Daily Pampering: Hit the Monte Carlo Grand Prix in style

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There is no place in the world that oozes conspicuous wealth quite like Monte Carlo. And, when the drivers start their engines for the Monaco Grand Prix,this tiny country is electrified, with the wealthy coming to play during one of the most popular events of the year. Want to count yourself among them? The Fairmont Monte Carlo has some great packages that will appeal to the affluent, making your experience more than just a day at the races.

This year, the hairpin bend in the track being officially renamed the “Fairmont Hairpin” … for a reason. Enjoy the action at this tricky spot from the comfort of the hotel, while sipping champagne in a suite and avoiding the crowds below. Or, you can take in the race from the 200 VIP stadium seats that the Fairmont is installing on its roof, offering the highest views of the Monaco Grand Prix circuit.

Make the most of your trip to Monte Carlo with one of the Fairmont’s F1 packages, available from May 12 – 16, 2010. Rates start at €4,800 and include buffet breakfast, rooftop access, welcome amenities and in-house Grand Prix activities.

While you’re in town, don’t forget to stop by the Sardinia’s Billionaire Club. Italian entrepreneur and F1 manager Flavio Briatore is taking his club to the Fairmont Monte Carlo for Grand Prix week this year. From 11:30 PM until 5 AM, you can hit the Salle d’Or in the hotel for music, fashion and entertainment with Monte Carlo’s elite.

Daily Pampering: Renew your vows in Fiji this year

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Sometimes, it’s worth celebrating the best day of your life as though it were the first time.

Spend five nights in absolute luxury, and you’ll pick up another two! Turtle Island in Fiji is doing the unthinkable. The incredibly upscale resort has put together a package that can’t be topped. In addition to getting two free nights when you book five, you’ll spend your stay in a two-room beachfront “bure,” have all meals covered – including picnic lunches packed for you to munch on the beach – and enjoy all the wine and alcoholic beverages you like. A “bure mama” will attend to all your needs, and activities such as SCUBA diving and sport fishing are included in the price.

And the revisited nuptials?

Turtle Island will set you up with a private vow renewal ceremony on the beach, complete with flowers, champagne and traditional Fijian garb. This will make the photos spectacular, and the resort will provide you with an album to keep the memory with you forever.

The package is good through the end of the year and starts at $2,499 a night. But, that’s the price you pay for 14 private beaches, amazing culinary creations and lomi-lomi massages, right?

Rates start at $2,499 per night, per couple. Offer not available during certain blackout dates and scheduled family times. Restrictions may apply. Offer is good now through December 31, 2010.

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Daily Pampering: The only way to do the World Cup

by Tom Johansmeyer on


True fanaticism isn’t cheap. Cars, cigars and treats from bars – you can spend an absolute fortune satisfying your itch for a particular vice. Though the fans are few but fierce in the United States, soccer draws addicts around the world, and the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is sure to attract a committed crowd. If you want to put yourself in the middle of the action, don’t settle for a second-class experience. Envelope your World Cup experience in luxury, and it will be the sort of trip that you’ll use to judge the others you take for the rest of your life.

Cox & Kings has put together some itineraries that fuse exclusivity and high luxury. “Follow Team USA” includes both soccer and safari components and can be booked through late March. You’ll pick up guaranteed tickets for U.S. matches and also be able to roam through world-renowned safari camps. If you’re going to head all the way out to South Africa, you’ll want to make the most of your trip.

Each of the three “Follow Team USA” all-inclusive World Cup VIP packages runs between June 9 and June 24, 2010. All three include tickets to all three Team USA matches and bonus matches, including opener between South Africa and Mexico. You’ll enjoy the action from VIP business seats as a guest of the Los Angeles Futbol Club Foundation. Additionally, safaris are available, ranging from three nights to five. Prices range from $24,355 to $29,060 per person, depending on safari options and how late into the World Cup you plan to stay around (you can get tickets to the finals, if you can handle the tab).

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Daily Pampering: Oberoi’s take on India

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you’re going to go all the way to India, you need to make the trip worth it. So, don’t waste your time thinking about short stays. Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is offering a new deal: “Oberoi Exotic Vacations. From April 16 to September 30, 2010, you’ll be able to spend at least eight nights at one of its properties in India and enjoy breakfast for two every day, an additional room for two kids (free), a car to take you from the local airport or train station to the hotel, yoga sessions and a 25 percent spa discount. Stay at least 10 nights, and you’ll be upgraded to a suite automatically (based on availability, of course).

You’ll have your choice of cities in India. Oberoi properties in New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Ranthambhore and Kolkata are participating, as well as the Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas. Packages start at $3,050 for an eight-night stay. If you’re paying to go all the way to India, do it big.

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Daily Pampering: The quintessential Upper West Side brunch

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I try to get to Compass by 11:30, when the restaurant opens. Brunch on the Upper West Side can get crowded quickly, and I enjoy that brief moment when the meal is its most peaceful. This Manhattan neighborhood is popular among brunchers and offers no shortage of choices. Yet, the most interesting by far can be found at Compass, on W. 70th Street, just west of Amsterdam Avenue. Be sure to make a reservation, because you won’t be the only person in the neighborhood to have this idea.

The brunch menu is not expensive: you’ll enjoy an incredible meal for $28. So, why feature it in the Daily Pampering column, which is committed to the decadent? Well, you don’t have to spend a fortune to live the life luxurious, and any local or visitor to Manhattan would be nuts not to sit for a meal here.

The Compass brunch menu is short on choice but not on variety. The first course to be presented to you includes salmon, bread, pastry and sausage. Bite-sized portions of all are presented for the table, obviating the need for difficult decisions. The flavors are incredibly well balanced, and the presentation is meticulous. Dessert is served the same way – small portions of everything. You won’t need to worry about leaving the table with the concern that you missed something delightful.You do have to select an entrée, and it’s a painful experience. You may be able to narrow it down to three or so that turn you on, but finding your way to one is brutal. If you live in the city, you can just go back a few times. I don’t envy tourists, however who don’t have easy access to this restaurant. On my most recent visit (last weekend), I ate the Lobster BLT, the first time I’ve tried it, and I’m glad I did. There are no good choices on the menu – they’re all beyond that.

The service at Compass is flawless. The staff is quiet, efficient and attentive. Dishes are brought at ideal temperatures, and water and coffee flow before you need to ask. I’d suggest a waiter, but that’s unnecessary – they are all fantastic.

You need a dose of pampering? Head out to Compass for a meal. This is among the most enjoyable culinary experiences in Manhattan, the price is downright shocking. Compass has a full menu for dinner, as well, which is not to be missed.

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