You might be a travel veteran, but it doesn’t mean you find trends completely useless, especially if it feels like you’ve done it all. Per Mckinsey, only 17 per cent of respondents out of 5,000 surveyed said they use a travel agent. Others rely on family and friends, search engines and social media to plan their trips, which means you’re more likely to follow trends even when it is done unconsciously.

Now, whether or not you care about what’s hot on the travel scene or not, here are some interesting suggestions from vacationers worldwide that appear to have provided real value for their money and time. Maybe you’ll find them useful, maybe not. But ultimately, they are worth checking out for the kind of excitement they promise to bring to your trip, whether you are going solo or in a group.

Exploring the stars at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Hawaii might not top the list of the best luxury travel destinations, but, like everywhere in the world, it offers some unique, unforgettable experiences. Like the Four Seasons Resort Maui Unforgettable Experiences.

The resort promises a range of activities, from exploring a local town and its sights to going on a coffee-tasting date. The Wayfinder Journey, however, is perhaps its most unique package, because it takes you on an educational exploration of the Southern Cross, a constellation that can only be spotted in Hawaii. You would be taught everything from its cultural significance to the local community, to learning how to use it as a navigation tool when you’re out on the waters. And because celestial navigation is quite the work, you would end your course with a multi-course meal by Four Seasons Maui Chef Samual Taganeca onboard the catamaran.

Activate your five senses with Ker & Downey Africa’s Five Senses Experience

It is very easy to think Africa = Safari, but, just like Ker & Downey is out to prove, there is so much more to this continent that is extremely rich in culture and tradition, than rare and exciting animals.

For its newest travel itinerary in South Africa, the safari company has put together a range of activities that will engage each sense — sight, taste, smell, sound, and touch — through bespoke and highly exclusive experiences that can be tailored to meet the needs of each guest.

For 12-14 days, guests will move through South Africa and Madagascar, stopping at carefully selected destinations like the Ellerman House whose in-house gallery would engage their sense of sight via a unique art experience; La Colombe, a globally-recognised contemporary restaurant whose French and Asian dishes would activate visitors’ taste buds like never before; Babylonstoren, a historic Cape Dutch farm bursting with vegetables and fruits of such rich aromas that would be hard for any nose to miss; the Singita Ebony Lodge where the sounds of the animals and wilderness provide a lovely backdrop to an unbeatable safari experience, and, the Miavana Island Nosy Ankoa, Madagascar where guests can let go on the soft pillow of beautiful white sands with the gentle breeze from the ocean caressing every nook and crevice of their skins under the gentle warmth of the sun.

Going on a wellness-infused tour of Asia via the Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train

If you’ve never tried a luxury train vacation before, perhaps it is time to, especially with the launch of the Dior Spa on the Eastern & Oriental Express.

Having a luxury spa experience onboard a train is not something you’d normally expect, so this is definitely one to try out. A range of rejuvenating and relaxing spa treatments abound, like the Asian-inspired D-Jungle signature treatment, the Constellation tension-releasing massage, and the luxurious Kobi-Dior facial treatment. Dior would also have its Prestige skincare range available for purchase so that you can keep up a luxury care routine long after the journey has ended.

Learning to cook like the experts at the Royal Mansour Marrakech

Not only is the Royal Mansour one of the top luxury hotels in Morocco, it is now angling to have one of the best culinary workshops in the Kingdom of Light.

When you’re done exploring the bustling beauty of Marrakech, come home to the Royal Mansour and learn how to cook under the expert guidance of the hotel’s Michelin-star culinary team. And, when you’re done with the cooking workshop, you can move on to the patisserie and mixology workshops for a complete crash course on making the perfect 3-course meal.

Enjoy a deluxe spa experience at the One&Only Resorts in Rwanda

Guests will still get to engage in the different activities available in the One&Only Rwanda OneEscape programme, but now, they can go home to relaxing spa treatments using traditional healing practices and local products.

At Nyungwe House, new signature spa treatments draw inspiration from the therapeutic properties of tea while spa treatments at Gorilla’s Nest are based on eucalyptus and chocolate which pay tribute to the forest the lodge is immersed in. Yoga and meditation sessions, as well as, fitness facilities complete this wellness package that is enhanced by the surrounding forest and hills.

