The ultra-luxury Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central is proud to be the largest property in Starwood’s worldwide portfolio of properties, as well as the largest Sheraton in the world.

The impressive Sheraton Macao offers its pampered hotel guests a staggering 3,896 stylish guest rooms plus 160,000 square feet of meeting space, which makes it ideal for both private functions and business meetings.

Macau has seen explosive growth and has become a hugely popular gambling destination. Macau has rightfully been dubbed “Asia’s Las Vegas.”

The luxury Sheraton Macao Hotel is situated in the heart of Macau, thus providing easy access to dozens of top restaurants, high-end shopping, theatres, local attractions, in addition to numerous casinos that are found along the Cotai Strip.

The Sheraton Macao offers an endless amount of luxury amenities to match even the most discerning customer. This full-service hotel has it all. There are numerous activities and many hours of entertainment available to hotel guests.

But if you’re looking for a luxury hotel that can also be a place to relax and unwind, the Sheraton Macao Hotel delivers as well by providing both leisure and business travelers a place to get away from the stress of the world. The luxury hotel offers up three gorgeous swimming pools and Shine Spa where you can enjoy a relaxing spa treatment that is inspired by the Chinese Zodiac and combines the balancing principles of Feng Shui.

Macau has become an emerging business and leisure destination, and the luxurious Sheraton Macao Hotel has been a key component in helping reinvent bustling Macau.

We wanted to present a listing of some of the many luxury amenities available to guests at the Sheraton Macao Hotel:
* 3,896 guest rooms and suites & world’s largest Sheraton Club with exclusive services and amenities for club members
* Three outdoor swimming pools with poolside lounges and cafes
* The largest spa in Asia Pacific, Shine Spa for Sheraton (18,000 sq. ft.) & state of the art fitness center
* Three world-class culinary experiences, including Asian hotspot, Italian trattoria, and all-day dining restaurant with open kitchen
* The Palms Lounge, the perfect gathering spot for quiet morning coffee or evening cocktails with friends or business associates
* 160,000 sq. ft. of meeting space to accommodate both large-scale meetings, events, and retreats as well as intimate board meetings and cocktail receptions
* 24-hour in-room dining & concierge services
* Special amenities for large groups include specially designed hotel entry, barcodes to easily identify incoming buses, luggage conveyor belts to safely and quickly deliver bags to the bell desks; and pre-issued luggage tags with room numbers. Express Check-In can process even the largest groups, distributing keys to guests in just 30-45 seconds!
* Sheraton Kids Program and unique child friendly activities – movie night by the pool, special check-in, and more
* Business center with multilingual associates, wireless high-speed Internet, and currency exchange
* Complimentary shuttle service
* Easy access to Macau – guests can fly direct from LAX on EVA Airways or fly to Hong Kong and take a short 45 minute ferry ride to Macau.

Hotel rates for a Deluxe Room begin at only $178 per night.

Please contact The Life of Luxury to book your travel reservation and help with your visit to Macau and stay at the incredible Sheraton Macao Hotel.

Another successful Pebble Beach Automotive Week just wrapped in California. For those in attendance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance car show got to see two iconic luxury cars from Lamborghini – their first-ever prototype car and their latest car model.

Automobili Lamborghini was first founded back in 1963 and headquartered in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy. At that location, the luxury car brand manufactures some of the world’s most sought-after super sports cars in the world.

Lamborghini is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in a big way at Pebble Beach Automotive Week. The luxury carmaker will be displaying a rare U.S. appearance of its 1963 350 GTV in addition to the new 2013 Veneno show car which is making its American debut.

The 1963 350 GTV luxury car is first-ever prototype from Lamborghini, so car show attendees had a special treat by being able to view it up close and personal.

Stephan Winkelmann, who is the President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.was quoted, “Lamborghini’s presence at Pebble Beach will be the pinnacle of the brand’s 50th anniversary celebrations in North America. We’re celebrating 100 years of innovation in half the time – what better way than by showing the first Lamborghini ever built alongside our latest racing prototype and road-going super sports car – the Veneno.”

The ‘one-off’ 2013 Veneno show car offers 750-horsepower and sells for about $4 Million. It was first viewed at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering on Friday night.

The Veneno then joined the 350 GTV, which first made its world debut at the Turin Motor Show in 1963, in an exclusive display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance car show on Sunday.

Friday night, Lamborghini hosted a display and exclusive executive retrospective presentation at Concorso Italiano. On Saturday, the general public also was able to see the two luxury cars during a Concorso Italiano-hosted parade that wound its way through downtown Monterey and historic Cannery Row.

