A Luxury Travel Blog

The Mayflower Inn in Washington, CT – the only AAA 5-diamond hotel in Connecticut – is adding a new spa in March 2006. The Mayflower Spa will have the ultimate in treatment and exercise rooms. Facilities also include a whirlpool and a glowing marble hammam – that’s a Turkish bath experience to you and me.

Le Blanc Spa Resort opened last August but sadly had to close for repairs in October due to hurricane Wilma. It will re-open in February 2006. The rooms come with an ocean or lagoon view, balcony, double Jacuzzi, flat screen satellite TV, and much more. If you book before April 2006, you receive a 20% discount on the room rate with a minimum 3 night booking.  And all this is just 15 minutes from downtown Cancun and 25 minutes from the airport.

This month saw the opening of the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Situated on a prime stretch of the scenic Seven Mile Beach, it has 365 guest rooms including 11 suites. In April 2006, a Greg Norman-designed golf course will be added to the complex. The resort is just 10 minutes from Owen Roberts International Airport and only one hour’s flight from Miami.

Spa One is the name of a new chain of spas in Tucson, Arizona. One opened earlier this month in the Foothills, another on the East Side is expected to open in March 2006, and two more (central and northwest Tucson) by the end of the year. Their aim is to attract members who see facials and massages as not just a luxury, but as part of a continuing healthy lifestyle.

The British media is claiming that Catherine Zeta-Jones recently went to a New York bash in a private jet, not because she sought privacy but instead because of her craving for nicotine. 

The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying:

She and Michael both smoke, and Catherine enjoys a cigarette when she flies, so a private jet is the only way she can smoke on board as it’s banned on major airlines. She’s quite a nervous flyer and it’s the one luxury she indulges in.

Amanyara is a new resort opening in March 2006. It is situated in a secluded corner of the Island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies, and consists of freestanding, contemporary ocean, beach and pond pavilions and two, three-bedroom villas. The island itself is small but can be explored on a half-day excursion, and there a few shops selling items such as traditional Middle Caicos woven baskets and other crafts. More information is available at http://www.amanyara.com/

Forbes is running a special featuree on the most expensive things of 2005. Everything from jeans to cars but, or more interest here, also hotels and resorts. According to the article, the most expensive hotels of 2005 were…

• The Mansion at the MGM Grand – Las Vegas ($5,000 per night)
• North Island - Seychelles ($3,217 per couple per night)
• Frégate Island Private – Seychelles ($2,482 per couple per night)
• Le Toiny – St Barthelemy, French West Indies ($2,092 per night)
• Singita Private Game Reserve – South Africa ($2,200 per couple per night)
• The Wakaya Club - Fiji ($1,900 per couple per night)
• Turtle Island – Fiji ($1,836 per couple per night)
• Huka Lodge - Taupo, New Zealand ($1,780 per couple per night)
• Burj Al Arab – United Arab Emirates  ($1,333 per couple per night)
• Little Palm Island – Florida  ($1,145 per couple per night)

…and the most expensive resorts (prices are generally per couple per night for a specific time of year, but exact details vary so please check details directly)…

• Rania – Maldives ($10,000)
• Altamer – Anguilla ($9,285)
• Sandy Lane – Barbados ($2,700)
• Frégate Island Private – Seychelles ($2,550)
• Singita Private Game Reserve – Sabi Sand, South Africa ($2,145)
• Turtle Island – Fiji ($1,975)
• Expora en Patagonia – Chile ($1,344)
• Laluna – Grenada ($968)
• One&Only Maldives at Reethi Rah – Maldives ($930)
• Eden Rock Hotel – St. Barts ($888)

Ta’ Marija has been crowned ‘Best Maltese Food Restaurant’ for the second year running. In a ceremony organized by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide Company, the award was presented by Malta’s Honorary Minister for Tourism, Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, who said:

Visitors to our country, as well as Maltese regular ‘eaters out’ should be choosy when ordering food. They should give priority to quality in order to help sustain and improve restaurants.

Elton John and David Furnish – who are probably the world’s most famous honeymooners right now – are apparently spending the time in Venice. They have a villa on Giudecca, one of the islands of Venice’s lagoon. They have ventured into St. Marks Square and been spotted having lunch at the famous Harry’s Bar.

Condé Nast, the publishing company behind the up-market ‘Traveller’ magazine, has unveiled its ‘Gold List’ of the very best hotels for 2006. There are six categories – here’s a round-up:

Best for Ambience/Design

• Devi Garh – Rajasthan, India (97.29%)
• Grand Hyatt Shanghai – Shanghai, China (97.15%)
• Singita Private Game Reserve – South Africa (96.49%)
• Huvafen Fushi – Maldives (96.41%)
• The Peninsula Hong Kong – Hong Kong, China (96.19%)
• Kurland – South Africa (94.88%)
• Parrot Cay – Turks and Caicos (94.85%)
• Hotel Costes – Paris, France (94.64%)
• The Soho Hotel – New York, USA (94.28%)
• Babington House – Somerset, England (93.91%)
• One Aldwych – London, England (93.78%)
• Wharekauhau Country Estate – Wairarapa, NZ (93.33%)
• La Posta Vechia – Ladispoli, Italy (93.29%)
• Establishment Hotel – Sydney, Australia (93.17%)
• Henry Jones Art Hotel – Tasmania, Australia (92.78%)
• The Carlysle – New York, USA (92.32%)
• The Mercer – New York, USA (92.29%)

