A Luxury Travel Blog

Formerly an actor with the RSC, Grant Thatcher began the series of LUXE City Guides back in 2002. There are now more than 30 guides, including the best of the best from 20 in-the-know residents in each location.

What is it that  you do exactly?

I’m Editor in Chief which encompasses everything from designing the covers and handmade box sets, to overseeing our blog LUXEtasy.com, and our new LUXE City Guides Mobile apps which span seven different handset brands including iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia and 34 models. It’s no wonder my hair is grey!

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

When you consider that so many people in the world today don’t get to travel at all, the fact that I do it for a living is a great luxury. We’re the only city guide series in the world that sends staff editors to the city we’re researching to work hand in glove with our city resident editors, checking and refining the draft until we have the perfect LUXE mix, so even though research tends to be really expensive and grueling (14-16 hour days are the norm) we do at least get to see a horde of things that most visitors would never experience. Add to that our fascination with shopping, artisanal, bespoke and custom-made goods and at least we get to window shop while we work!

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

Tricky! Because of my job I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in some pretty amazing places around the world and the very best of them are special not because they are expensive or exclusive (quite often the contrary) but because they have that essential ‘It’ factor which may be personality, service, location or quirk. Im not remotely interested in gold taps and Rolls Royces, but seeing as this is a blog devoted to luxury, then my choices would be Villa Feltrinelli, The Connaught, and the Tirta Enning suite at CSE Estate in Bali – but I had a fab time campervanning around New Zealand not so long ago (if you don’t count the chemical loo…!)

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

I loved the rustic, super-simple, eat with your fingers Indonesian food at Waroeng Tugu in Bali. It’s tiny and very basic, you sit at heavy wooden trestles, in an open-sided, traditionally-styled kitchen, the chef decides what he will cook and you will eat – it’s delicious, quiet, romantic and far from the madding crowds.

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

My lips are sealed. When I travel for LUXE I always like to stay under the radar as you get to observe better, and for the most part I think the truly rich and famous are the same. I imagine being really famous must be a royal pain in the butt – incognito is the new luxury.

What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?

Syria. Im a nut for archaeology and am longing to visit Palmyra, and get down to some serious souk retail therapy in downtown Damascus.

Thank you, Grant.  I wasn’t familiar with Palmyra but Googled it and it does indeed look amazing.  Good luck in getting there.

If you would like to be interviewed on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

• Treat yourself at Le Meurice
• Seeing is believing at Shompole
• Delve into Visit Florida Luxury Insider
• Explore the South Pacific with Turquoise

Leleshwa Camp is an intimate tented camp situated on the Siana Community Conservation area on the north-eastern ridge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. Resting along a stream valley, overlooking picturesque hills and rolling plains dotted with resident game, Leleshwa Camp is a peaceful haven. You’ll love the wide range of activities on offer: cultural village and school visits, digital photography workshops, hiking in the Loita Hills, bush meals and even balloon rides.

As one of the most exciting cities in Europe, Berlin has a lot of variety and luxury to offer any traveller. Most European or intercontinential visitors will find that Germany’s capital is very decently priced in comparison to many other cosmopolitan cities. Therefore, anyone can experience real luxury in the sultry evenings of Berlin, sipping sekt from sparkling snifters.

If you feel like you want a real taste of the Berlin posh lifestyle, wander into the infamous Kaufhaus des Westens, where you not only can savour a nice glass of Riesling and shop for fabulous dresses, but where you ought to give the oyster bar a try. Take a break from the hustle and bustle in the middle of hoity toity shoppers on a supreme spree and slurp on the sea’s own aphrodisiac.

At the end of a long day of roaming through the streets of Berlin’s varied districts, you can choose to go for a posh dinner in Mitte at the popular Asian tapas restaurant Transit or pop into the famous and colourful Monsieur Vuong for a fresh Vietnamese dish. If you are looking for a restaurant with an extensive German menu, you should try the cosy Oranium on the lively Oranienburgerstraße. Or take the U-Bahn up to the family-friendly Prenzlauer Berg for a nibble at the atmospheric Spanish Tres Tapas restaurant, sashay into Sasaya for an  authentic sushi meal or cosy up in the classical German restaurant Oderquelle.

