LUTE Loves: Work Well at Vakkaru Maldives
By John O’Ceallaigh Back at the height of the pandemic, resorts the world over introduced remote-working packages to entice long-term guests who had suddenly found they needn’t be physically present…
The Orient Express La Dolce Vita train: the luxury rail service arrives in Italy
By John O’Ceallaigh At this year’s luxury-travel conference ILTM, the most exciting news announced by the French hotels group Accor was about a train: the conglomerate will revive the Orient…
A Sharjah Safari: Introducing the Lux Collective’s influencer-ready UAE properties
By John O’Ceallaigh If you want to feed the giraffes that greet guests during breakfast and in the afternoon at Nairobi’s Giraffe Manor, you’ll need to spend from about $800…
Joali Being: inside the Maldives’ pioneering wellness resort
By John O’Ceallaigh When I visited Joali resort in Raa Atoll in the Maldives shortly before its opening in 2018, I was told about its founders’ plans to build another…
Introducing Lanserhof Sylt: the new German medispa that will be Europe’s most expensive resort
By John O’Ceallaigh Germany isn’t known for its beaches, which suits Sylt’s wealthy residents and discerning holidaymakers well. Fringed by a 40km-long beach, the North Sea island is referred to…
The Retreat at Giraffe Manor: The Nairobi Instagrammers’ idyll expands
Irritating though I often find Instagram to be, usage of it feels like a professional necessity if you’re in the luxury-travel industry: for better or worse, there are so many…
Ultima Cannes Le Grand Jardin: the island hideaway competing to be the Cote d’Azur’s most exclusive villa
By John O’Ceallaigh Though heavily impacted by C***d regulations, the Cannes Film Festival is taking place IRL this year. While it may not be the most egalitarian of occasions, its…
Carlye & Co: Rosewood Hotels’ new members’ club revitalises real-life social networking
By John O’Ceallaigh Back in March 2019, I stayed at the Rosewood Hong Kong hotel to attend its heaving, no-expense-spared opening party; even with all the competing distractions offered by…
Sanctuary Mandela: Nelson Mandela’s former home is Johannesburg’s newest boutique hotel
By John O’Ceallaigh There aren’t many political leaders who seem to be beyond reproach, but I think we can all agree that Nelson Mandela is among the few global figures…
The Aerial: The rags-to-riches BVI private island promising life-changing retreats
As rag to riches tales go, Britnie Turner’s is an impressive one. Today a very, very rich 32-year-old, just over 10 years ago the South Carolina native was living in…