A Luxury Travel Blog

If you’ve been wondering why it’s been a little bit quiet this past couple of weeks, it’s because I’m on holiday in France.  I am on my way home now, so expect the posts to start flowing a little more freely again in September.

Set close to the edge of the Grand Canyon’s southern rim, the El Tovar Hotel has a restaurant where the views are to die for. Here, Southwestern flavours prevail throughout the menu, whether it be buffalo carpaccio on roasted crostini or wild Alaskan salmon tostada with a tequila vinaigrette. The best tables go quickly on a first come first serve basis, so be prepared!

Embassy Suites Hotels, an upscale Hilton brand, is planning to open 62 franchised hotels in the next three years. It currently has 192 hotels, and officials say the planned properties represent the strongest development pipeline in the brand’s 24-year history. New properties will include locations in Memphis, Denver, New Orleans, Houston, St. Louis and Miami. The Embassy Suites Jackson-Ridgeland will be the brand’s first in Mississippi, and is scheduled to open in November 2008.

The brand is also expanding in Latin America, with properties in Valencia, Venezuela; San Jose, Costa Rica; Tijuana, Mexico; and Panama City, Panama.

Enjoy England have got 8 luxury Escape to Hadrian’s Wall Country 2-night breaks for 2 people to give away in a free prize draw. Stay in one of 4 Marriott hotels in the region (Newcastle Gosforth Park, Newcastle MetroCentre, Sunderland, Durham) – and they’ll even throw in a year’s free pass to all English Heritage wall sites.  To enter, simply click here. Entries must be received by 30th September 2008.

Celebrate fall at Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa. After a long, hot summer, there’s nothing like the refreshing crisp air and legendary fall colours of the Fraser Valley. Enjoy the serenity of nearby Minter Gardens, with its inspiring views and breathtaking surroundings. Or, just relax in our hot springs pools and enjoy the incredible beauty. To help you plan your trip, they’re offering special midweek fall packages, complete with spa treatments and garden passes. And best of all, we’re just a short drive from Vancouver. What’s not to fall for?  Package prices start from $328.

Don’t miss your last chance to attend Atlanta’s Premier Wine Tasting Festival, the 12th Annual Vineyard Fest at Chateau Elan. More than 100 domestic and international wines will be available for guest tastings with wineries from Chile, Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia and New Zealand plus regional wineries from California, New York, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia participating. Sample seven of Chateau Elan’s restaurants and enjoy live music by League of Decency and an acoustic performance by St Barth’s musician Stéphane Cano. Ticket price $75. All-inclusive of wine, food, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, grape stomping, and live entertainment.

One of Jeddah’s leading luxury hotels, the Rosewood Corniche, will be offering private dining suites for guests during Ramadan. Three VIP suites will feature private dining rooms in which diners will be served Iftar and Sohour meals created especially for the suite guests. Each suite has its own Majlis, decorated in the style of a traditional Bedouin tent, complete with Arabic lanterns and floor seating on plush cushions.

In addition to the combination of luxury and privacy, Rosewood Corniche is an ideal venue for pilgrims due to its close proximity to the Holy City of Mecca, some 50 minutes away. The hotel provides customised Umrah trips for guests in its collection of BMW limousines.

The newly opened Havana Nines store in Miami’s Aventura Mall mixes the glamour and suaveness of Cuba with the Miami luxe lifestyle. It’s tropical yet contemporary, just like the décor: espresso wood, crisp white lines and just a few palm trees. If you’re in the area, drop by to admire their linen shirts in bright shades and basic neutrals, with touches of classic embroidery.

Here’s a restaurant with a difference.  Diners can arrive by a 15-minute gondola ride some 7,700 feet above sea level.  Unsurprisingly, the views are to die for with the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies visible on the horizon. This is Eagle’s Eye Restaurant at the Kicking Horse Resort in Golden, British Columbia.  It’s led by Alain Soret who brings French flavours to locally-sourced produce such as wild BC sockeye salmon, as well as game and other delicacies that will get your mouth watering. Request a fireside table to make your evening extra special.

Land is such a premium in certain parts of the world, and New York City is no exception so I found it this Flickr collection of rooftops of the rich and famous in NYC quite interesting.   Some show a suprising amount of green space, whilst others exhibit contemporary designs. Have a browse and see how some of the other half live!

What’s your preferred choice of bedding?  If you’ve stayed in a number of luxury hotels, you will know that the quality of bedding can make an enormous difference.  And much of it is all about threadcount.  The finer the thread used, then the more you can pack into a square inch.  Whether it be Frette, Pratesi, Anichini or similar, you’ll pay a lot more but you’ll also notice the difference.  What’s your preference?

The Ritz, in collaboration with The House of Rémy Martin, has secured an exclusive magnum decanter of Louis XIII Black Pearl and together they are making an unique offering.

The Cognac:

The Black Pearl pays homage to the heritage of Louis XIII. Released from barrels in the family’s exclusive private reserve, this exceptional cognac contains a blend of 1,200 Eaux de Vie dating back over a hundred years.

The Decanter:

Modelled on an original metal flask found on the site of the battle of jarnac and designed by Baccarat is hand blown from black crystal and each magnum is individually numbered from 001 to 358.

The Experience:

An invitation for you, and up to 14 of your friends, to enjoy a remarkable evening savouring this extraordinary cognac in the privacy and the opulence of The Royal Suite at The Ritz; The Black Pearl will be paired with a choice of the finest Cuban cigars and an exquisite collection of chocolates selected by The Ritz Executive Chef. At the close of the evening, you and your crystal decanter will be transported home in The Ritz Phantom Rolls Royce.

This once in a lifetime opportunity for up to 15 people, on a date of your choice, is yours for £25,000.

Per Aquum is launching its first destination spa, Sould Maldives, early next year. The property will be located in the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, in the southern Maldives.  The resort, dedicated to health and nutrition, will span two islands and offer up to 38 villas on land and over water. It will offer a range of services including traditional holistic and contemporary spa therapies from around the world, nutritional planning and assessment.

There are few places in the world where the wildlife is as abundant and diverse as in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa. A year-round safari destination, the reserve boasts unparalleled game viewing and some fantastic luxury lodges (CC Africa has four lodges in the Sabi Sand). The magnificent leopards of the Sabi Sand offer awe-inspiring sightings, and expert rangers are able to track these elusive creatures, giving guests a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Emirates’ passengers travelling to Dubai during the religious month of Ramadan can enjoy two nights accommodation from as little as $57 a night per person. The offer, which runs from 1st September to 30th September 2008, involves six select hotels in Dubai; the Marco Polo Hotel, Novotel World Trade Centre Dubai, Ibis World Trade Centre Dubai, Highland Hotel, Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City and the Hyatt Regency Dubai. Extra nights with bed and breakfast are also available at special rates, providing bookings are within the offer period.

Celebrate autumn with RockResorts, where you can enjoy spectacular fall foliage by day and luxurious accommodations by night! From a thrilling Jeep tour through the changing leaves in Aspen to a breathtaking hot air balloon ride over the Vail Valley – visit a RockResort and experience the Rocky Mountains’ vibrant fall colors in a whole new way.  Experience luxury in the leaves.