Boutique hotels have seen a dramatic increase in popularity all around the world, particularly in Europe.

People don’t always want to stay in a standard hotel but experience the culture of a country and staying in a luxury, boutique hotel. The allure of boutique hotels is the special attention given to detail in all their amenities and offered services.

So we’ve hand-picked a unique and independent selection of some of the most beautiful, charming and romantic boutique hotels in Italy. Italy is known as the center of western civilization, and continues to draws millions of visitors a year to explore its rich culture and history.

We hope you enjoy the following list and can truly experience Italy one if its boutique hotels, luxury hotel hideaways or romantic Italian retreats.

First is the Jk Place Capri, which is a gorgeous property set upon the cliffs and built high up, directly looking out to the sea. The ambiance of this resort is reminiscent of a chic, away-from-it-all backdrop that breathes tranquil bliss without ever actually leaving the urban area. Jk Place Capri feature just 22 available rooms, so plan well ahead. We hear that room #22 offers the best views overlooking the sea. With staff members like family, this resort is the ideal home away from home. Although more suited to couples and lovers looking for seclusion, JK Place Capri also offers a “chill out” venue for those traveling alone.

The Hotel de Russie (photo above) can be found the heart of Rome. It’s a five-star luxury haven that will cater to your every wants and needs. The staff will go that extra mile to indulge you even more. Despite the enormous size of the hotel with 122 total rooms, the Hotel de Russie hotel’s staff and attendants maintain a high standard of personal service. For vacationers who belong to the “lonely hearts club band”, find your way to The Stravinskij Bar for a chance to meet interesting and famous personalities. Le Jardin de Russie’s Pasta-Tina de Ceci con Gamberi is a must-try! One last piece of advice for dieters, celebrated chefs Fulvio Pierangelini and Nazzareno Menghini will make it hard for you to curb your appetite. Enjoy!

The Castello di Vicarello is an out-of-town “Castle in the Clouds.” If you are gifted with patience, then your dedication will not go unrewarded. Upon entry towards the Castello di Vicarello castle’s manor, you will drive through beautiful vineyards and olive groves. As you approach, you’ll realize a magnificent stone building that is reminiscent of medieval times. There are only 6 suites available for accommodation. It would be best to make travel arrangements beforehand, that way you get to pick which suite you’ll stay in. If it’s an arrangement just for two, set your sights on the Sassi as it’s perfect for couples with romantic inclinations.

The Chiesina boutique hotel is another choice if you’re going with your entire family and money is not a problem. We highly suggest you stay at the Chiesina. This 2-story mini-castle will make you feel like royalty indeed as your suite will be catered with wine straight from the vineyard and fruit bowls served at your behest or on schedule. Though the attendants here are warm and friendly, be warned that they’ll be more likely to spoil and indulge you with your vices rather than your virtues!

The Principe Forte Dei Marmi is the ideal place to be to soak up the sun’s rays. This chic hotel definitely brings a new meaning to a simple relaxing vacation. Featuring 28 pad-inspired rooms to choose from, we recommend a corner room which offers access to the best views. Open-clad, sun-kissed tan and beach ready is the usual dress code anytime, anywhere. While the 67 Sky Lounge hotel bar on the rooftop is the perfect place to unwind (unless you prefer a poolside bed massage), in high summer, live DJ’s reign and transform the hotel into one big party.

The Il Salviatino hotel sets high on the hills overlooking Florence. This 15^th century inspired mansion is a beautiful mix of exposed brickworks, classic design and striking architecture. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by your dedicated ambassador to look after your every wish. Choose from 45 luxurious rooms. Among boutique hotels, this one is not for those traveling on a budget, but their signature cocktail (classic dry martini shaken to perfection) is surely worth its weight in gold.

The Hotel Cipriani offers its guests 79 suites and rooms that feature open lagoon views. Imagine cruising through Venice on board the Cipriani’s private boat, Shirley, which is available upon reservation. Not in the mood for a boat ride? Try their Olympic-sized swimming pool instead which is the first and only in Central Venice.

