A Luxury Travel Blog

In a return to his modelling days of more than 50 years ago, former 007 agent and  screen legend Sean Connery has teamed up with Louis Vuitton for an ad campaign.   Simply dressed and sitting on a wooden jetty near his home in the Bahamas, Connery – who has now turned 78 – relaxes with a Louis Vuitton keepall at his feet in  a picture taken by award-winning photographer Annie Liebovitsch.   Connery follows a number of recent high-profile names to associate themselves with the LV brand, including the likes of tennis stars Andre Agassi and  Steffi Graf, Rolling Stone Keith Richards, and former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

Ground was broken in Puerto Rico yesterday to mark the beginning of Regent Hotels & Resorts‘ newest luxury development, The Regent Palmas Del Mar Puerto Rico. Scheduled to open in December 2011, the resort will consist of 96 guest rooms and 52 suites, offering beachfront accommodation and interiors by award-winning designer Trisha Wilson, whose work includes Little Dix Bay Villa and Spa in Virgin Gorda and The Palace of the Lost City Hotel, Suncity, South Africa. The resort will also  offer  a signature restaurant, three private pools, preferred tee times at nearby championship golf courses and a 16,000-square-foot spa featuring five over-water spa suites.

The problem sometimes with cruises is that you’re limited to the larger ports that can accommodate big vessels.   Not so with SeaDream Yacht Club who have two yachts cruising the Caribbean in style, each carrying just 110 passengers. The upshot of this is that you can  reach those smaller ports and islands that the big liners can’t get to.   They make a point of calling it ‘yachting, not cruising’.

A promotional video for the Turks and Caicos.

A wondeful insight into the island of Saba in the Netherlands Antilles from Saba Tourism.

Overlooking the Caribbean Sea, eighly newly-constructed private villas at La Samanna Resort & Spa are the ultimate holiday hideaway. Perfect for a group of family or friends, these palatial residences include beautiful pools, oversized terraces and private staff. In addition, La Samanna’s watersports, spa and beach cabanas are instantly available. What’s more, they are just 10 minutes from the international airport, and 15 minutes from Marigot, the capital of St. Martin in the French West Indies.

Set within the city’s dramatic Isla Verde district and completely redesigned, El San Juan Hotel & Casino is the place to see and be seen. From the scintillating pool complex to the glamorous nightlife and the island’s most beautiful beach, this is the most electrifying destination in all of the Caribbean. Also yours to enjoy is a sophisticated collection of tempting restaurants.   Summer rates currently  from $149.

The British tycoon Richard Branson has set his sights on “the most environmentally-friendly resort on the globe” on a small island located off the the island of Virgin Gorda in the Caribbean.   Mosquito Island, as it is known, consists of little more than scrub and some run-down buildings at present, but Branson has a vision for an eco-friendly resort with 20 villas and a beachfront restaurant, all powered by wind and solar energy generated on the island.   Read more at Yahoo! News.

Set within the city’s dramatic Isla Verde district and completely redesigned, El San Juan Hotel & Casino is the place to see and be seen. From the scintillating pool complex to the glamourous nightlife and the island’s most beautiful beach, this is one of the most electrifying destinations in all of the Caribbean. Also yours to enjoy is a sophisticated collection of tempting restaurants. Spring getaways start from $149.

A weekly pick of luxury travel links for your perusal…

• Find seclusion at Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia
• Savour exclusive dining with Restaurant Guy  Savoy
• Begin a heavenly journey: Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
• Escape to Switzerland’s fabulous Park Hotel Weggis

Private luxury villa rentals in Jamaica, from Jamaican Treasures.

A  stylish equilibrium between ultra-modern technology and the intrinsic grace of Jamaica’s organic vibe resonate at this new resort. Originally founded by music producer Jon Baker as a recording hideaway that played host to No Doubt, Common, India.Arie, Björk and Gorillaz, among others, Baker has now joined forces with fellow music industry veteran, Steve Beaver, to metamorphosize Geejam into an insider escape. Located on six acres of the lush San San Estate, the property extends from the foothills of the John Crow and Blue Mountain chains to the Caribbean beachfront. Within immediate proximity is Frenchman’s Cove – voted by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the world’s top five beaches. Room rates start from $425 a night low season (or from $1,650 for Sanwood, the original villa), and you can currently book 4 nights and get a 5th for free.

Truth be told, 83% of us check email at least once a day while on vacation.  

Stress levels plummet when guests find the courage to pull the plug on their self-inflicted wireless leashes.   So much so that savvy destinations are now encouraging guests to disconnect with special promotions like BlackBerry Detox and Isolation Vacation.

Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers dares travelers to break the Blackberry habit and provides safe deposit boxes so you can lock up your portable gadgets.   To sweeten the deal, they offered a reward – a complimentary three-night stay plus dinner for two at the hotel’s famed Shula’s Steak House  - to the first person to successfully lock away their gadget for 48 hours.   All participants receive walking maps so they can actually see the city, as opposed to navigating Chicago’s streets in the head-down BlackBerry position.

The Arawak Beach Inn on the posh island of Anguilla created the Isolation Vacation to help guests unplug and recharge.   Activities and amenities abound.   But without Internet access, TV, or phones, guests are forced to enjoy authentic island activities, including snorkeling, deep sea fishing, and a gourmet picnic on an uninhabited island.   Seven-night getaways from $999 per person, June through October.

The real prize: Personally connecting with significant others, family, and friends who share their day-to-day lives with technology-addicted loved ones.  

Denise Reynolds is a luxury lifestyle writer and author of Completely Fabulous.

The Cove Atlantis, Bahamas, sits atop two of the most beautiful beaches in the world, inspired by the splendour of its natural surroundings. The pools and beach club are the main daytime focus, as is the once in a lifetime opportunity to swim with dolphins and the unmissable Aquaquest, an exhilarating new waterscape of pools, slides and rivers. Perfect for families and couples alike, The Cove’s backdrop of spectacular ocean views, vast array of restaurants and plethora of activities will make your stay a memorable one.

This Raffles Resort is located on Canouan Island in the heart of the Grenadines, just 40 minutes from Barbados. Nestled on 300 lush acres with white sand beaches, it is surrounded by one of the world’s largest coral reefs.   High on a hill with sweeping views over the resort is the exclusive Villa Monte Carlo, a European-style casino and La Varenne, a European gourmet restaurant.

Easter at Sandy Lane promises to be an exciting family affair. Guests can once again look forward to the very popular Easter Sunday lunch buffet in Bajan Blue, complete with a spectacular display of sweets and treats, which show off the culinary expertise and creativity of the chefs.   Visitors to Sandy Lane’s Treehouse Club can also expect to have an amazing time as they take part in a number activities and games that will be offered, including an Easter egg hunt, the Annual Easter bonnet parade, a special Jungle-themed buffet, and an activity-filled calendar of off-site excursions to local attractions!