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2,506 reports
A 400-year-old masterpiece that only came to light during a renovation at Paris’s Ritz hotel has been sold for $1.88 million to New York’s Metropolitan Museum. The painting by 17th century artist Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) had adorned one of the suites in which fashion designer Coco Chanel lived for more than 30 years. Its presence came as news to hotel management when it was discovered in July 2012, a…
The Sun reports that Jay-Z is buying an island in the Bahamas. He is spending $2 million on his own land in North Abaco so his wife Beyonce and daughter Blue Ivy can have a vacation in peace. The couple could transform the island into something similar to Richard Branson’s Necker Island and use it as a place to holiday with their daughter, Blue Ivy. “He’s getting it partly to mark their fifth wedding…
A rare and complete sub-fossilized Elephant bird egg that is more than 100 times the size of an ordinary chicken egg is up for auction in London. Elephant birds became extinct sometime between the 13th and 17th centuries. Resembling a heavily-built ostrich, it would have stood up to 11 feet high. It is thought the bird was hunted to extinction. The complete, sub-fossilized egg is 12 inches high and 8…
David and Victoria Beckham are selling their country estate in England, known as Beckingham Palace, and moving their family to the city. According to UK reports, the mansion in Hertfordshire, which includes a helipad and recording studio, is on the market for £10million ($15 million). David and Victoria bought the country house following their marriage in 1999 for pound £2.5million and since then have…
The New Orleans Carriage Cab has become the first taxi company in the US to install backseat soft drinks vending machines. The machines, which dispense sodas for a fee of US$0.99 and accept credit card payments, have been tested for six months and are now being rolled out officially across the company’s 250-car fleet. Rear-seat passengers have access to a touch-screen interface, built into the back of…
German company Lürssen has launched Azzam, the world’s largest private yacht, eclipsing the previous record holder, Roman Abramovich‘s 533-foot Eclipse. Designed by Nauta Yachts in Italy, the $609 million Azzam is almost two football fields long and rivals the size of some cruise ships. It took four years to complete from concept to construction. Amongst many other features the yacht has a main salon with a…
From apps that will help travelers find the nearest coffee joint to a guide to chef-recommended restaurants, Travel + Leisure has curated a list of the top food-related apps for the globetrotting gourmand. Among their top picks is Ness, which claims to tailor restaurant recommendations to individual tastes. After users give their rating for 10 restaurants they’ve visited in the past, the app uses an algorithm…
The largest island off the north shore of Belize, Ambergris Caye, which boasts bragging rights to being home to the second largest barrier reef after Australia, has been named the most beautiful island in the world by travel site TripAdvisor. With a coastline protected by 306 km (190 miles) of coral reef – the largest in the Western hemisphere – Ambergris Caye has become a favorite destination for divers. The…
Tokyo’s first amphibious tourist buses were put into service Sunday, carrying 40 passengers through the city’s low eastern side by road before taking to the Naka river during a 100-minute “Tokyo Splash Tour.” The two buses, dubbed “Sky Ducks”, departed from Tokyo’s new landmark Skytree, the world’s tallest communications tower at 634 metres (2,080 feet). Tickets are priced at 2,800 yen ($30) apiece for an…
Monaco plans to expand its tiny territory by building a six hectare peninsula into the Mediterranean, the city-state’s monarch Prince Albert announced Friday. “I have decided to launch an extension into the sea to the east of the principality after having studied various proposals since 2008,” Albert said. The affluent city-state of 2 square kilometres (0.8 square miles) has already extensively used land…
The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), issued by the State Council of China, focuses on promoting the taking of paid annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of the tourism sector in China, in particular by ensuring the coordination of different sectors. Where previously cultural norms have stopped many in China from taking an annual leave, the…
Renowned architecture firm Zaha Hadid has unveiled designs for a cultural complex in China. Situated in the heart of Changsha, the ‘Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Art Center’ will be made up of three buildings—the Contemporary Art Museum, a Grand Theater, and a Multipurpose Hall—and offers other facilities. The place for theatre and art would be designed in the modern style of the…
Wallpaper magazine recently highlighted a new breed of designer hostels that aims to provide affordable, quality accommodations for the design-conscious budget traveler. With their beautiful interiors,—featuring elements like hand-picked vintage furniture and stylish, comfortable rooms—it would be easy to mistake these hostels for up-market boutique hotels. Located in busy cities,—from Madrid to…
Abu Dhabi marked its record-breaking appearance at the ITB Berlin travel trade fair by scooping double honours in the Cologne Business School show awards. The authority, which mounted a pavilion shared by 63 stakeholders, took the award for ‘Best Exhibit & Attractions’ recognising the cultural attractions of a calligraphy, henna design and perfumery which proved popular with visitors. The authority…
Heavy snow and icy conditions have caused delays and disruption to flights across the UK as the winter weather continues with a number of airports and roads being closed. Airlines are warning passengers travelling to or from the UK to check the status of their flights before travelling. Flight delays have been reported to and from Leeds Bradford, George Best Belfast City Airport and Heathrow Airport…
Doha, QATAR – Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways are preparing to host a culinary sensation next week with the fourth edition of the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park on Doha’s waterfront from March 28 – 31. Over four days of family fun and entertainment with gastronomic alfresco eating, drinking and cooking, QIFF will tempt visitors’ taste buds with…
ATM 2013 technology seminar series to highlight increasing shift away from traditional channels with internet bookings expected to grow by another $5.4 billion accounting for 22% of all travel bookings within two years. The topic of online versus traditional booking channels will once again be a key focus at the 2013 Arabian Travel Market technology seminar sessions as organiser, Reed Travel Exhibitions,…
A British luxury e-commerce site is selling a travel package that spans two years and takes a couple across the world in the lap of luxury, seeing all of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites. The price of the package? A cool $1.5 million. The luxury trip will take in all of UNESCO’s spectacular 962 World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal in India, the pyramids in Egypt and the Forbidden City in China as well…