Lamborghini continues to marked major milestones in the history of luxury super sports cars. In 2011 was the introduction of the best-in-class Aventador LP 700-4 and this year’s presentation of the SUV concept car Urus at the Beijing Auto Show,

Three lucky clients from around the world will begin receiving delivery of their Veneno production cars later this year.

If you are an avid luxury car lover and would like to make plans to attend one the luxury car shows from around the world, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can help arrange your trip.

The beautiful Inn by the Sea is located on a mile of sandy beach, and found just seven miles south of Portland, Maine’s chic little port city. The inn overlooks beautiful mile-long Crescent Beach, providing incredible seaside and fall foliage views that can last a lifetime.

Hotel guests can enjoy a relaxed but elegant Maine coast experience in 61 luxuriously appointed one and two bedroom suites. The Inn also now offers its newest line of Ocean View Beach Suites that became available last summer.

In addition to being a great place to experience the annual New England fall foliage display, the Inn by the Sea has earned another distinction by becoming one of the first luxury hotels in the state of Maine to welcome both dogs and their owners.

Not only their owners will be treated well by staying here, but pampered pooches can now rejoice too! They will love that Maine’s most dog-friendly inn offers pets complimentary accommodations, water bowls, cozy blankets, beach towels plus signature treats at night’s turndown.

The list of pet amenities doesn’t end there. The Inn can also provide grooming services and pet massages, gourmet pet menus, dog walking and day care, with a comprehensive variety of nearby walking trails, dog friendly beaches and free-range parks.

The Inn by the Sea has introduced its “INNcredible Pets” package that includes:
* Two nights in a single bedroom suite accommodation
* Inn by the Sea dog bowl
* Personalized L.L. Bean dog bed
* One 30 minute in-room doggie massage
* Nightly entrée selection from the Inn’s gourmet pet menu
* Nightly pet turndown service including locally made seasonal dog treat
* Package Rates start at $993.70
Enjoy the beauty of Maine this fall and take in the popular changing of leaves nature show. The “INNcredible Pets” package is available between September 2 and October 31, 2013.

The Inn by the sea also been recognized with numerous travel industry awards, including being selected as one of Travel + Leisure’s 2012 World’s Best 500 Hotels.

Maine is an incredible destination anytime of the year but don’t miss the amazing colors of fall foliage. The dazzling colors will leave a lasting impression.

To visit coastal Maine this autumn, experience the incredible fall foliage and book a stay at the Inn by the Sea, please contact The Life of Luxury to make your reservations.

Today is National Rum Day so be sure to enjoy the great taste of rum in your favorite cocktail. Zacapa Rum makes the perfect base in popular, classic drinks including a Manhattan or Negroni.

As summer begins to wind down, there’s no better way to celebrate than with the quintessential spirit of the season.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a casual drinker or a rum spirit aficionado, Zacapa Rum makes ever cocktail taste great! The spirit’s rich flavors result in a smooth finish.

If cocktails aren’t your thing this National Rum Day, Zacapa can also be enjoyed neat or on the rocks similar to a fine scotch or bourbon.

Below are two cocktail recipes for Zacapa Negroni and Zacapa Manhattan that use Zacapa Rum instead of gin or whiskey.

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Zacapa Rum Negroni

Ingredients:
1 ounce Zacapa Rum 23
2/3 ounce Sweet Vermouth
1/3 ounce Bitter Italian Aperitif
1/3 ounce Semi-Bitter Italian Aperitif
Grapefruit Twist for Garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine Zacapa Rum 23, sweet vermouth, bitter Italian aperitif and semi-bitter Italian aperitif in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir well.
2. Strain contents into a coupe glass.
3. Garnish with grapefruit twist.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Coupe Glass

Yield:
1 drink, no drink contains more than 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol

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Zacapa Rum Manhattan

Ingredients:
1 ounce Zacapa Rum 23
1/4 ounce Italian Sweet Vermouth
1/4 ounce French Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Aromatic Bitters
Brandy-Infused Maraschino Cherries for Garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine Zacapa Rum 23, Italian sweet vermouth, French sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir well.
2. Strain contents into a coupe glass.
3. Garnish with brandy-infused maraschino cherries.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Coupe Glass

Yield:
1 drink, no drink contains more than 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol

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Happy National Rum Day !

One of the most popular activities to do while in Las Vegas, is to enjoy an adult pool party. Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas has been the top choice and new data proves its continued dominance as the #1 dayclub in Las Vegas

It was just announced that Encore Beach Club set season attendance records, making it hotter than the summer desert heat in Sin City. Encore Beach Club is a partnership between Wynn Las Vegas and Sean Christie’s Las Vegas Nightlife Group, which also operates Andrea’s restaurant and Surrender Nightclub in Encore at Wynn Las Vegas.

