Daily Pampering: Little Palm Island’s vacation of a lifetime

by Melanie Nayer on

There once was a man from Nantucket, whose dreams were a list for the bucket. He saved and he saved and plans he made, until it came time to toss his budget. How much did he save? $25,900. Where did he go? He left Nantucket… and headed straight down the Atlantic to Little Palm Island.

The little island that could just off the coast of the Florida Keys put together a “Carpe Diem” getaway that recognizes the empowerment of bucket lists, and offers travelers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that includes:

  • Five nights in the Island Grand Suite
  • Roundtrip private jet service to Marathon airport
  • Sky Diving trip where guests will make a tandem skydive from two miles high over the incredible Florida Keys
  • Four-hour Shark Fishing adventure where guests will primarily target lemon, blacktip, spinner and bull sharks of up to eight feet.
  • In-water Madrugada massage where guests wade through the Caribbean waters to a private area where they receive a customized massage surrounded by the ocean.
  • Private Island picnic where guests will be flown on a Cessna 206 Amphibious Seaplane to a private island for the ultimate three hour getaway.
  • One Day SCUBA Resort Course where guests will experience a two-hour pool-side lesson with a certified SCUBA instructor followed by an underwater exploration of Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary with the instructor guiding the way.
  • Private Chef’s Table dinner where Chef Luis Pous attends personally to the couple, preparing and presenting a five-course tasting menu paired with the chef’s selection of wine
  • Full gourmet breakfast, up to three courses for lunch, up to four courses for dinner and non alcoholic beverages daily.

This “Carpe Diem” package is priced starting at $25,900, double occupancy, from now until December 20, 2010 and is inclusive of tax and service.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Mall of America gets luxury hotel on the Fed’s dime

by Julie Gerstein on

Good news for mall junkies: Bloomington, Minnesota’s vaunted Mall of America will get a luxury hotel in the near future — thanks in part to federal stimulus funds.

Plans for the hotel have been in the works for several years, but had to be quashed two years ago due to lack of funding, says USA Today.

Now, Hennepin County officials have granted the Bloomington Port Authority the ability to issue $40.3 million in tax-free bonds to help fund the $130 million venture. The hotel is set to be 12 stories, and connected to the MOA via a skyway. And though it’s not yet clear who will manage the property, Starwood, Radisson and Marriott are all up for the gig.

The federal stimulus funds were made available to projects that were “significant and shovel ready” and located in economically depressed areas. Proponents of the hotel say it will bring much-needed jobs to the area, and will pay for itself in revenue. But critics argue that building a luxury property probably isn’t the best use of federal funds. What do you think, Gadling readers?
[photo by Flickr user cliff1066]

Daily Pampering: Louis XIII Rare Cask shots for $1,000

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Only in New York can you throw back a $1,000 shot and live to write about it.

If you’re looking for a spirit to redefine celebration, you don’t necessarily have to dress up for New York‘s luxury hotels, top-tier restaurants or exclusive bars. After all, this is New York, and luxury can be found in the most obscure places. Instead, direct your driver to W. 33rd Street, between 5th Avenue and Broadway and head to the third floor of gentlemen’s club Rick’s Cabaret – there you’ll find a cognac that’s almost impossible to purchase anywhere else in the United States.

Louis XIII Rare Cask de Remy Martin is not widely available. Of the 786 bottles on the market, a mere 30 were allocated to the U.S. market, which have mostly been claimed by private collectors and consumers, leaving few opportunities for the merely wealthy to enjoy a sip.

Shortly before the armed guards showed up at Rick’s Cabaret with the club’s two bottles, I learned from Louis XIII senior brand manager Remi Brabant, as we sipped a more conventional Remy Martin cognac, that 10 percent of the U.S. allocation – three bottles – is going to Rick’s Cabaret. Two bottles were escorted to the VIP floor at the Manhattan club, after having been carried almost reverently over the red carpet out front, and the third will be served at the company’s Tootsie’s club in Miami.

