One of the key lessons many of us learned during lockdown was how important shared experiences and personal interactions are to our well-being and quality of life. Another was that it’s possible we have too much stuff. In the spirit of those two revelations, Robb Report has compiled the ultimate list of giftable experiences, which treat recipients (and anyone they’d like to bring along) to incredible—and, in several cases, one-of-a-kind—activities around the globe. From a private island buyout in the Indian Ocean and an olive oil-themed adventure through Jordan to the chance to have the world’s best bar pop-up in your home, here are 25 experiences that will create a lifetime of memories—and help keep the clutter to a minimum.
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Journey to the International Space Station and Take a Record-Setting Space Walk
Image Credit: NASA Nothing says “I love you” like passing up the opportunity to be the first civilian to walk in space so your partner/BFF can make the record books instead. The potential for such, well, astronomical self-sacrifice is but one perk of this genuine one-of-a-kind trip of a lifetime.
Yes, you and your guest will spend two weeks on the International Space Station (ISS), with the luckier half eventually donning an Orlan space suit to make what will become a world-famous stroll through space. Deciding who will be the space walker could involve pre-launch couple’s therapy, but that’s about the only thing that’s not included in this extraordinary opportunity.
The space walk is no cakewalk, however. It will involve four months of preparation, primarily at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, outside Moscow, before blasting off on a Soyuz rocket. “We train them on Soyuz and ISS operations, including emergency preparedness, along with medical exams and gym training, stints in hypobaric chambers and space walks in a neutral-buoyancy pool,” says Tom Shelley, president of Space Adventures, which organized the first ISS space-tourist trip, for Dennis Tito, in 2001.
Even with all that prep work, stepping into space won’t be a solo experience: A professional cosmonaut will join you as a guide. One word: Wow. From $120 million; info@spaceadventures.com, 703-524-7172 Michael Verdon
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Glide Over the Alps With a World-Record Breaker
Image Credit: Tobias Barth German athlete Klaus Ohlmann is a record-breaking glider pilot, holding more than 60 laurels, including for speed and distance; he was even the first to fly a glider over the summit of Mount Everest. Ohlmann’s favorite hardware is the Stemme Motor Glider, which swoops and soars like an oversized bird of prey. “It has better aerodynamics than even the fastest sports car,” he tells Robb Report. “And the price is the same as the most expensive Ferraris.”
In this package, Ohlmann will personally take a guest along for the ride on a one-day adventure over the French Alps. (As each glider can carry only one passenger, a second guest can fly with an additional pilot on the same day or go up with Ohlmann the next day.) Start in Cannes, or one of several other locations in the South of France, and expect thrilling speeds and altitudes—up to 155 mph at almost four miles high—with views of snow-capped mountains, including Mont Blanc. He’ll also share some of his secrets to finessing such flights. “Finding the strongest lift requires focus, attention, observation and a deep understanding of the atmosphere,” he says.
You’ll cap the day with a celebratory dinner at Château des Marres, a family-owned Provençal vineyard whose Rosé Prestige Cuvée is a yacht-world staple. $25,500 for one person or $37,500 for two; mark@untoldstorytravel.com, 44-20-7523-5858 Mark Ellwood
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Wine Tour of Napa Valley and Cap Ferrat With Four Seasons
Image Credit: Christian Horan A celebration of the Old World and the new, this 10-night oenophile’s itinerary samples a soupçon of Napa’s finest wines before jetting off to the French Riviera to enjoy an exceptional selection of Provençal vintages.
Beginning in the new Four Seasons Resorts and Residences Napa Valley, the area’s only resort set within a working winery, take a private tour of the recently opened Elusa Winery in Calistoga followed by a tasting of limited-production fine wines in the company of Thomas Rivers Brown, Elusa’s founder and one of California’s most influential winemakers.
Over the next few days, the schedule, created especially for Robb Report, includes a private dinner at Opus One Winery as well as a private chef’s table dinner with wine pairings at Truss. While at the Four Seasons, guests will have use of the on-site holistic spa, with wine-inspired treatments including the Vineyard Scrub—useful for easing the aftereffects of all that alcohol.
After a private jet and helicopter transfer to the celebrated Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, guests will join winemakers at the Château de Selle estate. There they will explore how the annual viniculture cycle takes shape and enjoy a tasting and picnic prepared by the hotel’s Michelin-star chef, Yoric Tièche. Depending on the time of year, guests can also participate in the harvest itself. $500,000 for two people, including round-trip Napa-France flights; fourseasonsnapapr@jwadepr.com Lucy Alexander
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California Wine Tour, From the Mountains to the Coast
Image Credit: Silas Fallstich The ultimate insider’s California experience, this four-day immersion (not literally) in some of the Golden State’s best vintages is a master class in the finer points of terroir-specific winemaking. In a Robb Report exclusive, two couples will be in the hands of a pair of the industry’s most respected winemakers, Chris Carpenter and Greg Brewer, for a summit-to-sea exploration of the diversity and extremes of California wine country.
