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Luxury travel news this week

Here’s a round-up of luxury travel stories that have caught the eye this week. To make sure you receive these new weekly alerts in your web browser, please click on the red bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page and click ‘subscribe’ (works on desktop only – for other ways to subscribe, please click here). This will also alert you to any other posts on the blog. Should you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the icon again and selecting ‘unsubscribe’. This ultra-luxury Rwandan resort lets you get up close and personal with gorillas Cushioned in the foothills of the breathtaking Virunga volcano range, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest is the ultimate ultra-luxury resort. Situated in Kinigi, northwest of Rwanda and just five minutes from Volcanoes National Park, the park is home to the highest number of mountain gorillas, five dormant volcanoes and is categorised as a rainforest because its montane ecosystem. And now nature-loving travel enthusiasts will be able to get up-close and personal with endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitat… [read more] Former Nazi bunker to open as luxury hotel in Hamburg, Germany The St. Pauli bunker on Feldstraße in Hamburg, Germany was one of two towers created by the Nazi’s for air defense during WWII. During the War, tens of thousands of Hamburg residents found protection against air raids. Constructed in only 300 days by over 1,000 forced laborers from concentration camps, the bunker was used during the War to launch anti-aircraft fire at allied planes. Reports show that during the bombardments on the city of Hamburg at times up to 30,000 people were sheltered in the bunker… [read more] Hanoi’s Instagram-famous Train Street is set for a revamp Vietnamese authorities have become concerned about the street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter where trains pass through just inches away from buildings and people’s homes. Built in 1902 during French colonial rule, the highly Instagrammable street has become such a draw for selfie-taking visitors that a train was recently obliged to re-route because there were too many people on the track… [read more] Super-rich millennials want their homes to feel like hotels There is a change taking place in London’s super-prime residential market. While the white stucco Georgian townhouses of Mayfair and Belgravia are still highly sought after, a younger generation of global wealth is now maturing – and they have very different aspirations when it comes to owning their own London pad… [read more] First Class vs private jet travel – which is better? The age-old question for those who want for nothing: to fly first class in commercial, or to finally buy your own private jet? Which is better? The answer is a little more complicated than you might think… [read more] We really enjoy hearing from our readers and would love to hear your views on any of these stories! Please click on the comments below and share your thoughts. Thank you. Have a story you’d like to share? Please contact us for details.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.

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14 Comments

  1. The Rwandan resort with every room designed like a tree house certainly appeals to my inner child. I’ve stayed at some other One&Only properties and they certainly never make any compromises on quality. Even the Grazia report feels that the price is a little steep but does that include the price of a day’s permit for seeing the gorillas? I investigated a Rwanda trip recently and I can remember that the cost of the gorilla permit – with no guarantees of seeing gorillas – was eye-wateringly astronomical.

    1. Carrying on talking about the price of a night at the One&Only Gorilla’s Nest I am assuming that Dhs is UAE dirham. If you convert 11,300 Dirham to pounds sterling it comes out at around £2,300. I expect that most of us would want to spend more than just one night at the Gorillas’ Nest too. Then there’s travel on top of that too.

  2. As the parent of a millennial, sadly not super-rich, I can understand why this generation seek “luxury” facilities.

    Most jobs, for aspiring professionals, in London, require very lengthy hours. Recently I met two of my son’s friends who were already burnt out at the age of 27 having worked 16 hour days for a few years. Many of this generation are cash rich and time poor.

    For this type of lifestyle they like a gym / pool / sauna on site where they can snatch 30 minutes.

    Also most of their shopping is done online. A concierge – to take the parcels and admit electricians, decorators, plumbers etc for those essential jobs whilst you are out at work – is highly useful.

  3. I think those railways in Hanoi’s Old Quarter were were built in a different era of Health and Safety or in age when we just trusted people’s common sense not to stand in the way of oncoming trains without the need for multiple signs, helmets, high-viz jackets and numerous safety briefings.

    Though I’m some ways, things haven’t changed too much. During the recent refurbishment of one London tube station there were just 20 centimetres between two different tube lines. The supervising engineer was very concerned that the drillers got their measurements right.

