For all the romantics amongst you...

Couples who become engaged on Hayman Island during 'A Month of Love' will received a complimentary Romantic Wedding. During February 2011 the Hayman Team will work to help make your 'diamond moment' sparkle and create the Ultimate Proposal. How about a candlelit dinner, a rose-petal scattered bath, a bottle of Mumm Champagne or an escape to a private island? Although you will have to choose that all-important ring and work out what to say to your beloved yourself.

Once engaged the couple will be invited to return for their nuptials, complete with wedding celebrant, ceremony location and set-up and the assistance of a Hayman wedding planner

If you have already done the whole engagement-wedding thing Hayman Island will help the romance live on with a range of specially created aphrodisiac-laden Valentine's menus at La Fontaine and Oriental restaurants. For something extra special, order the Perle Degustation at La Fontaine. Your loved one will be treated to a signature ʻPerleʼ dessert, handcrafted from white Valrhona chocolate draped in white gold pearl earrings.

www.lhw.com/hotel/Hayman-Great-Barrier-Reef-Australia

The Quilon retains Michelin star

The Quilon restaurant has retained it Michelin star for the fourth year in a row. Located in central London, 100 metres from Buckingham Palace the restaurant is a fine dining restaurant of the five-star hotel, 51 Buckingham Gate and is the only Michelin starred restaurant in the world for south west coastal Indian cuisine. Chef Sriram Aylur is known for creating dishes 'from the villages of Kerala to the streets of central London' and the restaurant has received awards for its wine lists and is known for its beer matching and 50-strong whisky list.

Next Monday (1st February) the restaurant will be holding a whisky dinner hosted by whisky expert and author Dominic Roskrow. Tickets to the whisky dinner are £59.50 per person. It comprises a whisky celebration cocktail, tutored tasting of four super-premium whiskies including a whisky rarity, three-course dinner and service. (A list of recommended wines will be offered as an additional option).

http://www.quilon.co.uk/, http://www.51-buckinghamgate.com/

Kiwi Collection's 2010 Luxury Travel Trends

Luxury booking resource Kiwi Collection has released its first-ever Top 100 Destination list. Compiled from analytics from their website analytics and showcases the most popular hotel and resort destinations from a combination of consumer reservations and research browsing. President and CEO Philippe Kjellgren says “Compiling such data provides insightful information into consumer behaviour and possible trends for 2011”. Key observations of luxury travel behaviour of Kiwi Collection’s booking website shows that New York welcomed a larger number of visitors than expected due to a weakened dollar, Asia continues to grow and claimed four of the top ten places, Turks and Caicos has become the number one Caribbean destination and Koh Samui has overtaken Phuket as Thailand’s leading luxury beach resort destination.
http://www.kiwicollection.com/

Kiwi Collection’s Top Ten list:

1.New York
2. Dubai
3. London
4. Paris
5. Singapore
6. Bangkok
7. Vancouver
8. Hong Kong S.A.R.
9. Florence
10. Koh Samui
Click here to view the full list.

Heston takes on airplane food

2011 will be a busy year for celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal. Not only is his new restaurant 'Dinner by Heston Blumenthal' at Mandarin Oreintal Hype Park opening January 31 but he is now taking on airplane food. Readers in the luxe poll are currently casting their opinion on the subject and the standard of airplane food will come under scrutiny on Blumenthal's new television show, Michelin Impossible. One episode will see him preparing food on British Airways flights where he serves Shepherd's Pie as research - the dish was voted as the one most people wanted to eat up in the air. In typical Heston-style he takes a science-based approach to the food and researches how high pressure in air cabins reduces the sensitivity of taste buds.
www.mandarinoriental.com/london/dining/heston_blumenthal/

High dining in Dubai

The world's tallest restaurant has now opened in Dubai. At.mosphere has opened at the Burj Khalifa on the 122nd floor of the tower. The restaurant is accessable via a minute-long elevator ride in a private chrome and glass lift and sits two floors below At the Top, the building's observation deck and at a height of over 442 metres (1,350 feet). At.mosphere seats 210 guests and features a main dining room as well as private dining rooms and display cooking stations. Previously the world's highest restaurant was 360 in Toronto's CN Tower. Unsurprisingly the restaurant serves only the finest food and wine but perhaps at this height do not overindulge too much on the vino.

Burj Khalifa also houses the Armani Hotel, Dubai

www.atmosphereburjkhalifa.com 

Discovering local flavour

During a recent stay in Sotogrande The Luxury Travel Bible got a taste of local culture when taking part in a tasting session of Drake & Friends sherry. This new high-end brand is helping to bring sherry to a new generation. Made from grapes grown in the Jerez region of Spain, the company takes its name from Sir Francis Drake who in 1587 'inspired a large "export" of 2,900 barrels of fine Sherry dutifully serving his Queen'. No longer just the drink in the dusty bottle only brought out at Christmas, Sherry is set to be the breakthrough drink of 2011 (according to those in the know). Ranging in maturity from three years to over a hundred years, from a Fino (a young wine) to TLTB's favourite the delicious Pedro Ximenez (a syrupy, older wine) there is a sherry to suit every palate.

TLTB loved Drake and Friends' true passion, some of which will rub off on any inexperienced -sherry drinker. Should you find yourself in the Sotogrande area, or a London bar following their launch there later this year, Drake and Friends is worth seeking out. SB
Luxury link: www.drakeandfriends.com

FUTURE LUXE: Street of Monaco

If you have a spare $1.1 billion to spare & love the glamour of Monaco but hate the crowds we have the yacht for you... http://bit.ly/eN7kY7