July 17, 2008

Résidence Supérieur from Richard Nilsson

Résidence Supérieur is an extreme luxury concept, designed by internationally known lifestyle designer Richard Nilsson, located on the French Riviera. The concept include super sports cars, private jets, yachts, butlers, chefs, bodyguards and any other service you may wish for. Résidence Supérieur is created for the extreme connoisseurs and is totally unique in the way that there are no limits for how you can tailor your staying. The concept will be expanded to other locations in the near future and is currently offering Villa Oxygene in Cannes.

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  • July 15, 2008

    Chedi luxury hotel brand bound for Bulgaria

    According to the Sofia Echo, the Chedi brand is heading for Bulgaria. The hotel will form part of the Thracian Rocks Golf & Spa resort complex near Kavarna on the Black Sea which is being built in three phases.

    The first [phase], currently underway, will deliver a golf course with 18 holes, nine of which will be playable by mid-2009, hotel, villas, yacht marina complex with resort apartments and inland apartment buildings.

    The second phase will include another hotel, but details on that one are yet to be announced.

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  • July 11, 2008

    The Dreamlist

    globrati has published The Dreamlist, debuting with a colleciton of their “favourite destinations to chill out this summer”.  Making the grade are:

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  • July 9, 2008

    The Onion House, Hawaii

    Category: Accommodation, Hawaii, North America, Regions, USA, Vacation Rentals — Paul Johnson @ 4:43 pm

    Owned by the famous McCormick Spice family, The Onion House is a unique architectural oddity that has now been made available to rent as a holiday retreat. It can be found in Kailua Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island and was built by the celebrated architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, designed to take full advantage of its natural tropical surroundings. The property has garnered a great deal of media attention since opening and HGTV chose the master bedroom of the house as one of the top ten ‘Most Romantic Bedrooms’ in the world.

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  • June 27, 2008

    Adare Manor, Ireland

    As one of the most luxurious hotel and golf resorts in the world, the five-star Adare Manor offers 62 bedrooms in an elegantly appointed manor house, as well as 11 Clubhouse bedrooms, 22 two- and four-bedroom townhouses adjacent to the Clubhouse and 46 three-bedroom villas. In addition to golf, this community resort offers a variety of fine dining options, an elegant spa, and outstanding fishing on the Maigue. Other activities and amenities include cycling, archery, hiking, shooting sports, and an equestrian centre.

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  • June 1, 2008

    New next month: Doxford Cottages, north-east England

    Category: Accommodation, Europe, Regions, United Kingdom, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe — Paul Johnson @ 10:20 am

    Doxford CottagesDoxford Cottages, 3 miles from Embleton, is situated in the middle of a 2500 acre agricultural estate in an idyllic position. It opens next month and there are 7 cottages, 3 of them sleeping 8 people in 4 bedrooms. There are games facilities and a football pitch but the real glory is the location and the views from the cottages to the 3.5 acre Doxford Lake.

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  • May 12, 2008

    Jamaican Treasures

    Category: Accommodation, Caribbean, Jamaica, Regions, Vacation Rentals — Paul Johnson @ 12:00 am

    Private luxury villa rentals in Jamaica, from Jamaican Treasures.

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  • May 11, 2008

    Luxury travel links of the week

    Luxury linksA weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

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  • April 24, 2008

    Enjoy England for Excellence 2008

    Chewton GlenIn case it passed you by, yesterday was St. George’s Day. And I’m sure it was no co-incidence that the presentation of the Enjoy England for Excellence 2008 awards was celebrated on the same day. For the first time, the event was held outside London, with the organisers preferring to opt for the European Capital of Culture, Liverpool. Fittingly, it was held at St. George’s Hall. Here’s a round-up of the winners:

    Gold Awards

    Large Hotel of the Year
    Chewton Glen Hotel, Hampshire

    Self-Catering Holiday of the Year
    Mill Granary Cottage, Lower Teesdale
    Stone Cottage, Lake District

    Tourism Website of the Year
    Philharmonic Hall, London

    Small Hotel of the Year
    Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel, Yorkshire Dales

    Meet England Business Tourism Award
    Emirates Stadium, London

    Caravan Holiday Park of the Year
    Poston Mill Park, Herefordshire

    Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year
    Salty Monk Restaurant with Rooms, Devon

    Sustainable Tourism Award
    Cottage Lodge, New Forest
    Strattons Hotel, Norfolk

    Taste of England Award
    Fifteen Cornwall

    Tourism Information Centre of the Year
    Liverpool 08 Place

    Best Tourism Experience of the Year
    Sunderland International Airshow

    Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
    Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Buckinhamshire

    Outstanding Customer Service Award
    David Pollard of Falmouth Ambassador Ltd.

    Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
    Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire
    Victoria and Albert Museum, London

    Consumer Voted Award - Best Day Out
    Whitby, North Yorkshire

    Silver Awards

    Large Hotel of the Year
    Radisson Edwardian Manchester
    The Dorchester, London

    Self-Catering Holiday of the Year
    Compton Pool Farm, Devon

    Tourism Website of the Year
    Pennywell Farm, Devon

    Small Hotel of the Year
    Combe House Hotel, Somerset
    Hillbark Hotel, Wirral

    Meet England Business Tourism Award
    Manchester Central
    Heritage Motor Centre, Warwickshire

    Caravan Holiday Park of the Year
    Seafield Caravan Park, Northumberland
    Sunset Park, Near Blackpool

    Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year
    Boltongate Old Rectory, Lake District
    The Old Manse, Northumberland
    Clow Beck House, County Durham

    Sustainable Tourism Award
    Fern Cottage Bed and Breakfast, Gloucestershire

    Taste of England Award
    The Old Bakery, Lincoln

    Tourism Information Centre of the Year
    Nottingham Tourism Centre
    Brighton Visitor Centre

    Best Tourism Experience of the Year
    Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival
    Castle Howard, York

    Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
    Rockingham Castle, Leicestershire
    Forde Abbey and Gardens, Somerset

    Outstanding Customer Service Award
    Mick Logg of Xscape, West Yorkshire
    The Executive Team at the London Marriott West India Quay

    Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
    Tullie House Museum, Carlisle

    Richard Hammond (I assume the one of Top Gear fame?) has a piece in today’s Guardian newspaper on the winners of the sustainability awards.

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  • April 23, 2008

    Three top hotels on the quiet shores of Lake Windermere

    Holbeck GhyllI was pleased to see one of our clients gets a favourable mention in The Telegraph today, in an article accompanied with the words “Three top hotels on the quiet shores of Lake Windermere”.  Holbeck Ghyll was where Renée Zellweger stayed when filming Miss Potter. They have recently added The Gatehouse to their available accommodaiton, which is available on self-catering or hotel terms. Also receiving honourable mentions were Gilpin Lodge and Storrs Hall.

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  • April 20, 2008

    Luxury travel links of the week

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  • March 22, 2008

    Suggestions for a family holiday in France?

    Last year I took my family to Brittany for a two-week holiday with a company called Carisma.  It was billed as ‘luxury camping’ but the reality was that, whilst we weren’t in a tent, it wasn’t in fact all that luxurious.  Easier than a tent, perhaps - especially since our two boys are very young - but after the first night we found ourselves buying inflatable beds in the local supermarket because the bed had been so uncomfortable.  We were also promised a site with a good mix of both English and French guests; whilst it did host both, they were each allocated to entirely separate areas of the camp.

    Anyway, this summer we are contemplating France once more, and I’ve left it a little late so am setting myself the Easter weekend to try and get something sorted.  Our plan is to have a week away but allow for 2-3 days travel there and back, so a total break of around 10 days.  Our boys will be aged 4 and 2 so we think we might put camping off until next year.  What we did like about last year’s holiday, though, was that our boys were able to safely have fun in a communal play area with other children.  If we just hired a gite for the four of us somewhere, they might not get that.  Self-catering would suit us well, though, and I’ve been thinking that a gite complex (where other children may also be present) such as Le Roudier, Le Clozet, La Haye Eder, Jardin Fleuri Holiday Homes or the new Emerald Coast Gites might be the kind of thing that suits us, as might a gite on the periperhy of a campsite.

    I also found the yurts of Canvas Chic but that is a little bit further than we had planned to travel.  We intend to take the car and, since we’ll travel from the North of England, the upper two thirds of France would be preferred.  A nearby beach would also be a bonus.

    I’d be grateful for any suggestions from readers.

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  • March 15, 2008

    Banyan Tree Private Collection

    Category: Accommodation, Asia, Europe, Regions, Vacation Rentals, Worldwide — Paul Johnson @ 10:47 am

    If you’re looking for the ultimate in timeshare, then consider the new Private Collection from Banyan Tree.  As a member you’ll get to enjoy one week a year in beautiful villas across Asia and Europe. With an annual membership fee of just $3,000, it sounds reasonably affordable, but beware the catch: the joining fee will set you back $120,000.

    Banyan Tree Private Collection’s unique value lies in its complementary product offerings, ranging from resorts, spas, serviced residences and galleries to golf courses that allow the club to deliver multi-faceted, destination-specific experience and hospitality services. For those who desire tailor-made holidays, the club offers an à la carte menu of destination-specific experiences that can be prepaid. Exclusive travel experiences range from gourmet dinner on the rocks and spiritual temple treks, to diving with marine researchers.

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