A Luxury Travel Blog

Shira Lazar currently hosts Mahalo’s This Week In YouTube and is the Editor-At-Large for CondeNast’s Jaunted.com travel blogging from around the globe. Previously, Shira hosted NBC’s 1ST LOOK and OPEN HOUSE, DirecTV’s HAVOC ON THE 101 and was a correspondent on Reelz Channel’s DAILIES. She has developed and hosted online video content for Movies.com, Hollywood.com, Live Earth, Yahoo! TV, Verizon VCAST and more. She was recently the official video blogger of Internet Week, red carpet host for the 2009 Webby Awards and participated as a social media maven on Ashton Kutcher’s 24 HOURS AT SUNDANCE. Shira is a frequent guest on Fox News Channel, CBS and CNN as an entertainment and travel correspondent. As a crossover personality and hybrid journalist, Shira Lazar continues to bridge the gap between old and new media and be a voice for the millennial movement.

What is it that you do exactly?

On an ideal morning, after checking and answering Eastcoast emails on my crackberry and laptop, I enjoy starting it off with a workout- I either go to the gym to train, jog outside or do bikram yoga. I also love green tea in the am- that’s my go-to energy booster. Then it’s off to meetings and shoots typically around the entire city. I work on a lot of projects at once, so I’m never really in one place. Currently, I am working with MasterCard on their “Break in Their Jeans” promotion.

Sometimes, I get called in the AM for a last minute live shot for CNN or Fox News. I live very much on the go, so I have to be ready for whatever comes my way. I always keep the essentials on me to the point where at times it looks like I’m living out of my car. My evenings are typically packed too- sometimes I have to cover a red carpet or host/moderate an event. If I have time, I’ll set up a business dinner at a fun spot. By the time I get home in the evening, if I’m not too tired I’ll continue emailing, blogging and tweeting up a storm. Then it all starts again the next morning.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

The amazing people I get to meet that constantly inspire and challenge me. I also love to simply make people happy and bring them access to individuals, stories or experiences they don’t have access to or otherwise wouldn’t know about. Bringing my voice to bigger issues that create a positive impact for the world is also truly rewarding.

What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?

Patagonia, Chile – When you look around you all you see are snowcapped mountains, acres a flat green land and aqua lakes. The air is so fresh too. They don’t call it a hikers paradise for no reason.

Kauai, Hawaii – This is my ultimate vacation spot. The moment you get off the plane, it exudes this calming energy. The island has this jungle vibe complete with fresh fruit stands and incredible beaches, which make you feel like you’ve really escaped reality. I usually get a beach house on Anini beach, where you can wake up and within a few steps be lounging in the water.

Tarifa, Spain – Tarifa is located at the southernmost tip of Spain, and is the ultimate surf town. The white-sanded beaches stretch for miles, where you can also hike and take a dip in some amazing natural ponds. After dinner, I would sit on the beach, look out onto the horizon and see the lights of Morocco. It’s a very special and quaint spot.

What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?

I’m friends with a lot of chefs so this is a hard question, because I’ve had so many incredible dining experiences. One of my longest dining experiences went from noon until 6pm at one of my favorite Italian lunch spots in Los Angeles, Café Mauro. I also had the most amazing one-of-a-kind cured salmon recently at the Beverly Hills Hotel that sells for over $100/pound. One of my most authentic dining experiences though might have recently been in Chile where we went rock climbing and then set up an entire picnic in a cave looking out onto the mountains and lake. It was low-key, but such a memorable moment.

Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?

Being in Hollywood and working in entertainment news, I’ve had countless encounters with many celebs. I’ve been drinking at Four Seasons and Britney Spears flies by. I’ve worked closely with Ashton Kutcher at the Sundance Film Festival and interviewed everyone from the classics like Al Pacino and Steve Martin to Angelina Jolie and George Clooney.

What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?

Space travel. I want to go with Richard Branson on Virgin Galactic in Space and live-stream the entire experience.

Thank you, Shira. You are clearly a very busy person and I appreciate you taking the time to take part in an interview on A Luxury Travel Blog.

Allamanda at Anse Galet is a luxury development at Cap Estate, the northernmost tip of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, with spectacular views across the adjacent St. Lucia Golf Club to the south, and over the Atlantic Ocean to neighbouring Martinique to the north. The development consists of three villas, ten townhouses and eight apartments, with residents enjoying access to a private cove with jetty, two communal swimming pools, and close proximity to a world-class marina and a vast array of restaurants and bars.

The properties are available freehold and purchasing in St. Lucia is currently one of the most rewarding investment opportunities in the Caribbean, with an excellent return on investment on buy-to-let properties. The Cap Estate area in particular is at the centre of the real estate boom, boasting some of the most spectacular views, with rolling hills, a championship golf course and miles of gorgeous coastline.

