Skip the Gift Wrap: These Are The Most Luxurious Gift Experiences To Give
Let’s be honest, there is always that impossible person to shop for on your gift list. Be it the shopaholic, the world traveler, or the connoisseur. Gift the person who has everything an extraordinary experience they'll never forget. From a helicopter ride to a private vineyard in Italy, to a champagne lunch atop the Great Wall of China, and even a luxury glamping experience under the Northern Lights, these gifts will make for unforgettable memories that will outlast anything that comes in a box.
Happy gifting- no gift wrap necessary.
1) Have Your Own Royal Court
Make like a royal by taking over an eleven bedroom, 180-acre castle couldn’t get any easier than at Kilkea Castle. For up to 20 guests, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and traditional afternoon tea come with access to all of the dining areas, drawing room, lounge, as well as “The Keep” aka the Castle Bar. Like any true royal, be prepared to adventure on a Falconry experience and spend the afternoons golfing on the castles 18-hole golf course.
All-inclusive experience, $20,000, kilkeacastle.ie.
2) For the Chocolate Lover...
In partnership with famed Parisian chocolatier, La Maison du Chocolat, The Surrey Hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side will offer its Presidential Suite guests a chocolate lovers experience worth indulging in over the holidays.
Private shopping access before and after-hours at the La Maison du Chocolat boutique on Madison avenue is just the beginning. La Maison du Chocolat’s master chef, Nicolas Cloiseau, will fly into New York from Paris to teach you and yours a private (and delicious) chocolate ganache masterclass.
Turn down service will consist of a hot coca cart and seasonal whimsical chocolates, like a Victoria Roussel-illustrated advent calendar for the holidays.
Price upon request, thesurrey.com.
3) From a Tuscan Vineyard To a Beijing Gala
An extraordinary journey spanning two wildly different countries, Italy and China, explores the inner workings of Massimo Ferragamo’s Zodiac Brunello di Montalcino wine.
This gift includes a one-on-one harvesting experience with Castiglion del Bosco’s chief winemaker, Cecilia Leoneschi, including a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter tour of the newly opened and fully privatized Tenuta Prima Pietra vineyard in Tuscany.
The journey continues on to Beijing, where guests will work with a renowned Chinese artist to create a specially commissioned painting for the upcoming Year of the Rat (2020) vintage. Guests will be able to take home the single edition piece of artwork in addition to a coveted collector’s magnum edition of the six previous vintages and this year’s, before joining Massimo Ferragamo himself for a private wine dinner and gala celebrating the launch of his new wine.
Three nights’ accommodations at Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco and two nights’ accommodations at Rosewood Beijing starting from $65,000, rosewoodhotels.com.
4) Explore Croatia by Private Yacht
This gifting option is perfect for a small group of friends or family seeking to sail the Adriatic onboard a luxurious private yacht, complete with a captain, crew, and private chef.
Starting in Dubrovnik, the boat drops anchor in popular ports such as Split and Hvar, as well as those less-visited like Mljet, home to a stunning national park and the medieval walled Dalmatian city of Korcula. The size of the vessel enables guests to access picturesque villages not accessible by larger cruise ships, while dining on locally-sourced Croatian cuisine cooked on-board and savoring wines from local vineyards along the way.
This 8-day journey starts at $7,695 per person based on double occupancy will be the envy of all the other gifts under the tree, coxandkingsusa.com.
5) Explore Italy by Private Jet
From the pristine lakes of Northern Italy to the white sandy beaches of Sardinia, get ready to jet around for 15 days in true Italian flair.
Guests will jet across ‘The Boot’ from top to bottom, taking in the very best of the destination. This ultimo luxe itinerary includes tasting some of the world’s best-known wines and dining at top restaurants, arriving to the famed isle of Capri by private boat, and four-wheeling in a jeep on Mt. Etna. This journey, which can be completely customized, begins in Milan and ends in Olbia, Sardinia, featuring deluxe private transfers and accompanied by some of the country’s most well-regarded English-speaking guides.
As for the cities you'll visit, the itinerary features two nights in Bellagio at Lake Como, two nights in Verona, two nights in Manarola (Cinque Terre), one night in Tuscany, two nights in Positano, two nights in Puglia, two nights in Taormina, and one night in Sardinia.
The cost of this spectacular jet set itinerary starts at $17,000.00 and includes 14-nights accommodations in exclusive luxury hotels or historic mansions, discoveryouritaly.com.
