travel

When you think of Abercrombie & Kent, you may think of tours and safaris. Did you know that they also have villas?

Well, they do. A&K owns and operates villas all over the world, including in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy. The villas vary in size and style, but all bring that old world A&K glamor to the table, as well as the A&K expertise -- they can arrange excursions for you like balloon rides, wine tastings, cooking classes and more.

Two new properties have recently opened in Italy, La Fornace (Tuscany, above) and La Castellina (Chianti).

La Fornace, scenically located near Arezzo and Cortona, has a heated swimming pool with a view of the countryside, a pizza oven, a gym and spa, grand stone fireplaces, bikes, a volleyball court and a soccer field. Does that just about cover your whole family? There are 5 en-suite bedrooms (sleeps 10) with satellite TVs, two kitchens, a game room, a cinema, a piano and central heating and air conditioning. Get a few friends together and rent it for $11,744 to $16,224 per week (high season).

Alternatively, La Castellina has six bedrooms (sleeps 10 +1) and lies in the heart of a small wine-producing estate. There's a large swimming pool, table tennis, badminton, WiFi, a bread oven and the sitting room is a rustic-chic converted hay barn. It's available for $9,744 to $14,432 per week (high season) -- and you can have A&K arrange a personal chef for you, transportation to nearby vineyards, whatever you'd like.

Visit akvillas.com to see galleries and floorplans of their villas worldwide (and to book -- be sure to invite us if you have an extra bed!).

This year is the 150th anniversary of Darwin's Origin of the Species, so don't you think it's about time you saw the Galapagos? If you've been waiting for an even more auspicious reason, then Abercrombie & Kent, the travel agency made adventurous hedonists, wants you to mark this Thursday, December 10 on your calendar.

At 9 a.m. Central Time A&K will begin discounting the prices for nine destinations and its World Pass. Every thirty minutes from then on, another 5% will be subtracted, so that by 3 p.m. CST the price you pay will be 60 percent smaller than the retail price. Notice we did say "trips:" in case you're taken with Darwin's spirit of enterprise but not his destination, Galapagos isn't the only option. Other locales include Eastern Europe, East Africa, Chile, Peru, Botswana, Zambia, Jordan, and Turkey.

The catch: there are only limited number of slots on each trip, and once they're gone, they're gone. That means you need to balance your desire to save with the joy-killing principle of scarcity, so bring your adamantium nerves. A second choice wouldn't go astray, either. But even if you miss out on a chance to ride the camels in Jordan's Wadi Rum, well, there's always... the Galapagos.

IceLink has transformed its unique line of wrist watches into a trio of larger sized travel alarm clocks. Each clock has six watch faces, two of them with alarms. The watch hands are covered in Superluminova, so as long as they get charged via light, they will be readable in the dark. The clocks are smaller than you may think. Each is only about 4.25 inches high, 3 inches wide, and thin at just half an inch deep.

The clocks most likely have quartz movements (one for each watch face). Each is constructed in steel, and there is a black PVD version also available. THe black version has a carbon fiber cases, while the polished steel versions have either mother-of-pearl watch faces or dial in black.

While the clock is attractive and displays six different times on the dial, they are also extremely expensive going for between $3,800 - $4,200 each. Still, they come with a 5 year warranty from IceLink. You pay for the quality and style, but for this type of money I would have liked the clocks to do a bit more.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Few things can ruin a trip faster than having something precious get lost or stolen. Although the best policy is to leave valuables at home while traveling (do you really need to bring those diamond earrings?), sometimes you just can't do without. When that's the case here's how to protect your irreplaceables while traveling:

• Document your valuables before you leave for insurance purposes, in case the worst happens. Take a copy with you and leave one with someone at home.
• Make a point to be (and look) alert Pickpockets and theives often target those who look preoccupied and innattentive.
• Never pack valuables in checked luggage. Keep them with you in your carry-on instead.
• Use see-through bags when packing your carry-on so the TSA inspectors can easily see what's inside without needing to directly handle the contents and potentially spill, drop, or pocket anything.
  