Prepare to be pampered. Whether it’s a luxury hen weekend, a birthday celebration, or a special treat with friends you can’t beat some quality girl time and where better to catch up than at The Edinburgh Residence. Enjoy a pampering package packed with treats for the ultimate girls’ weekend. Just five minutes from the world famous Princes Street the 5 star Edinburgh Residence houses the collection of townhouse suites offering a refreshing alternative to a hotel – a luxury home from home where you and your chums can be as indulgent as you wish.

Forget the night out and enjoy a night in making the most of the private dining area where you can opt for fine dining, something healthy or something more extravagant! Relax on comfy sofas in your lounge and watch your chosen chick-flick (for that essential touch of girliness), not forgetting the chilled complimentary Champagne.

Enjoy a one-to-one shopping experience with the Personal Shoppers based at Scotland’s first Harvey Nichols. Make fashion disasters a thing of the past with a private one to one consultation – either in-store or on in the comfort of a suite where a Personal Shopper will help ensure perfect purchases are made, regardless of budget.

Restore balance and calm back at The Edinburgh Residence where you can enjoy one of a range of relaxing treatments in your suite. Soothe away the stresses and strains with an Aromatherapy or Therapeutic full body massage, or be revived with Reflexology or Deep Tissue massage provided by a professional complementary health practitioner from Energetics. Each practitioner has the knowledge and sensitivity to create and tailor a treatment that suits your own unique needs, leaving you feel invigorated and refreshed.

This ultimate pampering package costs from £518 per room per night based on 2 nights luxury accommodation in a townhouse suite (based on 4 girls sharing). Also included is a bottle of chilled Champagne served in your suite on arrival; a private 3-course dinner also served in the comfort of your suite; taxi to Harvey Nichols (for 4); a Personal Shopping Consultation at Harvey Nichols (including glass of Champagne); Harvey Nichols gift goody bag; one hour relaxation treatment and full Scottish breakfasts served in your suite.

Cool Victory, a Gran Turismo (GT) motorsport organization that races Lamborghinis internationally, has created a new fractional ownership package that gives its participants an all-inclusive travel and racing adventure experience.  The Fractional Owner chooses an international race location of his or her choice and is championed by the Cool Victory team for a trip surrounding a race in an exceptional location.  Whether in Budapest, Silverstone, Dubai, Atlanta or Zolder, the details of the trip are arranged per the fractional owner¹s needs and specifications.  Designed to be a luxurious endeavour that provides the fractional owner with all of the excitement associated with owning a racing team and the behind-the-scenes of GT racing, each owner has a team coordinator who personally arranges the trip plans and itinerary.  Whether the excursion is being used for a business venture for clients or purely an entertainment opportunity, the fractional owner can promote him or herself in respect and stature in distinctive settings.

For the first time, Spring Creek Ranch is offering a limited number of one-week stays at its exclusive working ranch over the winter holidays. This one-of-a-kind, private cattle ranch offers state-of-the-art amenities and activities for guests accustomed to high levels of luxury and comfort. Just a little over an hour outside of Aspen, the 1,200-acre ranch features a 4,800 square-foot ranch house with a total of five beautifully-appointed bedrooms.

From the fully stocked wine cellar to the stable of horses and snowmobiles, the entire ranch is completely yours for the week. With maid service, two refrigerators filled with gourmet eats and a cowboy chef, you are truly the master of your own authentic ranch estate. The concierge can also arrange a myriad of activities, including skiing, snowboarding, a day of shopping, gourmet wine tasting or dinner at one of the best restaurants in the world.

The Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona, is having a special travel package which allows guests to enjoy two natural wonders of Arizona – Sedona Red Rocks and The Grand Canyon -  for the price of one. The Amara Grand Canyon Adventure package includes two nights’ accommodations, breakfast for two each morning at Hundred Rox Restaurant and a full-day Grand Canyon tour for two by Red Stone Tours. Guests will travel up Oak Creek Canyon (one of the top 10 scenic drives in America) via luxury mini coach to The Grand Canyon and spend a memorable day on a professionally guided tour of nature’s majesty.

The Riviera Maya in Mexico is an idyllic paradise that offers white sand beaches, Mayan culture, lazy strolls under palm trees and pulsating, salsa-filled nights in Playa del Carmen.  And now there are great packages at private luxury villas such as Casa del Agua and Villa Zacil Na.  Both villas offer the ultimate in luxury accommodation, including a private chef, spa, pool, award-winning architecture and personalized, warm Mexican hospitality. Both villas, combined, can accommodate groups of 4 to 18 people.