You’ll spend time with Carpenter at Lokoya’s remote mountain vineyards in Napa—on Mount Veeder and Howell, Spring and Diamond mountains—where volcanic soils, moderate climate and high elevations produce concentrated fruit, powerful tannins and weighty, textured wines.
A private jet will then whisk you down to the coastal Sta. Rita Hills wine region in Santa Barbara County, where Brewer, named 2020’s Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, will invite you into the private winery where he crafts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for Brewer-Clifton and Diatom and lead you in a tasting. The winemakers will help each couple select a 24-bottle collection, including several 100-point wines.
A concierge will customize your visit to include dinner at the French Laundry, a helicopter tour and accommodations at a private villa in St. Helena and the Rosewood Miramar Beach resort in Montecito. $65,000 for four adults (minimum age 21), including round-trip airfare to San Francisco from the contiguous US, some items subject to price cap; bradley.wasserman@lokoya.com Lucy Alexander
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Red Sea Kitesurfing Adventure
Image Credit: Heli Adventures The Red Sea is one of the world’s finest water-sports locations, with near-constant sunshine, beautiful coral reefs and calm turquoise water. A Robb Report reader and their guests can spend a week exploring it on a yacht, as part of a kitesurfing safari in Egypt arranged by Heli, the adventure-travel specialists.
The trip will be led by Heli’s CEO, Andy Culp, from September 18 to 25, and the crew will include professional kitesurfers, photographers and even a DJ. Guests will stay for seven nights aboard a private 130-foot yacht that sleeps up to 28 in luxury cabins, touring uninhabited islands accessible only by boat, with crystal-clear lagoons and sand-bottomed bays—an area rich with world-class kitesurfing spots.
Guests will be collected from Hurghada airport, and will be aboard the yacht within 15 minutes. After breakfast each morning, you’ll be transferred to a new kitesurfing spot, attended by a team of safety crew and beach staff. After lunch on the yacht, enjoy more kitesurfing, snorkel or relax until dinner.
Instructors can cater to novices and seasoned kitesurfers alike, and guests can also spend their time wakeboarding, stand-up paddle-boarding or just hanging out on the beach. On one night the crew will host a special barbecue island feast, complete with a campfire and dancing under the stars, and your final day includes sightseeing in Hurghada. $100,000 for maximum of 28 guests, excluding round-trip flights to Hurghada, visas, gratuities and alcoholic beverages; spencer@heli.life, 888-420-6534 Lucy Alexander
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Bring Home the World’s Best Bar
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Connaught Bar Many a homeowner has contemplated designing a home bar to create their personal cocktail nirvana. But none—yet—has had the opportunity to install the World’s Best Bar under their own roof. Now you can, at least for one night. One Robb Report reader can welcome Mayfair’s Connaught Bar, which claimed first place in last year’s World’s 50 Best Bars rankings, into their home for an evening.
You’ll enjoy libations crafted by master mixologist Agostino Perrone and his team, including the Connaught’s signature, superlative martini. Part of what makes ordering this particular tipple at the elegant London watering hole so satisfying is the black lacquer trolley on which it’s prepared; a bartender wheels the cart tableside so that patrons can choose from a selection of aromatic bitters and customize the drink’s flavor profile. To make this experience even more memorable, you’ll have the opportunity to design a custom trolley in advance and keep it after last call. And since it’s the first time that the Connaught will be bringing its expertise into a private home, you’ll want to invite friends—up to 50 can join as part of this package. From $100,000; Christina Norton, cnorton@maybourne.com Helena Madden
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Equestrian Retreat in the Wyoming Wilderness
Image Credit: Snake River Sporting Club Snake River Sporting Club is a resort community on almost 1,000 acres of pristine Wyoming wilderness near Jackson Hole. The private club—currently in the midst of a lavish upgrade under the expert eye of Sandy Beall, founder of Blackberry Farm—is offering Robb Report readers a personalized equestrian package, with options to suit both the beginner and the seasoned rider.
