Luxury Travel
By Amy Covington
This is luxury! First-class accommodations ...fine dining...lavish tours...or,
maybe it´s just that sense that you belong here when so few
can. Luxury is both exclusive and elusive, and we capture it
in ways that you perhaps never expected. Here is your guide
to living the good life!
So you have some money to burn. You make a list of luxury items
to purchase: fast car, beach house, exotic vacation package.
Sure, those are great; but they seem so ordinary. When you have
the financial resources, the sky is the limit. Or is it? For
the right price, you could fly with fighter pilots, skyrocket
into outer space, and experience the adrenaline rush of racecar
driving - firsthand. If you can pay for it, you can get it.
With so many options, just deciding what to do is a full-time
job (personal assistant to the rescue!). Whether you´re new
to luxury living or consider yourself a pro, you may not
have heard of some of these lavish products and services to
serve discriminating consumers yourself.
Your Wish is Granted
From personal concierge services, customized African safaris,
and fractional private jet and yacht ownership to shopping clubs with perks, personal shoppers and
fashion stylists to high-tech products
like outdoor LCD televisions, refrigerators with TVs built into
them and exotic luxury automobiles to
custom wine storage, feng shui specialists, and interior designers,
there is a product or service to fulfill every desire.
The Luxury Retreat
The Cheeca Lodge in the gorgeous Florida
Keys offers an infusion of luxurious accommodations amid a truly tropical setting.
"The location is extraordinary," says Signe
Bjorndal, director of marketing for Cheeca
Lodge. "Even for the Florida Keys you won't
find better beaches than what we have here."
With 199 elegant guest rooms, suites,
beachfront bungalows, and of course the
George Bush Presidential Retreat, there´s a
certain touch of the lavish life for everyone.
Many of the rooms are newly renovated with a
décor reminiscent of the West Indies, complete
with mahogany accents and marble
bathrooms.
You don't have to leave behind your lavish
amenities from home while at the Cheeca
Lodge. Each room is fully equipped with
plasma screen TVs, DVD, and CD players.
Blissful sleep awaits you amid the pillow-top
mattresses. Step onto your private balcony
and listen to the distant crash of the waves. Or
visit the beautiful spa? ?in terms of size it's
not one of the bigger ones," says Bjorndal, "but the
services and the staff are extraordinary.
Coming out of it, you just feel like you want to
turn around and go back in." Utter relaxation encapsulates
this fantastic resort.
You don't have to leave the kids behind, either. With
Camp Cheeca, the resort will keep them
entertained. In fact, Bjorndal says that the resort is a popular
family destination, particularly in summer.
The location is extraordinary.
Even for the Florida Keys you won?t find better
beaches than what we have here.
Signe Bjorndal, Director of Marketing,
Cheeca Lodge
From deep-sea fishing in an area known as the fishing capital of the world to a challenging round on
Cheeca's executive course, there are leisurely activities on and off the resort. Cast your rod off the end
of the private, 525-foot pier, or charter a boat and rig a massive marlin from the middle of the Atlantic.
Surround yourself with tropical fish and the luminous coral reef while snorkeling with Cheeca
Watersports. Brilliant oranges and radiant pinks light up the sky during the Key's fantastic sunset - as
you take in nature's lightshow from the comfort of your poolside cabana.
The Life Aquatic
While money can't buy everything; you can't
walk on water, for example, you can drive on water with
the Amphibious
Hydra Spyder, thanks to Cool
Amphibious Manufacturers Incorporated (C.A.M.I.). So
far C.A.M.I. has produced several large unsinkable vehicles,
such as the Terra
Wind and Ford Explorer
variants, along with the small and sporty Hydra Spyder. While
you wouldn?t take one of these vehicles into the open sea, you never have to worry about getting submerged
in a flood.
Luxury Living at Home
When you think you have everything for the home, new products can slip by your
radar. The HD-Ready All-Weather
Outdoor TV does a
lot more than let you channel surf.
Featuring a built-in thermostatic heating
element, it's protected in temperatures as
low as -24 degrees F., so that regardless
of climate, you can lounge in the hot tub
and not miss your favorite shows. During
the summer months, imagine watching the
game in full HD glory while grilling up
some juicy burgers (or simply lounging
while your personal chef assumes Grill
Master duties).
Want to unwind but don?t want to leave the
comfort of your compound? You could always have the spa come to you. Companies
like Spa
On Location, Inc., which serves Southern California, will bring the entire
spa to your front door. Contained in a specially designed 36-foot RV, it offers
services available in a traditional spa, including manicures, pedicures, eyelash
extensions, massage and sunless tanning.
Your home's interior is a virtual smorgasbord of luxury opportunities, and a feng shui specialist is one
of the first calls you should make. People "in the know" believe that channeling positive energy can
lead to prosperity and optimal health. Whether you're looking to increase your productivity at work or
change the "feel" of your living space, feng shui firms like Reiko
Feng Shui Interior Design can help
create harmony in your luxury home. The feng shui design experts offer in-depth design consultations
and customized services to elevate homes, offices, restaurants, spas, even children's rooms and pet
areas into places of inspiration and abundance. According to Reiko, their clients have seen their
incomes increased, romantic life enhanced, marriages saved, health strengthened, sleep improved,
and life-enthusiasm renewed.
It's All About You
Personal concierge services are all the rage among luxury clientele. InnerCircle
VIP Concierge Services offers help with everything from the mundane to the sublime. With just a phone call, you can
have your Paris hotel room stocked with your favorite beverages and snacks, or arrange for a private
dinner with a movie mogul at his private retreat in Belize. What about help finding the best curry in
Bangkok or the most authentic tapas in Madrid? A concierge can find whatever you want, wherever
you want it. Now that's luxury living.
Now all you need is a private jet and yacht. The Avion Private Jet
Club is a fast way to get in with the Jet Set
crowd. With the only DOT
approved private per seat
program, you're guaranteed
comfort and safety without the
overhead of private jet costs.
With cuisine provided by
Wolfgang Puck Catering you can
sit back and enjoy luxury at
2,500 feet.
Buying your own private yacht
and hiring a full-time crew, chef,
and maid, plus arranging for
marina space, could take awhile
to complete. Luckily, a private staff is a phone call away.
PrivatSea is
an exclusive yacht club, offering members luxury cruising aboard an exceptional
fleet of superyachts. The club's prestigious fleet of yachts is for discerning
vacationers and provides the ultimate in the discreet "escape." Every yacht is hand picked for its pedigree, crew
experience and security criteria. On board, every club member is treated as if the yacht were their own.
The club takes care of every detail leaving members free to enjoy a truly relaxing vacation in the height
of luxury.
Whatever your desire--bullfighting, swimming with the sharks, racecar driving, shopping sprees--there
is a luxury service or product to help you realize your fantasies.
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