Its private sale meets crowd-sourcing approval for those who want to experience the ultimate in luxury travel—but it’s only available for members only at the newest private sale website, SniqueAway.

What is private sale about? In the world of travel providers, private sale websites offer upscale services of hotel and resort accommodations at reduced rates and at a short-term offering—but without degrading the brand.

But what makes private sale attractive is the exclusivity of “membership” which they can get by registering at the site.

Though there are already a number of private sale sites online, Smarter Travel Media and TripAdvisor are planning to do it right with the members-only SniqueAway. At SniqueAway, each offer will be endorsed by its members. Their hotels will also feature a minimum four-star rating as well as a four or five review rating on TripAdvisor.

The site also offers hotel reviews alongside the limited-time offers to provide a quick view of how other members view the hotel for easy booking. As their press release states, SniqueAway is: “Think chic, sleek and unique. Trust that you are receiving the best deals.”

Meanwhile, Massimo De Nadai, General Manager for Smarter Travel Media, said, “We’ve watched and learned and now we’re ready to party with the players who have proven the private sale model to be a winner.”

The website SniqueAway plans to build its membership using the “wisdom of the crowd” to spread the news given that a member can only invite others to become members of the site. That means access to the site is restricted via invitation only.

What do members get in return? For those invited who book through SniqueAway Escape, they receive $25 in credit.

Check them out at: http://www.sniqueaway.com/

Source: SniqueAway, SmarterTravel

Over the years, premier watchmaker Breitling has made several timepieces to accompany as iconic marques like Bentley. Recently, it has dedicated one its exquisite creations to a team of skilled flyers: the Breitling Chronospace Limited Edition.

The Breitling Jet Team, the world’s only civilian flying force that performs on jets, continues to distinguish and make a name for itself with outstanding aerobatics at speeds of up to 700 kilometers per hour. The display of technique, accuracy, and pageantry are features that it shares with its mother company’s timepieces.

To honor the excellence of these fantastic flyers, Breitling designed a limited edition Chronospace collection with a timepiece made exclusively for the use of pilots of an elite class. Useful features include 1/100^th of a second chronograph with split times, alarm, countdown, dual time zone display with independent, and Coordinated Universal Time.

Powered by a Breitling SuperQuartzTM, a mechanism that ten times more powerful than an ordinary quartz caliber, the Chronospace is ergonomically designed. A backlighting system assures illumination at any time of day or night. Meanwhile, the circular slide rule that handles airborne navigation calculations is controlled by rotating a star-shaped bezel. A double underside amplifies all sounds up to 90 decibels.

As a signature, an L-39 Albatros Jet– seven of which are flown in formation by the Breitling Jet Team– is emblazoned on the silvery face of the watch along with the team’s new logo. Finishing off the timepiece’s character is its satin-brushed woven steel Aero Classic bracelet that speaks of Breitling’s commitment to sturdy, efficient watches.

Source: Breitling

Forget the BMWs and the Audis and the Ducatis: the ultimate ride comes in the form of weightlessness.

While outer space is still a frontier yet to be conquered especially by cruise liners, there is no need to wait that long for the chance to feel zero gravity. The ability to float in space is at your fingertips, or at least at the click of your mouse.

Charity organization X Prize Foundation is auctioning off on eBay three seats to the ZERO-G Experience, a thrill ride aboard the G-FORCE ONE Boeing 727-200 plane. Specially modified to FAA specifications and approval, the plane makes you experience how NASA trains their astronauts.

The flight offers the chance to let passengers feel the levels of gravity on Mars—which is 1/3 of Earth’s—the Moon, which makes you 1/6^th lighter, and the zero gravitational pull in space.

Not only is the Zero-G Experience letting lucky bidders experience how it’s like in outer space, the flight also offers star power. Acclaimed director James Cameron will be the honored guest aboard the G-FORCE ONE. As part of the X Prize Foundation’s Exploration Advisory Committee, Cameron encourages bidders to give the unique journey a chance.

“My wife Susie and I are really excited about flying in the 727 for The ZERO-G Experience,” he said in a video. “I’ve done it before and it’s really an amazing experience. So, come along with us and we’ll go get weightless! Bid high on this one because it’s a great way to support our (X PRIZE Foundation’s) efforts in space.”

The X Prize Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on helping create radical breakthroughs in the sciences like space and oceanic explorations, life sciences, energy and the environment, and education and development.

According to X Prize Foundation’s Chair and CEO Peter H. Diamandis, “”All proceeds from this eBay auction will go the X PRIZE Foundation to help design future prizes intended to drive radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity.”