The fun begins before you step foot in Wyoming: Snake River will connect you with Lucchese to design custom boots, engraved with your initials. Then you’ll fly to Jackson Hole in style with Evojets and kick off a five-night stay with a private shopping trip to downtown Jackson, where you’ll pick up some equestrian clothing, including hats and belts. After being matched with a horse, beginners will learn riding skills, proper horsemanship and grooming, and set out on some horseback adventures. Experienced riders will enhance their technique with a personal instructor, spend days exploring Grand Teton National Park and return home with a customized leather saddle. All riders will enjoy luxury picnics in the mountains.
A professional photographer and videographer will document your trip and create a personalized leather photo album. You’ll also have access to equine therapy sessions, sports massages and private dining, as well as the wider array of activities offered seasonally by the club, among them shooting, archery, tennis, fly-fishing, rafting, heli-skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Facilities include a wellness center, an infinity pool with mountain views and a Tom Weiskopf–designed championship golf course. From $73,600 for two; Chuck Greenwald, cgreenwald@srsportingclub.com Lucy Alexander
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Your Own Personal Hotel, High in the Swiss Alps
Image Credit: Fabien Courmont If you really want to get away from it all, here’s the chance, exclusively for Robb Report readers, to enjoy the Swiss Alps from a private, purpose-built hideaway in summer. The team at Luxaviation will construct safari-tent-like domes deep within the mountains in advance of guests’ arrival. Expect soaring views and low-impact architecture, which will not leave any permanent imprint on the countryside in the canton of Valais. Each of two sleeping domes will feature a private indoor bathroom and plush bedding with bespoke pillows and throws; separate domes will serve as a lounge and restaurant, a spa and a kitchen, where a chef will be on call for everything from snacks to suppers.
Just four guests will inhabit these domes for four nights, with the chance to take part in adventures such as horseback riding through the peaks and valleys—or cruising above them by helicopter to sip sundowners on a remote mountaintop. There’s even the option to enjoy a cheese-making class, the ultimate Valais treat: Raclette is a local specialty and forms the base of Switzerland’s national dish of the same name. $310,000 to $380,000, depending on additional activities, including flights within Europe; berangere.marceau@luxaviation.com Mark Ellwood
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Indian Ocean Isolation
Image Credit: Miavana On the western fringe of the Indian Ocean lies an islet called Nosy Anko, one of a tiny, mostly uninhabited archipelago strung like seed pearls off the northeast coast of Madagascar. This 2,500-acre private island is home to the Miavana resort by Time + Tide, a luxury travel company specializing in remote African locations—and there are few more secluded than Nosy Anko. Madagascar remains one of the most isolated and untouched places on Earth; according to the World Wildlife Fund, about 95 percent of the country’s reptiles, 92 percent of its mammals and 89 percent of its plant life exist nowhere else on the planet.
Miavana, which is accessed by helicopter from Madagascar, is available as a full-island buyout for up to 44 guests. Exclusively for Robb Report readers, the experience will include the full-time services of a kitesurfing instructor and a “Robinson Crusoe” picnic on the palm-fringed, white-sand beach of Manampou, a nearby uninhabited island. The similarities to Crusoe will surely fade as staff set up a gourmet lunch on the beach while guests arrive by Jet Ski or helicopter.
Staff are on hand to arrange kayaking, water-skiing, heli-surfing, surf-skiing, fishing, whale-watching, snorkeling, paddle-boarding and a range of diving experiences. On land, guests can take part in guided treks in search of lemurs, chameleons and rare orchids and enjoy yoga classes as well as sample local rum while exploring the island’s village.
The accommodations consist of 14 beachfront villas, each with a private pool, a beach buggy, beach cruiser bikes and a personal butler. Guests may choose to dine 24/7 around the main pool and rooftop bar, in the island’s pizzeria or privately; local specialties include mangoes, vanilla, pink peppercorns, yellowfin tuna and caviar. From $149,600 per night for full buyout for a minimum of four nights, including helicopter transfers from Madagascar, excluding $300 per person per night for conservation levies; michele@timeandtideafrica.com Lucy Alexander
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Enjoy a Private Performance and Take Home a Never-Before-Seen Steinway
Image Credit: Steinway & Sons Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has been playing piano since he was six years old, and he’s been touring professionally since age 13. So in addition to his many professional accomplishments, which include earning two Grammy nominations, composing multiple operas and mounting Judy Garland tribute concerts at Carnegie Hall to great acclaim, he knows how to tickle the ivories. One Robb Report reader, along with five friends, will have the opportunity to enjoy a short private performance from the musician on a stylish new piano from Steinway & Sons—and then take home the instrument.
