Holiday Gifts: Over-The-Top Items For The Luxury Traveler’s Wish List

by McLean Robbins on


For many, making a holiday wish list is a tradition they’ve practiced since childhood. But as we grow up, these “must have” items often become fewer and further between. We can afford most everything we want, from a new iPad to that plane ticket to Bora Bora, assuming we save appropriately beforehand. But, of course, there are always a few extra special items that we’d love if money were no object. Here are a few of our favorites for this holiday season.

Flexjet 25 Jet Card
This debit card allows access to private Learjets and Challenger aircraft for any location on any day of the year. For a minimum $100,000 investment, customers can reach nearly 5,000 airports with just 24 hours advance notice, plus get access to special perks through Flexjet partnerships, including tee times at 50 of the most exclusive private golf clubs in North America, membership in Abercrombie & Kent’s exclusive Marco Polo Club an upgrade (upon availiabilty) to Lake Austin Spa Resort’s Lady Bird Suite and instant elite member status in Korean Air and Qatar Airways’ membership clubs for a full year following the purchase of a single long-haul first- or business-class ticket. Sounds good to us.

Sandy Cay, A Bahamian Private Island
Sure, you could buy your loved one a car or a great trip for their holiday gift, but why not go over-the-top and get them an entire island? For just $15 million, Sandy Cay could be yours. Don’t worry, it comes with a lot of stuff already available for use. The 8+ acre is located in the Abacos and is currently being used as a private family retreat, but, as the brochure says “the potential is enormous for the use of the island as an upscale private boutique resort.” Look there, you’ve bought yourselves a potential hotel too! The island houses four residences ranging from 5,200 to 1,500-square-feet, a private harbor with room for five vessels (boats included), a commercial-grade fitness center, and two beaches. Did we mention there’s also a fully-equipped dive shop and assortment of beach equipment?

%Gallery-171696%Jason Wu’s Grand Tourista Bag for St. Regis
If you haven’t heard of Jason Wu, we’ll give you a hint — he’s the guy who designed Michelle Obama’s inauguration dress in 2008. The acclaimed young fashion designer has made his first foray into travel with the Grand Tourista bag designed exclusively for St. Regis hotels. It’s pricey, at $1,995 (available now for pre-order) but not overly extravagant compared to many designers. The oversized tote combines classic canvas and black Italian leather (products that travel well) and the bag itself is inspired by Wu’s time in Florence, a traditional spot on the European Grand Tour. We’d love to carry this understated bag on our next trip. What about you?

A Travel Trailer No Camper Should Live Without
No camping trip is complete without some sort of tailgate event or ’round the campfire huddle with adult beverages. Trick out your truck with the ultimate trailer by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey. Featuring manly leather furnishings, wood finishes made from reclaimed bourbon casks, glassware and an entertainment system to rival the finest man cave (flat screen, blu-ray, state-of-the-art sound), this truck wouldn’t be complete without a one-year supply of Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye. This limited edition baby (just two will be made) is a hefty $150,000, with 10% of the purchase price going to a foundation that supports AIDS research. It’s available exclusively through the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog.

A Four Seasons Around-The-World Trip
Many people put an around-the-world trip on their travel bucket lists. But what about a trip that goes ’round and ’round via private jet, staying exclusively at Four Seasons hotels and resorts from Boston to Bali? We’re pretty sure that’s right up there with amazing, and you can go for just $70, 950 (double occupancy — singles are an extra $8,650). From September 14 to October 5, 2013, passengers will travel from Seattle to Tokyo, Hangzhou, Shanghai, The Maldives, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Marrakech and New York on a 22-day journey, complete with private concierge, educational lectures and much more.

[Image credit: Flexjet.com’s Learjet 70 aircraft]

Hotel News We Noted: October 26, 2012

by McLean Robbins on

As the East Coast prepares to batten down its hatches for the pending “Frankenstorm” (Hurricane Sandy) and the rest of the country is bombarded with an equally unpleasant series of political messages, we hope this week’s edition of “Hotel News We Noted” can serve as a bright spot. From holiday and Halloween happenings to World Series-worthy suites and new hotel openings, we’ve got it all covered.

As always, please feel free to email us with suggestions or leave a note in the comments below.

Seasonal Specials: Hot Haunted Hotels
Colleague Jessica Festa already gave us a great list of Halloween hotel specials, but the haunted hotel news keeps coming in. Here are a few last-minute favorites:
· Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club has a “spirits menu” of boozy libations as well as a haunted past. Request a room in the historic tower, which has been reported to have friendly paranormal activity.
· Manhattan’s Wolcott Hotel has also had many a ghost encounter, but we’re not scared of the rate (starting at just $200 a night). It’s a scary good deal.
· Allegiance Bed & Breakfast has not one but two ghosts. Karen and Ray apparently like to sit on guests’ beds in the middle of the night.
· We love the gratis PB&J sandwiches at New Orlean’s Le Pavillon hotel, as well as its friendly ghosts. We’re not much of a believer, but during our last stay here, we were definitely captivated by the grand Gilded Age décor.Political Package: Pick Your Party at The Mayflower Renaissance Washington, DC
Get in on the Red State, Blue State debate with The Mayflower’s “Pick Your Party” suite package in Washington. For $5,000, guests can stay in an ultimate Republican or Democrat one-bedroom suite, decorated with appropriate “party-perfect” red or blue decorations, fan-fare, hats, T-shirts and more, a Champagne breakfast for two, politically-inspired DVDs for in-room viewing, and a champagne moonlight limo tour of the monuments. We’re fairly certain this is the political wonk’s dream proposal package as well. Nothing gets you in the mood like re-runs of “The West Wing,” right?