The Bvlgari Hotel organizes special tours and excursions to Italy’s most exclusive destinations. Bored of standard modes of traveling. Let the Bvlgari Hotel help. Choose from limousine, yacht or private plane. For pasta lovers, try your palate at Chef Andrea Ferrero’s classic Italian cuisines which are simply to die for!

The Maison La Minervetta hotel is a cliffside beauty that offers 12 rooms, each with sea-facing fantastic views. To accentuate the hotel’s quirky nautical appeal, almost all rooms come with bedrooms with medium-sized boat models of different sorts For those who travel in pairs and staying away from the public, 200 meters away from the hotel is La Tonnarella where private beach reservations are available upon request. There’s even stairs from the hotel that lead directly down to the sea. Be prepared for the climb back though!

If you would like to book your next vacation to Italy and stay at one of the above mentioned luxury boutique hotels, please contact The Life of Luxury and we assist with your travel reservation.

The prestigious Milan Fashion Week will be held next month in February between the 19th and 25th. It’s one of the most popular fashion events in the world.

If you have always wished to attend Milan Fashion Week, then we want to share a couple of exclusive experiences that shouldn’t be missed.

First established back in 1958, Milan Fashion Week is actually a semi-annually even and hosted in Milan, Italy. The year’s show is the autumn/winter version and later this fall is spring/summer event.

You can choose between a three or five day luxury package. Enjoy the Fashion Show and reserve the best seats. You will also be part of an exclusive meeting in the Boutiques’ private room to choose one of the new collection of show clothes.

Gold Package (3 full days)
– Invitation to 1 Fashion show
– 2 Fashion experiences in the private room at the boutique*.
– 1 dinners: discovering the italian food and wine. The best Italian Chefs will be at disposal for special tasting
– Personal translator full time for 3 days (9 a.m- 7 p.m.)
– Personal driver with a Mercedes E** (upgrade available upon request) for 3 days (9 a.m.-11 p.m.)
– 2 nights in a luxury Five-star or Design Hotel

Platinum Package (5 full days)
– Invitation to 3 Fashion shows
– 2 Fashion experiences in the private room at the boutique*.
– 3 dinners: discovering the finest Italian food and wine. The best Italian Chefs will be at your disposal for a special tasting experience.
– Personal translator full time for 3 days (9 a.m- 7 p.m.)
– Personal driver with a Mercedes E** (upgrade available upon request) for 3 days (9 a.m.-11 p.m.)
– 4 nights in a luxury Five-star or Design Hotel

*The guest will have the chance to buy a fashion masterpiece only at the Milan Boutique, during Fashion week. A taylor will be at their disposal for any garment adjustments. The taylor will delivery it within the next day.

If you would like to attend the autumn/winter version of Milan Fashion Week, then contact The Life of Luxury and one of our travel concierge specialists will be able to help you book all aspects of your travel itinerary.

Los Cabos, Mexico continues to be a hot destination for vacation travelers. Found at the tip of the 1,000-mile long Baja Peninsula, Los Cabos is also a popular place for golfers.

Los Cabos is proud to currently offer four of the top five golf courses in all of Mexico. That list will get longer as the area will soon add three more golf curses.

Los Cabos has become coveted location for avid golfers over the last two decades by featuring popular, world-class golf getaways plus the numerous award-winning hotel and resorts.

In 2014, Los Cabos will launch two new golf courses at Diamante and Quivira, with involvement from two of the best-known golfing figures anywhere – Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

Diamante is a luxury timeshare development that was built on huge sand dunes above the Pacific Ocean. Located just several miles north of Cabo San Lucas, Diamante’s top-rated Dunes Course was designed by pro golfer Davis Love III. Featuring breathtaking views, golfers can also view migrating whales near the shore during the winter months.

The new Diamante golf course – Dunes Course will open in mid-2014. Later next, another course is set to open – El Cardonal. El Cardonal will offer an “Old California” design motif and is the debut of superstar golfer Tiger Woods.

Next to Diamante at the Pueblo Bonito development is Quivira. This breathtaking golf course layout was designed by the legandary Jack Nicklaus.