The day will start with a tour of the Steinway factory in Queens, New York, where the brand has been making pianos since 1873. The one in this offer isn’t like the others there, though: It’s the first Steinway Model B Spirio in Jet Noir, which has all-black hardware (except for the ivory keys, of course). The interior plate and pedals are black, and the exterior is rendered in Steinway’s signature, super- shiny DiamondGloss finish. After you meet with Wainwright and listen to him play a few numbers, he can autograph the plate in silver for you. $250,000; agilroy@steinway.com Helena Madden
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Florence and Venice by Private Jet
Image Credit: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg via Getty Images An exceptional behind-the-scenes eight-day tour of Tuscany and Venice, arranged for a Robb Report reader and guest by TCS World Travel, a private jet-expedition specialist, begins with a helicopter tour of the Brunello di Montalcino wine region, followed by lunch at Michelin-star restaurant Silene. During a three-night stay at the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, a 5,000-acre country estate founded by Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo of the famed fashion house, enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Tuscan olive groves and villages from a hot-air balloon, followed by a Prosecco and Pecorino breakfast. Learn how to prepare traditional Tuscan dishes using seasonal produce from the hotel kitchen’s garden and ride a vintage Vespa into Siena for dinner.
Next, choose an Italian sports car, such as a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, stop at a local farmhouse for a picnic in the vineyard or another pretty spot on the grounds and drive on to Florence. Enjoy dinner by the Arno after dropping your bags at the Four Seasons, with its 15th-century garden. In Florence, you’ll learn leather-working at the Scuola del Cuoio (School of Leather) inside Santa Croce Basilica, concoct your own eau de parfum at Aquaflor Firenze, visit a 13th-century goldsmith’s atelier on the Ponte Vecchio, collaborate with a fashion designer from Dolce & Gabbana to create your own piece of custom clothing, visit the Gucci Museum and enjoy lunch at Gucci Osteria by Massimo Bottura, and to top it all off, listen to Andrea Bocelli performing for you alone, in the Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons.
After a private jet transfer to Venice, where you’ll stay on the Grand Canal at the St. Regis, attend the Doge’s Ball, a Venetian masquerade party, after choosing historical costumes from an atelier with over 1,500 creations. A team of personal fitters, makeup artists and hairdressers will be at your service. The ball takes place during Carnival in February; if attending in September, guests can instead walk the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival, traveling via private water taxi, with tickets to VIP screenings and an after-party.
At other times of the year, you might take a jaunt to Milan Fashion Week or the Verona Opera Festival, for two examples, but whatever the season, plan on ending your adventure with a unique dinner for two inside the clock tower on Piazza San Marco, after it has closed to visitors for the day. From $353,300 for two, excluding round- trip flights to Italy, some events and activities subject to availability; guestrelations@tcsworldtravel.com, 866-875-5238 Lucy Alexander
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The Best of the Caribbean in One Trip
Image Credit: Stefano Candito Imagine a vacation that combines the two equally enticing but polar-opposite sides of the Caribbean: the chance to recharge and relax in seclusion on a well-appointed private island and the opportunity to party on the world’s best beaches at a glamorous resort. You can do both on this 10-night adventure, offered exclusively to Robb Report readers by Oetker Collection and Tradewind Aviation.
First, reboot over the course of five nights at a 10-person private residence at Jumby Bay in Antigua, staffed by a personal chef and a butler. Enjoy a private sailing lesson at the resort’s own academy, a dinner at its farm, a full day of unlimited spa treatments and a day’s charter on the resort’s 45-foot catamaran, Yennecot. You’ll even spend a day on Little Jumby, the private island within an island, where a lavish picnic spread will be set up on the beach.
Now that you’re suitably revived and relaxed, prepare yourself for a five-night party on St. Barts, staying at the Eden Rock’s aptly named Villa Rockstar. The hotel describes the 17,000-square-foot house as a superyacht on land, and it comes with a private chef and ample space to host a fabulous bash or two poolside.
Tradewind will arrange a private charter to shuttle you between the two properties, as well as one from and back to anywhere in the US before and after your trip. $238,667 for up to 10 guests, excluding taxes, fees and private charters; jumbybay@oetkercollection.com Mark Ellwood
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Time-Travel Back for a Weekend in Pre-Revolutionary France
Image Credit: Hotel Château du Grand Lucé The 45,000-square-foot Château du Grand Lucé is one of the most beautiful country estates in France’s Loire Valley. It was built by a courtier who was a close confidant of Louis XV, a monarch who inherited the opulent court established by his great-grandfather, Louis XIV, the Sun King himself. The estate’s gardens are a nod to those at that royal’s masterpiece, Versailles, and some of the statuaries were a housewarming gift from Louis XV.
