CONTRIBUTOR Absolute Luxury
In our age of “on-demand,” where everything from updates on the news to purchases of coveted items like jewelry and sports cars is only a click away, it’s no wonder that affluent travelers are seeking out places that afford them maximum flexibility and control.
Nancy Novogrod, Editor-in-Chief, Travel + Leisure
From where I sit as the Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure, I have found that an informal way to chart trends is through the number of e-mails on a given subject arriving at my desk. By this measure, the buzzword for high-end travelers is private, as in private villa rentals and private island resorts, and the geographic scope is broad.
Among the tantalizing options: a beachside property in Trancoso, Brazil; a 3,000-acre island resort, Laucala, in French Polynesia (owned by the CEO of Red Bull); the owner’s cottage at the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, with sweeping views of Northland’s Matauri Bay; a chalet in British Columbia, with a private helipad, or one in the French Alps at Hotel des Charmes Les Airelles, decked out with its own screening room and Valmont spa. Beyond the promise of total comfort, architectural splendor, and an expert, dedicated staff, there is the opportunity for an intimate encounter with a destination--no doorman, reception desk, or shared elevator to get in the way.
Judging from the number of new luxury rental properties, new hotel builds, and high-price renovations I have heard about in recent months, it is clear that despite the vicissitudes of the global economy, the demand for top- notch accommodations is alive and well.
Hotel Bel Air
On a recent trip to Asia, from Singapore to Bangkok and Hong Kong to Shanghai, I saw something I can only describe as "suite wars” being waged between international five-star brands like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis in towering new locations. And, on U.S. shores, properties such as the Peninsula Beverly Hills and Hotel Bel-Air are upping the ante with impressive refurbishments. With elegantly appointed rooms, whether in dazzling suites or spacious villas, comes privacy—which, in the estimation of super-affluent travelers today, is clearly priceless.
NOVEMBER2011
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