The popular dayclub hot spot is a lavish oasis for its patrons and provides lively high-end beach party atmosphere similar reminiscent of European hotspots with music provided by the world’s top electronic dance music DJs.

Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas features an impressive 55,000-square-foot venue offering three tiered pools that are surrounded by 40-foot palm trees, luxurious daybeds, in addition to oversized lily pads where guests can lounge in shallow water to cool off and beat the heat.

For those lookign for a more private setting, Encore Beach Club delivers with ultra VIP enclaves that provide a more private experienc. You can get views of both the pool party action and world famous The Strip. These 26 luxury cabanas are equipped with refrigerators and flat screen televisions.

Encore also offers 8 exclusive bungalows that feature private dipping pools and showers, plush furnishings and a temperature-controlled climate system.

Wanting to catch a glimpse of a popular celebrity, Encore is the place ot be. It’s been popular celebrity hotspot and you can see Hollywood A-listers, professional athletes, supermodels, plus the biggest names in music and pop culture.

What keeps Encore on top and draws in the thousands of guests is the music. Encore Beach Club creates a contagious party vibe with a top notch lineup of Wynn Las Vegas superstar DJs.

For those who can’t avoid th eallure of gambling can enjoy the gaming pavilion where guests can summon their lady luck and play both blackjack or craps.

With Labor Day Weekend fast approaching as summer begins its wind down, you can catch Fedde Le Grand (8/30), Steve Angello (8/31), Afrojack (9/1) and David Guetta (9/2) at Encore Beach Club.

To make your Las Vegas trip reservation and expereince Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas yourself, please contact The Life of Luxury.

It’s often difficult for high-end luxury hotels and resorts to offer interesting programs for children that will not only engage but also entertain them. The luxurious Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji has done just that.

The Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort property encompasses 25 spacious free-standing thatched-roof huts or bures. These huts are built from timbers found locally. Not only providing privacy, the traditional thatched Fijian bungalows also offer comfort and personalized service amenities.

The Bula Club is an exciting new kids program being offered at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort that is ideal for family travel to tropical Fiji. The program offers a wide range of interesting children’s activities and services.

For children who may want to play in the kitchen, the luxury resort is offering a “Chef’s Junior Assistant” program as part of their award-winning Bula Club. The Bula Club provides kids of all ages a variety of educational, fun and cultural activities.

The “Chef’s Junior Assistant” program is available for children between the ages of 6 and 12 who can experience the chance to engage in the following activities:

– Kids can sign up for the program ahead of time and then decide on their choice for meal for the day (participants’ favorite foods are taken into consideration). If a child’s pick is chosen, their choice could even land on that day’s menu.

– Become “Junior Assistants” and wear a chef’s jacket and hat while receiving briefing on kitchen safety and hygiene. Next the children will take a tour of the organic garden with the Chef, hand-picking herbs and garnishes, and assist the Chef with final preparations, plating and serving of the meals to the Bula Club.

– Kids will be able to join the resort’s Chef and a Bula Club representative for about 45 minutes to assist and create a fun meal from start to finish. The children will be active in the process by assisting not only with the preparation, but also the plating and serving.

The Chef’s Junior Assistant Program is an easy and fun way for kids visiting the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji with their vacationing family, to explore their creative sides and learn some foodie basics.

The Bula Club at Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort also offers other engaging activities such as rock pool exploration, hiking, glass-bottom boat excursions and much more! The resort also provides Johnny Singh who is a full-time Fijian naturalist/marine biologist. Sinngh provides a wonderful educational experience for the visiting children.

For more information on the Bula Club at Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort or help planning a vacation stay the the beautiful Fiji resort, please contact The Life of Luxury.

Iceland boasts breathtaking physical contrasts that will give travelers an unforgettable travel experience, including volcanic lava fields and frigid glaciers. Now you can see Iceland firsthand with the Iceland Adventure Tour.

Discovery Adventures is the unique, adventure tour program that was developed with the Discovery Channel and G Adventures and they have developed their all-new Iceland tour.

To celebrate the Land of Fire & Ice, Discovery Adventures will be offering a 12-day Iceland Adventure tour, that features an immersive itinerary highlighting famed geological sites as well as local customs and traditions of Iceland.