The château has been converted into a luxury hotel and is exclusively offering Robb Report readers the chance to time-warp back to that pre-revolutionary era of cake-eating aristocrats and Enlightenment-minded intellectuals. This total buyout of 12 rooms (the other five are undergoing refurbishment) will transport up to 24 people for one weekend via a series of events, including a scavenger hunt around the 80-acre grounds and a private, Marie Antoinette–inspired ball, complete with costumes, hair and makeup.
As host of the bash, commandeer the best room for yourself: the Baron’s Suite, with its own private entrance from the garden and a library of classic French literature; completists should curl up there with a little Rousseau or Voltaire. $200,000 for a three-night buyout, meals, cocktails and all activities; Ludovic Poirier, ludovic@chateaugrandluce.com Mark Ellwood
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Water and Ice Adventure from South Africa to Antarctica
Image Credit: Allen D. Walker This pioneering itinerary is strictly for thrill seekers. The 12-day Water and Ice adventure, designed exclusively for Robb Report readers by Extraordinary Journeys, starts in Cape Town during December or January, the southern hemisphere’s summer. Here you’ll stay at the Silo hotel on the Atlantic waterfront and spend two days training to free dive with South African record holder Hanli Prinsloo, exploring the kelp forests of Hout Bay and swimming with sea lions and dolphins.
On your fourth day, a Gulfstream 500 will take you soaring over thousands of icebergs on a five-hour flight across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica for a seven-day exploration of the frozen continent. From your base at the luxurious Wolf’s Fang Explorer Camp, you’ll take a two-hour scenic flight above Antarctica’s mountain ranges and coastline before landing at Atka Bay, home to a 28,000-strong colony of emperor penguins.
Later, you’ll travel by foot and snowmobile over glaciers and around nunataks (mountain peaks poking through the ice) to the Drygalski Mountains. After camping on the glacier, you’ll take advantage of the 24-hour sunlight and trek into the mountains to scale a virgin peak and try your hand at ice climbing before returning to a Champagne celebration at base camp. During your final days in Antarctica, a Basler BT-67 aircraft will whisk you to the Polar Plateau, where you’ll visit the South Pole and get your passport stamped.
On your return to Cape Town, you’ll take a private tour of the South African Winelands and enjoy a picnic lunch in the idyllic landscape. $1.2 million for a buyout for 12 people; Jamie Mehrotra, jamie@ejafrica.com, 212-226-7331 Lucy Alexander
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Follow in the Footsteps of Antarctica’s Great Adventurers
Image Credit: Justin Hofman Antarctica has become a bucket-list destination for world travelers. But journeying from the South Pole to the unforgiving Ross Sea, tracing the trail of explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen, is a much more exclusive proposition. “No one has ever flown across Antarctica to join a yacht on the Ross Sea because of its harshness and extreme remoteness,” says Rob McCallum, cofounder of EYOS Expeditions, which designed the 15-day journey for Robb Report readers. “It’s as hard-core as Antarctica can get,” he adds, quipping that the more typical itinerary to the peninsula, 20 degrees north, is like a holiday on the Riviera.
A few highlights of the adventure: landing by private jet on a blue-ice runway at Union Glacier, flying on a ski-equipped Basler aircraft to the geographic South Pole and then taking the plane to the Ross Sea, where an expedition superyacht will meet the party to explore the world’s most remote ocean. Victoria Land’s dramatic coastal mountains and the ice floes, whale pods, seal herds and penguin colonies define the land- and seascape. “The trip will be a combination of yacht-based cruising, snow-shoeing, hiking, sightseeing from a helicopter and seeing the water by Zodiac,” says McCallum. “It’s a nice combination of luxury and exploration.” Guests will even drop by Shackleton’s hut in Cape Royds—built in 1908 during his penultimate expedition and still in its original state, thanks to the cold, dry climate—and catch a glimpse of the book he left by his bed.
Superyacht choice will depend on expedition timing; most have submersibles for underwater exploration. “It’s so remote we definitely won’t see anyone else,” says McCallum. “But that’s part of the appeal.” $5.2 million for 12 guests; info@eyos.com Michael Verdon
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Gourmet Olive-Oil Experience in Jordan
Image Credit: Adobe Stock A unique mix of history, design and gastronomy, this experience explores boutique olive-oil cultivation as part of an immersion into Jordanian culture. The Bilbeisi family, producers of the sought-after extra-virgin olive oil Onsuri, invites a Robb Report reader and three additional guests to visit Jordan during the November and December harvest and create their own personal blends of olive oil.