Stay 6 nights and receive 7th night free, in addition to free airport transfers and $1,000 worth of concierge credit applicable to spa, excursions, transfers or food and drink purchases.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. plans to open a new St. Regis hotel in Bermuda, marking a debut for the St Regis brand on the exclusive island. Scheduled to open in 2013, The St. Regis Bermuda and The Residences at The St. Regis Bermuda will be located in the heart of downtown Hamilton, Bermuda’s picturesque seaside capital and bustling international business hub. The first major luxury hotel to open in downtown Hamilton in more than 50 years, The St. Regis Bermuda will feature approximately 140 exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites, approximately 80 exclusive, serviced residences, a Remède Spa, signature restaurant, a wine bar, library, and a rooftop conservatory.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is slated to open its first luxury hotel in Southern Europe at the end of this year. Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona will offer avant-garde luxury at the city’s most exclusive address. This exciting hotel pairs the legendary hospitality of Mandarin Oriental with the inimitable character that has made Barcelona one of Europe’s foremost travel destinations.

The hotel will be ideally located on Paseo de Gracia, Barcelona’s most prestigious address, at the very centre of the city’s commercial and entertainment district. The property provides easy access to the city’s finest shopping, dining and cultural venues and is a short walk from many major tourist attractions. From the hotel, guests will be able to stroll amongst the city’s celebrated promenades and architecture and enjoy the attractions of the famous Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter. Barcelona’s many museums, churches and parks are all close at hand and two of the most celebrated buildings by the city’s famous architect, Gaudi, are just a stone’s throw from the hotel.

Louise of Granton is a superb luxury motor yacht, available for day hire, and providing the ultimate marine charter experience. The high-spec interiors are made of cherry wood and accompanied by leather fittings and all the modcons such as satellite phones, the latest audiovisual equipment and more.  The 50-foot vessel weighs 25 tons and is capable of travelling at speeds of up to 33 knots. The galley is equipped to a very high standard and all food is freshly prepared on board for the boat’s guests.

The Grand Opening of Bilila Lodge Kempinski was celebrated last week in the presence of His Excellency, The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, distinguished national and international guests and dignitaries. The opening represents the first Luxury Lodge for Kempinski Hotels in the renowned Serengeti National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage site.

The much anticipated property comprises 74 exclusive guestrooms and suites including a Presidential Villa, featuring 2 bedrooms with butler service and measuring 320 square meters. All guestrooms overlook the plains of the Serengeti, and include luxury en-suite bathrooms, walking closets, and a sun deck for relaxation with personal telescope for watching game, whilst the suites feature their own private plunge pool.

It is located in the Central North, approximately 45 minutes drive from the Seronera airstrip, which in turn is a 50 minutes flight from Arusha. Located against a dramatic backdrop of Africa’s wilderness, the hotel provides private game drives, hot air balloon rides, bush walks and Champagne breakfasts in the African savannah. It has an Anantara Spa with 6 couple treatment rooms and 3 Thai massage rooms, a 24 metre infinity fresh-water swimming pool overlooking the waterhole, a restaurant with show kitchen, a bar, lounge, wine cellar, boma, library, game room, fitness centre, art gallery and gift shop, as well as conference and meeting facilities. Furthermore, experienced game rangers introduce you to the ultimate wildlife of the Serengeti.

Travellers to South Australia looking for environmentally sensitive accommodation devoid of mobile phone reception yet rich in old-fashioned Outback hospitality, should look no further than 29,000 acre Rawnsley Park Station. Renowned for the introduction of their award-winning luxurious eco villas, Rawnsley Park is located in the heart of the Flinders Ranges only 400 km from Adelaide, overlooking Wilpena Pound, the 83 square km amphitheatre formed 640 million years ago.

This former sheep grazing estate offers great food and wine in its Woolshed restaurant and luxury eco villas that are contemporary in design and décor. The villas boast the latest environmental features including rendered straw bale walls for insulation, polished timber floors over suspended concrete slabs, and overhanging eaves and wide verandas which provide shaded walls. Other unusual features include retractable fabric ceilings which provide a magical night viewing panel from the bedroom, allowing guests to lie back in bed and gaze up at the stars in the clear southern skies above.

The first four eco-villas proved to be so popular since their introduction in 2006, that a further A$1 million was invested in four additional villas, which were completed in April 2009.  Each one of the eight eco-villas (six one-bedroom and two, two-bedroom) offers the same stunning views, secluded location, stylish interiors and quality facilities.

Most hotels, and perhaps particularly some luxury hotels, could be in for a torrid time in 2009 and 2010 depending on what the economy brings. If you’re someone who frequently travels, however, it could mean big savings and they might well be available for a while. The terrible 9/11 tragedy in 2001 was followed by a 40% cut in hotel room rates which remained for some time after.  In short, hotels are competing for fewer guests and, if they want a share of that dwindling market, they will need to cut prices.  Have you managed to bag some bargains?  If so, please let us know by posting a comment.

