Most people want the grand service that every 5-star hotel can offer but they want to be secluded from the other guests. At Villa Hotel Contenta in Miami they offer both.

Now you can enjoy private parties with an efficient first class hotel trained staff in a very luxurious villa. Imagine a presidential suite inside a villa. You can have access to all the amenities that a hotel can provide plus the comforts of your very own home in just one place. Incredible, isn’t it?

This luxurious vacation lifestyle was conceptualized and operated by Villazzo Villa Hotels. Everything anyone would need in a vacation, they can provide.  Fly to Miami via a private jet. From the runway, a chopper will be waiting for you to fly you over to a beachfront wherein a stylish Ferrari with a charming driver is standing by and will drive you towards the Villa.

The moment you step on to the Villa, everyone is at your beck and call. You can plan your day to whatever you want and the staff would arrange them for you. The service and facilities you thought only the big hotels can provide, well, I got a newsbreak for you, the Villa Contenta can!

Privacy is one requirement that those hotels cannot 100% provide no matter how big and luxurious they are. At Villa Contenta, you might have uniformed staff around but they do not stay in the Villa. The management made sure that there is a nearby headquarters wherein all the staff and crew can stay. Their presence will depend on what the guest want.

This Spanish Colonial designed villa is the home of the Villazzo founder himself and so from his Villa-Hotel properties, expect this one to be the most luxurious. It will cost you around $13,300 to stay in the private villa for just one night.

Photo Credit: Villazzo

Who said hunting is so primitive?  Well, not anymore. Today, everything can be arranged and so there are plenty of so called luxury hunting lodges that are available to the rich and filthy rich. One of them is the Glenroy Hunting Lodge in New Zealand.

This time partners or wives who are not really into the shooting game but want to tag along can very well do so.  The words, “hunting in style” is no longer limited to the kind of gun you are carrying or the clothes you are wearing. It also pertains to the total deluxe hunting experience you will have while having a great shooting game.

At Glenroy Hunting Lodge, a guest can bring in 11 people to enjoy a good hunting game.  Although most hunters prefer to leave their family safe at home, this world class lodge is fully equipped for the whole family. It has all the key amenities that a luxury vacation requires such as spa, pool, barbecue area, bar and your own personal chef.

However, no matter how fully equipped the house you are staying, hunters undoubtedly will ask what kind of shooting game will they be expecting. Glenroy offers a wide variety of trophy hunts for a game stretching for 7 days at most. They have Wild Goat, Red Stag, Chamois, Wapiti, Fallow Deer, Ram, Bison, and Tahr for the main game while each guest will be given free hunting game for smaller animals such as rabbit and hares.

International hunters who prefer to use their own sporting firearms can get their license the moment they touch down at the airports for a small fee. The nearest international airports to Glenroy are those in Auckland and Christchurch.

The best thing about Glenroy Hunting Lodge is that it is being operated by one of the world’s most experienced hunter, Jim Hunter. He was awarded International Professional Hunter of the Year and has joined many international hunting games in different parts of the world. He will make sure that it will be safe, challenging and full of fun.

Photo Credit: Glenroy

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts starting this year will build a new luxury Walt Disney World resort. They just completed a deal recently wherein Walt Disney sold almost 300 acres of land to Four Seasons to be used for building a luxurious 5-star hotel with golf course for Walt Disney.

Walt Disney World already has resorts operating in some places in the world but not at this scale. This particular hotel and resort will cater to those who expect 5-star amenities and facilities, which Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts are known for.

Although, it will be a luxurious hotel, it will still be constructed and operated for family vacation experiences. Aside from 455 rooms in the hotel, they will also be offering world-class vacation homes available thru fractional ownership that will cater to those who prefer more privacy and convenience whenever they want to experience the world of Walt Disney.

Architects chosen for this project, the WATG or Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo were reported to be leaning towards a “Palm Beach” design feel to it or what they call an Addison Mizner inspired-design. WATG is one of the world’s leading design firms for the leisure and hospitality industries.

Expect the Walt Disney World Resort to open its doors to the public by 2012.

Photo Credit @ OrlandoS

If you are looking for a quick one-of-a-kind Miami Beach experience, there is no other “it” place in town but the Gansevoort South Hotel Spa & Residences.

Since the 1920’s, the hotel has been the ultimate playground of the rich and famous. If you want to be seen and brush elbows with the social elite, the famous rooftop massive 110- foot infinity swimming pool is just the right place for you. Take a plunge to this adult only pool as underwater music is being played while you swim 18 stories up and enjoy majestic views of the ocean and the city. Many premiere social events chose this location to be their venue such as fashion shows, elite parties and the like.

The hotel has two magnificent oceanfront pools aside from the 110-foot on the plaza level. The beach club pool provides an exotic oceanfront treat in the morning and turns into an exclusive VIP playground for members. For those who brought their families along, never fear because the Gansevoort South Hotel has the infinity pool plaza with Jacuzzi and private cabanas, which are built just for them.

