Daily Pampering: St. Regis Hotels & Resorts ‘Aficionado Experiences’

by Melanie Nayer on

There’s one way to proclaim your luxury status, and then there’s the St. Regis way of proclaiming your luxury status. The luxury hotel group just rolled out their new events calendar and it’s nothing short of dreamy.

The St. Regis Aficionado Experience calendar hosts some of the most elite experiences, offered exclusively to St. Regis customers. Some of the Aficionado experiences are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, so listen close luxury-lovers:

  • The St. Regis New York introduces the Costume Institute experience celebrating The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute exhibition, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity with a guided tour of the exhibit, a chauffeured and an exclusive shopping experience curated by influential stylist Cameron Silver. Furthermore, with the offer guests will stay in the hotel’s luxurious and fashionable Bottega Veneta Suite.
  • The Lanesborough in London invites guests to experience celebrated polo event, the St. Regis International Cup in Cowdray. With this offer, available in May, guests will have access to a personal stylist and shopper to get dressed for the exciting sporting event and exclusive VIP access and seating at the match.
  • Enjoy a day at the Sport Driving School at The St. Regis Atlanta where guests will receive private driving lessons from a professional instructor and experience firsthand Porches’ newest 911 Turbo model.
  • Throughout the year at The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, guests can discover Mexico City’s most tantalizing cuisine with a private tour of the region’s charming San Juan Market led by the resort’s chef and topped off with an intimate four-course dinner.
  • A private tour of Beijing’s world-renowned modern art districts 798 and Caochangdi, where a cross-cultural exchange of cutting-edge contemporary art reflects visions of the future.

Other St. Regis Aficionado Experiences include the rare opportunity to taste the world’s most distinguished private label cognacs at The Lanesborough; a tour of Fendi’s design studios and the opportunity to custom design a coat available at The St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome; a personalized luxury shopping spree featuring private showings at Prada, Gucci and more at The St. Regis Aspen Resort; a skating lesson with Kristi Yamaguchi at The St. Regis San Francisco; golf on the same course as Vijay Singh at The St. Regis Bali Resort, and so much more.

This is pampering at its best. If you crave a taste of the luxe-life, grab your Louis Vitton vintage, put on your Prada pumps and make a reservation with the St. Regis for a day of ultimate extravagance.

Want more? Get your dose of Daily Pampering right here.

Paws Up Resort Deal: Celebrate Glamping

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Resort at Paws Up has reason to celebrate. It’s celebrating its fifth birthday and the opening of its third luxury tented camp, and these milestones, of course, come with a reason for you to head out to Montana to check the place out for yourself. There’s a five-night, all-inclusive package for $2,413 a night that can’t be missed.

In addition to staying in a two-bedroom tent at the new Creekside Camp (for a family of four), you’ll have your choice of five wilderness activities, with a half-day activity per person per day for four days. The hot air balloon ride will take you high enough to see the entire 37,000 acre resort, and back on the ground, you’ll get to take one sporting clays lesson at the five-stand Shooting Club at Paws Up.

Logistically, there’s no reason to sweat: airport transportation and airport transfers are included. And, for $3,100 a night, you can upgrade to a 1,900-square foot Big Timber Home. This deal is available from July 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010.

Daily Pampering: Exploring your destination from the back porch of your private jet

by Melanie Nayer on

Don’t you just hate it when your luxury jet lands and you have to leave the plane? No worries, jetsetters, ABJ Explorer has the perfect solution: private jet porch space.

ABJ Explorer jets, created by BAE Systems and UK design consultancy Design Q, is giving travelers a new way to indulge in their destination without having to leave the plane. The jets now feature an “air deck” viewing platform in the back of the plane (otherwise known to the middle class as the back porch).

Once the plane is on the ground, a side door opens up to reveal a platform that extends out to create an indoor-outdoor space (you can hang in the plane, or can you chill on the porch). Step out onto the deck at your destination, sip a few cocktails, have a few snacks and take in the sights. It’s the backyard barbecue for the obscenely wealthy.

ABJ says the plane is designed for “the high worth individual who wants the freedom to travel and explore remote locations in a stylish and comfortable way.”

No word on what this private jet will cost, but I’d be willing to bet it’s something worth saving for. The luxury jetsetting lifestyle just got a little more glamorous.

Want more? Get your dose of Daily Pampering right here.

Garden Court Hotel’s $9 million renovation reforms the ‘staycation’ concept

by Melanie Nayer on

The Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto is hoping more Californians stay local.

Now that the $9 million renovation is complete, the Garden Court Hotel is hosting a special ‘staycation’ package. Reserve a King Deluxe Suite as part of the “Hometown Tourist Package” for $299 and get the following free amenities:

  • Champagne and Shokolaat Welcome Amenity
  • $50.00 gift certificate for dining at Il Fornaio (choice of dinner or breakfast to only be used during this stay)
  • Valet overnight parking
  • Complimentary wireless Internet connection

In addition, the hotel is offering free upgrades to locals who show their ID at check-in.

As part of the Garden Court Hotel‘s renovation, all the guestrooms have been newly redesigned by Spanish interior designer Pablo Paniagua. The bathrooms were redesigned with white-grey marble that compliments the silver fixtures and dark wood, with deep soaking tubs and rain showers. What’s a new bathroom without some new products? Indulge in Molton Brown luxury bath products and fresh gardenias. In addition, each room features HDTV screens, iDesign Cube Clock Radios for iPods and complimentary wireless Internet access.

The majority of the guestrooms include French doors and private patios that look out onto the open-air tiled floor courtyard and fountains of the hotel. Guestrooms vary in amenities but many feature a separate aerated spa-tub, fireplace and breakfast nook. The penthouse suite offers guests deluxe king accommodations, a bathroom with separate aerated spa-tub, luxurious marble rain shower, an airy living room with private bar, fireplace, fresh flowers and two private landscaped patio gardens with fountain.

Not bad for a night away from home.

Flexjet members get extra bump on Korean Air

by Tom Johansmeyer on

This is a first: a fractional jet provider and an international airline are partnering up. Flexjet’s fractional owners can now access premium services when they fly overseas on Korean Air. Under this new arrangement, the Flexjet Connect program, members will receive incentives to buy first class tickets on , not to mention elite status for a full year, dedicated check-in and luxury concierge services in select airports. And, Korean Air passengers can reach more than 5,000 U.S. airports with as little as 24 hours’ notice on high-performance Bombardier business jets.

According to Fed Reid, President of Flexjet, “This first-of-its-kind collaboration with Korean Air adds value to our program offerings, while further expanding our global reach.” He adds, “For our discerning fractional customers, this strategic partnership between two industry leaders obsessed with excellence ensures they will experience the same level of comfort and high-quality travel they have come to expect from Flexjet.”

Walter Cho, Senior Vice President, Passenger Business Division, Korean Air, says, “Now our customers can fly privately from a local airport to catch their Korean Air flight, or get closer to their meetings by flying to regional airports, knowing that our partners at Flexjet and Jet Solutions will provide a seamless and convenient travel experience with impeccable service.”