The five-day trip begins with first-class travel to Amman, Jordan’s capital, and the city’s St. Regis hotel. The Bilbeisi family will introduce guests to local food and culture at off-the-beaten-track art galleries and souks, followed by dinner prepared by one of the country’s most renowned chefs, Omar Sartawi. Next, guests will take a helicopter to the ancient city of Petra and stay at the Al Manara luxury hotel in Aqaba, then sail the Red Sea on a private yacht and enjoy a multicourse meal prepared by Mitch Lienhard, former chef de cuisine at Manresa, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Silicon Valley.
The experience culminates at Onsuri Estate, a 296-acre family farm that employs Syrian and Iraqi refugees to tend its 185,000 olive trees. Prior to an olive-oil-sommelier master class, guests can join in the harvest and select their favorite varieties for their custom blends, which will be shipped to their homes in personalized bottles.
After a final day of quad biking, falconry, clay-pigeon shooting and a Bedouin-themed dinner under the stars, guests will depart with traditional Bedouin gifts bestowed by the Bilbeisi family. From $248,000 for up to four guests (5 percent will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to aid displaced Syrians); sales@onsurioliveoil.com Lucy Alexander
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Remote Adventure Getaway in the Norwegian Fjords
Image Credit: Mattias Fredriksson The dramatic landscape of the Norwegian fjords is best observed from the point of view of the locals—specifically, the puffin and the herring: a bird’s-eye panorama by helicopter and an underwater exploration via freshwater dive.
These are just two of the experiences offered as part of a customized itinerary for a group of four Robb Report readers, curated by 62°Nord, an experiential travel company specializing in a very Scandinavian blend of bracing yet stylish outdoor adventures.
In addition to breathtaking fjords, the seven-day journey around Norway’s northwest coast takes in spectacular waterfalls, swaths of wild forest and wildlife, including seals, orcas and eagles. You’ll explore by kayak, boat, bicycle and helicopter, in the company of expert local guides, and try a little light canyoning, cliff-jumping, wild swimming and diving to the submerged village of Lyngstøylvannet.
Almost as exciting as the great outdoors are the indoor delights of the cozy accommodations and the coastal cuisine. You’ll spend five nights at the alpine-chic Storfjord Hotel, built in the style of a traditional Norwegian log cabin, except with an outdoor hot tub, before escaping for one night to a former lighthouse-keeper’s home on the remote island of Giske. The final night will be spent at Hotel Brosundet (renowned for its signature cocktails), in the Art Deco town of Ålesund, one of the most beautiful small fishing ports in the world. About $58,500 for four, including meals; gareth@62.no Lucy Alexander
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Seven Days of Uninterrupted Romance in Provence
Image Credit: Château Saint-Martin & Spa Think of this trip to the South of France as a decade’s worth of Valentine’s Days in a single week, whisking guests through an itinerary of romantic greatest hits in picture-perfect Provence, from countryside to coastline.
The first three nights, at the hilltop Château Saint-Martin & Spa near Vence, are anchored by an indulgent dinner cooked by Michelin-star chef Jean-Luc Lefrançois, with Grand Crus–focused private tastings from its cellars. As a nod to Picasso, Matisse and the other creative geniuses who helped establish the region’s artistic reputation, guests will also spend a day with artist Agnès Sandahl at her ceramics studio, where she’ll fire their personal masterpieces in her own wood-burning kiln.
The second three nights will be at the waterfront Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. From there, venture out on the famed hotel’s purpose-built Aquariva to the island of Saint-Honorat about five miles offshore for a private lunch, then scoot down on that speedboat to Antibes, home to a classic Provençal market. A personal concierge will guide guests on a stroll through the old town, grazing on local delicacies.
After your visit, jet-charter specialist Sparfell will fly you to your final destination within Europe, and there’s even a Globe-Trotter–branded trunk to take home, produced in partnership with the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Around $52,400 for two people, with blackout dates during the Cannes Film Festival and at peak summertime; reservations.hdcer@oetkercollection.com Mark Ellwood
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Wellness and Heli-Skiing in the Megève Mountains
Image Credit: Ultima Collection Luxury-travel-and-residence company Ultima has created a 14-day extravaganza exclusively for Robb Report readers at its two chalets in Megève in the French Alps. Combining wellness, skiing and pure pampering, the experience, ideal for a group of friends or extended family, begins with a private flight to Geneva and, after landing, a 20-minute helicopter ride to the chalets’ helipad.