Nicklaus was quoted, “Our team is working with the canvas Mother Nature has provided to create one of the most spectacular courses in the world.”

Quivira offers windswept dunes, raw desert plus steep cliffs. Expectations are high as the new Nicklaus golf course is expected to rank among his most memorable golf creations. Quivira is a $40 million golf development with a scheduled opening planned in the summer of 2014.

If you can’t wait for Quivira or Dunes Course to open, consider Chileno Bay which will open December 31, 2013. Chileno Bay is a Tom Fazio-designed course that fronts one of the most desirable beaches in all of Los Cabos. The course offers stunning views high above the scenic Sea of Cortes.

The memorable hole on this new Cabo golf course will be the long par-4 18th. The fairway falls down to a sprawling green, with the sea as its backdrop.

Eduardo Segura is the Managing Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board and stated, “We could not be happier to welcome these three courses, designed by some of the best in the industry, to our destination. Already home to some of the best golf offerings in the world, the addition of these courses will truly raise the bar of excellence and take the Los Cabos’ golf scene to the next level.”

So make Los Cabos you rvery own exotic escape and try one of the championship golf courses.

If you would like to make a vacation reservation to Los Cabos, Mexico – please contact The Life of Luxury and one of our travel concierge specialists can help with all of your trip arrangements.

The luxury Fairmont Nanjing hotel is Fairmont’s fourth hotel property to open in China. The new hotel can be found in the prestigious district of Hexi New Town, in Nanjing.

The Fairmont Nanjing offers hotel guests 359 spacious, well-appointed guestrooms and suites. The hotel is actualy located on the upper floors of the 62-storey Jin Ao Tower. This incredibly stylish building in Nanjing resembes a huge Chinese lantern.

Each of the luxury guestrooms provides stunning views of the scenic Yangtze River and the city of Nanjing. The hotel rooms are well-equipped with the best luxury amenities such as Fairmont’s signature bedding, a 46-inch flat panel television, and high-speed internet access.

For those who enjoy a plush bathroom, you are in luck. Each contemporary bathroom at the Fairmont Nanjing features a rain shower stall and New York perfumer Le Labo bathroom amenities, in addition to being fragranced with the exclusive Rose 31 scent.

As an added bonus, the new luxury hotel in China offer Fairmont Gold rooms and suites, the luxury brand, Fairmont’s hotel within a hotel concept.

This exclusive lifestyle experience offers guests a wide variety of additional privileges and personalized services. Samples of such include: private check-in and exclusive access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge, which serves complimentary breakfast and evening cocktail canapés daily.

After that long trip or busy day enjoying the local sites, it’s time for some relaxation and pampering. Enjoy the hotel’s 1,120 square meter Willow Stream Spa which is found on Level 33. Willow Stream Spa features seven private treatment rooms and suites that all offer both Asian and Western treatments. You will also find an indoor mineral pool, steam rooms and saunas.

For a memorable fine dining experience, consider one of the seven restaurants and bars at the new Fairmont Nanjing hotel. Altitude is an all-day dining restaurant found at Level 60 and offers incredible 360 degree panoramic view of the city. Vancouver Grill; Richesse Chinoise which specializes in authentic Huaiyang, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines.

Cloud 62 is the first and only rooftop-bar in all of Nanjing. The sleek decor dazzles with tented cabanas, music bar, Jacuzzi, plus a man-made beach. Music@61 contains three distinct lounges including a cocktail, whisky and wine lounge. Other dining establishments are the Streetz Café, a bistro and the Lobby Lounge.

To celebrate the opening of the Fairmont Nanjing hotel, Fairmont is offering a special introductory offer. Valid through April 30, 2014, you can enjoy accommodations in a Deluxe Room with daily breakfast for two, complimentary high speed internet access and 30% savings at all food and beverage outlets. The package price is RMB 888 per night.

If you want to book your reservation at the new Fairmont Nanjing hotel, please contact The Life of Luxury and one of our travel concierge specialists will assist you with your reservation and all of your China trip details.

Trusted by five-star spas around the world, Amala is the beauty industry’s premier plant-powered luxury skincare collection. Amala translates to “most pure” in Sanskrit, and all Amal skin care products are 100% natural origin.

