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Luxury Hotels - Le Meridien Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco *****

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Set in the heart of Monte Carlo in the principality of Monaco, the 5-star 328-room Le Meridien Beach Plaza is the only hotel in the area with its own private beach.

The hotel is home to a variety of dining venues-the Mediterranean Les Pergolas, the seafood restaurant L'Albatros, a beach bar and grille during the summer months, and a lobby bar all year-round. The hotel also offers a full room service menu.

There are three pools--two outdoor (saltwater), one indoor (freshwater)--on the property, and a health and fitness center as well.

Room amenities include Hermes bath products, hi-fi stereo and CD system, TV, and Internet access.

Related Links:

... Le Meridien Beach Plaza official site.

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Fashion mag sets sights on China

A Chinese version of Vogue will debut in September...

One of the world's leading arbiters of high fashion is preparing to launch a Chinese edition. Zhao Feifei reports on the magazine that "waits until the market and its consumers have reached at a certain level of development" before it moves in.

Under the bright neon lights of major newsstands along the busy thoroughfares of Shanghai, glossy fashion and lifestyle magazines - such as Elle, Cosmopolitan, Rayli - are all vying for space and the attention of passers-by.

... full text via China View.

Related Links:

... Vogue.com.

... Save 57% off the cover price of Vogue Magazine at Magazines.com.

Luxury-lite is yesterday's trick, says style guru

Tyler Brule predicts the "new luxury" trend is played out.

"Luxury has dumbed down," Brule proclaims. These days, any company that is a notch above the entry level for a category is happy to "whack luxury on its label", he says. So much so that it has left a gap at the top.

"On the one hand, you have companies that are looking at the bottom line and on margins and then, on the other, you've got the consumer, who is only interested in provenance and who wants to make sure they're not getting a hollow brand," says Brule.

I like the fact that he differentiates between premium and luxury, and the fact that the word luxury has been redefined to the point that it becomes meaningless to some degree. He believes that if you've got a truly superior product/brand the time has come to start charging more.

Boeing's 777-200LR Luxury airliner touches down in Auckland

Boeing's posh ultra long-range 777-200LR payed a visit to New Zealand to drum up interest...

Boeing's $300 million flying showroom has paid its first visit to New Zealand and the aerospace giant is keen to show Air New Zealand what it says is the future of long-haul air travel.

Named the Worldliner, this new plane, the 777-200LR (for longer range) can connect almost any two cities in the world with just over 300 passengers on board.

... full text via The New Zealand Herald.

Hard at Work, Rating the Good Life

Good work if you can get it...

Raquel Brulé and Eric de Lavandeyra sleep around a lot.

Last Tuesday, it was the Ritz-Carlton; on Wednesday, the Four Seasons; and on Thursday, they briefly checked in at the Carlyle before trying out the Hotel on Rivington, a brand spanking new 21-story glass tower on the Lower East Side.

... full text here.

Related Links:

... Carnet Travel Guides.

The Essence of Style by Joan DeJean

International Herald Tribune - William Grimes reviews Joan DeJean's book 'The Essence of Style : How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour' here.

Via Amazon.com:

Not only do French women not get fat, they've led the world in style for the past 300 years. French historian DeJean's premise is simple yet wonderfully effective: largely because of one obsessive spendthrift, Louis XIV, France, in the late 17th century, became the arbiter of chic, a position from which it has never since faltered. Louis's outrageous vanity, sumptuous court and devotion to his own well-being led to growth in the manufacturing of fine clothing and shoes, and the invention of shops in which to buy them, and to celebrity cuisine, cafes and Champagne (a particularly amusing—and explosive—chapter). Louis was enthralled by glitter, which fostered a huge increase in the diamond trade; the theft of the Venetians' mirror-making secrets and subsequent rise of France as world leader in that field; and the first night streetlights (hence the "City of Lights"). Louis also abhorred mud (so streets were paved with cobblestones) and disliked getting wet (thus umbrellas were invented).

Maximum Luxury

Luxflation is driving innovation at the high end of the retail experience.

Via MSNBC...

As luxury brands move into the mass market, they need a new way to make the super-rich feel special. Welcome to the 'experience economy.'

But because goods at all levels are increasingly being commoditized, luxury shopping will have to move beyond simply offering expensive goods in a reasonably pleasant environment. To be successful, luxury brands must transform themselves from manufacturers and purveyors of fine goods into topnotch services that can make even the wealthiest elites feel more pampered and unique. In this Special Issue, NEWSWEEK explores this emerging redefinition of one of the world's most high-profile industries.

... full text here.

Related Links:

... a photo tour of the Celux Club via Studio Power (follow the blue arrow, bottom of page).

Located on the top four floors of the Louis Vuitton building in Omotesando Tokyo, this members only club offers a lounge and shopping zone for a highly exclusive clientele.
The rare fashion and home items that are available to the guests are specifically designed by the 12 fashions houses found under the LVMH umbrella.

Anguilla - Luxury travel options

If you like the Caribbean and are looking for some travel ideas you'll want to follow this link. Richard Alleman (writing for Travel + Leisure Magazine) focuses in on the best of Anguilla with lots of links to the islands luxury offerings.

As far as the Caribbean goes, Anguilla, the British West Indian island just north of St. Martin, has been very fortunate—it managed to duck the brutal batch of hurricanes last autumn. But its most serendipitous moment came back in 1980, when the government of the virtually hotel-free island decided to limit development to discreet, small hotels and elegant, upscale resorts. A quarter of a century later, the 16-mile-long territory known for its pristine beaches has stuck to this policy (which means there are no casinos, large cruise ships, or shopping malls) and is now home to what is arguably the Caribbean's highest concentration of luxury properties.

... full text via MSNBC.com.

Related Links:

... Anguilla Tourist Board official site.

... save 63% off the cover price of Travel + Leisure Magazine at Magazine.com.

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Travelocity.com
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Surface

Surface

Surface explores the motives and process behind the emerging trends in fashion, art, architecture, interiors, graphics, film and music. Surface spotlights and evangelizes today's visionaries, including renowned designers and emerging artists.

Show me more options from Allzines.com

Bentley finds the super-luxury market sweet spot

Via the Detroit News...

For players in this segment [$150,000-$200,000] -- names like Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maybach, Rolls-Royce and Porsche -- there is the promise of prestige and profits. But success is not always guaranteed, because the buyers are probably the most fickle customers of all market sectors.

That observation has been borne out over the last year in the contest between new products from three competing brands; Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley, owned respectively by BMW, DaimlerChrysler and VW. Each marque has launched new models yet only one, Bentley, can claim to have scored a real hit.

... full text by John McKormick.

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