Here at luxury holiday ideas I am always looking for the latest high end, bespoke and extravagant innovations coming to the travel and leisure industry. From the ultimate honeymoon to the safari of a lifetime or city breaks to remember I like to keep my finger on the pulse. Although somewhat of a departure from the norm, in more ways than one, I thought in this article I might focus on the new kind of holiday experience being offered to an exclusively opulent clientele.

Almost all of us have gazed up into the night’s sky and wondered the same thing; engrossed by the sheer grandeur of the dense blackness that envelops our world and all of the other stars and planets in our universe, we have looked up and envisioned what it might be like to go there some day, to travel amongst the stars and go where very few men have gone before.

Critics have accused Virgin CEO Richard Branson of being reckless or thoughtless in business, others hail him as somewhat of a visionary, but nevertheless he is undeniably charismatic. It is with this charm and a drive to seemingly push the boundaries of enterprise that Branson has spearheaded a new niche in his Virgin Group portfolio; Virgin Galactic.

Although no representative from Virgin has confirmed the date of the maiden commercial voyage of the Virgin Galactic it is widely believed to be sometime within the next 18 months. Supported by a carrier craft, Whit Knight II, which will separate at roughly 52000ft, the actual spacecraft itself, Spaceship Two, will carry its six passengers on to over 100km above the earth, breaching the Kármán Line, the common measure of where space begins. The overall trip, including the suborbital flight and six minutes of weightlessness, will last for 3.5 hours and costs a total of $200,000 pp. Clients who have already bought their tickets are as diverse as Paris Hilton and world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are others rumoured to have booked seats along with director Brian Singer; the first flight will however be enjoyed by Branson, his daughter Holly and son Sam, it is though that Branson’s mother Eve will fly in the carrier craft and press the button which will separate the two crafts. Trevor Beattie, a successful American advertising executive who has already purchased his ticket said that, “It’s going to be the best view in the world.”

Indeed many of the customers who have already registered for a flight with Virgin Galactic state that it is the unique views of the earth and space beyond that has motivated them to part with their money. Although space travel isn’t possible for everyone, there are other opportunities to enjoy spectacular views, from a more grounded perspective. Why not combine visiting some of the most popular and fascinating tourist destinations with a trip to one of the tallest manmade structures on earth? Dubai is of course home to the tallest building in the world and the second highest observation deck at over 450m; the Willis Tower in Chicago also offers gravity defying views over the city and Melbourne’s Eureka Tower at just under 300 meters.

Ok so it’s that time of year again, as Noddy Holder would gruffly proclaim, ‘It’s Christmas’. Its undeniable, the lights are being systematically switched on, the snow has been falling and the novelty marketers are going mad trying to sell you everything from plastic reindeer antlers to flashing Father Christmas aprons. This got me thinking about what luxury travel based accessories are out there on the market. What little surprises could the keen explorer hope to wake up to on the morning of the 25^th? So here is my selection of some of the best and most luxurious gadgets, gizmos and miscellany out on the market, and what better time to share it than the infamous black Friday, for many, the opening day of the Christmas shopping season. I’m not for one minute instructing you to go out and buy these products, but I just thought it would be a interesting to take a look at what stockings across the UK could be filled with this Christmas.

Globe Trotter suitcase- The best of British, the company was established originally in Germany by Englishman David Nelkin before he moved his operation to London in 1901. The company prides itself on an uncompromising approach to quality and craftsmanship. The suitcases are each individually handmade from Globe Trotter’s exclusive ‘Vulcan fibre’ compound, ash wood fames, cloth lining and leather trimming. For a large size case prices start at £820

iPhone 4- Perhaps the ultimate handheld gadget, the iPhone 4 has taken the world by storm. The device is equipped with Apple’s face-time video calling, Retina Display resolution, HD video recording and editing and a 5 megapixel camera with flash. As well as these features the phone boasts the usual maps and naviagation software, Appstore, safari browser, iPod and email and messaging systems. To stay connected with the world on your luxury holiday the iPhone is the ultimate handset.  Contract prices vary.

