Chateau de Villette is more than a French manor house — it’s a walk through history. Built in the late 17th century with the help of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Andre Le Notre, both of whom were instrumental in building the world-renowned Palace of Versailles, the chateau features seven suites in the main house, each extravagantly … Read more
Few hotels are as synonymous with old world grandeur and colonial architecture as the Raffles Hotel Singapore — the hotel of choice for the city-state’s visiting elite since it first opened in 1887. Guests from Rudyard Kipling to Catherine, Princess of Wales have graced its hallways, which like the rest of the hotel were revamped … Read more
There are 78 rooms at Paris’ Hôtel de Crillon, but only two “Les Grand Appartements.” The apartments can be combined, along with an adjoining room, to make a three-bedroom mega-suite that covers 335 square meters (3,606 square feet) of the hotel’s fourth floor. Famed fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld designed the interiors down to the smallest of … Read more
Odette is named after a revered matriach in Chef Julien Royer’s life: his grandmother. “She is really someone very important to me, and the person that actually showed me how much passion, pleasure, happiness and emotion you can give to people through food,” he told CNBC. Originally from central France, Royer rose to the top … Read more
Qatar Airways is 2024’s “Airline of the Year,” according to AirlineRatings.com. The Doha-based airline is back on top, after falling to No. 2, behind Air New Zealand, in 2023. The list combines major safety and government audits with 12 key criteria, from product ratings and passenger reviews to safety, fleet age and incident reports, according … Read more
Move over family travelers. Gen Zs are set to make the biggest splash this summer, with surveys showing they are upping their vacation plans and spending more than older travelers. No longer satisfied with road trips to their parents’ homes, Gens Z are planning international trips at higher rates than other generations, according to a … Read more
Africa is blessed with some of the rarest and most beautiful animals in the world — a fact that entices tourists to book safaris year-round. But safaris only scratch the surface of what the continent has to offer. From wine tours to vibrant coastal cities, other experiences await those who are willing to go … Read more
The cost to obtain a short-term visa to visit Sri Lanka rose from $50 to $100 in April. But the reason for it is disputed. The price hike followed Sri Lanka’s transition from using internal Electronic Travel Authorizations, or ETAs, to an e-visa system operated by the visa processing company VFS Global. Sri Lanka’s Tourism … Read more
All-inclusive hotels are making a big play for luxury travelers. In the wake of the pandemic, demand for all-inclusive resorts skyrocketed, according to a report by JLL Research Hotels & Hospitality. Travelers — suddenly and en masse — wanted vacations that were stress-free and easy to plan, ideally with a wellness component, according to the … Read more
Responding to angry customers is one of the hardest parts of her job, Natasha said. Finding the right words, conveying the appropriate level of contrition — especially when the hotel isn’t at fault (read: rain complaints) — is a tedious and time-consuming process, said the director of a five-star resort, who asked that CNBC not … Read more
