queen size beds, extensive room decor and 42″ flat screen TV’s for your dog’s viewing pleasure. D Pet Hotels offers the very best in doggie daycare consisting of three spectacular dog parks spanning 6,000sq ft of the hotel’s grounds. The in-house D Boutique carries specialty products and accessories from organic food and treats, luxury beds, bowls, bags and leashes by Chromebones to custom photo-shoots offered by Furtographs.
Hollywood’s pampered pooches are family, and will get anything they want “” recession or not. According to this report, the good people of Los Angeles are cutting down on eating out, and staying at motels while on vacation, instead of luxury golf and spa resorts “” so that they can let their pets enjoy the creature comforts of the D Pet. And while people slog it out in public transit because cars have been repossessed, the doggies are offered D chauffeured transportation, with pets being picked up from their homes and dropped off post daycare session. There’s also a 24 hour vet on call, and you can call in anytime in between 7am-7pm.
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