If you like a bit more modern and hipster neighbourhoods, you should eat some real rugged Russian food at Datscha in Friedrichshain, try some sushi at Le Coq d’Or on the Boxhagener Straße or pop into Green Rice in Kreuzberg for a scrumptious quick bite of noodles. Do not forget to hit the nightlife after your filled tummy has calmed down. Parade through Potsdamer Platz for a posh evening (Adagio, 40seconds) or hop along Oranienstraße for an spicy dance and twirl (Cake, SO36).

Roos Brekelmans is the author of Good Food In Berlin.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

A Luxury Travel Blog’s quick guide to some of the tell-tale signs when trying to find a good place to eat out on vacation.

The good…

1. Find a restaurant with locals.  That’s usually a good starting point.

2. Find a restaurant that’s fully booked.  OK, so you might not be able to get a table – but book for the following evening.

3. Check the menu (and the wine list).  Is what they’re serving in season?

The bad…

1. Avoid restaurants that have a waiter beckoning you as you walk by.  It’s not a good sign and suggests, if anything, that you are just in the wrong part of town. A good restaurant will fill its tables because of the quality of the food, and not on the ability of a ‘catcher’.

2. Restaurants that are close to major tourist landmarks.  You’ll usually be better off finding a little backstreet a bit further away for a more authentic experience.

The ugly…

1. Chicken and chips… no, no, no!  Same goes for burgers, etc. (unless, perhaps, you’re in the US).

2. Menus with flags for every nationality.

Please add your own views or tips by posting a comment. Thank you.

If you find yourself in NYC for Memorial Day weekend, The Patio at The Wheeltapper Pub at The Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel invites you to stop by Friday from 7-9pm or from 5-7pm on Saturday or Sunday and sample a complimentary tasting plate of snacks when you order any two drinks. The magnificent, 2,200-square-foot Patio at The Wheeltapper is one of the best kept secrets in Midtown Manhattan. It is an all-weather oasis, protected from the elements by a retractable awning specially designed for the Patio by a custom sail maker from Barbados. If you won’t be visiting NYC for the holiday, you can stop by all summer long for one of The Wheeltapper’s seasonal cocktails with an Irish twist:

Solstice – Absolut Vodka, Cinnamon Syrup, Fresh Pressed Apple Juice, Cranberry Juice

South Highland – Sauza Reposado Tequila, Agavero Liqueur, Mathilde Black Currant Liqueur, Fresh Lime Juice

Irish Summer Time – Cruzan Single Barrel Rum, Fresh Orange Juice, Simple Syrup

Pom Collins – Plymouth Gin, Fresh Lemon Juice, Pama Liqueur, Simple Syrup

Irish Spring – Jameson Irish Whiskey, Honey, Sauvignon Blanc, Fresh Apple Juice, Mango Syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice

The Wheeltapper Pub and Patio at The Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel can be found at  141 E. 44th St, New York, NY 10017.

Daunt Books, the travel specialists, has launched an online resource for discerning travellers.  Mimicking the unique design of the shops where the books are arranged by country, the user can browse the careful selection of guides, non-fiction and fiction which have all been personally recommended and reviewed by the knowledgeable staff.  Whether you’re looking for a guide to the most luxurious hotel or a well-written and engaging piece of non-fiction that really explains the history of the place, this online boutique will certainly point you in the right direction.

Richard Gere will be the official host of the inaugural Aruba International Film Festival (4th-10th June 2010). The actor will be bestowed with a special humanitarian award and take part in the Festival’s ‘In Conversations With’ series. A number of premieres and major studio films will be showcased to complement the independent, art-house selections from around the world, while the friendly character of the island will set the tone for the Festival’s inviting ambiance.

There’s a new hotel rewards program that has been designed specifically for luxury travelers. It’s called Stash Hotel Rewards – a first-of-its kind points program for independent hotels. That is, one rewards currency shared by many different upscale, independent properties. 65  hotel properties launched with them late last week, making it already the largest independent loyalty program in the United States.

The properties include amazing hotels across the USA, many of which have been named T+L or Condé Nast “Best Hotels” and collectively, they have an average Trip Advisor “recommend” rating of 83%. They include iconic hotels like The Lenox in Boston, Sunset Marquis in LA and Bardessono in Napa — and other historic inns, top resorts, and boutique gems.