Best for Facilities

• Kwandwe Private Game Reserve - South Africa (96.68%)
• Fairmont Chateau Whistler – Whistler, Canada (96.19%)
• Soneva Fushi Resort – Maldives (95.89%)
• Mandarin Oriental – Miami, USA (95.00%)
• Le Prince Maurice – Mauritius (94.38%)
• Wrotham Park Lodge – Queensland, Australia (93.91%)
• Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai – Thailand (93.53%)
• The Lake House – Victoria, Australia (92.87%)
• Ananda in the Himalayas – Uttaranchal, India (92.81%)
• Belagio Resort and Casino – Las Vegas, USA (92.55%)
• Hayman Island Resort – Queensland, Australia (92.33%)
• La Réserve Genèvre – Geneva, Switzerland (92.10%)
• The Shilla – Seoul, South Korea (91.67%)
• Cowley Manor – Cheltenham, England (91.32%)
• Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park – London, England (90.85%)
• The Gleneagles Hotel – Scotland (90.33%)
• Almyra – Paphos, Cyprus (89.56%)
• Elounda Peninsula All Suite Hotel – Crete, Greece (89.49%)

Best for Food

• The Capital Hotel – London, England (98.24%)
• Claridges – London, England (97.50%)
• Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons – Oxfordshire, England (97.47%)
• Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Mumbai – Mumbai, India (94.85%)
• The Chedi Muscat – Muscat, Oman (94.67%)
• The Datai – Langkawi, Malaysia (94.42%)
• Château de la Chèvre d’Or – Eze, France (93.49%)
• Park Hyatt Sydney – Sydney, Australia (92.86%)
• Cape Grace – Cape Town, South Africa (92.15%)
• La Colombe d’Or – Provence, France (92.00%)
• Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong – Hong Kong, China (91.93%)
• Lilianfels Blue Mountain Resort & Spa – NSW, Australia (91.89%)
• Kasbah Agafay – Marrakech, Morocco (91.38%)
• Freycinet Lodge – Tasmania, Australia (91.04%)
• Malliouhana Hotel & Spa – Anguilla (90.39%)
• L’Andana – Tuscany, Italy (90.08%)
• One&Only Ocean Club – Bahamas (88.63%)
• Campton Place – San Francisco, USA (88.45%)

Best for Location

• Ngorongoro Crater Lodge – Tanzania (99.58%)
• Machu Piccu Sanctuary Lodge – Peru (98.83%)
• Ladera – St Lucia (98.75%)
• Explora en Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico – Chile (98.64%)
• Amanpulo – Philippines (98.49%)
• Hotel Cipriani – Venice, Italy (98.27%)
• Hotel Splendido – Portofino, Italy (96.47%)
• Longitude 131° – Uluru, Australia (95.72%)
• Hotel Bora Bora - Bora Bora, French Polynesia (95.69%)
• W Sydney – Sydney, Australia
• Island Shangri-La – Hong Kong, China (93.95%)
• Ana Mandara Resort – Vietnam (93.47%)
• The Victoria at Holkham – Norfolk, England (93.08%)
• Soneva Gili Resort – Maldives (92.80%)
• Hotel Tresanton – Cornwall, England (92.57%)
• Linthwaite Country House Hotel – Cumbria, England (92.13%)
• The Table Bay Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa

Best for Rooms

• Private Game Reserve – Phinda, South Africa
• Desert Resort and Spa – Dubai, UAE
• North Island – Seychelles (97.62%)
• Hotel Imperial – Vienna, Austria (96.12%)
• Park Hyatt Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan (95.70%)
• Huka Lodge – New Zealand (95.56%)
• Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur – KL, Malaysia (95.46%)
• Capri Palace Hotel & Spa – Capri, Italy (95.43%)
• Hotel Lancaster – Paris, France (95.28%)
• Banyan Tree Bangkok – Bangkok, Thailand (95.21%)
• Bay of Fires – Australia (94.77%)
• The Intercontinental Sydney – Sydney, Australia (94.29%)
• Charlotte Street Hotel – London, England (90.97%)
• St Martins Lane Hotel – London, England (90.85%)
• Hotel du Vin & Bistro – Winchester, England
• St-Barth Isle de France – St Barts (90.63%)
• Carlisle Bay – Antigua (90.57%)
• The Setai – Miami, USA (89.48%)

Best for Service

• Oberoi Udaivilas – Rajastan, India (97.49%)
• Copacabana Palace – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (97.28%)
• Four Seasons Resort Maldives – Maldives (97.25%)
• Cap Juluca – Anguilla (96.33%)
• Four Seasons Milan – Milan, Italy (95.99%)
• The Observatory Hotel – Sydney, Australia (95.92%)
• The Berkeley – London, England (95.92%)
• Hotel de Russie – Rome, Italy (95.73%)
• The Landmark Mandarin Oriental – Hong Kong, China (95.62%)
• Lemuria Resort of Praslin - Seychelles (95.03%)
• The Windsor – Melbourne, Australia (94.88%)
• Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire – Hampshire, England (94.88%)
• Bedarra Island – Great Barrier Reef, Australia (94.75%)
• The Lanesborough – London, England (94.56%)
• Four Seasons New York – New York, USA (94.51%)
• Raffles The Plaza – Singapore (94.41%)
• Casadelmar – Corsica, France (94.13%)
• Mena House Oberoi – Cairo, Egypt (93.18%)

I would like to extend a warm welcome to readers of A Luxury Travel Blog. This blog is for those who love two things – travel and the finer things of life. If you are looking for a cheap backpackers’ hostel then, I’m sorry, but this just isn’t the place.  Instead I shall keep you updated with what is happening in the luxury travel sector throughout the globe. Whether it be a new, luxurious hotel in New Delhi or a special restaurant in New York, I am constantly on the look-out and will regularly update you.  I’ll also report back with first-hand experiences on some truly hidden gems.  Enjoy.