Your Vacation Dreams Come True at Shandrani Resort & Spa

If you’re dreaming of an all-inclusive 5-star vacation in Mauritius, you might be dreaming of the Shandrani Resort & Spa: its concept of “serenity plus” means that a host of amenities are yours for one price. The resort, set on a private peninsula on the edge of Blue Bay Marine Park, boasts three different beaches to explore — or take a short boat ride to the Iles aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve. Hungry? Choose from five different restaurants that offer a wide variety of cuisine and wines, served in a sumptuous atmosphere of open-air casual luxury beneath swaying palms. Select your accommodations from spacious private rooms, suites that cater specifically to honeymoons or anniversaries, or full-size family apartments with room enough for the kids and friends!

All rooms include individual air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, showers, and soaking tubs; should you want to connect with the outside world, satellite TV and complimentary Internet access are at your fingertips. Have a soothing massage, spend an afternoon sunning and cooling off in an infinity pool, or take diving or sailing lessons from a PADI-certified instructor. Work out in the spa gym, with weights, sauna, and aerobics classes; check out kayaking, pedal boating, or snorkeling; or indulge in a little “pitch and putt” on a 9-hole course. It’s all here for your pleasure: land or sea sport, fine dining, or just absorbing the splendor of crystal-clear lagoon waters, balmy ocean breezes, and breathtaking sunsets from your personal balcony. Whatever your dream vacation includes, Shandrani Resort in Mauritius has you covered.

 

 

Levels of Luxury in Cape Town: Victoria 50, South Africa, by SAOTA

If the stunning façade of these six luxury family apartments doesn’t take your breath away, their view of sea and fabulous sunsets just might; this is Victoria 50, a project from SAOTA. Located on South Africa’s Clifton Beach on the Atlantic seaboard, these apartments have both individual terraces and a shared recreation/entertainment area, including a lush lawn, infinity pool surrounded by swaying palms, and sunbathing lounge spot with panoramic vistas. Individual apartments are done on open-air floor plans that allow for easy indoor/outdoor living; cantilevered “roofs” — formed by the terrace of the apartment above — provide partial shade for each unit’s private terrace. Look around and you see lavish patios, complete with casual woven furniture for both dining and sitting areas and trees in large marble “planters.”


In other units, you can see all kinds of possibilities; one lower-level unit has an alfresco dining area that merges with a media/entertainment center (perfect for parties), and upper-level units give you the pleasant perception of sitting in the treetops. Streamlined kitchens have expansive center islands with marble tops and stools tucked under one side — no lonely cooks here! Master suites, bathed in light from walls of windows, offer mirrored closet space, dressing rooms, and en-suite bathrooms with soaking tubs and heated towel racks. Having the communal pool and recreation space steps away, it’s easier to get to know your neighbors — and form friendships that can last as long as you live here; in a luxurious retreat like this one, that might be years, indeed.

Escape to Uncompromising Quiet at Perivolas Oia Santorini

The Greek retreat Perivolas on the island of Santorini is an ultimate escape: high above the Aegean, it’s designed to be a place to let the world “slip away” — even though it’s just a short walk from Oia, a charming village. All around you you’ll see beauty: terraced gardens slope to an infinity pool whose edge seems to slip off the cliff rim right into the azure horizon. Hear the quiet? That’s intentional too; no TVs or DVDs mar the secluded silence of this place, with only tolling church bells or the whistle of a fishing boat to break the spell. As the site attests, “It is easy to linger here all day, watching the changing light until the sun settles into the sea.”

Originally a private home, Perivolas maintains an ambience of intimate space and scale. Built by native craftsmen and out of local materials, it contains airy rooms, flooded with sunshine through skylights. Beds are tucked into alcoves in the white stone walls; your space is adorned with wildflower bouquets. Interiors are meant to be timeless and minimalist in the best possible way — with no distractions or disruptions of your meditative tranquility. As your hosts say, “This is a place to switch off. A place to read, recharge, relax; to sleep, rest, and dream.” Of course, your comfort is assured — your stay includes bathrobes, toiletries, mini-bar and coffee, not to mention gorgeous surroundings and excellent cuisine. So it’s an easy choice: for an escape of uncompromising luxury and peace, Perivolas Oia Santorini awaits.

 

 

 

 

Exquisite Escape: Chalet Carat in Courchevel

You can be forgiven if, at first glance, you think the unofficial “mascot” of Chalet Carat Courchevel by Pure Concept is the polar bear; stuffed bears are everywhere in this magnificent vacation chalet in the Alps. The chalet, an upscale retreat for the discriminating traveler, is located in Courchevel 1850, a renowned ski area; in the midst of the snow season, fully lighted, it glows like a diamond — but a very livable diamond, at that. Spacious enough to sleep up to 10, its three levels offer luxuries and amenities comparable to a 5-star resort within your own four walls. Wood predominates in the interior décor, accented by touches of black and gray leather, velvet, and cashmere. At the heart of the chalet is the staircase leading from one level to the other, a graceful glass structure that plays up the shining wood around it.

Everything’s here: a fully-equipped modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances…a dining room and bar…even a terrace, which in summer months is the perfect outdoor dining space. Bedrooms are elegantly appointed with accents of gold, Mongolian lambskin, and whisper-soft rugs; all have en-suite baths outfitted in white Carrera marble. For indoor enjoyment, avail yourself of the Hollywood-style home cinema, with its deep purple décor and plush gray loungers — or have a dip in the heated marble pool, just off the bar area. When you add in the services of a housekeeper, private chef, and chauffeur, you’ll soon know why those polar bears look happy: they get to stay here all the time!