6) Experience Trackside Thrills at Formula One
For the thrill seeker on your list, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos, has got you covered.
A bucket list one-of-a-kind gift for Formula One fan, this package offers trackside seats for the Mexican Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit in Mexico City, as well as exclusive entry to the Paddock Club, the most the prestigious hospitality suite in motorsport.
In addition to serving superb food, fine wine and champagne on tap, the Paddock Club offers the opportunity to mix and mingle with some of the sport’s greatest: Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi R?ikk?nen and others. Not only is this one of the final races on the Formula One calendar, it is also one of the most important. Accommodations include a three-night stay at the extraordinary 28,000 square-foot Ty Warner Mansion, considered to be one of the most luxurious villas in the world. The Ty Warner Mansion offers the same luxury amenities that one would find in a resort, such as a personal staff of seven to cater to every whim, a private beachfront infinity pool, swim up bar, palapa-covered dining patio, and a personal spa.
The unforgettable experience wraps up with private jet transfers from the race in Mexico City to Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos. Talk about ending your trip in pure relaxation mode.
Priced at $250,000; rosewoodhotels.com.
7) Patagonia Motorcycle Journey
Gift 18 days of adventure on the open road with this thrill-seeking journey for a group of up to five. Each day brings new excitement, whether it's following the path of American bandit Butch Cassidy, spending the night at a traditional estancia, traversing Patagonia's most remote corners, or marveling at legendary Torres del Paine National Park and the massive Perito Moreno Glacier.
A professional motorcyclist guide escorts your group while covering 2,250 miles of dramatic mountain landscapes, pristine lakes, native forests, waterfalls, fjords, glaciers, and more.
This journey is available for bookings beginning March 2019 and pricing starts at $10,995 per person based on double occupancy, coxandkingsusa.com.
8) Cultural Immersion in China with AMAN
On this 12-night itinerary, guests will travel in extreme luxury and discover the best of China from bustling cities rich in history to scenic landscapes and majestic wildlife.
Throughout the journey, guests will stay at four luxurious AMAN properties and be transported from city to city aboard a luxury Boeing Business Jet. Highlights include: indulging in a champagne lunch atop the Great Wall of China, visiting the millennia-old tomb of the First Emperor of China to see the Terracotta Warriors, interacting with pandas at the Dujiangyan Panda Base, hiking around the stunning river canyon Tiger Leaping Gorge, riding on the world's highest elevator above Zhangjiajie Park, walking among the awe-inspiring 2,600-foot-tall sandstone towers that inspired the fantasy world of James Cameron's hit Avatar, and learning about the historic Bund along Shanghai's waterfront with an expert in history and architecture.
Remote Lands' Aman Private Jet Expedition 2019 will take place from September 8 –20, 2019 and costs $59,888 per person based on double occupancy, with spaces limited to 24 guests, aman.com.
9) Luxury Glamping in Iceland
For incredible natural beauty and otherworldly landscapes, there is no place quite like Iceland. This unforgettable 9-day adventure immerses travelers in the country's spectacular environment, soaking in natural hot springs, descending into a dormant volcano, traversing to the center of a glacier via an ice tunnel, and snorkeling through a deep chasm between two tectonic plates.
When night falls, guests retire to a luxurious glamping camp, complete with deluxe tents, cozy plush duvets, a private chef, and sensational natural views.
This journey is available to book starting January 2019 with pricing from $11,575 per person based on double occupancy, coxandkingsusa.com.
10) The Trans-Siberian Express Experience
Undoubtedly the world greatest railway journey, a 15-day voyage onboard the Golden Eagle awaits, offering passengers the experience of a lifetime by traveling the full length of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
This epic rail journey passes through the remote Russian frontier, stopping at Soviet-era cities, small villages, and natural beauties such as Lake Baikal and the Great Mongol Plains. Crossing the Eurasian continent from Moscow to Vladivostok in a little over two weeks, guests will have the opportunity to indulge in on-board lectures, take Russian language lessons, socialize in the chic bar cart, and enjoy music by the Golden Eagle resident musicians. By the time the journey ends, it will have passed through eight time zones, having traveled over 6,000 miles-a third of the way around the world.
Prices upon inquiry, vacationsbyrail.com.
From a Champagne lunch atop the Great Wall of China to luxury glamping under the Northern Lights.