Also joining the Avatar director are Fox Film CEO Jim Gianopoulos and best-selling author Tim Ferris.  Other luminaries that swear by the ZERO-G Experience’s life-changing thrill ride are lifestyle TV personality Martha Stewart, rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, and the world’s most famous scientist, Stephen Hawking.

Better hurry to bidding to the thrill of a lifetime though: the auction ends on September 10 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Only three seats are left and you have the option to book a single or a pair of seats. The single seat is at $7,400 current bid, while the couple seating is collecting at $8,100 as of this writing.

The flight is scheduled to take off the Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, California on October 9.

To bid, go to http://eBay.com/cameron.

Source: Yahoo! Finance, Zero G Corp

Cigars have always one of the more decadent luxuries of those who would enjoy the richness of life. Moreover, premium cigars bring their own prices to the table.

Thus, a partnership between luxury Swiss watchmaker Frédérique Constant with Cohiba to create a timepiece perfect for cigars seemed to be a match made in heaven.

Ralph Simons, President of Frédérique Constant USA, said, “Cohiba is synonymous with the world’s finest cigars. The exceptional quality of Cohiba cigars is the result of expertise and passion. It is this same passion that drives Frederique Constant to create handmade, luxury timepieces of contemporary, classic design and exceptional value.”

Meanwhile, Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Cohiba said, “Our partnership with Frédérique Constant was forged to extend the Cohiba lifestyle to discriminating connoisseurs who are as passionate about their cigars as they are about their timepieces and we are quite pleased with the way in which Frédérique Constant has honored the Cohiba brand.”

The two bespoke wristwatches—which will be made available exclusively for the US and its territories (including the Virgin Islands)—were designed in homage to the Cohiba brand. The handcrafted watches have an ivory-colored dial with tobacco brown Roman numerals, plus a sleek case with a hand-sewn tobacco brown Croco-calf strap.

What’s more, the timepiece will be presented in a handsome wooden humidor box that carries 25 Cohiba Crystal cigars handmade in the Dominican Republic that can be viewed through a crystal window. There will only be a total of 376 individually-numbered pieces of these made, of which clients can avail of two options at authorized Frédérique Constant retailers.

The first option, a steel wristwatch limited to 188 pieces, will have a suggested retail price of $1,650. Meanwhile, the other option of a rose gold-plated wristwatch also limited to 188 pieces will have the suggested retail price of $1,750.

The Frédérique Constant for Cohiba Limited Edition timepieces will be presented exclusively at a private VIP reception on September 22 at Club Macanudo in New York City.

Source: Frédérique Constant

The beauty of a luxury limousine and the power of a sports coupe come together in Volvo’s special edition of the S60, the Black Sapphire metallic special edition. This was done with some help from long-time partner and performance tuning veteran Heico Sportiv.

Enhancing the S60 required equipping it with a six-cylinder turbo engine. From its standard 304 PS, the T6 leaps forward with a new 330 PS thanks to Heico Sportiv’s e.motion technology that uses an additional engine control unit and a revised engine management system.

With its new engine, the S60 will be able to sprint from zero to 62 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds and can reach an electronically controlled top speed of 155 miles per hour.

New sports springs have been fitted to the Four C chassis, lowering the car’s ride height by 30 millimeters. Thus fitted to support extra power, torque has been upgraded to 460Nm over 2100-4500rpm and this complements the perfect traction provided by newly-installed permanent all-wheel drive.

With the power it now possesses under the hood, the T6 was also given a make-over to complement its racy new features. It is now equipped with 19-inch Diamond cut alloys with Pirelli tires. A two-part front spoiler and rear diffuser bumper made of superlight plastic and carbon fiber finishes the opulent yet commanding look.

Aside from its greater sporting capabilities. the Black Sapphire comes with enhanced safety features, including Driver Alert, Blind Spot Information System, and Volvo’s award-winning Automated Pedestrian Detection technology. To stress the S60’s power for the riders’ benefit, its interior is fitted with aluminum-trimmed gear knobs and pedals as well as a limited edition plate bearing the car’s production number.

The S60 averages 239 grams of carbon emissions per kilometer, and covers about 27.4 miles per gallon of gas. With only about 100 units available on the market, it is a sure grab at around £53,000.

Source: News Press and Heico Sportiv

The New York lifestyle in the 1920’s was all about glamour and decadence—a combination that would precede the Great Depression in the 1930’s. However ostentatious, old New York was glitzy, amazing, and housed the most fabulous residences known to East Coast real estate.