If you are looking for some relaxation and pampering, then consider visiting a five-star spa for an experience of a lifetime. These luxury spas all use Amala natural and organic skin care products

Amala’s five star spa partners around the world invite its guests to warm up, wind down, and keep their skin glowing all winter long. You can also give the gift of wellness with high quality Amala skin care products for that special person in your life who deserves the very best.

· The Dolder Grand, in Zurich, Switzerland, invites guests to escape to a European winter wonderland for a Spa Retreat featuring the best in luxury world-class service. Starting at just $3,843 and available for travel through Dec. 30, 2013, the Spa Retreat at the Dolder Grand includes three nights’ accommodations for two; Garden Breakfast daily; a three- course dinner in the Garden Restaurant (excluding beverages); one after-dinner drink in the Bar; a 60-minute Nature’s Organic Firming Facial featuring Amala; a 90-minute Body Ritual of guest’s choice; a 90-minute Classic Pedicure by Kerstin Florian including nail polish for her; 90-minute Bamboo Shiatsu; and use of the Dolder Grand Spa facilities.

· The Spa at Four Seasons Toronto, is home to the largest luxury day spa in Toronto. The spa is offering guests the ideal opportunity to start the New Year off on the right foot with a spa retreat to its luxurious urban oasis. Guests can embrace 2014 with a package deal including a 60-minute aromatherapy massage with an exclusive hemp seed back scrub; a 60-minute Advanced Firming Facial featuring Amala; and a glass of Champagne. In addition guests will receive a complimentary gift from Amala featuring its Rejuvenating Cleansing Milk and Rejuvenating Face Polish, and access to the Spa’s amenities, including steam rooms, a sunlit indoor relaxation pool, and co-ed whirlpool. The package is just $239 CAD plus tax and is available for use Jan. 1 – March 31, 2014.

· The Spa at Four Seasons Whistler, nestled at the foot of the Blackcomb side of Whistler’s twin giants, marries rustic mountain charm with modern European elegance. Guests and local residents alike are invited to step out of the cold and into the Spa’s cozy sanctuary for a Holly & Spice Warming Massage featuring Amala. Available Dec. 20 – Jan. 3, 2014, this 50-minute relaxing massage incorporates Amala’s organic warming essential oils for a treatment that will leave the skin hydrated and nourished. The massage is priced at $155 CAD, and a Deep Tissue massage is also available for $165 CAD. For more information on the Spa at Four Seasons Whistler’s Holly & Spice Warming Massage or its other Winter Wonderland Specials, contact us.

· The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental New York welcomes hotel guests and busy New Yorkers to escape the holiday hustle and bustle to detoxify the body, replenish the skin, and clear the mind with an 80-minute Warmth & Wellness treatment. This three-part holistic body treatment begins with a sea-salt-and-crushed-olive-stone body polish, followed by a detoxifying clay body mask and chakra energy work. It ends with a full-body massage and application of Amala’s organic Mediterranean Myrtle, fig, and olive body butter. Warmth & Wellness is priced at $305 Monday through Wednesday and at $315 Thursday through Sunday.

Both the Amala and PRIMAVERA brands are part of The Ananda Group, which is Germany’s largest manufacturer of 100% natural essential oils.

There are many high-end, luxury spas around the world that offer Amala skin care products as part of their spa treatments, including The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, New York; The Spa at Four Seasons Toronto; Six Senses Spa at MGM Macau; Dolder Grand Spa at The Dolder Grand, Zurich, Switzerland; Sense Spa at Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico; plus many more.

If you are ready to book a luxury spa package, then please contact The Life of Luxury to experience a true five-star spa treatment using Amala skin care products.

We have all dreamed of becoming millionaires, and hoping to erase all of our money worries. Unfortunately it’s a pipe dream for most of us.

But what if you did have a million dollars and the opportunity to splurge it all in “Sin City” Las Vegas. What would you do, where would you go, how would you prioritize among all the many choices in Las Vegas?