The post Discover Some Top Unique Luxury Experiences to Explore on Your Next Vacation first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Discover Some Top Unique Luxury Experiences to Explore on Your Next Vacation appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Now, the French champagne Maison has announced yet another Hotel Clicquot pop-up. The location is once again Australia, but instead of Byron Bay, the hotel will set up temporary residence in Noosa, another beachside town in Queensland.

What to expect at Hotel Clicquot Noosa

It appears that Veuve Clicquot is replicating the decor, activities and services from last year in this year’s pop-up. Guests will be welcomed by a driver once they arrive at the Sunshine Coast and driven to the hotel in a Tesla. The interior of Hotel Clicquot Noosa would feature the same bright white/yolk-yellow accents and retro-inspired touches, a theme that extends to the exterior also.

Visitors will also have the option of participating in early-morning yoga sessions, enjoying relaxing massages and spa sessions, as well as surfing lessons. But, instead of a car ride that was offered in the Byron Bay pop-up, there would be private boat cruises and a cinema experience if visitors are not up for outdoor activities.

Another new addition to the list of activities to partake in at Hotel Clicquot is a cruise along Noosa River on a kitted-out mahogany speedboat – dubbed the Clicquot Dreamboat – which will end in a bespoke picnic flowing with Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé. This would cost an additional $1000 AUD, so, should you choose to add this to your package, you would be paying $8000 AUD instead of the standard $7000 AUD per couple.

For food, expect a chef’s table experience around a fire pit with locally caught seafood for dinner. On your second night, Byron Bay chef David Moyle will helm a “garden gastronomy” degustation menu paired with La Grande Dame vintages to cap your experience at Hotel Clicquot Noosa. Breakfast will be prepared by the in-hotel private chef and guests looking to eat beyond mealtimes have the choice to order whatever they like from the hotel’s on-demand menu.

What is a champagne hotel without champagne? From the moment they step into the hotel, guests would be greeted with a glass of champagne that would go on to make appearances several times throughout the day, either at mealtimes or during a guided Champagne journey with an experienced sommelier.

How to snag a stay at Hotel Clicquot?

Since this is a pop-up as opposed to a standard hotel, bookings can only be done at specific periods of time, This year, Hotel Clicquot Noosa will be open to visitors from November 4 to 13. The first allocation of dates seems to have already been booked out but the official website has opened expressions of interest for when more dates become available.

The post The World’s Only Hotel Clicquot pops up for the Second Time in Australia first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post The World’s Only Hotel Clicquot pops up for the Second Time in Australia appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Champagne sabering – which is the act of opening a champagne bottle by dramatically ripping off its top with the aid of a specially-made sabre sword – is an art that dates back some 200 years and is thought to have been invented by Napoleon during the French Revolution. At St. Regis, this art enjoys an equally longstanding history. It is said that the hotel group’s founder, John Jacob Astor IV, was so enamoured by the outlandish glamour and sense of occasion of the act that he sabered a bottle of champagne nightly to celebrate the close of day.

Since then, the undeniably ostentatious act (in the best way possible) has been ingrained into the identity of the St. Regis portfolio, with hotels and resorts around the world continuing the tradition of night sabrage rituals.

Now, the luxury establishment is looking to export this skill to people looking to introduce more drama to their private soirées. “Honouring our heritage as a house of celebration, we are delighted to offer guests the opportunity to take part in this sparkling ritual [of champagne sabering] and master the most glamorous of all cocktail party tricks at our hotels & resorts across North America,” says George Fleck, vice president and global brand leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts.

At the private masterclass, which accommodates a maximum of just four guests, participants would receive expert training from a St. Regis butler who would share invaluable knowledge on not only how to sabre a bottle safely and effectively, but also how to do so in a manner so dramatic as to make the entire process truly captivating and memorable.

Currently, the experience is available on request across the St. Regis North America portfolio, including hotels in Deer Valley, Aspen Toronto, New York and San Francisco, among others, and is priced at around $500 per group.

Source: Elite Traveler

The post This Year, learn how to Perfectly Sabre a Champagne Bottle as a Guest at St. Regis first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post This Year, learn how to Perfectly Sabre a Champagne Bottle as a Guest at St. Regis appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

From December 27 to January 5, guests at the resort can experience the ‘Opera Under the Sea,’ a series of performances by renowned Turkish soprano Burcu Hanci in the resort’s 5.8 Undersea Restaurant. In case it isn’t obvious enough, the restaurant’s unique name is courtesy of its equally unique location 5.8 metres under the water’s surface. That means diners, and now music lovers too, can enjoy a meal and entertainment while surrounded by stunning marine life and tropical blue waters.

