Richard Branson hosts Kite Jam in British Virgin Islands

by Kraig Becker on

British billionaire adventurer Richard Branson is throwing a kite boarding festival in the British Virgin Islands starting this weekend, with top kite boarders from around the world descending on the topical paradise to challenge the big winds, big waves, and one another.

Dubbed the BVI Kite Jam, the event kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 27th with a VIP party and fashion show sponsored by Billabong. On Sunday, boats will begin shuttling guests and competitors to Necker Island, Branson’s luxurious, no expense spared, private playground. That island will serve as the base of operations for the week, with competitions and other events taking place there and on several surrounding islands.

The actual competitions get underway on Monday, March 1st with daily races and free style events lasting throughout the week, culminating with a pro rider showdown on Friday, March 5th. In addition to the various competitions, there will be regular kite clinics, allowing visitors to learn the sport for themselves, and a nearly endless string of awards ceremonies, luncheons, and parties.

The Kite Jam isn’t exactly for the casual kite boarding enthusiast however. Prices for the week long event begin at $25,400 for a single room in the Necker Island Great House and run as high as $28,350 for the Master Suite, with several other options inbetween. Those prices are all inclusive however, granting access to all the events and include all your meals and drinks as well. Quite the bargain, although it should be noted that the price does not include participation in the actual competitions themselves.

Anyone want to go “halfsies” on one of the suites?

How guilt-free can a Jetsetter be?

by Melanie Nayer on

Bargain shoppers know a good deal when they see one and budget travelers have a keen eye for finding the last-minute steal, but when it comes to luxury travel, is it possible to buy on the cheap?

Gilt.com, an online invitation-only website that offers designer clothes and accessories at discounted prices, launched its travel arm: Jetsetter.com. The concept is similar to its sister site: luxury accommodations and vacation packages are offered at discounted rates during a set period of time. If you’re a member of the site, you can log in to see what’s being offered that week and set your calendars to buy when the slot opens.

With Jetsetter.com, either you want the deal that’s offered or you don’t – there’s no negotiation and no turning back once you’ve purchased. You can view the sales ahead of time, which allows time for planning (a good thing since some of these deals will take you around the world). The catch: The deal is only good for a certain amount of time – anywhere from 24 hours to a week — and only a handful of rooms are available so if you don’t act fast, you don’t get the deal.

But the real question is: how good a deal is it?

The featured deals on Jetsetter include some of the best resorts in the world, like the Four Seasons Costa Rica and Mandarin Oriental’s Elbow Beach in Bermuda, and vacation packages including safaris in Kenya, and a guided tour of Chile’s Atacama Desert. There are basic rooms to be had at some swanky hotels and if you’re looking for a quick getaway but not sure where to go, this site could provide the inspiration you need to book a trip.

I spent a few weeks on the site looking the standard room rate sales for hotels and here’s what I found:Rooms at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado were offered at $100/night. The rooms were courtyard views and for $50 more you could upgrade to a mountain view. The price includes all mandatory taxes, surcharges or fees. A quick scan of the hotel’s website offered rooms starting at $159 excluding taxes and fees. With Jetsetter.com’s deal, you save at least $60 night.

Omphoy Ocean Resort, Palm Beach, Florida is one of South Florida’s most private beachside resorts. The boutique hotel is currently hosting a fourth-night free promotion, with rooms starting at $239/night. But if you don’t want to spend four nights in Florida, the Jetsetter.com deal offered rooms with a pool view from $140/night. A deal? In this case it’s a steal, but you’ll have to compromise a view of the ocean for a view of the pool.

The Pierre New York, a member of the Taj Hotel Group, is one of New York’s most prestigious properties. With views of Central Park and Fifth Avenue, you can’t go wrong with a view from your room at The Pierre. Jetsetter.com offered rooms starting at $365/night, but the sale did not include weekends. I checked the rates for a mid-week stay on the hotel’s website and rooms start at $595. A savings of more than $200 is a win for the traveler in this case.

These are merely examples, but a good indication of the type of sales happening at the invite-only site. So if Jetsetter hosts these rates at such low amounts, how do the hotels make money? Simple economics: More rooms sold at a lower rate means more money for the hotel, especially if the standard room rates on the hotel’s website aren’t selling at all. These properties don’t pay to be listed on the site, but they hope to provide a deal strong enough to generate a good amount of travelers.

My opinion: Hotels around the world are looking for any way to recoup costs lost from the last two years. Jetsetter’s sales are worth the price, if you’re not into aesthetics (rooms with a view, private suites and amenities you might score by booking with the hotel directly). Sign-up for an invitation or get someone you know who’s a member to send you an invite. Even if you don’t end up buying, the hotels and vacation packages offered provide some stellar inspiration for your next trip.