So take a break from your hectic life and dream big. Imagine a larger than life, world-class luxury experience across the iconic Las Vegas Strip and beyond. Plan your own Million Dollar Weekend and live it up!

It could make the top spot on your Bucket List or if you’re already an elite traveler or aspiring Vegas VIP, then start making your travel plans now and do Las Vegas in luxury style.

If you have some creative ideas, then share your Million Dollar Weekend stories on Twitter with #VegasWeekend and the world.

A sample Million Dollar Weekend itinerary could include – travel to Las Vegas via private jet, luxury top-tier accommodations in one of ARIA’s 7,000-square-foot Sky Villas, choosing your own songs to be played in the iconic Fountains of Bellagio, fine dining experience with multicourse meals from celebrity chefs, sit at the best table in the new nightclub Hakkasan Las Vegas and party all night like a rock star. Too many over-the-top experiences to decide from!

ARIA Resort & Casino is the centerpiece of CityCenter Las Vegas. The luxury resort is an incredible, AAA Five Diamond resort on The Strip that offers guests a wide variety of luxury amenities.

To learn more about the Million Dollar Weekend in Las Vegas, please contact The Life of Luxury. We can assist you with all of your travel reservations and even help you plan out your Vegas stay.

Two iconic brands are joining forces this New Year’s Eve to host the ultimate party. The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago and Playboy are offering an exclusive party that will feature live entertainment, games, and delicious food and liquor.

Ring in the New Year the right way and celebrate until the late hours. The event will be held Tuesday, December 31st, and will also honor both the 60th anniversary of Playboy and the 10th anniversary of the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago.

The popular Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is located on Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue, and offers hotel guests an amazing experience unlike any other with a combination of rich architectural legacy and contemporary amenities.

The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago is planning to go all out this year by offering a multi-room formal gala, including live entertainment from Black Cadillac and music from several of the city’s most popular celebrity DJs including DJ Rex, DJ Maurice Halsted and DJ Kvon B.

Definitely one of the event’s highlights will be the Playboy Masquerade Lounge. It’s your opportunity to see lounge host Playmate Beth Williams, and also meet Playboy Playmate DJ Summer Altice and 2013 Playmate of the Year, Raquel Pomplun. What more can you say?

Within the Playboy Lounge, party guests are welcomed with signature cocktails as they enter a world of elegant masks and alluring costumes. Get your 15 minutes of fame by stopping by the Hugh Hefner Costume Step & Repeat, where they can dress up like Hugh Hefner and take a fun, memorable picture with Playboy Playmates in their iconic Playboy Bunny costumes.

There will be plenty of great food available. Throughout the evening, New Year’s revelers can sip top-shelf cocktails and champagne plus sample hors d’oeuvres, gourmet chocolates and desserts from adjacent restaurant Chuck’s: A Kerry Simon Kitchen.

There will be a Playboy Treasure Hunt where a lucky guest will ultimately win a tour for two of the legendary Playboy Mansion! As the clock strikes 12am, a midnight confetti storm will take the celebration to another level and truly make this a night to remember.

Tickets to the New Year’s Eve gala also include a complimentary pre-NYE party at Sound Bar Chicago on Monday, December 30th and a post-NYE celebration at Hard Rock Café, giving partygoers three fabulous opportunities to celebrate with the purchase of one ticket.

If you are interested in attending the New Year’s Eve party extravaganza at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago along with Playboy, then please contact The Life of Luxury and one of our travel concierge specialists can help arrange all of your travel needs.

We have previously reported about other exciting Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camps held around the world. For 2014, it’s another stellar line-up including rock band KISS superstar Gene Simmons.

Gene Simmons is a both rock legend and media mogul and be the mentor of “The Gene Simmons Rock Camp™.” Simmons will also jam with campers with fellow rock star friends at Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp.

It’s a great opportunity to meet and play with a legend like Gene Simmons. He is just as big a celebrity today as he was back when playing bass guitar for rock band KISS.

KISS was formed in New York City way back in 1973. The iconic rock group is clearly one of the most successful rock bands of all time and was recently nominated this year for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Gene Simmons was the band’s original bass player and co-founder, in addition to being credited with writing many of the band’s chart topping songs such as: “Nothing To Lose,” “We Are One,” Shout It Out Loud,” and “Domino.”