Together, the connecting homes have seven bedrooms that sleep 14, plus a dormitory for four children, and feature an underground nightclub, a wine cellar, an arcade room, an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a spa. A butler, a house manager and a massage therapist will be on site, and a hairdresser and a physical therapist will be on call. Upon your arrival, a doctor will conduct a health check of each visitor, prescribing a wellness plan and individualized supplement regimen. Next come fittings for designer ski clothes handpicked by a stylist. Personal ski instructors will help plan the fortnight’s outings, including early-morning hello-skiing on virgin trails. Private use of the slopes at night—guests ascend via snowcat and ski downhill while wearing multicolored LED suits—is sure to be another unforgettable experience.
The culinary portion will include a feast with a Krug sommelier flown in from Champagne, as well as a caviar and Swiss-wine tasting beside an alpine lake. Valais sommelier Marie-Thérèse Chappaz will visit on another day for more wine tasting, followed by dinner with wine pairings. And, of course, a personal chef will always be on hand. From $572,000 for eight guests and six days of heli-skiing; reservation@ultimacollection.com, 41-2-2779-3333 Michael Verdon
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Golf in the Caribbean With Legendary Pro Greg Norman
Image Credit: Aurora Anguilla Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman has one of the most impressive résumés in the sport: He won 90 championships, including two British Opens, and ranked No. 1 in the world for 331 weeks. Nowadays, the Shark, as he is affectionately known, divides his time among golf-course design, his wine company and other business ventures.
One Robb Report reader and a guest will have the rare chance to play a round with the retired champ at the just-opened Aurora Anguilla resort. He’ll doubtless prove to be stiff competition: His expertise with a club aside, he also designed the 18-hole course.
During your week-long visit at the idyllic resort, you’ll stay in a suite with direct access to the white shores of Rendezvous Bay, one of the area’s best beaches. You’ll go on a deep-sea diving adventure with Norman at his favorite spot to take the plunge in Anguilla. Later, you’ll stop by the resort’s spa for a wellness treatment and visit one of the many on-site restaurants for a dinner prepared by chef Abram Bissell—an Eleven Madison Park alumnus—that’s tailored to your culinary preferences. From $315,000, including private airfare from the continental US; leisuresales@auroraanguilla.com Helena Madden
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Ride and Dine in a Space Balloon
Image Credit: Space Perspective Floating in a space balloon 100,000 feet over Earth while enjoying haute cuisine served by one of the world’s most celebrated gourmets sounds like something out of a Jules Verne novel. But Space Perspective and renowned chef Gaggan Anand have prepared an exclusive voyage to the edge of the atmosphere for Robb Report readers.
Spaceship Neptune, a football field-sized balloon carrying a large, pressurized lounge, will transport seven passengers, a pilot and Anand, whose Bangkok restaurant, Gaggan, was awarded two Michelin stars and ranked No. 4 among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019 (and was voted No. 1 in Asia a record four times). Its successor, Gaggan Anand, debuted at No. 5 in the 2021 Asia rankings and is preparing to reopen in 2022.
Space Perspective, which has begun test flights, is planning its maiden commercial voyage for 2024 and will work with the buyer to select a flight date. The six-hour, suborbital experience on the space balloon, with bathroom, refreshments and Wi-Fi, will be a contrast to the frenzied, g force-heavy rocket flights of competitors: You’ll soar into the sky at a gentle 12 mph. As the balloon launches from Kennedy Space Center, passengers will watch the Florida peninsula below recede through the picture windows, with Earth’s blue edges coming into focus and the blackness of space above—all while tasting wines and sampling Anand’s unique gastronomy. The chef’s quirky style prioritizes fun while eating, so the journey promises to be more than a space adventure. From $1.19 million for a group of seven; fly@spaceperspective.com Michael Verdon
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Race in the Carrera Panamericana Rally
Image Credit: Carrera Panamericana During the golden age of motorsports, long-standing European endurance events such as the Mille Miglia, 24 Hours of Le Mans and Targa Florio were magnets to those cut out for life on the razor’s edge. Mexico’s original Carrera Panamericana road rally, although held only from 1950 to 1954, became equally mythic—the treacherous route made some old-world counterparts seem like milk runs by comparison.
Firing up its engines again in 1988, the annual competition has since focused on camaraderie and cultural exploration, which its organizers are inviting one Robb Report reader to experience firsthand. And what better way than with an entry for the 2022 edition, along with ownership of a classic racecar to pilot across the 2,237-mile course navigated over seven days in October.