Ritz-Carlton President Simon Cooper talks economy, industry and luxury

by Melanie Nayer on

The term ‘luxury’ is synonymous with glamour, grandeur and extravagance, and often accompanied by a hefty price tag. But what if you were told you could travel luxuriously without breaking the bank? That’s the concept of Ritz-Carlton’s brand strategy, and more travelers are finding that ‘casual elegance’ means living it up without breaking the bank.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has been around for nearly 100 years and has set the gold standard in luxury hospitality worldwide. Its first hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Boston opened on May 19, 1927 with a room rate of just $15 – mere pennies in today’s pockets, but a stretch for those recovering during the Great Depression. Throughout its century-long life, the Ritz-Carlton weathered the economic storms and continued to provide a level of quality synonymous with luxury.

I recently spoke with Simon Cooper, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, to get his thoughts on how luxury, by definition, has changed over the years, and I also got a sneak peak at what’s to come in the next 100 years for the Ritz-Carlton.

How has the luxury customer changed–do they want the bells and whistles or does price matter?

Simon Cooper: Obviously, consumers have less disposable income today than they had 18 months ago. Demand has been constrained and we have more vacant rooms than we used to have. In 2009, by comparison, we filled more rooms than in 2008, but the average rate was lower. The point being that people are still traveling and looking for luxury experiences.

The luxury customer has changed. First, there is less disposable income so people are more focused on what they spend. Authentic, real products are going to succeed. Second, there is a certain degree that people don’t want to flash their money around – a lot of people are suffering so others are asking themselves, “Should I really be doing this?” People are being a little more careful with their spending. From our point of view, we can live with that. We aren’t a see-and-be-seen place; our guests come to relax and enjoy time with their families.

The number one household expense annually is the vacation – we knew that 2009 was going to be really challenging and we looked ahead. Consumers are making a choice to stay with us and it’s not because the hotel down the street didn’t have space – right now, everyone has space. Our philosophy: if you’re going to take only one vacation, take it with us.

Has the Ritz-Carlton brand changed to keep in tune with the new generation of customers?

SC: We are more ‘casually elegant.’ It’s been a long journey, but we didn’t like what we were hearing, which was often ‘the most traditional brand in your space.’ We needed to be in a global space and as the traditional Ritz-Carlton guests were changing, we needed to shift off of their positioning.

It seems the Ritz is doing a lot of international development, specifically in the Middle East and Asia. Does that mean the development of luxury hotels in the U.S. is done for awhile?

SC: There is a trend – there aren’t a lot of places in the U.S. where you can say, “This needs to be a Ritz.” There aren’t a lot of gaps in the U.S. so we’ve been working internationally and we’re working to open two hotels in Shanghai in the next few months, and Cairo and Israel are coming.

Mr. Cooper shared with me details of the upcoming Kowloon [Hong Kong] Ritz-Carlton, which will rival Dubai’s Burj as the world’s tallest building. More on that later…

Meanwhile, the hotel business overall continues to weather the tough economic times. Earlier today, we announced the Ritz-Carlton Aruba resort, set to open in 2012, and the newest member of the family, the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles at LA LIVE opens next month.

When it comes to luxury, The Ritz-Carlton has been the front-runner. While new hotels continue to pop up around the nation and globally, Ritz relies on its brand to be a success, and this brand is committed to doing it right.

Virtuoso Travel Network sees travel market comeback

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The latest study from the Virtuoso Travel Network sees international leisure and luxury travel on a pleasant trajectory, providing a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered travel market. Corporate travel, on the other hand, continues to lag, but that’s a function of the economy and companies that will err on the side of fiscal conservatism for a while.

The member survey by Virtuoso, which consists of travel retailers, reports that 39 percent of respondents se international leisure travel as most insulated from broader econmic pressures, and stays of three-to-five days have continued to go strong (according to 21 percent of respondents). Few see the long vacation and corporate segments as resilient – only 18 percent and 13 pecent, respectively. But, more than half see both the corporate and leisure markets bouncing back in the next six months.

“Many people are not aware that travel represents the world’s largest service industry; that it makes up 9.4 percent of the world’s GDP and 220 million jobs worldwide. Travelers benefit the world economy and deepen world understanding. We are happy to help people travel again while benefiting countries that rely on tourism revenue,” said Virtuoso CEO Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC.

Eighty-one percent of Virtuoso members have reported a year-over-year increase in future bookings, and 80 percent report that sales are up over the last three month.

Daily Pampering: Spend Valentine’s Day at Turtle Island in Fiji

by Tom Johansmeyer on

There’s only one way to go to Fiji: Turtle Island. The Valentine’s Day deal from this luxury resort is nothing short of incredible. Book five nights in paradise, and you’ll get two more nights free … in beachfront accommodations in a two-room “bure.” And, all meals are covered, including any romantic lunches you want to enjoy on the beach — they’ll be packed to order! The other activities are covered, as well, including sport fishing and SCUBA diving, and once you’re finished exerting yourself, you can relax with two one-hour lomi-lomi (that’s four-handed) massages.

The Turtle Island resort has 14 private beaches, five-star gourmet dining … and those lomi-lomi massages, along with other spa treatments. Personal “bure mamas” will attend to all your needs as you sip top-shelf liquors and champagnes. Only 14 couples are allowed in Turtle Island at a time … one for each private beach!

Here’s where it gets really interesting: if you book by March 31, 2010, you can travel any time by Valentine’s Day in 2011.

Get your daily dose of pampering right here.