Highlights world’s most exquisite landscapes, the Iceland Adventure tour includes:
– whale watching at Husavik
– a drive through black sand beaches to see the Solheimajokull glacier and Eyjafjallajokull Volcano
– an ice walk on the Virkisjokull Glacier
– a visit to signature landmarks such as the Painted Rocks and the Chapeau du Napoleon
– a trip on a “wheeled boat” on the Jokulsarlon Glacier lagoon to see luminous blue icebergs
– a visit to Myvatn’s geothermal lake, Dimmuborgir lava fields and hot springs

The mission of Discovery Adventures is to offer affordable, comfortable and authentic experiences that dive deeper with immersive, real-life encounters – encouraging participants to become part of the local cultures that they have come to know through top-rated Discovery Channel series.

To learn more about an exciting trip to Iceland, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can help make your dream vacation become a reality.

It’s still one of the most highly kept secrets in the travel industry. But the iconic QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2) luxury cruise ship which is currently moored in Dubai, is scheduled to set sail next year and be introduced as an all-suite luxury hotel.

According to Emigrates 24/7, the QE2 luxury liner will be moored somewhere in the Far East, but it’s actual and final destination is a top secret.

The QE2 will depart Dubai on October 18 and should reach Singapore on November 1. The cruise ship will then leave for a shipyard in China to finish its restoration.

The luxury cruise liner will morph into a spectacular, 400 all-suite hotel. For those who desire an extended stay, there will be larger suites to meet that longer, onboard need.

Khamis Juma Buamim is the Chairman of Drydocks World and Maritime World and stated that approximately $90 million (Dh330 million) will be spent on refurbishing QE2. To date, seven of the ship’s nine total engines have been overhauled.

Buamim was quoted, “Dubai owns the QE 2 and will never sell it. People can rent or even buy these suites. Prices haven’t been finalized but these will be really expensive.”

The QE2 has long been regarded as the last of the great luxury liners. Over the 39 years of service for Cunard, she carried 2.5 million passengers, sailed almost six million miles and finished 806 trans-Atlantic crossings.

Istithmar World is a subsidiary of Dubai World and bought the 293-metre long vessel from Cunard for about $100 million in June 2007. QE2 officially retired in Dubai back in November of 2008.

Initially, the luxury ship was planned to stay in Dubai as a luxury hotel and part of a maritime center. Now those plans have changed, but don’t rule out the possibility that the ship won’t eventually return to Dubai.

Khamis Juma Buamim continued, “Dubai is the home of QE2. You never know it may come back.”

If you are interested in learning more about the new QE2 and making a reservation for a stay in 2014, please contact one of our concierge reps at The Life of Luxury.

Currency hedging is a method used to attempt to manage the degree of risk that may be present when making a transaction involving foreign currency exchange.

A currency hedging process is designed to allow a degree of compensation for any shifts in the relative value of the currency type being used in the deal.

A hedge aims to minimize the exposure of the holder of the money being transferred to unfavorable future shifts in the exchange rate, guaranteeing a reasonable return on the investment.

In a typical currency hedging strategy, the idea is to convert or exchange the currency while the rate of exchange is favorable, and then make the investment with the native currency of the country of origin where the investment is based.

For example, rather than paying for shares connected to a company based in Spain with Euros, the currency hedging process begins when the investor would first convert Euros into Pounds Sterling, then use Sterling to make the share purchase.

In order to protect from possible changes in the rate of exchange, the investor would normally agree to sell the shares after a given time period. The rate at which the shares would be sold may be slightly below the exchange rate between the pound and the Euro that was in effect around the time that the shares were purchased.

This creates a situation where the investor is in a position to make a substantial profit if the Euro strengthens against the Pound in the intervening period. On the contrary, if the Euro weakens against the Pound over this time period, the loss is minimized by the contract to sell the shares, thus preventing an overall loss for the investor. Overall, the mechanism offers the investor a degree of protection against fluctuating currency exchange rates.

The above example illustrates just one kind of foreign exchange, currency hedging strategy involving share purchases. Another common use of a hedging mechanism is the offer of ‘forward contracts’ in the exchange of foreign currencies.

A ‘forward contract’ serves to remove the uncertainty of changing exchange rates, by fixing the exchange price for a delivery of currency at a specified future date. This service is widely used by Foreign Exchange brokers to offer businesses and individuals future revenue protection.

Although it is probably the best way to insulate future payments from the unknowns of currency exchange variance, there are some potential pitfalls to be considered when it comes to ‘forward contracts’.

As the future exchange price is locked-in and the amount is fixed, if exchange rates suddenly markedly improve, a client cannot capitalise on this – this is the price paid for guaranteeing a transfer at a set rate, but you can’t have it both ways!

In addition, the further into the future that the deal is set, the less competitive a rate is offered. Typically the market is most used for short-term periods such as 3 to 6 months, as beyond this time lender’s rates become less and less competitive – with more future variables affecting pricing.

