Be it by the ocean, in the desert or in the world’s most glamorous cities, LUXURY abounds. From a lush Sicilian villa overlooking a volcano to celestially-inclined dining, the world is your oyster.
Tucson, USA
As delightful as a beach holiday can be, there is something especially magical about desert surrounds. In Arizona’s Sonoran desert, Miraval Resort offers luxe villas constructed from stone, cedar, walnut and recycled wood, designed to meld into their surrounds (from AUD$1520 per night). The open spaces bring the outside in: wild beauty on the doorstep, dinner on the terrace under the stars, a swimming pool to escape the desert heat and fireplaces to escape the desert chill.
Praslin Island, Seychelles
Not so much a home as a luxurious residential complex, guests want for little at this glorious 600m2 property (from AUD$5650 per night). There are two maids, a butler, a gardener and an in-house chef to take care of business, leaving everyone else free to explore the private beach typical of the Seychelles’ white sand and granite rock geology. Or perhaps take a cruise on the 36-foot boat—it’s available with its own skipper for fishing excursions. Otherwise, there’s access to a private golf course and copious sporting equipment should it be required. But for most people the three suites, two bungalows, vast verandahs, pools and views of the Indian Ocean are entertainment enough.
Internationally
The Four Seasons has upped the ante on guest experience: in Japan, guests can hike to the top of Mount Fuji … with a butler and chef. Or watch the Grand Prix in Singapore and when the race ends, helicopter to Malaysia for a spin around a circuit. Visit Florence and chef Vito Mollica can prepare a romantic dinner on the Ponte Vecchio (pictured above) or head to St Petersburg to meet the restoration ateliers of the Russian museum. Visitors to Costa Rica can sample a galactic menu based on meteorite powder whilst photographing the stars through a powerful telescope. For those who want it all, the group has a private plane to jet between hotels—with five star accommodation and services, including spa treatments. fourseasons.com
New York City, USA
Positioned on West 57th Street, directly opposite the famous Carnegie Hall and an easy walk to Central Park, Manhattan’s Park Hyatt emerges from a makeover completed in late 2014 as the first hotel in the Midtown district in a decade to be bestowed with five-star status. Occupying the first 25 floors of the island’s tallest skyscraper, One57, the 210 rooms include 92 suites with expansive windows to take in the iconic city skyline (suites from AUD$1225 per night). The open spaces are rendered in warm wood and leather and adorned with 350 modern works by artists including Ellsworth Kelly, Rob Fisher and Robert Longo. Bathrooms come with a specially composed fragrance exclusive to the establishment and the Nalai spa includes an Italian marble pool (pictured right) with city views.
Sicily, ITALY
Sitting on the eastern Sicilian coast on terraced grounds peppered with lemon trees and fruit orchards, this luxury estate is a former vineyard dating back to 1850. Inexplicably abandoned in the 1960s, it has been restored to a beguiling mix of heritage and modernity by an aristocratic Sicilian family. Now it’s a 12-bedroom luxury villa (from aud$23,150 per week), perched on a hillside to deliver perfectly panoramic views taking in the countryside, nearby Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea—which is just minutes away should the 25m infinity pool not quite meet expectations. The nearest hub is the city of Taormina, but with a personal chef at your disposal, it would be churlish to want to abandon the refined yet weathered space—all comfortable elegance and modern art—for any length of time.