The Ultimate Jetsetter Guide: The Best Places to Go in 2019 and What to Pack
These days, while scanning Instagram it can feel like you see the same luxurious vacation over and over again. Overwater bungalows? Check. A yacht on the Mediterranean? Check. A private plane? Even those who’ve never boarded one can describe the average interior at this point. So, in the grand tradition of compiling the best things to see and do, we dug deep. Instead of just going somewhere Instagram-worthy, why not bring along your own personal photographer? Rather than embark on a safari, how about a safari around the world? These are just a couple of things you’ll find on the guide to living your best life as a jetsetter. The perfect captions for your Instagram posts not included.
1X Shore
Sure, you could charter a yacht, but if you care at all about climate change, consider X Shore, a new 100% electric boat that combines the luxury of sustainability and smart technology with the mission of reducing sea and air pollution. Inspired by the undulating movement of an electric eel, the ultra sleek vessel provides a first-class sailing experience without the smell of fumes, or the loud noise of a motor. Equipped to travel up to 100 nautical miles on a single charge, at a speed of up to 40 knots, “the power of silence” says founder Konrad Bergström, “is the best experience ever for speed and distance in combination.” Crafted in Sweden, the ship is entirely customizable of sustainable materials in the X Shore Atelier, and like Tesla, the rechargable battery requires no fossil fuels. Prices start at $300K, but you can be sure it won’t be long until you see ocean warrior Leonardo DiCaprio island hopping in an X Shore full of models.
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There are spa retreats and then there is Clinique La Prairie. Clarens-Montreux, Switzerland establishment has been pampering and healing the ultra-rich since 1931 when Professor Paul Niehans stumbled upon stem cell treatments. These days it’s no less cutting-edge. While you can visit for a litany of reasons, from weight loss (they offer CoolSculpting) to help with quitting smoking, detox, deeper sleep, or common surgeries, it’s the anti-aging programs that attract most people. This year, the world’s premiere medi-spa are offering even more anti-aging programs, all based around stem-cell treatments. Doctors harvest your stem cells from your body’s fat and purify them, then inject them back into the body to replace degenerating cells and slow down the aging process. For those with deep pockets interested, the crown package is a week-long private chalet retreat in Verbier that includes a detox and cell revitalization program for a $88,250.
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In the post-social media era of travel, the desire to explore new places based on Instagram potential is real. So why not lean into it, if you can afford it? Instead of asking strangers to share their germs with your iPhone, you can hire your very own Instagram photographer to accompany you on your travels. One company offers exactly this, for those looking to travel to geotag hotspots Cuba and Colombia. In addition to capturing every moment of your travels for you, El Camino also plans the trip from “curated” accommodations and restaurants to immersive experiences with local hosts and, of course, pre-vetting a list of photogenic spots to hit, starting at $1200 per person for Colombia and $2300 per person for Cuba.
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If you’ve ever wanted to explore the Amalfi Coast like Jackie Kennedy, there is now an excuse to do so. The global destination, which has become even more unimaginably popular in recent years thanks to its Instagrammable appeal, was a favorite of the late first lady. Back in the ‘60s, Kennedy discovered Ravello, an underrated medieval gem of a town perched above the coast with views of the ocean and the terraced mountains, upon recommendation from Gore Vidal. She stayed at what would eventually be named the Belmond Hotel Caruso and, now, the hotel is offering the chance to experience Ravello through Kennedy’s eyes. In celebration of what would be her 90th birthday, guests can sign up for the “In Jackie Kennedy’s Footsteps” experience which consists of a seven-hour ride around the area in a vintage Fiat 600. While you’re there, opt to stay in the property’s Margherita house, a villa a stone’s throw away from the hotel’s photogenic infinity pool, and comes with two suites, a private butler, a personal chef, and vintage decor from the 1800s. Price upon request.