• Don't put items loose into the TSA bin Anything small (like watches, cell phones, etc) should be put into a coat pocket, handbag, or ziplock bag to keep them together before going through security.
• Always keep your carry-on as close to you as possible Make a point to stash it in the compartment either directly above or in front of your seat, if possible keep your most precious cargo in the bag that goes under the seat in front of you, and don't leave your carry-on behind when to go to the baggage carousel to pick up your luggage.
• Have locks on everything You can't lock your carry-ons while they're going through security, or your checked luggage while it's on the plane, but having them locked at all other times (i.e. while your carry-on is stowed in the overhead compartment or your luggage is in the trunk of a taxi) can still help prevent theft.
• Use the hotel room safe Locking items in your hotel room is all but worthless, and locking locked luggage in a hotel room isn't much better. Stash valuables in the room safe, hotel safe (even better), or if neither of those is an option you can always bring your own (check out Pacsafe).
• Don't leave your luggage on a tour bus Just because everyone else is doing it, and the tour guide says it's okay, is no guarantee. Lock up any luggage you must leave behind and take all irreplaceable items with you.

Italy is one of those countries that seems to get a grip on the imagination and just doesn't let go. Kathy McCabe, publisher of the well-regarded travel newsletter Dream of Italy, says that 40% of her subscribers have been to Italy six or more times -- and they keep finding reasons to return.

Now, McCabe and her contributors have so much information to share that the monthly newsletter is overflowing. Starting in 2010, the site is launching a daily newsletter, "Italian Day Dreams", which will cover Italian food, wine, travel and lifestyle. "Italian Day Dreams" will be free, while an annual subscription to the monthly newsletter costs $99 if you receive it on paper, and $79 if you receive it online.

Sign up for the daily email and you'll also get a sumptuous gift: Christmas in Italy, a 35 page ebook filled with all you need to know about spending the holiday in a country that really knows how to celebrate, and I mean for an entire month -- the festivities start December 6th, with La festa di San Nicola (the feast of St. Nicholas) and continue through January 6th, L'Epifania, or Epiphany, which marks the arrival of the the three wise men to visit the baby Jesus.

Maybe you can't afford to buy a Luxist Estate of the Day, however you may enjoy living in in similar splendor for a week. In fact why not invite your friends and family to share a totally planned fun filled vacation, otherwise known as a House Party.

Sophie Conran, the daughter of the renowned British design guru Terrance Conran, has teamed up with Temple Guiting Manor to help visitors plan a bespoke country house party. A perfect way to celebrate a holiday, special occasion or just enjoy time away with family and friends, a house party allows for a quieter more relaxing level of conspicuous consumption. Ideally, even though you may be the host or hostess, that role exists for you in name only. Renting a manor house somewhere in the British Isles is a stress free way to entertain as if you were in your own luxury home but with none of the ensuing hassles.

Temple Guiting Manor, which has been privately owned since the 15th century, has been restored to the highest standards. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner stated that it is "one of the finest, if not the very best of the small Cotswold Tudor houses." While the house which sleeps 10 is available on a self-catering basis why not let Sophie and her team cater to your every whim for a true break. Not only do they provide you with all the normal amenities of a fine hotel but there are countless experts in every category imaginable to inspire you and your guests. Sophie's philosophy is "If you want to make something, then learn it from the best".

Examples include:

• Executive chef Alan Bird, of the ever popular celebrity frequented The Ivy, will hold a master class.
• Jim Murray proclaimed by the BBC as the "world guru of whiskey" will educate you on the process of making whiskey.
• Knitting and crochet lessons from Clare Ward and Sarah Coates
• Flower design workshop with talked about florist Nikki Tibbles whose clients include Gucci, Chanel and Ralph Lauren
• Simon Stocken a former national bridge and poker player will teach you all the tricks you need to excel at the games

Favorite country pursuits such as golf, gliding, fishing, clay pigeon game shooting are also available.

