By Shilo Urban
Luxury sleeper trains disappeared from American railways in the 1960s — but now they’re back. Halloway is launching opulent private railcars with personal chefs and glass-domed observation spaces on itineraries from Los Angeles to San Francisco and San Francisco to Denver. Each car has five bedrooms, so invite some friends.
Have you ever dreamed of waltzing the night away with Prince Charming at a romantic formal ball? Vienna’s Ball Season lights up the city’s imperial palaces and opera houses with white-tie soirées each February. No fairy godmother? No problem. Book “A Night at the Ball” package at Almanac Palais Vienna hotel for a private dance class, designer ballgown, in-suite make-up and a horse-drawn carriage ride to a Viennese ball. *Prince Charming not included.
Rising higher than the Eiffel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel has just opened in — where else? — Dubai. Ciel Marina Dubai towers 1,237 feet (377 meters) over the Persian Gulf, and its 76th-floor infinity pool is one of the highest anywhere.
Long synonymous with impeccable hotels, Four Seasons is now expanding to the deep blue sea with its first ultra-luxury yacht, Four Seasons 1. With a 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio and 11 regal restaurants, the all-suites ship sets sail in the Mediterranean this summer. Seven-night cruises start at $20,000.
Lake Como is just so elegant, so chic, so…Italian. La dolce vita gets even sweeter with next month’s debut of Lake Como EDITION, a 19th-century palazzo-turned posh hotel and foodie destination — complete with a glamorous floating swimming pool in the lake.
Louis Vuitton trunks were unparalleled status symbols during the era of steamship travel, and the brand has never lost its panache. Explore the fashion house’s evolution at Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys, a three-story exhibit in its new flagship store in Seoul, South Korea. You can also visit an artisan chocolatier and a café with a double Michelin-starred chef — and of course, spend an inheritance or two on fabulous handbags, clothing and jewelry.
Charleston, South Carolina is finally getting a luxury hotel on the downtown waterfront when The Cooper opens March 1. A block from the Old City Market, the six-story stunner features a private marina and a 7,000-square-foot spa with a deluge shower, Wim Hof breathing activations and a European-style laconium warming bench.