On 16 West 86^th Street stood a formidable mansion that was grand in stature and imposing in its glory. It had six floors and an elevator—amenities that were in no way austere especially in the 1920s. It owned a storied past, peppered with figures of both old and nouveau rich.

In 1913, before the roaring ‘20s, Sara Straus Hess and her husband Dr. Alfred F. Hess had purchased the building. Dr. Hess had discovered the links between light and Vitamin D while Mrs. Straus-Hess was a daughter of the Straus clan, who owned the Macy’s department store chain. Before her parents had perished on the Titanic in 1912, they had owned the mansion.

Fast forward to the 1970s, where the war is a distant memory, and New York was beginning to get back on its feet. The years were rough on the city—and it included the mansion. The building was now in shambles. “Rustic” would have been a deceptive inaccuracy.

In 1979, it took only $350,000 for siblings Gary and Patricia Nave to purchase the entire building. This was a considerably a low price for a building of its size—but the glory days of the formerly glorious townhouse were over. It housed a series of apartments.

According to tenants and the Naves, the previous winter saw 57 days without appropriate heating. Only a spot in the fifth floor opens to the view of the New York skies all year round in any weather condition. Likewise, the water is never clear.

The building has undergone what could only be termed as a major overhaul. Now with 10 apartments, an office and a respectable address, 16 West 86^th Street is once again on the market as it has regained its former turn-of-the-century glory.

Decorative fireplaces, original woodwork and parquetry, and alcoves, extra studies, nurseries and dens are available, while some open to spacious terraces. The space below houses a basement apartment and a rear garden.

While not the former New York royalty abode, the building’s charm and history have justified the hefty sum the Naves are asking for its purchase: $8.95 million.

Source: The New York Times and Vandenburg

Since they joined the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with their Le Mans Prototype LMP900 class, German automobile manufacturer Audi has been a frequent first not only on the track but also with the latest technical innovations when it comes to racing cars.

This month, Audi shows off the ultimate racer as the Audi R15 TDI gets set to conquer the Silverstone circuit of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Not one to rest on their laurels, even as the R15 TDI won top awards at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, the racing car underwent extensive modifications to become the ultimate race car. Nicknamed at the Audi headquarters as the R15 TDI ‘plus’, the new race car now boasts of better aerodynamics and tweaks to last year’s potent V10 diesel engine while keeping with the new regulations.

Also, the new R15 TDIs are trimmed toward more downforce to accommodate the Silverstone Circuit’s lack of straight roads. Taking cues from the classic winner Audi R8—Autosport Magazine’s ‘best ever sports prototype’—and the history-changing V12 TDI-powered Audi TDI, the new Audi R15 TDI is set to conquer the tracks with its newly developed turbo chargers. These have variable turbine geometry (VTG) and the latest in 5.5-liter, ten cylinder diesel units, both technologies that had a hand in winning the car manufacturer’s ninth victory at the world’s toughest motor race.

True enough, the winning R15 TDI has proven Audi’s expertise in race cars as it finished at a record-breaking 397 laps at an average speed of 139.95 mph.

The Silverstone circuit on September 12 will further test the new Audi R15 TDI’s mettle, with seasoned Le Mans racers Tom Kristensen and Scot Allan McNish at the driver’s wheel.

The Silverstone Circuit is the last race at the Le Mans Series, and is also the inaugural competition for the upcoming Intercontinental Le Mans Cup that would span seven endurance races in Asia, US and Europe in 2011.

Source: News Press

One would think that scanners would be the least interesting thing to collect—but not if it’s a special design edition of the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 and S1300.

As part of the 50th anniversary of PFU, a fully-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu, PFU Imaging Solutions Europe Limited has announced the availability of the ultra limited ScanSnap special design models. The scanners standout due to the high-quality Urushi lacquer coating and gold decorations that cover them.

The design on the models represent the pinnacle of traditional Japanese aesthetics and convenience. The lacquer coating was applied using the centuries-old method of “Wajima lacquerware” from the Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan and was done as a collaboration between PFU and Japan’s premier maker of Wajima lacquerware.

Douglas Rudolph, General Manager Marketing, PFU Imaging Solutions Europe Limited, said, “To celebrate (the) PFU 50th anniversary, the manufacturer of these award winning scanners, we want to honor and reward our customers and demonstrate our exceptional product quality and design.”

The lacquer coating was applied using the special layering technique called “tenpi kurome”. The scanners have the depiction of a golden eagle, the official bird of Ishikawa, and the company logo made from pure gold powder.

But the ScanSnap is not all decorations as it also comes with advanced features for easier and more intuitive scanning. The ScanSnap has intelligent processing that allows users to scan varied documents without the need to adjust the settings. It can also transform sheets of paper into digital images as well as detect the page size, orientation, color setting, and whether it’s a double-sided or single-sided document.