Foreign currency brokers will typically offer ‘forward contracts’ for up to a year, but the change that may take place in exchange rates over this time, and the resultant pricing, begin to diminish the attractiveness of this option unless it is vitally necessary.

Solmar Hotels & Resorts is a luxury, five-property resort collection located in the very popular Cabo San Lucas area of Mexico. Utilizing a clever program, now newly married couples can help the local community through charitable contibutions.

Los Cabos has long been a top destination for brides and grooms to tie the knot and get married in this very scenic setting. Solmar Hotels & Resorts can be found on Baja California’s most exclusive and private beach, guests can experience privacy while still being able to enjoy the excitement of downtown Cabo San Lucas.

After enjoying their unforgettable Cabo wedding, newlywed couples now have several options to share their love with the local Los Cabos community in a variety of charitable ways.

The Solmar Foundation was established by the son of the late Don Luis Bulnes Moleda, who was the founder and visionary behind Solmar Hotels & Resorts. He wanted to establish a way to support and give back to his beloved destination – Los Cabos.

There are numerous ways to support the local community. Couples are given creative freedom to expresses what they truly believe in as a couple and how to give in a way they feel comfortable with. Here are several popular ideas:

* Guest ‘favors’ – In place of traditional wedding favors, couples have the option to make a donation to one of the Solmar Foundation charities in each guests name and present small printed cards during the reception explaining the ‘favor’. Additionally, couples have included a beautiful donation container at the wedding inviting guests to donate on their behalf to a Solmar Foundation charity that is near and dear to their hearts.

* Flower Donations – Floral arrangements for a destination wedding often go to waste, as guests are traveling long distances and unable to take them home, however the Solmar Foundation offers guests the opportunity to brighten the days of many by donating the arrangements to local hospices or nursing homes following the event.

* Dress Donations – Many brides have gone the distance to donate leftover supplies to the Solmar Foundation such as lanterns, however some have gone above and beyond donating their dress to a less fortunate bride through the Solmar Foundation.

Managing Director of Solmar Hotels & Resorts Ricardo Orozco. was quoted, “While this program is completely optional, over the past few months we have worked with many couples, helping them to share their love with the Los Cabos community, and we are so proud to be a part of that special gesture. We find that our guests are very passionate about this destination and are always willing to find new and creative ways to give back to a community that has given them so many wonderful memories.”

Solmar Hotels & Resorts consists of a collection of five all-suite resorts. all offering guests the highest quality of service and hospitality. Over the past year, two Solmar properties – Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa and The Ridge at Playa Grande Luxury Villas, have been awarded the prestigious Four Diamond rating by AAA.

If you want to book your memorable wedding in scenic Los Cabos, Mexico or stay at one of the luxury Solmar Hotels & Resorts properties, please contact The Life of Luxury and we can help make your reservations.

Bonhams is hosting the 16th annual Carmel motorcar auction on August 16th. Bonhams is the world record-holding auction house and has lined up impressive assembly of Italian sports cars for the upcoming auction.

The luxury car auction will feature many iconic and desirable car models including from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Maserati.

The Quail Lodge & Golf Club is a spacious property and located in sunny Carmel Valley, California. The car auction is scheduled for Friday, August 16th. Preview days are available on the 14th and 15th.

Available to bid at Bonhams will be many noteworthy Italian cars, such as the one-off 1954 New York Auto Show, 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupé Vignale. This vintage luxury sports car is now on display at Bonhams’ Manhattan showroom.

An amazing 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II with coachwork by Pinin Farina will be available as well. This expertly restored, matching numbers car has been documented from new by historian Marcel Massini. The car comes with an extremely rare factory-delivered hard top, and truly represents the epitome of Ferrari’s mid-century fast and glamorous image of la dolce vita.

Other Ferraris at the Bonhams car auction include two superb examples of the heralded 330 GTC, a platinum-winning 365 GTB/4 Daytona, and a beautiful Dino 246 GTS.

There’s a 1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400 “Periscopica” (shown above) that has only 53,000 km on it. The matching numbers missile is one of only 150 created and is a pioneer of design whose paternity can be seen in the supercars of today.

You will also find a classic 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America with coachwork by Pinin Farina. This B24S Spider America is just one of 240 that were ever made and of 181 with left-hand drive. The stunning sports car comes with a race-developed V-6 engine and went through a quarter-million dollar restoration.

It’s a wonderful car auction that should be a must for any classic car enthusiast. Entry to Bonhams’ preview and actual car auction does not require a ticket.

If interested in learning more or planning a trip to participate in “The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering” Bonhams Auction, please contact The Life of Luxury.