The rooms and suites are designed with the utmost sophistication and comfort in mind. The Penthouse or what they call the “Sony Cierge” Suite is a massive area around 3600 square feet. The best in couture furniture can be found inside the suite such as Swarovski chandelier, Andy Warhol prints, custom made bed and sofas among others. It is not only fully equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities but the Suite comes with butler services.

However, to experience the Sony Cierge Suite, one must shell out a several thousands of dollars a night, although, one can choose to stay in a deluxe room which is much affordable and rates starts from $395 a night.

So, plan your weekend and experience Miami luxury at its best. Stay at Gansevoort South Hotel Spa & Residences.

Photo Credit: Gansevoort

Ever heard of monasteries turned into luxurious hotels and resorts? Villa San Michele in Italy is one of these “monastic fantastic” hot spots.

The scenic views and landscapes are stunning but what will top a Michelangelo’s designed building façade? This getaway is absolutely another beautiful mixture of the beauty of the past and the convenience of the present.

Villa San Michele is by far a small hotel compared to the much popular 5-star hotels in Italy. However, it is the perfect setting for a more serene, more private vacation for those who prefer isolation. Although, the great thing about San Michele’s location, it is only a few minutes away from the busy center of Florence, just in case there is a need for a night in the city or to explore the boutiques and museums around.

Originally, it was a 15th century monastery, now a renaissance villa complete with an invigorating panoramic pool where one can swim or get a tan while enjoying incredible views of the hillside; a fitness center which allows a guest to exercise while viewing a breathtaking imagery of Florence; Championship golf course and tennis courts for those who want to practice their putting and forehand.

Villa San Michele offers 46 rooms (670 – 1,070 Euros), which includes 25 suites and junior suites (1,350-1,720 Euros). Highly recommended are the Michelangelo Suite (2,300 Euros/night) which was once the headquarters of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France and everything inside is still fit for a king and the Presidential suite (3,200 Euros/night), which is the biggest suite in the hotel complete with a huge space for your own living room, private garden aside from the bedroom and the bathroom.

To get there, click this link, for all available ways in reaching Villa San Michele.

Photo Credit @ VillaSM

One of the best places to stay in Venice is at the 5-star hotel and resort called San Clemente Palace uniquely located in a very beautiful island.

It has all the clichés and amazing Venetian sceneries that we all craved about. We all know that Venice is a place where history, artistic splendour and architecture grandeur can be seen.

San Clemente Palace and Resort is a mixture of beautiful historical imagery fused with the state-of-the-art facilities and amenities. One can have the best of both worlds: the old and the new.

Take a look at these photos and plan your next vacation on this 50,000 square meters island. Enjoy the massive open space and breathe in the best that nature can offer.

There are so many things to do in the island aside from relaxing in the little natural oasis. Since, it was built with elite tourists on their minds, aside from the spectacular views, they have tennis courts, outdoor and indoor pools, a pitch and putt golf course, a Spa center or a beauty & wellness club.

San Clemente boasts of a different kind of pampering that only their staff can offer. The suites are stunningly designed and are installed with the best that can rival any other 5-star hotels in the world.

To guide any prospective tourist, their official site offers an interactive map, click here to view it in three different ways.

They have special rates and packages for those who are planning to spend their vacation there such as: From Venice with Love, Indulge Your Senses, A Passage to Venice, Remise en Forme (Spa) and Discovering Oour Treasure Island.

Photo Credit @ San Clemente Palace

This glitzy, luxurious hotel, Hotel Fouquet Barriere in Paris can rival any palace of the modern world.  It is classy, elegant and “the hotel” these days especially when French President Nicolas Sarkozy partied in the hotel celebrating his victory after the French presidential election.

If you want to be seen and also see the who’s who in the French elite society, Hotel Fouquet Barriere is the place to go.  It is not a resort.  It is an upscale hotel in one of the most beautiful cities in the world and it offers accommodations and amenities like no other.

The hotel boasts of an exceptional personalized service.  A 24/7 butler services is at a guest beck and call.  It has 107 beautifully designed rooms and 40 specially designed opulent suites fit for the Royals.  They have a first class Spa called U SPA which is famous for a variety of signature treatments which makes it truly a haven for beauty and wellness. There is an underground swimming pool which is just so James Bond, suave, elegant and state-of-the-art.

Le Fouquet, the popular Parisian bar and restaurant is directly linked to the hotel. It is where everyone who is anyone in the international elite community converge for entertainment and food.

Take a virtual tour to see for yourself how exceptional and lavish the Hotel Fouquet Barriere is.  Click here.

Photo Credit: Hotel Fouquet

To get the ultimate Italian experience go and rent your own Italian palazzo or a venetian villa like the Ca’ Cerchieri Nobile. Gondola rides are still one of the most romantic things to do while you are there in Venice but nothing compares to experience Italian life by living in a luxurious private residence in Italy for a vacation.

