New Top Ten: Terrific Trains

Taking a luxury train trip takes you back to the leisurely days of steam and restaurant cars and porters carrying portmanteaux. These days diesel may not be as romantic but with these carriages behind the engine the journey is smooth and the living is easy. Eat your heart out Thomas the Tank.

Click to view our pick of the Ten Best Luxury Train Jounreys

The Amazing Race's Phil Keoghan

Phil Keoghan has recently opened his passport for The Luxury Travel Bible to reveal more about his favourite places, his experience on the show and why he believes in making the most of NOW.

He passed on this great piece of advice;

"I think too many people talk about one day they are going to do this that or the other and unfortunately we only have NOW. As you get older you realise how short life is and the importance of taking a bite of life when you have the chance."

Read more of Phil's Open Passport here.

Cocktail masterclass at Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa

Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa and New York City-based ‘mixsultant’ Joseph Boroski will be hosting two cocktail classes at Vietnam’s newest seaside escape on July 30 & 31. From 7pm Boroski will be welcoming wannabe bartenders to his masterclass in elixirs with a drink at Plunge, the hotel’s sleek, poolside bar. Then Boroski will teach
students how to mix some of Sheraton Nha Trang’s signature cocktails.

To book a spot in one of Boroski’s cocktail courses email dining.nhatrang@sheraton.com or visit www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton

For more information about Joseph Boroski, visit either his Website (http://www.josephboroski.com/) or blog (http://www.sipslowly.com/).

A stylish mix of wine and design

Port Phillips Estate winery on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, Australia will open six new luxury apartments in September. These apartments (five named after Kooyong's prestigious single vineyard wines - Haven, Faultline, Farrago, Meres & Ferrous, with the sixth, and largest, named the "Gjergja Apartment" after the winery owners) are perfect for experiencing the winery and the beautiful Peninsula. But it is the apartments' contemporary design combined with glamour and comfort that The Luxury Travel Bible is really looking forward to spending time in. All have been individually designed by Wood/Marsh Architects (who also designed the award winning winery building). Style is evident throughout from the king-sized beds with their leather headboards, white linens and Italian silk throws to the classic red Rietveld 'Utrecht Chair' to the Missoni bathrobes against the black tiled bathroom wall. TLTB also likes that design will not infringe on nature's beauty as the private terrace areas (perfect for enjoying a glass on) allow for uninterrupted views over the vineyards, hills and ocean. SB
Luxury Link: http://www.portphillipestate.com.au/

Skye high praise

A tiny restaurant on an isolated Scottish island has been chosen as one of the best restaurants in the world. New York Times restaurant critic and Pulitzer prize winning food writer Frank Bruni chose The Three Chimneys restaurant at Colbost on the Isle of Skye as one of his personal favourite dining experiences in an article that appears on http://www.epicurious.com/ he says say dining here is 'An enchanting experience through and through. Some diners come by helicopter from Edinburgh or Glasgow: that's how big a deal this restaurant is in Scotland'.

So if you are ever in the area; http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/

The elegant work of designer Thomas Hamel.

We have it on good authority that Sydney-based interior designer Thomas Hamel is now working on his first hotel interiors for an as yet unnamed private five star hotel group (we'll keep you posted). In the meantime Hamel's new book Residence (Hardie Grant Books) will be ready to grace coffee tables in August. The beautifully illustrated volume showcases some favourite projects from a Sydney harbour-front villa to a Florida Retreat and a French farmhouse inthe Luberon. AP

Luxury Link: http://www.thomashamel.com/

Rome's new 21st Century DESIGN savvy.

Rome is not normally known for its modern art, indeed contemporary artists and architects have struggled to get design recognition amongst its ancient wonders so we're thrilled to see that its new museum for 21st century arts (titled tongue-in cheek with ancient-looking roman numerals) MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts opened with such a fanfare recently. The building itself created by the Baghdad-born, London-based architect Zaha Hadid (famous for her theatrical, dramatic designs) is as interesting as the art inside and may well give Bilbao's Guggenheim a run for its money. Current exhibitions include architect Luigi Moretti, works of the late Gino De Dominicis, and video installations by Kutlug Ataman. Now the Roman's have embraced modernism they can't stop; next up a new wing of the contemporary art museum, Macro, in via Reggio Emilia opening in October. HD

MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, via Guido Reni, 4 A, 00196 Roma. Open Tues to Sun 11am-7pm (10pm on Thurs); admission €11

Luxury Links: http://www.zaha-hadid.com/, http://www.fondazionemaxxi.it/

Photos courtesy MAXXI museum.

This week's new Top Ten ...

The World Cup may now be over but The Luxury Travel Bible can prove that the wilderness wasn't only on the football field. This week's new Top Ten: South African Safari Lodges is now up. Click here to view.

Marrakech's new blend of tradition and contemporary design

Royal Mansour Marrakech recently opened and is already winning fans for celebrating the history and traditions of Marrakech. Set within the walls of the old city and built on 3.5 hectares (8.7 acres) designers worked to authentically represent the look and feel of Morocco. Each of the 53 individually designed riads is set over three floors with the rooms arranged around a central courtyard and feature a living room, bar and outdoor patio. Traditional style has been fused with high-tech gadgets including roof sensors that close automatically at a drop of rain. To ensure privacy and discretion each of the riads has a series of underground tunnels that are accessible only by staff. With service like that we may need to rethink our Top Ten Moroccan Riads.  SB

www.lhw.com/royalmansour

Karma makes a Splash

Karma Resorts are adding another string to their bow as they move into the wine industry. They have announced the launch of their own wine label 'Karma Splash' and the first wine will be an organic Rosé.

To support this new venture Karma  has appointed sommelier Karim Bendrandame who will be based in Karma Kandara. Bendrandame says, "I think it's a good idea to have our own label. Rose is good choice. Karma Splash Rosé is a fresh, fruity and dynamic wine, which will perfectly match the atmosphere of the resort, as well as the food we serve".

If the Rosé is half as good as the resorts The Luxury Travel Bible is very much looking forward to trying a drop when we are next visiting.  SB

http://www.karmaresorts.com/

The MUSE is an Inspiration

MUSE Hôtel De Luxe the newest YTL offering officially opens today in Saint-Tropez.

The MUSE, an intimate new hotel in Provence is on the Route des Plages (beach route) in Ramatuelle on the way to the Saint Tropez. Sometimes a hotel deserves to have its name in capital letters and this one certainly does. On offer are 14 elegant suites, nine with private pool and all with gardens. Inside you'll find custom-made furniture designed by Henryot especially for the hotel and fabrics selected from the Parisian house of Pierre Frey. All amenities in the suites and the spa have been created exclusively for The MUSE in Grasse, where France's' most famous perfumes are created. 

www.ytlhotels.com/, www.ramatuelle-tourisme.com/