From Spring to Autumn Tuscany is full to the brim with villages which hold special events to celebrate typical foods and unusual dishes with frogs, ostriches and steaks all being showcased! Invariably the villagers come out in force and dinners are followed by dancing and evening markets.  Essential Italy’s favourites include:

28th, 29th, 30th May 2010: Bettolle, Siena – The Valley of the Giant White Festival

For steak lovers this is a MUST! The famous Bistecca Fiorentina comes from the Chianina cow, a truly wonderful animal which produces the finest steak in the world. The steak consists of a T-bone grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, seasoned with just salt and black pepper. The Bistecca is thickly cut and very large and is served very rare, garnished with lemon wedges and of course accompanied by red wine. This festival celebrates everything linked to the ‘Chianina’ and offers visitors food tasting, folklore shows, musical events and viewings of these amazing animals.

29th May – 6th June 2010: Snail Festival (Sagra della Lumaca) in Camucia, near Arezzo

This is a wonderful festival of the Escargot with snail based menus, pizza and local produce tastings , walking and cycling tours, motorcycle and rally car shows and street parades all followed by a different dance event in the evenings with music provided by local orchestras.

Last weekend of July / first weekend of August 2010: Frog Festival in Brolio, near Arezzo

The tiny village of Brolio (between Arezzo and Cortona) holds the Sagra della Rana – the frog festival. A classic for the locals – 10,000 frogs legs are imported especially for this event and the evening dances are considered to be the best in the area.

The historic quarter of the district of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife combines a long history with a nautical flavour, as up to the 18th Century it was the port of the town of La Orotava. It is now a lively tourist resort and has been since the 19th Century, when it was one of the pioneering tourist resorts in Spain and Europe. From the central Plaza del Charco, the pedestrian streets lead passers-by to buildings of great historical value, such as the Chapel of San Telmo, the Casa Miranda, the old Hotel Marquesa, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia and the Casa de la Aduana. Next to the harbour is the equally charming fishing neighbourhood of La Ranilla. A little further away are the Botanical Gardens founded in the 17th Century to acclimatise plant species brought from South America, Africa and Asia.

The LUXE City Guides range which feature the best of the best of a city in one handy, unique pocket guide, has just introduced 10 of its most popular destinations in mobile format. The apps are compatible with a multitude of handsets including iPhone, Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and HTC and can be downloaded directly to handsets from their website,  or for iPhones, from iTunes stores.

Initially covering 10 popular destinations – New York, Hong Kong, Paris, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Rome, Bali, Sydney and Bangkok, there are 10 more international cities coming soon. The apps contain handy online and offline maps featuring the hundreds of entries listed in the guides, and each app comes with a year of free updates sent directly to your mobile. What’s more, when the year is up, re-subscription is half price.

With LUXE City Guides Mobile apps travellers can check out rich content anytime, save their favourites, arrange and build personal itineraries, click through to websites and touch dial telephone numbers. Chic, simple and above all, useful.

Check out the sample app for yourself from their website.  Recently voted “Travel App of the Week” by the UK Sunday Times Travel Section, the LUXE City Guides are ultra researched and curated, written by city resident editors and packed with the finest and funkiest dining, leisure, culture, accommodation, bespoke shopping, and city secrets that most visitors would simply never find.

A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

• Tailormade tours of India from Dominion Travel
• For your luxe travel needs: Elite Destinations Direct
• Save on theme parks with Orlando Attractions
• Check out Suite 116 at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

A true travel connoisseur, CEO and Founder Drew Patterson brings more than a decade of experience to Jetsetter, the private sales site that helps leisure travellers discover and purchase some of the world’s best vacations.

An industry pioneer, Patterson was part of the founding team at Kayak.com where, during his five-year tenure as Vice President of Marketing, he played an integral role in reshaping the online travel landscape by evolving the distribution model and initializing the concept of “search”.  Prior to that, Patterson cut his teeth as Director of Distribution and Revenue Management at Starwood Hotels, where he forged new distribution channels with online travel agents, including Expedia and Travelocity.

Patterson received his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University before earning his Masters in Business from Columbia Business School.  He resides in New York City.