Naturally, success requires teamwork, so count on a veteran racer to share the cockpit and a full support crew—including mechanics. All the action will be recorded by a personal videographer, photographer and drone pilot, while a dedicated butler will handle luggage delivery to each hotel’s presidential suite or comparable VIP accommodation every evening. In addition to a custom helmet (with intercom) and tailored race suits, an engraved special-edition Tag Heuer watch will also commemorate this remarkable occasion. Post-race, while the vehicle is being serviced and shipped back to anywhere in the contiguous US as part of this offer, a five-night stay at a private villa—with accompanying chef—will fast-track the participant’s own needed restoration. $3 million, including airfare, accommodations and meals; Karen Leon Grossman, info@lacarrerapanamericana.com.mx Viju Mathew
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A Scottish Adventure With Whisky, Golf and Fly-Fishing
Image Credit: Gleneagles The 72-year-old Macallan bottled in Lalique Genesis decanters three years ago is among the rarest, oldest drams any whisky completist can hope to taste: Just 600 such bottles were filled. Rather than snapping it up at auction stateside, though, why not come to whisky’s spiritual home to drink deep of Scotland’s finest exports—not just whisky, but also golf.
Stay at the Royal Lochnagar Suite at Gleneagles for three nights, and tee off at one or all of its three top-rated courses, before ’coptering to the Macallan distillery nearby, a breathtaking trip through the hills and glens of Perthshire. Once in situ, expect a private VIP tour of the brand’s new, almost $200 million visitors center, complete with lunch with master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell, a native Scot who’s the first woman to hold that title. Guided tastings of Macallan rarities will be topped off by that 72-year-old bottling to take home and savor.
Even better, bookings from May through November can add on another Scottish experience: fly-fishing for Atlantic salmon on several of Scotland’s fish-packed rivers—reached by helicopter and interrupted only by a five-star al fresco supper riverside. Just hope to land a few impressive catches to hand to the chef. Starting from $168,975 for two people, with pro-rated pricing for additional guests; jane.mcgee@gleneagles.com Mark Ellwood
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Own a Historic Light Fixture and Experience Venice Like Never Before
Image Credit: Barovier & Toso Barovier & Toso has been making glass objects since 1295, so the family business knows a thing or two about the craft. One of the most intricate, beautiful pieces it has dreamed up during that lengthy tenure is the Candelabro Pertini, of which only four exist. Barovier gifted the first two, made using an 18th-century archival drawing, to Italian president Alessandro Pertini in the 1980s for his Quirinal Palace in Rome—there, they were admired by visiting dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. It’s not a design that Barovier & Toso will execute for just any buyer, but the company has pledged to create another for one Robb Report reader.
Since Barovier’s manufacture is in Murano, you’ll travel to Venice to see how the Candelabro is made, a behind-the-scenes experience that’s offered only to a select few clients. You’ll stay at the Aman Venice, a picturesque hotel housed in a 16th-century palazzo just off the Grand Canal, for the four-night stay in the Floating City. In addition to the workshop visit, Barovier & Toso will host a handful of other special experiences, including a private moonlight tour of Saint Mark’s Basilica and visits to three palaces that aren’t typically open to the general public (expect antique Murano glass chandeliers throughout the latter). Once the Candelabro is complete, you’ll have quite the souvenir—and showstopping living room centerpiece—to remember the trip by. From $75,000, flights not included, press@barovier.com Helena Madden
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A Private Vatican Visit & Palace Dinner in Italy
Image Credit: Courtesy of Scott Dunn Private Scott Dunn Private, the tour specialist’s elite division, has put together the ultimate VIP experience in Florence and Rome for Robb Report readers, anchored by two nearly impossible-to-replicate days.
First, in Rome: enjoy a rare, private visit to one of the oldest libraries in the world, that of the Holy See. An expert guide will accompany you through the Vatican’s collection of 75,000 codices from throughout history, as well as 1.1 million printed books, including 8,500 incunabula, those printed before 1501. You’ll even get a peek at the secret archives. And in Florence, a local marquis will host dinner on the terrace at his palazzo just behind the Piazza della Signoria at the city’s heart—details of which are available only to those who choose to book, says Maury, out of respect for the marquis’s privacy.
Guests will be flown by helicopter to Rome and Florence for each of these unique experiences from a base at Villa Gabriella, a contemporary art-packed estate in the Tuscan countryside carved out of a former monastery close to Lucca. With a private chef, a 100-foot saltwater infinity pool and access to vintage and modern sports cars for a tour around the area, the villa is what Maury calls “the ultimate party pad.” Anyone who needs extra entertainment can ask SDP to arrange a private concert with Andrea Bocelli, a close pal of the villa’s owners. $176,700 for four adults for seven nights, including chef, helicopter transfers, guided experiences and private events in Rome and Florence; john.spence@scottdunn.com Mark Ellwood
