Here’s a round-up of luxury travel stories that have caught the eye this week. To make sure you receive these new weekly alerts in your web browser, please click on the red bell icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page and click ‘subscribe’ (works on desktop only – for other ways to subscribe, please click here). This will also alert you to any other posts on the blog. Should you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time, by clicking on the icon again and selecting ‘unsubscribe’.
This new private jet tour gives golfers the chance to play 15 of the world’s best courses — in 26 days
Die-hard golfers will soon have a chance to yell “four!” at some of the world’s most famous courses—all while traveling around the world. That’s a birdie by any standards. In November 2020, private jet charter market place Victor and the travel specialists at Golf.Extra are teaming up to launch the Ultimate Golf World Tour. The highly curated, 26-day-long trip will take golf enthusiasts, via private jet, to 15 of the world’s most exclusive courses, while staying and dining in five-star hotels and restaurants along the way… [read more]
Airbus A300 sunk off coast of Turkey’s Kuşadası to boost diving tourism
An Airbus A300 was sunk in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the southwestern resort town Kuşadası to serve as an artificial reef and attract tourists as part of a municipal project. The airplane was brought on Saturday to the Güzelçamlı neighborhood of the town on five trucking rigs nearly 2 months after the dismantling process started in Istanbul on April 7. The plane, which is reportedly the biggest plane ever used as a reef, cost 270,000 Turkish Lira, is 54 meters long and 44 meters wide… [read more]
World’s most expensive painting was missing, turns up on Saudi superyacht
If you were to put together a list of the expensive stuff being hidden on superyachts, it would be pretty impressive. We’re thinking Faberge eggs, rare and exotic animals, probably a few priceless artefacts. But yesterday’s discovery surely takes the cake, with the world’s most expensive painting turning up on a superyacht belonging to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman… [read more]
Ritz-Carlton fined $1.6 million for blocking public access to beach
A posh Northern California hotel was ordered to pay $1.6 million in penalties on Thursday for failing to provide public access to its nearby beaches. All beaches in California are open to the public, with rare exceptions, but the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay did not make that clear and at times prevented easy access, the California Coastal Commission ruled, the Mercury News of San Jose reported. Rooms at the hotel can cost $1,000 a night… [read more]
A trip to the International Space Station will cost tourists $52 million
NASA has opened up the International Space Station (ISS) to tourists and already companies are buying rides to fly so-called “private astronauts” up to the laboratory in the sky for a visit. For approximately $52 million per person, you can purchase a seat to fly with SpaceX – once Elon Musk’s space company begins flights to the ISS… [read more]
We really enjoy hearing from our readers and would love to hear your views on any of these stories! Please click on the comments below and share your thoughts. Thank you.
Have a story you’d like to share? Please contact us for details.
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.
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12 Comments
Interesting story on the Airbus being sunk in the Aegean, quite a costly operation in both buying the plane and then sinking it in exactly the right place and at the right angle etc. I wonder how long it will be before it becomes a worthwhile dive site. Anybody got any answers from other similar projects?
I don’t think it tends to take long. The Cancun Underwater Museum was started in 2009 and then opened in 2010. And today, just 10 years on, it apparently attracts in excess of 200,000 visitors a year!
It is inevitable, as golfers are such competitive creatures, that some of them will be competing over all 15 rounds. Assuming a Par of 72 for each course then doing the Maths that would give a Par of 1,080 across the global tour. It’s going to produce some mind-boggling scores.
I bet given that it is going to be such a high profile event that some corporate sponsors will provide some glamorous prizes. Even when we have a competition at my local golf club a finance company usually offers some lucrative prizes for nearest the pin. Who knows what they will be providing for this glamour event?
Absolutely mind-blowing. I could finish 453 over par, having incurred 67 penalty strokes and lost 95 balls.
$52 million for a trip to the International Space Station? I wonder if that includes travel insurance too. As one of the world’s riskier journeys I would imagine that there’s quite a hefty insurance tab to pick up.
Allianz are already offering a space travel insurance policy. Possibly for the PR stunt as much as anything, I don’t know. I certainly don’t see any word on how much such a policy costs.
Maria Callas’ request to dine overlooking three countries is up there with some of the great diva requests. Though it prompts two questions.
What other demanding requests have celebrities come up with on their travels?
And is there anywhere else where you can dine overlooking three (or more) countries?
I would imagine you could do this with Dinner in the Sky (Google them if you’re not familiar!) who operate out of Belgium, but all across Europe. Apparently all you need is an event location that measures 30 x 15 meters and accessible for both a crane and a truck with a trailer. I would imagine that opens up all sorts of possibilities!
Is there any where in Basel, Switzerland that gives you a chance of viewing both France and Germany as well? When I last visited my phone was constantly pinging as I kept picking up French and German networks before retiring to the Swiss network again.
I’m sure there will be… whether there is a restaurant there as well may be another matter!
How about the quadripoint (apparently that’s the technical term) where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet. This has got me thinking… are there any other places in the world where FOUR countries meet at one point?
This problem of beach access is something that happens across the world. I can understand it from both sides. I’ve stayed in some luxurious hotels with private beaches and enjoyed the beach. Then again it can be very frustrating not being able to access the beach. I suppose at the end of the day, if I had to vote, I’d go for free beach access for all.
It’s my understanding that the beach is state owned (someone please correct me if this is not the case). Assuming this is the case, it seems completely unreasonable to restrict access. It’s a hefty fine, but I understand a significant chunk of the money is put towards better signage and facilities to make it more accessible to the public.