The bespoke house party tradition has been updated for the modern lifestyle, and it is a unique experience to be able to relax in a rural retreat in a spectacular setting where every whim and need is accommodated by the most talented in the business.

When I was a child, my Aunt Jean gave me one of the best gifts I ever received -- a travel jewelry case. It wasn't kiddie-ish, and I use it to this day to keep my jewelry clean, safe, and uncluttered when I'm away from home. Need a gift idea of your own? Felix Rey makes a travel jewelry case with a bit of glam. The "Bling" Travel Jewelry Case is a zip-around case with four compartments and a mirror. It has "bling" printed on one side and a smiley face on the other and is made of nylon with brass hardware. It's 3.5 inches deep and the compartments are approximately 1 inch deep. $90

About a year-and-a-half ago I highlighted a great PBS show, Moment of Luxury With Bill Stubbs. The show is back for Season 2, and episodes began airing on October 1. (I regret not getting this information out there sooner...catch up with Season 1 online; if we're lucky, Season 2 episodes will appear soon!)

Stubbs, recognized by Architectural Digest on its list of top 100 designers, makes the experience of "luxury" -- excellence, comfort, and high quality -- accessible to Americans on any budget by offering tips on how to bring good, yet affordable, living into their homes and lives through home design, food, culture, and art.

"Our message that luxury does not have to be a fabulous home or an expensive piece of jewelry ... it can be a lush garden, an embroidered pillow, or a simple cup of tea ... has resonated with viewers," says Stubbs. "We are delighted to be back for a second season to continue our search for those places, people, and things that inspire me the most and to offer our viewers the tools to apply these secrets for affordable luxurious living."

This season, Stubbs finds luxury close to home in the United States and Canada. Filmed in high definition, the series brings Stubbs' design philosophy to life in 13 half-hour episodes. Take a look at some highlights of the series after the jump.

One good definition of hell: flying 16+ hours in coach. And it's antipodean opposite: flying that long in Qantas business class, which I did a couple of years ago, LAX to Auckland. Not only was I totally comfy in my near lie-flat seat with privacy screen, not only did I totally dig the mood lighting that changed as the trip went on (meant, I think to bring the body clock into some semblance of sync), but I boarded the plane with a bad cold, and I disembarked without it.

Okay, I can't credit the flight with that, per se, but I can almost promise you I wouldn't have been in any kind of reasonable condition had I flown the distance in economy.

From now until October 29th, 2009, you can get into the Qantas business class cabin to Sydney and Brisbane from LAX or SFO for $4,439, and fares from New York (JFK) starting at $4,943. (Travel from 330 days on from the reservation date.) That's about 40% off the regular fair, so if you know you've got travel Down Under up coming in 2010, this is a deal you won't want to miss.

Bidding has begun in this year's Sustainable Travel International's (STI) bi-annual Green Travel Auction. The online auction runs 24 hours a day until October 30th. The event brings travelers and responsible travel companies together to raise money for STI's educational programs and to promote sustainable tourism development. The nonprofit organization promotes responsible tourism that protects the environment, preserves cultural heritage and contributes to economic development. Special deals are being offered on trips like eco safari adventures and rainforest excursions which were donated by travel and tourism providers from across the globe. Auctions include an Alaska cruise, a stay in Peru, an eco safari in South Africa and an idyll in Papua New Guinea. Bidding is open on the STI auction page.

There's a gap in the upscale travel market right now. The companies that plan these limited-access excursions aren't selling as much as they used to, and once-upon-a-time buyers still have a thirst for the experiences not available to the general public – but not at the prices they paid before the recession. A new website, Jetsetter, is planning to help luxury travel planners and buyers meet in the middle.