  4. It will be interesting to see the design aesthetic for the former Nazi bunker in Hamburg. Will it use a palette of military colours for the interior decor?

  5. Some tribute to both the German architects and the forced labour that the Hamburg bunker is still standing well over 7 decades on.

    It is even more impressive that it’s strong enough to provide the architectural bones for all these developments. It’s also worth remembering that it was probably heavily shaken by some heavy bombing.

  6. I guess ‘Death Street’ (rather than the Train Street) is a more appropriate name for Ngõ 224 Lê Duẩn. For years, the pleas of the locals were falling on deaf ears. More than fascinating, it was a scary sight to watch dozens of neighbourhood kids playing around, women hanging up their laundry and tourists loitering around the track and then all rushing to press themselves against the walls as soon as it was time for the train’s arrival. Thank God, the authorities took the much-needed decisive measures. Better Late Than Never!

  7. The Rwandan resort is something else. 21 rooms and quite aptly described a ‘a luxury tree-house for grownups’, the place looks incredible! Two restaurants, spa and holistic treatments, and a bunch of activities that can be organised. I was so focused on the gorillas that I didn’t expect all of this as well, I guess I thought it would be a lot more basic. I’ll have to have a look at this place to see what the prices are like as I’ve not got a clue what to expect. This is definitely somewhere I would love to go, I’ve got a special place in my heart for monkeys, apes and gorillas. I’ve not seen a mountain gorilla up close but I would absolutely love to one day.

  8. The One&Only reminds me of a similar eco-lodge which is built in the heart of Danum Valley’s protected virgin rainforest in Sabah, Malaysia. The award-winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge is set amidst some incredible wildlife wonders and lush flora and fauna- making it a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts like me. The forest is also home to the endangered Orang-utans amongst many more jungle animals like elephants, gibbons, leopards and countless species of birds.

  9. Glad to see a 5-star eco-lodge opening up in Rwanda. For years, Gorilla Mountain View Lodge, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, Virunga Lodge, Five Volcanoes (and the likes thereof) had enjoyed the oligopoly of being the luxurious lodges nestled close to the Volcano National Park. All these lodges were always fully booked in peak as well as off-peak season- much to the dismay of travellers who have been looking forward to a lavish stay close to the rainforest. Let’s see if One&Only turns out to be equally good and breaks the market of its fellow competitors.
    Would love to hear some reviews and first-hand experiences at this lodge.

  10. For me, the decision to travel either with a private jet or board a first-class is solely based on priorities. Say, if I have sufficient time to spare at the airport, or have some pending work at my disposal then I choose a first-class flight and take advantage of the airline’s chic lounge or business centre. On the other hand, if I am running out of time and have an important meeting or a family event to attend, then I go for a private jet booking.

  11. The trend of constructing homes that look nothing short of a posh 5-star has been increasingly observed in all the giant countries of the world- not just UK. In fact, the onset of the shift can be traced back right from the start of the 21st century. I mean haven’t we heard of celebrities and business tycoons with unlimited bank balance owning houses worth of billions and equipped with all the amenities one could dream of let alone in a lavish 5-star. From countless sports and luxury cars to home theatre, mini-bar, spa, pool and what not!

  12. I’m not sure how I’d feel about staying in an old Nazi bunker made by the poor souls kept in concentration camps. It’s not just creepy, there’s something very wrong about it. It’s better when you read the article and find they hold a memorial for the Nazi regime’s victims, I think that’s kind of the least they can do to try to put a positive spin on the place. I suppose they won’t be short on interested visitors though because it’s novel and in a way at least it does keep history alive to remember those who lost their lives, to remind us why we need to make sure similar never happens again. I have no idea what it’s like on the inside and how much work they’ll need to do but it’ll be interesting to see how it turns out in 2021.

  13. I guess ‘Death Street’ (rather than the Train Street) is a more appropriate name for Ngõ 224 Lê Duẩn. For years, the pleas of the locals were falling on deaf ears. More than fascinating,

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