By Shilo Urban
Why buy out an entire Caribbean resort when you can buy out three? Book Canouan Estate’s new $2 million package and take over three top-shelf properties on the Island of Canouan: Mandarin Oriental Canouan, Soho Beach House Canouan, and Canouan Estate Resort & Villas. Invite 240 of your closest friends to the Grenadines archipelago for a four-night whirlwind of multi-course dinners and lavish beach parties.
One of the most talked-about launches this year, the Explora III ultra-luxury cruise liner sets sail in July with a Rolex boutique and the largest wine collection at sea. Every cabin is a suite with a private terrace; some also include outdoor whirlpools and separate dining rooms. Itineraries travel to Europe, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, and New England.
Africa’s tallest luxury hotel has just debuted in the clouds above Morocco’s coastal capital: Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé. The celestial-themed skyscraper features a Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse restaurant, a 7,000-piece art collection, and a “floating” glass-enclosed pool on the 30th floor.
To truly get away — far, far away — head to Ytri, a quiet new retreat on a remote archipelago off Norway’s coast. Enjoy wood-fired waterfront bathhouses and healthy, sustainable cuisine, along with floor-to-ceiling windows that let the Arctic scenery in. Ytri is all about minimalism, from the Scandinavian design to the simple pleasures of cold plunges, fresh seafood, and the Northern Lights.
What if your next flight came with a private bathroom? Emirates Airlines has announced that it will add private bathrooms with showers to its First Class suites. Currently, Etihad Airways is the only airline with private bathrooms in its First Class cabins, which have three separate rooms and measure 125 square feet.
Sitting atop 120 thermal springs, Budapest, Hungary, is known as the “City of Spas,” so it’s only fitting that its newest hotel offers decadent spa treatments inspired by Hungary’s long tradition of hydrotherapy. The St. Regis Budapest recently opened in the UNESCO-listed Klotild Palace, an ornate neo-Baroque landmark that overlooks the Danube River and oozes grand European elegance.
If you’re a fan of Baz Luhrmann’s maximalist movies like The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge, check out the private dining car he designed for Belmond’s The British Pullman. Named Celia, the whimsical, theatrical railcar runs day trips out of London, couriering guests virtually anywhere they want to go — cue the champagne.