%Gallery-98579%

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.
When asked why Rick’s Cabaret received the opportunity to purchase such a large share of the U.S. inventory – particularly that available after private buyers were accommodated – he cited Remy Martin’s long relationship with Rick’s Cabaret, not to mention the strength of the gentlemen’s club’s brand and its financial security (Rick’s is publicly traded and has used the recession to go on something of an acquisition spree, with CEO Eric Langan making some smart pickups). Branant told me, “It’s a great pleasure [to work with Rick’s],” adding, “these are fantastic people to work with.” Ultimately, he concluded, “It’s about friendship.”

According to Ken Sistrunk, the New York club’s general manager, a single ounce of this cognac will cost a customer $1,250, with price breaks coming at an ounce and a half ($1,750) and 2 ounces ($2,200). Even at these prices, he said that the bottles won’t last long. Sistrunk expects the first purchase to be made by the middle of August, with both bottles being exhausted by New Year’s Day.

So, who would shell out more than $1,000 for a single ounce of cognac? Sistrunk explained, “There are still a lot of people making a lot of money, and they want to celebrate.”

Daily Pampering: Chicago’s tranquility suite

by Melanie Nayer on

Seems we missed National Relaxation Day on Sunday, Aug. 15, but that doesn’t mean we can’t time out for a little breather. For those of you in the Chicago-area, Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco has a “tranquility suite” perfect for zoning out.

Located on the 11th floor of the Hotel Monaco, the suite offers views of the Chicago River, best enjoyed from the room’s plush oversized window seats. Calming beige and silvery-blue colors are accented by feathers and suede textures. At the center of the suite’s living room is a seating area with Leonardo chairs and reflective glass furniture, an ideal spot for unwinding with champagne and chocolates.

Rent the suite and you’ll get a plush robe, an electric tea kettle, sound machines, pajamas and breakfast in bed. Included in the room is an air purifier and our favorite part: the sleeping cove, which features an exclusively-designed Simmons mattress, wrapped in ultra-soft bamboo sheets. In the bathroom, an opulent bath includes a two-person soaking tub and beaded glass wall covering, beautifully lit by a 42-strand crystal chandelier.

Relaxed, yet? Nightly rates range from $409 to $669, but packages including in-room spa services and other amenities are priced a bit higher.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Make your trip more luxurious with balls. Aromatherapy massage balls.

by Annie Scott on

There was a time when you could bring whatever pampering cosmetic you wanted with you on your travels, but now, in the days baggage fees, bringing along a little luxury for yourself isn’t so easy. One thing you can bring with you: balls. Aromatherapy massage balls, that is.

T spheres, or “tranquility spheres,” makes little aromatherapy balls you can throw in your carry-on to ensure you have a relaxing, rejuvenating massage on your trip — the catch is, you have to give it to yourself. Some t spheres techniques include:

  • Place a ball between your shoulderblades and lean back into a chair. Take deep breaths to trigger the pressure point for a mild to intense sensation.
  • Roll yourself up and down the ball a little bit. This will provide more relief for you.
  • Place the ball on the side of your spine. Breathe a few times. Then move it to the other side. Breathe.
  • Place the ball behind your sacrum.
  • Roll the ball under your foot to alleviate arch, heel and ball-of-the-foot pain.

These are just a few examples of the things you can do with a little scented t sphere. The goal is to increase circulation and help you relax. Scents include Rose Geranium for Inner Beauty and Peppermint Perk Up, and tiny Pep Up Mint balls for feet. In theory, you could use these right on the plane, but it would probably freak your neighbor out, and it’s not really fair to impose a scent on a closed-in space like that.

I haven’t tried the balls myself, but they’ve got Rita Wilson, Coldplay and Brooke Shields singing their praises, so for people who travel a lot, these little balls just might be worth it to have on-hand for emergency self-massage. Or something. They cost $20 to $35 plus shipping and handling and can be purchased here.