According to Hurawalhi Island Resort, Burcu Hanci has had a successful career as a singer and performer with appearances in various popular operas. Her Opera Under the Sea events will take place from December 27-30, as well as January 1 all the way to the 5^th.

But that is not all the resort has planned. There are other planned festivities that will start with a sunset cocktail party at the resort’s Champagne Pavilion on Christmas eve. This will be followed by a Christmas Market Dinner where guests can dine on an array of local and seasonal specialities and listen to a bit of live music from a local band who will play straight through to Christmas day.

For Christmas Day, the resort will organise The Great Christmas Treasure Hunt in the lagoon. There, guests will search for fabulous prizes including a 5-night stay at Hurawalhi Island Resort.

Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, visitors can also take part in a number of incredible activities including a bioluminescent night dive, snorkel trips to swim with green sea turtles and manta rays or take a jet ski safari in search of dolphins.

The holiday festivities close out with a New Year’s Eve celebration including a cocktail party on Dream Island where “guests can wave goodbye to the final sunset of 2021 with champagne and canapés before the grand gala dinner, a lavish event accompanied by live music throughout the night.”

Rates for Hurawalhi’s Ocean Villas during the festive period start at $1,190 per night. For more information, visit the resort’s website.

Source: Travel+Leisure

The post Celebrate Christmas in an Underwater Opera Event at this Luxury Resort first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Celebrate Christmas in an Underwater Opera Event at this Luxury Resort appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Your journey to forever with the love of your life at Hotel Savoy in Florence will start with a private boat ride on a traditional “barchetto”, the Florence gondola, at sunset. The Florentine Renaiolo will guide you on a memorable tour along the Arno river, while you and your partner sit back and enjoy the sights with the best Tuscan wine. The barchetto will slow down under the charming Ponte Vecchio, creating the most romantic fairytale location for a proposal if you so desire.

Next, you’ll pay a visit to Loretta Caponi’s atelier. Loretta Caponi is known as Italy’s ‘Queen of Embroidery’, for her delicate finery and handcrafted artistry that has wooed royalty from around the world.  As a guest of Savoy, you will have the privilege of a private appointment to access the atelier, admire the most exquisite and embroidered linens and handmade lingerie and choose your personalized and customized nightwear by Caponi’s own vintage prints and styles which might just come in handy on the night after you’ve said your I do’s.

To complete the evening, you can return to Hotel Savoy for an exclusive private dinner in the Presidential Suite, which occupies its own wing and has splendid views of Brunelleschi’s stunning Cupola and Giotto’s Campanile. Take in the candlelit surroundings while enjoying the authentic Tuscan cuisine and live music entertainment. You and your partner can build your personalized food and wine experience together with the Head Chef and culinary team at Irene Restaurant, creating your very own menu for the unique occasion.

To seal the promise of love, or simply to celebrate the moment with the most symbolic of tokens, you can choose to gift a ring, custom made according to your preferences by Count Simone Rucellai, one of Florence’s most well-known jewellery designers, whose artisanal business has been creating precious custom made treasures for over half a century.

If you would not return to the Savoy, a short drive from it will take you to the elegant Maiano’s Tower which stands at the head of a diminutive lake within the botanic gardens of Fattoria di Maiano, dating back to 1844. Together with Hotel Savoy, the owners of the tower have created a private dining experience for you beside the Lake of Columns. The twinkling lights of Maiano’s Tower illuminate the lake and form a stunning backdrop to a memorable candle-lit dinner in the heart of the botanic garden. A private chef will serve up a personalized menu crafted with fresh seasonal produce for you to enjoy in this postcard-perfect setting, ideal for a proposal or for celebrating an anniversary or special occasion.

To learn more, visit Hotel Savoy Florence.

Source: Luxury Travel Magazine

The post Make it a Proposal to Remember this Fall with Hotel Savoy, Florence first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Make it a Proposal to Remember this Fall with Hotel Savoy, Florence appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The 21-day itinerary includes private jet travel, stays at 5-star ‘safe houses,’ rides in luxury supercars, and meals by Michelin star chefs. There’s even a professional film crew to help you turn your adventures into your very own Bond movie. And really, what better souvenir could there be?

