Luxury travel bucket list: dream holidays, hotels and destinations

Curator of luxury holidays for the likes of Jude Law and Stella McCartney, private travel consultant Merrion Charles is launching the ultimate Italian grand tour in late spring. Allowing guests to have four luxury experiences in one trip, the 15-night itinerary includes some of Italy’s most famous landscapes, from the majestic Dolomites and the rolling hills of Tuscany to the magical Pontine Islands and cultural landmarks of Rome. Featuring a stay at the Conti di San Bonifacio wine and wellness retreat in Tuscany (pictured) and island hopping aboard the 74ft Blue Deer San Lorenzo Sea Lodge catamaran, the 15-night tour costs from £114,000 for six people. Travel between destinations will be via helicopters or Mercedes limousines. Private jets from and to the UK can be arranged upon request.

White Desert Antarctica is the only company to offer a private jet service to one of the last great wildernesses on earth, flying its own Gulfstream aircraft across the Southern Ocean from Cape Town, South Africa to its 3,000m-long blue ice runway at Wolf’s Fang. Created from snow that has been compacted under its own weight over thousands of years, the runway is able to accept aircraft of all sizes. 

Guests can travel either as individuals or as groups of up to 12 staying in the state-of-the-art “polar pods” at the luxurious Whichaway Oasis eco-camp. 

On this once-in-a-lifetime experience, guests can simply relax and recharge as they explore the glaciers and ice tunnels of the oasis, visit one of Antarctica’s largest Emperor Penguin colonies and travel to the Geographic South Pole. 

White Desert Antarctica offers a “greatest day” trip for $14,500 (£10,600) and rates for other itineraries start from $40,000 (£29,300).

Xigera Safari Lodge has opened in Botswana’s wildlife-rich Okavango Delta. Hidden amid a canopy of indigenous trees, Xigera features 12 spacious suites; each individually designed to offer a unique experience of the Okavango. 

The lodge is a unique celebration of African art, culture and creativity: a living gallery of African talent. Experiences include glass-bottom mokoro excursions gliding across the delta’s waterways and a unique sleepout experience in a baobab treehouse.

Rates at Xigera Safari Lodge start from $2,320 (£1,700) per adult per night sharing. This includes accommodation on a fully-inclusive basis, park fees and all activities.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi has unveiled the largest private island in the archipelagic state. The ultra exclusive destination spans 32,000sqm in the heart of the Indian Ocean and is only a 40-minute journey from Malé on the resort’s Princess yachts or via a 15-minute seaplane flight.

The sprawling estate accommodates 24 guests across two-, three- and four-bedroomed residences, placed across the island’s private beach and overwater. The private island also comes with its own dedicated culinary team. 

If supercars and delicious food are your thing then Ultimate Driving Tours’ self-drive trip around the Tuscany region of Italy should rev your interest.

With a focus on Italian food and unique experiences like truffle hunting and world-class wine, the Tuscany tour takes in places such as Florence and Casole and can be booked from April to November. 

The self-guided driving tours come complete with a fully programmed route and a choice of supercar. The biggest decision will be whether to drive a renowned Italian marque such as Ferrari or Lamborghini, or a Mercedes, McLaren or Porsche.

Ultimate Driving Tours is also launching a new supercar tour in France this year. The five-day Le Grand Motoring Tour d’France is scheduled to take place from 28 June to 2 July. 

You can live like a Hollywood star at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Located on Sunset Boulevard, the five-star Dorchester Collection property is famed for its glitz, glamour and catwalk of famous guests. 

To celebrate the relationship with Hollywood’s finest, a number of the hotel’s legendary bungalows have been redesigned to honour past residents such as Howard Hughes, Charlie Chaplin, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra. 

Bungalow 1’s design incorporates aspects of the life of one of its most iconic guests – Marilyn Monroe. She spent weeks at a time in Bungalow 1, and filmed Let’s Make Love in Bungalows 20 and 21. 

The bungalow includes a library of Marilyn Monroe films and books and a Chanel No.5 fragrance bar and bath amenities. Rates start from $9,200 (£6,700) per night.

The new Four Seasons Private Jet prepares to take flight this year and to mark the occasion the luxury hospitality company has revealed its first itineraries. One of the most memorable trips on offer is a 13-day, seven-destination African Wonders experience. 

Taking place from 28 December 2021 to 9 January 2022, the tour starts with a day trip from Athens to the ancient pyramids in Egypt. This is followed by a hot air balloon ride and torchlit dinner party in the bush to ring in the new year in Serengeti, Tanzania.

Mauritius, Victoria Falls in Rwanda, Zambia (day trip), and Johannesburg, South Africa also feature.

Prices start from $104,500 (£76,670) per adult (based on double occupancy). 

If you enjoy a spot of tennis in the sun then why not serve up an ace trip to the Caribbean. Curtain Bluff in Antigua has world-class tennis facilities and plays host to many events each year. Two notable events are Antigua Tennis Week (every spring) and Tennis Challenge Week (every November). 

At this year’s Tennis Challenge Week guests can join former US Davis Cup player Dick Stockton for a fun-filled week of tennis, relaxation, and celebratory events.

Tucked away on Antigua’s south side, Curtain Bluff offers sandy beaches, 72 spacious suites and guest rooms, and a range of wellness and dining options.