Experience the ultimate kid friendly vacation at Hyatt Resorts. Camp Hyatt, offering supervised activities for kids 3–12, has now teamed up with National Geographic Kids to feature all-new adventures loaded with eco-friendly activities, animal crafts and facts, photo safaris, and tons of locally inspired activities.

Jeni Matthews created Red Balloon Travel and Consulting with the goal in mind to provide spectacularly unique French holidays.   After graduating from Northwestern University in Communications and International Studies, she headed straight to France, and has been living in the little known Rhone-Alpes region ever since.  She uses her first-hand knowledge and close business relationships to provide her clients with a very intimate and unforgettable experience.   Tourists from around the world flock to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Pope’s Palace in Avignon.  However,  very few people know about the delectable truffles of the Drome that are shrouded in mystery, or the rich tannins that characterize the red wines from the exclusive Cornas appellation.

What is it that you do exactly?

I organize custom holidays for people who are interested in a completely original French experience.  Basically,  I design a client-specific itinerary that includes restaurants, hotels, excursions, transportation, and whatever else is needed to provide the ultimate vacation.   I first speak at length with the client in order to understand what are, for him, the most important aspects of the trip.  Equipped with this information, I contact each service provider to lay out a program that will both include all the clients’ wishes and add a few pleasant surprises.  I have personal relationships with each business with which I work, thus enabling me to offer unique experiences that usually surpass the highest of expectations. Once everything is organized, I personally greet the client to make sure he has arrived safely and has settled in to his new surroundings.  I am on call for the entire trip, should any questions arise or last minute changes be necessary, which provides a little extra reassurance to the client. 

When I am not working on specific programs, I devote my time to discovering new people and places to add to my portfolio.  I’m always on the lookout for something new and original.  This often involves my spotting an interesting building or sign, which leads to further investigation, which in turn develops into the discovery of a fantastic restaurant, or hotel, adventure that simply must be shared with others (although not too many, of course).  It is very important to me that I have personally experienced each service I offer, so that I know my clients will enjoy only welcome surprises.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

What I enjoy is twofold.  I love being able to impart my knowledge to other people.  It’s such an incredible feeling when a client is enthralled by his meal in a tiny, off-the-map bistro where I have been dining for years.  But I also love when I make a new discovery to add to my portfolio.  It’s as if I have happened upon a marvelous secret that is only begging to be shared.

What would you say are the 3 best places you’ve ever stayed?

Kauai – the island is absolutely beautiful, with its hidden waterfalls, enormous beaches shaded by cliffs, and the amazing snorkeling!

Stockholm – the city is so alive, and the people incredibly hospitable.  We had a fabulous dining experience at “Grill” right in the city centre.

Maison de la Pra – this B&B in Valence, France is a remodeled 15th Century private mansion.  The owner has done everything himself, from the cast-iron light fixtures, to the dining room table, to the impressive wine-tasting cellar.  Henri-Jean is so enthusiastic about his creation and his city, it’s impossible not to enjoy it!

What’s been your most memorable dining experience to date?

A recent lunch I had in Saou, France was remarkable in every sense of the word.  The setting was breathtaking, with the Pre-Alpes mountains as a backdrop and the main square of the tiny village as the restaurant terrace.  The service was exceptional, as the owner took care of us and made sure everything was to our liking.  The food was divine; I had a ingenious dessert of aubergine sliced paper-thin served over an avocado and hazelnut purée. Finally, the company was fabulous, which is always primordial.

Have you rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous, either through your work or your travels?

One of the essential elements of Red Balloon Travel is that very few people know of the places I send my clients.  While Brad and Angelina are not far away in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, my clients often feel it is much more interesting to partake in something a little more personal and exclusive, far from the flashbulbs and glory.

What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?

I would love to visit Peru.  I love France, but it is my home now, so it’s always interesting to see other countries.

Thank you, Jeni. If you don’t mind, I might just have to ‘pick your brains’ a little before I next visit France.

I’m noticing an increasing tendancy for people involved in the luxury travel to turn to social media tools and more innovative ways of getting their message across online.  One such example is OutriggerHawaii.com which is celebrating its first birthday since its launch. Departing from the traditional hotel Web site, it showcases the allure of Hawaii by featuring unique stories and video vignettes that capture the spirit and adventure found only on the Islands. Launched in July 2008 by Outrigger Enterprises Group, the destination Web site has won several awards for sharing the culture, history, and beauty of Hawaii, with people around the world.  It certainly seems to be a little more pro-active than many hotel websites in getting across information such as local events, and by updating its blog.  It also uses the likes of Twitter, Facebook et al.  What do you think?  Will we see more luxury travel businesses making use of social media tools?