Jetsetter, now in beta, bills itself as a "flash-sale website" for the up-market. This Gilt Groupe enterprise is invitation-only. So, the opportunities provided are not subject to the mass competition of the entire travel market. Nonetheless, inventory is likely to move quickly, and the window within which to act is not wide. "International trip curators" roam the world to conduct primary research – including on-site visits. These experts, including veteran travel writers and industry experts, then compile their findings on Jetsetter's site, with editorial accounts and photographs used to help would-be travelers make informed decisions.

Members of the online community will receive e-mail alerts every evening announcing the coming sales. Once that e-mail goes out – at 8 PM – the clock starts to tick.

Destinations available through Jetsetter include The Cotton House on Mustique, Negresco in Nice, the Paws Up resort in Montana (an amazing space) and Encantado in New Mexico.

It's not your imagination, hotel rooms have gotten cheaper. According to the hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) room rates around the world have dropped. According to the hotels.com Hotel Price Index, hotel prices around the world fell by 17 percent in the first six months of 2009, when compared to the same period in 2008. What's even more interesting is that with the exception of the Caribbean, every major region around the world experienced the sharpest price drops since the hotels.com Hotel Price Index began in January 2004. Latin American hotels were down 18 percent year over year, while North America saw a 17 percent drop and Europe's average was 16 percent lower than it had been a year before.

The hotels.com HPI tracks the real prices paid per hotel room rather than advertised rates, using a weighted average based on the number of rooms sold in each of the markets in which hotels.com operates. The latest report issued looked at hotel prices paid at 78,000 hotels across 13,000 locations around the world for the period January to June 2009, compared to the same period the year before.

In the first half of 2009, the world's most expensive destinations, with the exception of Capri, saw dramatic falls in prices paid by travelers compared to the same period in 2008. Two major U.S. travel destinations, New York and Las Vegas, saw a 30 percent drop in hotel rates in the first half of 2009. In the first half of 2009, New York overtook Las Vegas as the U.S. city with the fastest growth in hotel rooms. A total of 8,000 new rooms are predicted for New York City for 2009. London is also adding rooms in advance of the 2012 Olympics. Hotel room supply in the city increased by more than 3,000 new rooms in 2008 and an additional 3,400 are forecast for 2009.

In the first half of 2009 hotel prices across the United States dropped 17 percent with room rates on average $115 a night down from $139 a night during the same period in 2008. New York City held its spot as the most expensive domestic city for U.S. travelers and Washington, D.C. rose to second place (a response to the travel for the presidential inauguration). Las Vegas had the third least expensive hotel rates in the first half of 2009 but is the top spot for tourists and Orlando, the third most popular destination for U.S. travelers, ranked number 10 in lowest hotel rates.

We've written before about the allure of vintage luggage, expressing the glamour and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style. While certain pieces do turn up at auction from time to time, the Germany-based Vintage Luggage Company has now amassed the world's greatest collection of classic travel items made by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Goyard, which they can have professionally crated and shipped worldwide. Among the prizes in their inventory are an amazing selection of bespoke trunks, including a 1920s Vuitton desk trunk which converts to a writing table complete with a typewriter. Another trunk from 1925 houses a full set of plates, cutlery and cooking equipment, each with its own bespoke leather case. Others contain a long evening's worth of champagne, a complete collection of hats, a portable library - pretty much anything you could wish for while on the road.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Just about every culture has its Autumn festivals. In China, the Harvest Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the time when the harvest moon is full in the sky, signaling a time of abundance after the harvest. Should you happen to be in China in the next few weeks, you can travel along the Yangzi River on the Sanctuary M.S. Yangzi Explorer from Sanctuary Retreats and experience the magic of a time when people gather on hilltops, riverbanks and park benches to gaze at the brightest moon of the year. During this celebratory time, guides onboard the boat will educate guests on many Chinese customs, share folk tales inspired by the festival, teach and play the game of Lantern Riddles and invite guests to sample some of the many varieties of the traditional Moon Cake. Cabins are still available and rates during these peak season 3- and 4-night sails begin at $1,750 per person sharing in a deluxe cabin on the main deck.