How to Live Like the Rich
While some dream of being seduced by James Bond, others dream of being the debonair super spy. Who hasn't fantasized about the 007 world of luxury yachts, Aston Martins, and beating the house in Monte Carlo? Billionaire-level travel is all about receiving royal treatment—getting exactly what you want when you want it. You can tailor travel as easily as you tailor suits. Jetting around the world, indulging in the playboy (or playgirl) lifestyle naturally takes some serious lucre, but us mere mortals can still dream… With that in mind, imagine yourself a member of this elite club and try out this wish list for the perfect Bond-like vacation.
Rent a Bentley Continental GT
If you're feeling like a little sensual pleasure à la Ian Fleming's secret agent, it's time to loosen the top buttons of your Armani shirt, drop in on Beverly Hills Rentacar, sign your life away, and savor a sleek prowl through L.A. in the ultimate driving machine. We're talking Bentleys here, not BMWs. The perfect hybrid between ultra-luxury and ultra-performance, the radical Bentley Continental GT epitomizes suave, sexy refinement like no other car in the world. With its sleek silver coachwork and lavish interior, including a jewel-like Breitling clock, this car purrs like a penthouse on wheels. The sheer extravagance delivers pleasure to the max as you move to an automotive waltz down Rodeo Drive.
Stay in the World's Most Expensive Suite
How many chocolates on your pillow does the world's most expensive suite buy? For a sweet $25,000 (or so) a night you can find out by booking the Imperial Suite in Geneva's President Wilson Hotel. What does that buy you? Lots of space (an entire floor), lots of security (including bulletproof windows and doors to protect against rivals), and lots of room service. Savor views of Lake Geneva and the Alps from the four bedrooms, all done up in sleek contemporary vogue. And the oval dining table seats 26 people, so there's plenty of room for friends for that envy-inspiring seven-course feast.
Closer to home, for a mere $7,000 per night, you can rent the four-bedroom Hapuna Suite at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on Hawaii's Big Island. The 8,000-square-foot free-standing complex (the setting for one season of Joe Millionaire) boasts a private pool, an on-call chef, and a suite attendant available to fulfill your every need.
Charter a Deluxe Yacht
Unlimited discretionary income will let you fly to the world's most luxurious yacht by helicopter. Welcome aboard the late Aristotle Onassis' Christina O. Fresh from a three-year, $50-million, state-of-the-art restoration, the legendary 325-foot-long super yacht is now offered for charter to mere mortals for a modest $70,000 a day. Its 18 staterooms have hosted a veritable who's-who of the rich and famous, from Sir Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. Besides a spa, fitness center, sports lounge, music lounge, show lounge, and a swimming pool that becomes a dance floor with the push of a button, Christina O has all the toys you could wish for. There are no immutable itineraries, but for a first stop we suggest soaking up the glamour of the French Riviera in Cannes.
Fly Around the World by Private Jet
When you want to spread your wings, don't fly commercial. Hire (or better yet, buy) your own plane. Forget lengthy airport check-ins, crowded first-class cabins, and luggage delays. Forget tickets. For the ultimate upgrade, rent a full-size Boeing Execuliner, and invite as many of your friends as you wish. One quick call (and a quick credit check, to be sure) to Air Royale will set the plan in motion and within hours, your plane can be ready to fly to your desired destination in sumptuous luxury. When you rent your own private jet, getting there is half the fun. You might as well fly around the world while you’re at it.
Lease the World’s Most Luxurious Train
Any super spy worth his or her salt knows that for intrigue there's no place like Istanbul. And the way to get there is aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient Express. And to make this exotic journey even more enjoyable, why not lease the entire train and invite all your friends? Synonymous with romance, the train of aristocrats and royalty still sets the standard of luxurious rail travel, with glamorous historic carriages and sumptuous service fit for a king. Pack the tux and make this a sophisticated affair to remember. Paris…Budapest…Istanbul…here we come!