This new private jet tour gives golfers the chance to play 15 of the world’s best courses — in 26 days
Die-hard golfers will soon have a chance to yell “four!” at some of the world’s most famous courses—all while traveling around the world. That’s a birdie by any standards. In November 2020, private jet charter market place Victor and the travel specialists at Golf.Extra are teaming up to launch the Ultimate Golf World Tour. The highly curated, 26-day-long trip will take golf enthusiasts, via private jet, to 15 of the world’s most exclusive courses, while staying and dining in five-star hotels and restaurants along the way… [read more]
This new private jet tour gives golfers the chance to play 15 of the world’s best courses — in 26 days
Die-hard golfers will soon have a chance to yell “four!” at some of the world’s most famous courses—all while traveling around the world. That’s a birdie by any standards. In November 2020, private jet charter market place Victor and the travel specialists at Golf.Extra are teaming up to launch the Ultimate Golf World Tour. The highly curated, 26-day-long trip will take golf enthusiasts, via private jet, to 15 of the world’s most exclusive courses, while staying and dining in five-star hotels and restaurants along the way… [read more]
Airbus A300 sunk off coast of Turkey’s Kuşadası to boost diving tourism
An Airbus A300 was sunk in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the southwestern resort town Kuşadası to serve as an artificial reef and attract tourists as part of a municipal project. The airplane was brought on Saturday to the Güzelçamlı neighborhood of the town on five trucking rigs nearly 2 months after the dismantling process started in Istanbul on April 7. The plane, which is reportedly the biggest plane ever used as a reef, cost 270,000 Turkish Lira, is 54 meters long and 44 meters wide… [read more]
World’s most expensive painting was missing, turns up on Saudi superyacht
If you were to put together a list of the expensive stuff being hidden on superyachts, it would be pretty impressive. We’re thinking Faberge eggs, rare and exotic animals, probably a few priceless artefacts. But yesterday’s discovery surely takes the cake, with the world’s most expensive painting turning up on a superyacht belonging to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman… [read more]
Ritz-Carlton fined $1.6 million for blocking public access to beach
A posh Northern California hotel was ordered to pay $1.6 million in penalties on Thursday for failing to provide public access to its nearby beaches. All beaches in California are open to the public, with rare exceptions, but the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay did not make that clear and at times prevented easy access, the California Coastal Commission ruled, the Mercury News of San Jose reported. Rooms at the hotel can cost $1,000 a night… [read more]
A trip to the International Space Station will cost tourists $52 million
NASA has opened up the International Space Station (ISS) to tourists and already companies are buying rides to fly so-called “private astronauts” up to the laboratory in the sky for a visit. For approximately $52 million per person, you can purchase a seat to fly with SpaceX – once Elon Musk’s space company begins flights to the ISS… [read more]
We really enjoy hearing from our readers and would love to hear your views on any of these stories! Please click on the comments below and share your thoughts. Thank you.
Have a story you’d like to share? Please contact us for details.
Interesting story on the Airbus being sunk in the Aegean, quite a costly operation in both buying the plane and then sinking it in exactly the right place and at the right angle etc. I wonder how long it will be before it becomes a worthwhile dive site. Anybody got any answers from other similar projects?
I don’t think it tends to take long. The Cancun Underwater Museum was started in 2009 and then opened in 2010. And today, just 10 years on, it apparently attracts in excess of 200,000 visitors a year!
It is inevitable, as golfers are such competitive creatures, that some of them will be competing over all 15 rounds. Assuming a Par of 72 for each course then doing the Maths that would give a Par of 1,080 across the global tour. It’s going to produce some mind-boggling scores.
I bet given that it is going to be such a high profile event that some corporate sponsors will provide some glamorous prizes. Even when we have a competition at my local golf club a finance company usually offers some lucrative prizes for nearest the pin. Who knows what they will be providing for this glamour event?
Absolutely mind-blowing. I could finish 453 over par, having incurred 67 penalty strokes and lost 95 balls.
$52 million for a trip to the International Space Station? I wonder if that includes travel insurance too. As one of the world’s riskier journeys I would imagine that there’s quite a hefty insurance tab to pick up.
Allianz are already offering a space travel insurance policy. Possibly for the PR stunt as much as anything, I don’t know. I certainly don’t see any word on how much such a policy costs.
Maria Callas’ request to dine overlooking three countries is up there with some of the great diva requests. Though it prompts two questions.
What other demanding requests have celebrities come up with on their travels?
And is there anywhere else where you can dine overlooking three (or more) countries?
I would imagine you could do this with Dinner in the Sky (Google them if you’re not familiar!) who operate out of Belgium, but all across Europe. Apparently all you need is an event location that measures 30 x 15 meters and accessible for both a crane and a truck with a trailer. I would imagine that opens up all sorts of possibilities!
Is there any where in Basel, Switzerland that gives you a chance of viewing both France and Germany as well? When I last visited my phone was constantly pinging as I kept picking up French and German networks before retiring to the Swiss network again.
I’m sure there will be… whether there is a restaurant there as well may be another matter!
How about the quadripoint (apparently that’s the technical term) where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet. This has got me thinking… are there any other places in the world where FOUR countries meet at one point?
Apparently, technically.. this isn’t strictly a quadripoint but it is in fact two tripoints that are only 100 metres or so apart but it’s kind of fun all the same! Lots more on this at https://twistedsifter.com/2012/05/famous-tripoints-around-the-world/
Paul
This problem of beach access is something that happens across the world. I can understand it from both sides. I’ve stayed in some luxurious hotels with private beaches and enjoyed the beach. Then again it can be very frustrating not being able to access the beach. I suppose at the end of the day, if I had to vote, I’d go for free beach access for all.
It’s my understanding that the beach is state owned (someone please correct me if this is not the case). Assuming this is the case, it seems completely unreasonable to restrict access. It’s a hefty fine, but I understand a significant chunk of the money is put towards better signage and facilities to make it more accessible to the public.