In London, guests will have the chance to guard Britain’s crown jewels, carrying out a special agent assignment that would feel at home in any Bond storyline. In Norway, special forces teams will join guests for a paintball adventure that culminates in a helicopter extraction and boat ride through the Norwegian fjords.

“You basically get to play Bond for the entire trip,” says Lindsay Boyd, whose travel agency is designing the trip.

Several filming locations from Bond movies including the upcoming No Time to Die and 2012 favourite, Skyfall, are on the itinerary, with stops in Norway, Italy, and Scotland.

Of course, the trip won’t be all spy work. Guests also will have the chance to play golf in gorgeous St. Andrews, Scotland, and relax at the idyllic Lake Como in Italy. There’s also sure to be plenty of glitz and glamour with a high-end casino night and the London premiere of No Time to Die – the 25th movie in the James Bond series – on the agenda.

Not sure what to wear on the red carpet? Don’t worry. Travellers will have the option of planning shopping excursions with wardrobe designers who have worked on Bond movies, according to Boyd. And of course, there will be several opportunities to drive your dream Bond car – whether it’s a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, or an Aston Martin.

The invitation-only trip is scheduled for Sept. 26 through Oct. 17 and can accommodate up to 50, fully vaccinated people. To request a booking, fill out this form.

Source: Travel + Leisure

The post This $80,000 Vacation Will Let You Live Like James Bond for 3 Weeks first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post This $80,000 Vacation Will Let You Live Like James Bond for 3 Weeks appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The proposed packages will give travellers a chance to unwind this summer with offers on lunch, brunch and dinner with family and friends as well as deals on the perfect staycation, couples escape or family getaway at incredible hotels and resorts across the region.

Relax and Unwind at 15 participating Hotels and Resorts in the Egypt Summer Offer

Travellers taking advantage of the Marriott Bonvoy summer offer will have access to its portfolio of hotels and resorts in Egypt during this period, including beach destinations, family-friendly experiences and shopping and entertainment getaways.

Marriott Bonvoy members can save 20% off room nights and enjoy complimentary breakfast while non-members get 15% off room rates across Egypt, until September 11th, 2021.

Guests can book the summer offer at 15 participating properties in the country across renowned brands such as St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels, Le Méridien, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and more. Available properties include The St. Regis Cairo, The St. Regis Almasa, Marriott Mena House, Cairo, Le Méridien Dahab Resort and Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna.

Those looking to travel outside of Egypt can also take advantage of the offer at over 250 participating properties across the Middle East & Africa. Holiday destinations include Istanbul in Turkey and Dubai in UAE. Marriott Bonvoy members will earn points on stays which can be redeemed for free nights, flights, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and much more.

“We know that this summer residents and travellers will be looking to make up for lost time with friends and family by taking a well-deserved break,” said Neal Jones, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International. “Through our range of compelling summer offers, we are delighted to be able to provide guests with opportunities to enjoy time with their loved ones and create memorable experiences at many of our amazing hotels, resorts and restaurants.”

Savour Delicious Savings across Egypt’s Finest Culinary Offerings

In addition, Marriott Bonvoy also has special dining promotions across its array of culinary offerings in Egypt during this period. From award-winning restaurants, celebrity chef venues, stunning outdoor terraces, city hot spots and family restaurants, dine-in guests across Egypt are spoilt for choice this summer.

Marriott Bonvoy members can enjoy an exclusive 20% off their total bill at participating restaurants including Gianni’s New York Italian Restaurant, La Zisa, El Mawardia, NOX and many more until August 31, 2021. All they have to do is show their Marriott Bonvoy membership, and mention ‘Summer Cravings 21’ to claim the discount.

To learn more about the summer dining offers, go to Marriott’s dedicated dining platform MORE CRAVINGS BY MARRIOTT BONVOY. For bookings and more information on hotel summer offers, visit Marriott Bonvoy.

Source: APO

The post Enjoy an Exciting Egypt Vacation this Summer with Marriott Bonvoy first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Enjoy an Exciting Egypt Vacation this Summer with Marriott Bonvoy appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.