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For those who prefer not doing much at all on their vacation, Amanpuri’s newly launched debut Holistic Wellness Center would be idea. The Phuket hotel, the first Aman property, just revamped their spa program and it’s worth the flight alone. For one, the setting divine: 12 treatment suits set amid a secluded coconut grove, all equipped with individual bathing areas, private steam rooms, dressing rooms, and outdoor relaxation areas — not to mention the communal hydrotherapy areas, traditional saunas, infrared saunas, jacuzzis and cold plunge pools. There’s also the fact that the spa menu has something for everyone. Whether your vacation goal is weight loss, detox, muscle recovery, or just rejuvenation, the Holistic Wellness Center has a bevy of cutting-edge treatments that combine traditional Chinese medicine with acupuncture and moxibustion and Western medicine like blood panel tests that can detail any imbalances, IV vitamin infusions, and ultrasound, with the rate for Intensive Wellness Immersions beginning at $1,670.
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Ask around in any airport and travellers will tell you that the worst part about traveling is the travel. If you’re in a tax bracket where you can afford to fly on a private jet, though, that hardly applies. For that select few comes the privilege of bringing your pet as well. While most pets are an afterthought on private jets, they are the focal point of VistaPet. The private jet company has tailored traveling with your furry friend to the point of offering a customized menu, dopp kit, and bed. There are dog treats created by the Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, bio-organic food, water-free shampoo and fur wipes, artisanal rope toys, a handmade sleep mat, and freshly prepared meals of roast tenderloin, baked salmon or roast chicken served with steamed, roasted or raw vegetables and whole grain brown rice. But the most excessive thing might be the drops of natural flower essence that you can have the cabin hostess drop into your pet’s water bowl. We recommend lavender for relaxation. Price upon request.
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If your dog is lucky enough to fly on Vistapet, your furry companion is used to a certain level of living. Accordingly, these Goyard dog bowls will please not only your pet but your eye. The feeding and water bowl fold up into a sleek purse so you can tote them around on the go or just on a walk to park at home. The price of fashionable pet ownership? $7,825.
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Skincare is even more critical when you’re on the go. Thankfully, Dr. Barbara Sturm, the skincare guru beloved by Bella Hadid and Hailey Baldwin, makes the perfect travel kit. Her glow essentials kit provides everything from her signature glow drops, which give you a dewy, fresh face even after a redeye, to her intensely hydrating moisturizer and face mask, facial scrub, cleanser, and super anti-aging serum for $195. As a bonus, all of the products fit into a cute holographic pouch.
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One thing they don’t include on plane dopp kits, but definitely should, is CBD. The natural relaxer, as its fans claim, is derived from both cannabis and hemp — but you can only travel with the kind that comes from the latter. Lord Jones, a high-end, artisanal CBD purveyor, has perfected the travel kit. The brand makes the most delicious, handmade CBD gumdrops that are easy to bring on a plane. Their classic box consists of nine edibles that contain 20 mg each of CBD and taste so good you’ll have trouble stopping at just one. After you start there, try their collaboration with Icelandic art-rock band Sigur Rós, which includes nine CBD gumdrops made from foraged Icelandic berries and packaged in a beautiful teal box for $60.
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The purported benefits of sleeping on silk are well-documented: The sleek fabric is rumored to do everything from prevent wrinkles and lock in your moisturizer to reduce bedhead and split ends. While traveling with your own pillow is a true schlep, you can get some of those benefits in a portable eye mask. Slip happens to make a beloved one, which comes with a travel pillowcase, that won’t absorb all of your night cream or give you frizzy hair in the morning. It also comes in the aesthetically pleasing color millennial pink. The mask and pillowcase are sold together for $119.
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Have you ever wanted to spend the night on a deserted island? Because it’s 2019, it’s fully possible to do so in luxury style. One of the Maldives’ premiere resorts, Soneva Fushi, offers that opportunity on a sandbank a short boat ride from the hotel’s overwater bungalows. For 12 hours, you and your loved one can thrive on your very own sandbank in the middle of the Maldives. The experience includes glamping in a Bedouin-style tent — which, by the way, does have a water closet — a private candlelit dinner and breakfast, starting at $2,000 per couple.