What is it that  you do exactly?

No two days are the same for me. I might start the day building partnerships with suppliers on the inventory side or marketing partners that might get Jetsetter in front of new customers on the audience side. Then, I might have a meeting with our engineering team to talk about new functionality or the marketing team to talk about new products. Jetsetter is growing fast, so I spend a lot of time these days reviewing resumes. In my downtime, I surf the web to see what competitors are doing, what the media is saying about the travel space, and what consumers are talking about in Twitter or Facebook. Finally, I pour over the numbers, making sure the business is on track to beat expectations and communicate progress to our investors.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I really love working with the team I’ve built here at Jetsetter. We have a really smart, experienced, hard working team. But, I also look for people with personality and we spend a lot of time laughing which is what makes me excited to go to work each day.

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

Casas Brancas, Búzios, Brazil: There is just something magical about Buzios which is a very relaxed and charming destination. Casas Brancas is more than just a beautiful boutique hotel. The people who run the hotel are incredibly warm and hospitable.

The Hotel Gritti Palace encompasses charm and history along the Grand Canal in Venice. I was traveling with a group of friends for art opening and the stars just aligned to create a memorable vacation: great friends, fantastic dinners, spectacular art, no crowds. Perfetto!

After several weeks traveling through India, The Westin Singapore was exactly what the doctor ordered. I can still remember how good it felt to take a hot shower; sleep in a big, comfy bed; and eat a Western-style breakfast.

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

My brother’s friend interned at Per Se, arguably the best restaurant in the US. As a thank you from the restaurant, he was invited to bring friends for a complimentary dinner. This was more than a dinner, it was a six-hour tour through the most amazing ingredients and flavors I’ve ever experienced or will ever experience. In addition to the usual tasting menu, the kitchen prepared about 18 other courses. Food was ethereal. Service unimaginable.

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

I am not the guy who notices celebrities. But, I was in LA and checked into celeb magnet Chateau Marmont alongside Jarvier Bardem (before he started dating Penelope Cruz unfortunately). We went to dinner at Nobu that night and were seated next to Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas.

What currently ranks highest on your travel wishlist?

I would like to go to Alaska before it melts.

Thank you, Drew.  That’s been a great insight. And even if you read the most pessimistic reports, I think you’ll find you’ve still got ample time to ’see Alaska before it melts’.  Afterall, it is home to more than half the world’s glaciers.

If you would like to be interviewed on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

For those who have not yet heard of this gem of a market in Melbourne, Australia, let me tell you what you’ve been missing out on!

The oldest continuously running market in Australia, Prahran Market is a haven for all kinds of gourmet delights. “So, it’s a food market, yes? What’s the big deal?” I hear you ask. Well, yes, it is a food market but there’s so much more on offer, and the even better news is that some of it is free!

Here are some of the latest happenings at the market.

On Sunday 23rd May 2010, from 12pm till 3pm The Usual Suspects will be playing jazz in the market square, as part of the Stonnington Jazz Festival. This event is free for anyone who wants to go along and listen to great live music.

The market is also participating in the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and will be holding free cookery demonstrations on every Thursday in June 2010. The theme of the demonstrations is “Reinvigorate your Roasts”, and you can learn, try samples, and recreate the dishes at home with their free recipe sheets.

Not everything at this wonderful market is free, of course, and there are also plenty of goodies to buy. Are you expecting a horde of guests for breakfast? Why not buy an ostrich egg and make a big omelette? (Apparently an ostrich egg is the equivalent of 24 hen’s eggs.) There’s also a huge variety of meat and veg available too, so get your strides on and head on over to the market.

The world’s first gold vending machine is now enticing tourists in Abu  Dhabi where the Gold to go has found a home in the uber-luxurious setting  of Emirates Palace – one of the world’s most opulent hotels.

Gold to go  dispenses ten specially-designed 24 carat gold bars in various  designs, such as the Kangaroo, Maple Leaf and Krugerrand in denominations  of one, five and ten grams, as well as one tenth, a quarter and one ounce  of gold.  The machine offers real time prices, eliminating the risks associated with precious metal  trading.

Plans to  increase the number of gold bar vending machines to include airport  terminals, shopping centres and hotels, are underway.