Author Archive for Michael
Hyde Bellagio – Vegas’ Newest Party Scene
Regular visitors to Las Vegas know the Bellagio Hotel is one of the finest luxury resorts in the entire city. This past New Year’s Eve the Bellagio was made even better with the grand opening of the Hyde Bellagio, the most anticipated new nightclub from world renowned lifestyle developer SBE. The Hyde brand from SBE combines unparalleled style and sophistication with energetic nightlife to create one of the most spectacular environments. The Hyde Bellagio will continue that tradition in grand style.
By day Hyde Bellagio is an exclusive lounge well fitted for the classic and sophisticated Bellagio name. At 10 o’clock every evening the Hyde nightlife experience begins, operating until 1 AM during the week and very late on weekends. Hyde Bellagio is certain to become one of the most important nightlife destinations on the Vegas strip as the only nightlife venue that seamlessly combines indoor and outdoor spaces for a very unique experience. At night one of the most memorable aspects of the venue is when the famous Bellagio fountains go off in what feels like just outside the club.
The nightclub features 10,000 sq. ft. of space with total capacity of 714 guests, including 40 VIP tables. Drinks include a wide selection of cocktails, classic Hyde creations, and a selection of more than 1,500 bottles of Bellagio’s award-winning wine. Guests will enjoy music from the most dynamic DJs and live performers in a space that includes gorgeous wood floors, four grand chandeliers, upscale artwork and design elements, and luxurious natural leather sofas.
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon a Destination of its Own at Four Seasons Hotel New York
Restaurant Background
New York’s E. 57th St. is home to the Four Seasons Hotel and its famed L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon restaurant. The restaurant was opened in September 2006, after a 2-year quest by owner Ty Warner to bring founding Chef Joel Robuchon and his world-class French cuisine to New York City. Since its opening, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at Four Seasons has been the recipient of numerous accolades and awards including a 2-star rating in the 2011 Michelin Guide, a 3-star rating from the New York Times, the James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant of 2007, and designation as a top 10 New York restaurant in the Zagat Restaurant Survey for 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Chef Joel Robuchon is known the world over for creations made only from the freshest and best ingredients: creations that feature cutting-edge creativity, minimalist presentation, and his signature “clockwork precision.” Every Robuchon dish is designed to provide exceptional quality and flavour without being ostentatious and excessive. Critics have raved about his La Caille Farcie de Foie Gras et Caramélisée and L’Agneau en Carré Doré a la Fleur de Thym.
LUXGetaway Announces Top 10 Hottest Luxury Travel Brands for 2012
Our panel of travel experts has chosen the top luxury travel brands of 2012 within each respective category. We call this list the LUXList. And our winners are…
The 2012 LUXList
1. Domestic Airline: Virgin America
Virgin America’s inflight experience continues to be unparalleled by the competition.
2. International Airline: United Airlines
The merger with Continental Airlines is complete, and now provides one of the most complete global route networks in the world.
3. Hotel Company: Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood has had strong growth in new and existing markets within 2011, and continues in 2012 with its luxury brands including St. Regis, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Westin, and the properties within The Luxury Collection.
4. Rental Car Company: Hertz
In a industry with lots of choice, and highly drive by price Hertz themselves with it’s customer service and Hertz #1 Club rewards program.
5. Luxury Travel Reward Card: Platinum Card® from American Express
Lots of travel reward cards promise exclusive access, but the Platinum Card® from American Express delivers allowing you to bypass arrival lines at most U.S. airports when returning from intentional travel, and free access for 3 at airport lounges around the world.
6. Fractional Ownership Network: Timbers Resorts
Timbers Resorts now has 12 properties in their collection luxury boutique resorts. Each one uniquely positioned and engrained within the culture and community of its destination.
7. Vacation Club: Exclusive Resorts
The 10-year-old vacation club has reinvented how luxury travelers view vacation home ownership. Members have access to properties in 40 of the most desired luxury destinations throughout the world.
8. Luggage: Tumi
Tumi continues to design the world’s most attractive and practical luggage for frequent travelers.
9. Travel Accessories: Bose
Bose’s recent additions of their SoundLink wireless mobile speaker & OE2 headphones make Bose an even better companion while traveling.
10. Rookie of the Year: Inspirato
Inspirato, the new travel club already has an impressive 40 destinations within its portfolio. In their first year they have become the fastest growing club in the world.
St. Regis Announces Partnership with Bentley Motors
St. Regis, one of the premier names in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts family has announced a new partnership with luxury auto maker Bentley Motors. The partnership will also include hotel properties that are part of Starwood’s The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts division.
According to the announcement the hotels will be using Bentley vehicles both for house fleets and special driving programs aimed at residents and hotel guests. Bentley represents the ultimate in luxury vehicles combining unparalleled style and quality, making their cars the perfect match for the unrivalled luxury found at St. Regis and The Luxury Collection.
Four Seasons Hotel New York: A Piece of Paradise in the Big Apple
Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park – 3 landmarks that define one of the world’s most exciting cities; but the Big Apple is also home to the Four Seasons Hotel New York, a luxury hotel property well loved by discriminating travelers from all over the world. Towering 52 stories above E. 57th St., the majestic Four Seasons overlooks Central Park to the north and the heart of Manhattan’s theatre district to the south.