The ultra high net worth people are foregoing the hotels and instead are renting private venetian villas or palazzos to get to know the real Venice. These palazzos or villas are not just ordinary ones. They are equipped with the most convenient and luxurious accommodations and amenities one will expect from a 5-star hotels. One of them is the Ca’ Cerchieri Nobile.

This palazzo is a 5,920 square foot palace overlooking the famed Grand Canal on the side of Dorsoduro. A week on the palazzo will cost around USD$25,000 to $35,000. The amount varies depending on the season.

Accommodations are placed on the second floor with lift, which include 3 double bedrooms, each with own bathroom, 3 living rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, 3 small bedrooms with 2 bathrooms for companions and a laundry area. Amenities are LCD flat screen monitors, sound system, a piano, broadband wireless Internet connection, satellite television, DVD players. The ground floor is where the water entrance and a garden can be found.

A housekeeping staff and butler services can be arranged if preferred. Here’s a detailed map, on satellite or hybrid version.

Photo Credit: ViewsonVenice

For the those who travels a lot and have gone through all the ritzy, luxurious, famous spots in the world each year, nothing will ever compare to the glorious feeling of discovering a new haven of idyllic atmosphere just like obvious summer destination traps without the paparazzi following your every move or squeezing your way to the overcrowded beaches.

Photo Credit: micha1968

Everyone who is anyone loves St. Tropez, however there is another one, which is dubbed as the St. Tropez of Germany. The Sylt can rival the French Riviera with its nude white sand beaches, posh shops, classy restaurants, funky bars and luxurious hotels to indulge your every passion and cravings during your vacation. The Sylt has the longest beach in the country and offers plenty of private and exclusive spaces for sunbathing and sceneries that are just to die for. It also boasts of a North Sea air, which the local myth guarantees to be good for the skin and health.

Photo Credit: HSH

The Sylt is still considered as an undiscovered vacation territory by the usual throng of travelers and tourists. However, Hotel Stadt Hamburg, the elegant small hotel in the area has been preparing itself for they already is anticipating that it will not be long when people will troop to their resort and put it on their top 10 of the most beautiful resorts in the world.

The converted 19th century house, now the Hotel Stadt Hamburg offers their commitment to the 5 C’s which makes a stay on their hotel pretty wonderful: Character, Courtesy, Calm, Charm and Cuisine. They offer plenty of amenities and activities such as water excursions, horseback riding, inline skates, bicycle rides plus they can arrange for a guest to play golf on several gold courses near the area. They also has an in-house spa called Quiara Spa which offers classic beauty treatments from Shiseido Beauty Farm, diverse types of massages from Panpuri, a state-of-the-art fitness gym and a day spa for the day guests.

 Photo Credit: HSH

For a detailed directions in getting there, go here.

China is definitely moving up. Tourists flocked their main cities in the past couple of years, especially now that the opening of the much-awaited Olympics game is just a few hours away. Their culture and traditions have been well preserved which is one of the main reason why a lot of people are fascinated with them. Hundreds of hotels were built to keep up with the progress their economy and tourism demands.

Photo Credit: Jake Ji

However, Tour companies and travel experts says that it will still take a couple of more years before these hotels and resorts can be able to rival those that are in the U.S., the Caribbean, France, Spain, etc.

By now many Olympic visitors and participants are already enjoying the comforts of the different hotels in Beijing and probably now are anxious and excited with the games. They, win or lose will want to make their stay in China as memorable and enjoyable as possible.

 
Photo Credit: china_puwa  Photo Credit: openDemocracy

The following are some of the hot spots in China that they can visit and perhaps experience China at its best. However, since it is such a huge landscape, it would take probably a month before a visitor can fully see the beauty of their country.

For the beach bums and those who love the tropics, go to Hainan. The tropical island of Hainan now has a couple of big hotels like the Ritz Carlton and Marriott to accommodate the guests. They offer scuba diving, boat rides to nearby islands and the divine fresh seafood cuisine.

For the culture aficionados, try going to the Li River and Guilin where you can experience Chinese poetry and art at its best. It is a little far from Beijing but there are Chinese calendars, silk scrolls, rice paddies, water buffalos and the like that can be seen there. Stay at Yangshou, which is one of the ancient towns there, which has now become a hotel hub.

Photo Credit: china_puwa  Photo Credit: Skype Nomad

For those who love to ride boats, go and hop in a boat ride and cruise the Yangtze River. They do have a river cruise route designed to bring the visitors down the Three Gorges to Shanghai. Experience an overnight 4-star boat ride.

There are still many places to visit and explore but do not expect too much luxury yet. The hotels are trying to keep up but not yet on par with the Western Hotels and Resorts. Although, it will not be long when they will even surpassed those that are on the top hot picks of the most discriminating travelers.