In addition to Simmons, the music camp will also feature Tommy Thayer (KISS), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), and Dave Ellefson (Megadeth).

The above music stars will help out camp musicians of all levels to form bands, learn or perfect their knowledge of an instrument, and even write and record a song. It’s an amazing musical experience that should not be missed.

The four-day Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp which runs between March 27-30, 2014 will climax with a live performance at the House of Blues at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Gene Simmons last took part in a fantasy camp back in October 2012, which was a huge success and very popular with the camp attendees.

When asked about his involvement next year, Gene Simmons replied, “Mentoring adult and young rockers at the fantasy camp has always been an amazingly rewarding experience for me. I enjoy teaching and handing over lessons I’ve learned from the business to musicians and upcoming talent.”

Gene owns his own record label – Simmons Records plus is recognized for his innovative marketing of his band and his TV series, “Gene Simmons Family Jewels.”

Space for the 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp is extremely limited, so act fast if you want to jam with Gene Simmons and the others.

If you are interested in attending the upcoming Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp – “The Gene Simmons Rock Camp,” please contact The Life of Luxury to learn more information.

Many people want to get away from the cold weather for the holidays and enjoy the warmth of the beautiful tropical destination like Aruba or St. Thomas.

Vacations To Go has put together some of the best resorts to stay at in the Caribbean, for those who have ever dreamed of visiting Aruba or St. Thomas.

Enjoy beautiful, sandy beaches, warm air breezes and a Caribbean atmosphere that’s laid-back. Several of these luxury resorts are all-inclusive, which means it includes your accommodations, all meals and drinks plus many local activities.

Aruba:
Located just 15 miles north of Venezuela, Aruba offers inviting beaches, a cactus-studded interior and distinctive divi-divi trees bent by steady trade winds. The native language of Aruba is Papiamento, which is a mix of African, Creole, Portuguese, Dutch, English and Spanish influences. Palm Beach is a true Caribbean playground, with major resorts, fine sand and clear water. Find tall, multicolored Dutch colonial homes with wooden doors make a picturesque sight in Oranjestad, the capital city of Aruba.

Arikok National Park covers about one-fifth of Aruba’s land mass. Enjoy numerous hiking trails and paved and gravel roads that lead to a variety of rocky coasts, caves and pictographs that were left behind by the Caquetio Indians. The waters of tropical Aruba are filled with marine life, providing excellent snorkeling opportunities. Fishing enthusiasts can cast a line for marlin, wahoo, amberjack, kingfish and tuna. Steady trade winds provide ideal conditions for windsurfing and kiteboarding; both sports are very popular in Aruba.

– Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusive, a 3-star, all-inclusive resort about 10 minutes from Oranjestad
– Hotel Riu Palace Aruba, a 4-star, all-inclusive hotel on Palm Beach
– Renaissance Aruba Resort, a 5-star, all-inclusive property in Oranjestad (pictured above)

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St. Thomas:
Located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas features beautiful beaches, prime shopping and interesting historic sites. St. Thomas offers a duty-free haven, in addition to top shopping venues include Main Street in downtown Charlotte Amalie and Havensight Mall at the cruise ship dock. With its calm waters, Magens Bay is the island’s most popular beach; Drake’s Seat offers great views of the bay.

Take in the sights including the vista from the top of the 99 Steps on Government Hill. They were constructed by Danes in the mid-1700s using bricks that had served as ballast in trading ships (there actually are 103 steps). Fort Christian, built in 1680, is the oldest standing structure in the USVI and has a collection of early St. Thomas memorabilia. St. Thomas also is home to one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere. Art lovers can visit the childhood house of French impressionist Camille Pissarro, born on the island in 1830. Note that U.S. citizens are not required to have a passport to visit St. Thomas.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, a 3-star, all-inclusive property a few miles east of Charlotte Amalie
Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, a 4-star, all-inclusive retreat on St. Thomas’ northeast coast
Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach, a 5-star resort near Charlotte Amalie

If you are ready to plan your vacation or holiday getaway to one of these two tropical Caribbean destinations, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can assist with all of your travel arrangements.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is an award-winning, distinctive group of deluxe hotels for discerning business and leisure travelers. Their Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul hotel just won a major travel award.