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No matter your destination, a good pair of walking shoes is essential. Now that dad sneakers have been trending for some time now, though, Stella McCartney is offering a fresher take. The Eclypse Transparent Sneakers have all of the comfort of walking shoes, without sacrificing style. They come in a bold red or a universal white, for $685.
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Every year when Cannes Film Festival descends upon the South of France, there is one place to be: the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. The hotel, which is favorited by George Clooney, is an icon in its own right, with much thanks to Slim Aaron’s photographs of it. But, outside of the pool, which is carved into surrounding rock, there’s nothing more iconic than the Eden Roc Suite. The hotel room is a crown jewel on the coast, with its breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Lérins Islands. It even comes with its own jacuzzi and pergola. While the room is over 1,000 square feet, the terrace is twice the size and is perfect for sunset-watching. Rates from €5,600 a night.
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If scuba diving or snorkeling is your idea of a perfect vacation then you might want to consider a submarine rental. One company, Oliver’s Travels, offers a luxury vessel named Lovers Deep that is basically an underwater yacht. The submarine comes with a crew of three: a captain, a personal chef and a personal butler, who all sleep on the opposite side of the boat from the suite (in soundproof rooms, of course). There are ample windows around so you can take in all of the aquatic life, whether you choose to venture by a shipwreck in the Red Sea or a coral reef by St. Lucia. Just be aware, there is a two-night minimum and the rate begins at £175,000 per night.
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Few places offer a glimpse at the tost era of grandeur like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. What might be known as the most luxurious ride in the world, the train is a spectacular way to travel from London or Paris to Venice or Verona, or from Venice to Vienna or Budapest. Either route you choose, expect bottomless champagne and a 24-hour butler if you’re splurging on a grand suite, which begins at £22,000 per adult a night.
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Why travel to one place when you can see the world? That’s the thinking behind the ultra-tailored Around the World by Private Jet trip that Abercrombie & Kent offers. The 25-day journey, which epitomizes luxury travel from the vessel to the accommodations, begins in Seattle before heading to Japan for cherry blossom season and a hang out with snow monkeys in their winter setting. Wildlife is a big part of the trip, which also includes chances to play with Madagascar’s lemurs, swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed panda bears in Chengdu, China, and encounter orangutans in Malaysia, bengal tigers in Jaipur, India, amd mountain gorillas in Rwanda. It also offers the opportunity to see the big five (lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and Cape buffalo) in Kenya and spend time with the Maasai. Rates from $139,950 per person for double occupancy.
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There are two reasons to book a getaway to one of Cap Rocat’s Sentinel Suites: The first is the privacy. Each suite is built into the rocky coastline with its own private plunge pool and views of the Mediterranean, where lookout points used to be in the former 19th century military fortress, and is just as photogenic as it sounds, thanks to Spanish architect Antonio Obrador. The second is that the resort doesn’t allow anyone under the age of 15. As a bonus, breakfast comes to your room each morning in a wicker basket. Rates from $2,700 a night with a three-night minimum stay.
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Last summer there was one hat that stood out above the rest—figuratively and literally thanks to its massive size. It was an oversized straw hat by Jacquemus, that was worn by everyone from Rihanna and Bella Hadid to Emily Ratajkowski. This year, Jacquemus has updated its take on the topper with an oversized—but manageably so—white hat, finished with a fringed brim for $204. Its name, Le chapeau Riviera, also doubles as a recommendation for your next trip. (See #12.)
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There is nothing essential about Louis Vuitton’s $48,000 picnic tea set but if your pockets are deep enough to cover the expense then you’re way past essentials anyway. Fittingly, the monogrammed picnic set is the perfect way to make any vacation moment “extra.” The mini trunk opens to four sets of everything you need for the perfect afternoon tea, including a miniature pastry case.
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When your entire trip is Instagram-worthy, shouldn’t your luggage be too? At least that’s the thinking behind Rimowa’s collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Alex Israel. The aluminum roller bags are painted in eye-candy ombré that’s reflective of the sunsets in L.A. The bags were first revealed at the inaugural Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles and will go for $2,800 a piece. They don’t drop until this summer, but you can expect that they will go fast.