Sweet Suites: Giants Dugout Suite
Rooting for your beloved Giants in the World Series? Do so in style from the Giants Dugout Suite at Hotel Union Square. Styled in the Giants’ signature orange and black and filled with the team’s memorabilia, baseball lovers will feel as if they have hit a home run in this spacious corner suite. From the bed dressed with Giants pillows to the Giants beanbag chair and custom designed “Fear the Beard” window shades, fans will get the ultimate sports experience. The walls are adorned with a three-panel screen of Vida Blue photos, a canvas autographed by Vida Blue, photos of the Giants ballpark, team flags and pennants. The room also comes with four comp tickets to take a tour of the Anchor Brewing Company. We only wish it came with gratis peanuts and hotdogs too … or maybe some World Series tickets.

Hot Hotel Deals of the Week: October 26
We get so many pieces of insider information on hotel sales and upcoming promotions that it seems a waste not to share some of our favorites with you. So each week, look for a few of our favorite hot hotel deals in this space.
· Kimpton is offering rates from just $90 for the next few days with this hot holiday sale. There’s a caveat, you have to be an InTouch member to buy.

[Image credit: Personality Hotels]

Conde Nast Traveler Names Australian Resort Best In The World

by Kraig Becker on

For the first time ever, readers of “Conde Nast Traveler” magazine have named an Australian resort the best in the world. The 2012 edition of the magazine’s popular reader’s choice travel awards selected qualia for this distinct honor, handing out a perfect score of 100 for only the fourth time in the 25-year history of the competition.

This year’s reader’s choice awards saw more than 46,400 respondents who shared their thoughts on their favorite hotels, cities and islands from around the globe. Each of the candidates are rated on a scale from one to five in a variety of categories, with their final scores representing an average of the Excellent and Very Good ratings that they received. In the case of qualia that tabulated up to a perfect score.

Located on the privately owned Hamilton Island, qualia is surrounded by one of the most beautiful settings in the entire world – the Great Barrier Reef. The luxury hotel features 60 private pavilions with spacious accommodations, sundecks and private infinity edge pools that overlook the ocean. Two bars and restaurants, a private dining hall, a world-class spa, fitness center and library round out the a amenities that will keep guests cloaked in comfort for the entire length of their stay.

Hamilton Island is located in the Whitsunday Islands, quite possibly the most beautiful place I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. For those who can’t get enough time on the beach or water, it is simply paradise. If you’re adventurous enough to enjoy snorkeling or scuba diving, the Great Barrier Reef is amazing as well. I spent hours just floating along watching colorful and exotic fish by the hundreds. As someone who tends to usually favor mountains over beaches, this was still one of my favorite destinations ever.

[Photo credit: qualia]

London Bartender Makes World’s Oldest And Most Expensive Cocktail

by Jessica Festa on




World-renowned mixologist Salvatore Calabrese has recently broken the Guinness World Record for making the world’s most expensive cocktail, “Salvatore’s Legacy.”

The video above shows Calabrese creating the concoction in London at Salvatore at Playboy, using the world’s most expensive and oldest spirits. The total price of the drink is $8,830. Supposedly, the “world’s leading cocktail expert” had to get creative and modify his recipe after a customer dropped and smashed a $77,480 bottle of cognac.

Curious as to exactly what’s in it? According to The Atlantic Cities, the recipe calls for “40 mL of 1788 Clos de Griffier Champagne Cognac, 20 mL of 1770 Kümmel herbal liqueur, 20 mL of 1860 Dubb orange curacao and two dashes of Angostura Bitters, a combination that involves a collective 730 years.”

Check out the video above to see the lavish libation being made by Calabrese.

Birth Of A Hotel: Site Tour (Video)

by McLean Robbins on




Last week, we were able to take a site tour of the soon-to-open Capella Washington D.C., Georgetown, including a sneak peek at its rooftop deck, which will boast an infinity pool as well as views of the Potomac River, the Kennedy Center and more.

It’s hard to believe that this shell of wood and wires will soon become a functioning hotel. We eagerly look forward to documenting the developments over the next few months. But for today, we bring you a bit of video from our tour, plus an interview about what guests can expect from General Manager Alex Obertop.

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“The Birth of a Hotel” is a Gadling-exclusive series that details what happens as a hotel prepares to open. Follow along with the articles and updates at “The Birth Of A Hotel” page, here. We’d also love to hear from you, our readers. If you have a topic about hotel development or trends that you’d love to see explored, email us or leave a comment below.

[A special thanks to H.E. Robbins productions for their video editing assistance. The voiceover, videography and images are from yours truly.]