Though Fujitsu will be offering 10 units for free for their customers, the Fujitsu ScanSnap Special Edition S1500 model has a price tag of $3,200 while the S1300 model has a price tag of $2,200 (excluding VAT) for those who can’t wait for their exclusive model. Only 25 units will be made available.

Source: Fujitsu, Akihabara News

There are only few people in the world who find privacy to be a precious commodity—celebrities, tycoons, and royalty pretty much sum it up. Ironically, these are probably the people who could afford the price of privacy by shelling out a small fortune for splendid isolation.

Where else can such a rare opportunity at peace and quiet be found than on a patch of land several miles out in open sea? Some celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Celine Dion are known to own islands, while others are simply “rumored” to have them.

There’s a big difference between owning an estate and an island—one of which is getting there, another is who can get there. Even the most secluded estates may be tracked by the ever-present media or a horde of screaming fans. An island, however, creates a safe haven for anyone who wishes to just get away from it all.

Just how much does it cost to own a patch of quiet calm? Recent available islands come in at a price range of $500,000 to up to $3 million, apparently.

Ram Island, off the coasts of Maine, is 16 acres of undeveloped land—discounting the 20 by 20 foot platform made for pitching tents. Otherwise, it’s just land, rocks, grass and a lone tree. It has a price tag of $595,000. A bit smaller though at least developed is Charlie’s Island in the Florida Keys. With its superb location and a 38-foot houseboat that could accommodate up to five people, the island comes in at $995,000.

Breaking the million-dollar mark is an island two hours away from Toronto, off the coasts of Ontario, Canada. Snug Harbor Island comes with a well-equipped cottage, a separate guest cabin, and a hot tub built into the rock outcropping. It offers isolation with all the comforts of city living, including wireless internet access. The tag rolls in at a little over $1 million.

With a 6,500 square-foot, ten-bedroom mansion sitting on land just over an acre big, Watch Island on St. Lawrence Seaway off the East Coast is a precious gem at $1.9 million. It sits on one of the 1,400 lakes in the Thousand Lakes area of New York.

The crystalline shores of the Northern Bahamas put it in the same price range as Watch Island, but Little Hog Cay comes with a large lagoon that separate its east and west shores. On the west shore sits a studio home with a guest cabana powered by an electric generator but the east side sits undeveloped. It is probably closest to civilization, with airstrips and marinas available 15 minutes away via boat.

For businessmen who aren’t raring for a vacation, however, and are looking for a place to build a community or do business, 5 Cove Island is already developed with an approved subdivision plan. It is available at $2.9 million.

Source: Yahoo Real Estate

The ways of the rich can easily get fickle: one minute you’re feeling the desire to just cruise on your luxurious super yacht, and the next, you’d rather be flying the skies to move to a more exclusive vacation spot. Well, no need to call your jet to fly you somewhere else: just spread your masts and fly.

Impossible? For now, yes. But maybe not for long.

While the two-in-one superyacht is still a dream, it may have a chance to become reality if Yelken Octuri, a French cabin designer, gets his idea built. But don’t worry: Octuri designs for Airbus and he knows that his crazy idea to combine aircraft technology with luxury boats is a bit far-fetched.

“My approach when I started was not really to make something feasible. The main idea was to generate innovative concepts,” Octuri said.”For me it was just a fantasy project. Most of the futuristic aircraft concepts out there are all the same. I wanted to avoid that and create something original — to inspire new ideas.”

Octuri’s design was part of the Paris Air and Space Museum, and crazy though as it may seem, apparently there is a market for Flying Yachts.

“The feedback I’ve been getting tells me, with more thinking, this project could be made. Of course it is a very specialist market. Maybe some parts will need to be reworked to consider the aerodynamics and structure, etcetera, but it could work.”

The 46-feet Flying Yacht could transform from a luxury boat to a jetplane with just a click of a button, thanks to its mobile masts. Taking cues from the real life superyacht The Maltese Falcon, the sails fold into each mast, and as the Flying Yacht takes off, the masts set themselves horizontally to become plane wings. Consider it a Mega King’s version of Transformers.

Of course, a luxurious flying cruiser would need its lavish comforts. The vessel is designed with all the trappings for a man who can afford a yacht that flies, with two main decks for a spacious ride. With three deluxe bedrooms and a bathroom fit for a king on the upper deck, and a large main room, kitchen and toilet on the lower one, the Flying Yacht should become a reality if only  for the experience of magnificence.

Source: CNN