The luxury Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul hotel was just recognized as “The Best Luxury Hotel of the European Continent” by the “World Luxury Hotel Awards” 2013.

This is a terrific award as “World Luxury Hotel Awards” also recognized Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul as “The Best Luxury Hotel of Turkey” in both 2011 and 2012.

The luxury Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul hotel combines both Swiss excellence and Turkish hospitality for its service understanding. The hotel welcomes its guests by combining the past and the present of historic Istanbul with a passion of excellence.

The “World Luxury Hotel Awards” is regarded as the most important organization to recognize and reward service excellence in international hotel industry. The travel organization recently announced the best hotels for 2013 with a grand ceremony that was held in Phuket, Thailand.

For 2013, there was an increase of 40% in countries participating in the “World Luxury Hotel Awards” which have been given out to recognize the service quality of the luxury hotel industry since 2006.

Each application is made on the basis of country, continent and global basis are assessed by international Tourism professionals such as travel agencies or tour operators, and hotel guests.

The Swissôtel brand offers greater than 30 luxury properties around the world. They are also developing new luxury hotels in exciting international destinations such as Sochi, Russia (2013), Bodrum, Turkey (2014) and Changsha, China (2014).

If you are interested in booking a trip to Istanbul, Turkey and staying at the luxury Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul hotel, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can assist with all of your travel arrangements.

The intimate Esencia Estate is located on the exclusive Riviera Maya of Mexico. The area is Mexico’s top venue for destination beach weddings.

Mexico continues to be a hotspot for destination weddings. The country is increasing at an unprecedented rate of 20% per year. You ask, “what is the reason’?

Well the expert wedding planners at Esencia Estate are now offering an inside look at the top five wedding trends to watch for in 2014.

This hideaway is a favorite of supermodel, Kate Moss and the scenic venue was also the choice of TV show “Bones” star Tamara Taylor’s nuptials.

1. Mexico Destination Weddings on the Rise
The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau has reported a 20% increase in the number of destination weddings in 2013 over 2012 in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. This location is home to the Riviera Maya and Tulum. Found on the region’s finest stretch of private beach, the area’s most luxurious, boutique hotel and top wedding venue, Esencia Estate, saw the number of weddings on site more than double over the past year. With one in four US couples now opting for a destination wedding, Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula in particular, will continue to rise in popularity as the destination of choice over the coming year.

2. Pin-spiration and the Insta Boom
In 2014, brides will look to Pinterest for inspiration for their dream day. Weddings will continue to have highly personalized, hand-made elements — from save-the-date cards to table decorations and place cards, the DIY touch is definitely here to stay. Bringing social media action to the ceremony, couples are creating personalized hashtags for guests to tag their instagram photos.

3. Non-traditional Ceremonies
Parting ways with traditions of the past, many couples are now opting for non-traditional ceremonies held outside of religious institutions. In Mexico, Mayan beach ceremonies, officiated by a Shaman and incorporating natural elements will experience a strong revival in 2014.

4. Creative, Customized Cuisine
The foodie renaissance has sparked new interest in one-of-a-kind culinary experiences that are sure to wow wedding guests. At Esencia, renowned Chef Noe Bernardo works with couples to completely customize menus and options to fulfill their foodie fantasies. From welcome Mexican style barbeques replacing more formal rehearsal dinners to delectable ceviche and taco bars, the options are endless.

5. Intimate Is Chic
Embracing the quality over quantity approach, many couples are moving away from large wedding parties in favor of smaller gatherings between 50 and 120 people. Yet while guest counts are decreasing, budgets are definitely on the rise and are only expected to increase. At the 29 room, Esencia Estate, intimacy is unparalleled with more couples than ever opting to buyout the hotel for their special day.

If you need help planning your dream wedding, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can help plan your special event. Whether it’s in Mexico or anywhere in the world, make it a wedding for everyone to always remember.