Opened in 1993, the Four Seasons New York is a combination of subtle Art Deco and stylish sophistication from the heart and soul of architect I.M. Pei. The minute you walk into the Four Seasons, the hustle and bustle of the city streets will be forgotten. It is just what you would expect and more from a 5-star hotel catering to modern tastes. From your entrance into its lobby, to the footsteps into your room, you will be treated to an atmosphere of elegance, class, and luxury. Throughout your stay you will be waited on by an attentive staff trained to meet your every need, while still being unobtrusive; this is the magic of the Four Seasons experience.
The hotel’s accommodations consist of 368 rooms and suites. Signature amenities in all rooms include marble bathrooms, leather upholstered furniture, and an overall design theme that is light and open. Some rooms and suites have views of The Park, while others display views of the city skyline. However, the more affluent suites have views of both, including the Royal suite, which takes up the entire 32nd floor of the hotel.
Come Home to One Steamboat Place at Steamboat Springs
If you’re looking for a resort in Steamboat Springs with small town charm and big time hospitality, One Steamboat Place is your place to call home. This resort is located in the heart of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at the foot of Mt. Werner. Located steps from the gondola, you have immediate access to the ski slopes during the winter season. During the spring and summer you have access to golf at a nearby course designed by 16-time PGA winner, Tom Weiskopf.
The property exudes the Steamboat Springs lifestyle with contemporary mountain-lodge finishes. Inside each residence, reclaimed timber, weathered metals, unique art, and design adorned throw pillows combine to create a rich and colorful ode to the Old West. The centerpiece of the entire resort is The Gathering Room. The room has a breathtaking chandelier, fireplace, and floor to ceiling windows. Employees at One Steamboat Place are tastefully dressed in denim, giving the resort an authentic western feel that fits with their friendly and accommodating attitude.
Try a Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Napa Valley
The Napa Valley region of north central California is most well known today as the seat of the California wine industry; a region producing wines that compete with the best from France and Italy. Because of that, the Napa Valley is a very attractive holiday destination for Europeans, Asians, and even Americans as well.
In addition to being America’s wine country, the Napa Valley is stunningly beautiful with her rolling hills, fertile green fields, and awe-inspiring mountain peaks. And there’s no better way to see the Napa Valley region than high in the sky with Napa Valley Balloons.
The Birds-Eye View
If the Napa Valley is awe-inspiring when viewed from the ground, imagine seeing it as the birds see it. Napa Valley Balloons has been providing the birds-eye view since 1980; that’s more than 30 years of aerial tours provided by FAA-certified pilots with a combined safety record that’s simply the best in the business. Moreover, Napa Valley Balloons boasts thousands of satisfied customers including celebrities like Chelsea Clinton and Peter Greenberg. The company has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Food Channel, the Today Show, and more.
Now Open: Octavius Tower at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas
Caesars Palace is already one of the most popular places to be when visiting the Las Vegas strip. But with their brand-new Octavius Tower, which just opened in January, Caesars Palace takes luxury hotel accommodations and technology to new levels. The new 668-room tower is the sixth tower in the Caesars Palace complex but it’s unlike any of the previous five. It aims to provide a unique boutique-style experience focused squarely on clients who love the high tech.
At the center of Octavius Tower is a brand-new interactive app for guests accessible through any mobile browser. With the use of a smart phone, tablet, or any other mobile device with connectivity guests will be able to access most of the services available at the hotel. They’ll be able to contact the concierge to make dinner reservation, request assistance from housekeeping, order room service, and communicate with the transportation, valet, butler, and bell services. In addition they will be eligible to receive special offers not available to guests of the other towers.
Eat at the Best Restaurants in Bora Bora
When planning your dream vacation to Bora Bora, the beautiful beaches and dreamy resorts can sometimes make you forget about looking into the delicious restaurants on the island.
Here is a collection of what we thought were the best restaurants on the island of Bora Bora.
Bon Appétit!
Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges at the St. Regis Hotel
The St. Regis name is one of the most respected in all the travel industry. When you stay at one of their hotels you expect the finest in everything, including dining. You will not be disappointed at St. Regis Bora Bora, thanks to their exclusive Lagoon Restaurant by Jean-Georges, one of 17 restaurants operated by the world-famous chef. The Lagoon is aptly named due to the fact that it’s perched out over the water on a platform suspended over wooden stilts driven deep into the soil below. Outside its floor-to-ceiling windows is the incredibly lush and beautiful Mount Otemanu, as much a feast for the eyes as the Lagoon’s menu is for the palate.
That menu is highlighted by an attention to chef Vongerichten’s Thai-French style. Very few other chefs in the world attempt such a combination that includes things like a spiced chicken dish, accented with a unique caramel-coconut sauce; or perhaps shrimp wrapped in bacon and served with avocado. Former New York chef, Romuald Feger, heads up the staff at the Lagoon, but Vongerichten pays a visit every couple of months to check on things and introduce new menu items.
Elite Destination Homes: Your Destination Home in Paradise
If you’re like most people, you’ve dreamed of a vacation home in a favorite destination. Perhaps it’s a beach side home in St. Barth’s, a luxury downtown apartment in Manhattan, or even a sun drenched villa in Los Cabos. Unfortunately, for many it’s not practical to own 2 homes, especially when you consider the financial investment of maintenance and upkeep on a property you only visit a few weeks per year.
If this sounds like you, then you should consider Elite Destination Homes. Elite Destination Homes is a property management company with an incredible portfolio of luxury destination homes. It was founded in 2005 by world traveler and real estate investor Bill Bisanz as a means of providing fractional ownership opportunities and home rentals for discriminating travellers who desire the very best. The company’s 65-property portfolio currently includes beachfront villas, cozy mountain retreats, and up-scale European apartments.