Sony NEX-5- So assuming you’re not a professional photographer, but still want some excellent photographs to commemorate your holiday. The Sony is unbelievably small but incredibly powerful. It is in fact the smallest microsystem camera on the market, this category of device combines the power of the big professional digital SLR’s but the manageable size of a compact camera making them perfect for high end, superb quality holiday snaps. The NEX-5 offers 14.2 Megapixels and excels at still photographs and HD movies for those moments one a single image just won’t do and although it has been on the market since the summer, it is still one of the best around. Prices start from around £590

Amazon Kindle 3 3G- Undeniably the most desirable of the market leading eBook readers, Amazon’s Kindle is light, functional and has excellent resolution and with the new E Ink Pearl display a reprted 50 percent better contrast than previous models. Perfect for lounging by the pool, the Kindle’s battery has incredible longevity, lasting for up to a month between charges. Weighing in at only 241 grams and impossibly thin, the Kindle is easily transportable and has a storage capacity of 4GB, which equals a lot of books. The RRP for the Kindle 3 3G is £149

While this blog is normally luxury holidays focused, I recently discovered that a huge number of travel agencies and independent sites are offering something called a honeymoon gift list.  I thought it was such a fantastic idea that I would share it with you all so you could take this opportunity and use it for your own honeymoon.

Basically, a honeymoon gift list turns the idea of a wedding list completely around.  Instead of asking for items for your new life together, you ask for parts of your honeymoon or even just the money to pay for it.  After all, many of us already have the essentials for our new life together and don’t need another cooking pan or coffee maker.  There is no stigma against living together anymore, and most couples choose to take that step before they decide to commit their lives to one another. Many couples now have children together before tying the knot.  The focus is on the wedding and being able to afford your dream day – you needn’t put everything else off because of it, and that means that everything that used to go on a wedding list is now superfluous.  A honeymoon gift list then helps you save money on your honeymoon, something immediate and something that matters to you, which means you’ll be able to afford a better honeymoon than you could have on your own.

A honeymoon gift list can be what you make of it.  The best way to use it, in my opinion, is to list the specific things you’d like to do on your honeymoon and request that guests buy those.  People like to buy special gifts for the ones they love.  If they know they’ve specifically bought you an aspect of your honeymoon, they can feel like they’ve chosen it for you and it will be more special as a consequence.  Plus, when you enjoy that candlelit dinner or air balloon ride, you can keep that person in mind and be grateful for it.  Of course, many gift lists do offer you to just take all the money, regardless of what your guests have chosen, but it can be a more meaningful experience if you do actually use the money to purchase those specific activities.  If not, you may wish to emphasize the fact that your guests are purchasing a honeymoon for you that you’d never have been able to afford on your own.

When choosing to use a gift list, you’ll have several options.  If you’ve booked your honeymoon through a travel agent, they will quite often have gift list services that help you to pay for your honeymoon.  Usually, prices vary between them.  Some services are totally free, but most do charge a small covering fee, either at the start or on credit card transactions. In general, it’s best to avoid companies which charge a fee on all of your contributions, especially if you’re expecting quite a lot to come through; in most cases a small fee at the beginning or a credit card charge should be reasonable and expected for the service.

Have you used a honeymoon gift list?  Did it deliver the honeymoon of your dreams?  Let us know in the comments.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know we have tons of great ideas for your luxury holiday.  But we’ve never before discussed anything about what to do once you’ve committed to a destination.  This is important, however, especially if it’s your first one or your honeymoon, because travelling can be stressful and we all want your holiday to be fun and relaxing instead.  So without further ado, we present our five top tips for travelling without stress.

1. Prepare wisely for the flight.  Bring along plenty of entertainment of your own, in case the film selection onboard is poor or non-existent.  Depending on where you choose to go, your flight could last up to a full day of airtime or you could have even more than that in connections.  It’s worth being comfortable in particular, even if you have a cute going-away outfit you’ve planned to wear.  You will probably want to sleep on longer flights and if you’re lucky enough to sit in first class, you might have some space to curl up in your chair.  Make sure your clothing is accommodating.
2. It’s also worth bringing along snacks; remember to pick up some water once you’ve gone through security.  The flight attendants may not be around when you need them for water, and it’s always best to have something to eat instead of or alongside the airline food, which can be unpleasant depending on which meal you choose.
3. Don’t get stressed about the flight.  Recent statistics indicate that 40% of people are afraid of flying and most people don’t enjoy it.  Sit back and relax; view it as an opportunity to watch movies, read, or listen to music for hours.  If you are incredibly scared, don’t let it ruin your honeymoon; ask your doctor for relaxation aids, which helps many people to fly, or go on a flight relaxation course first.  These courses can teach you all about flying, so you know exactly what’s happening when, and give you insider tips for the day.  Often, if you’ve booked a relaxation course with the same airline as you choose to fly with, the flight attendants will give you extra attention to make sure you’re happy with the flight.
4. Don’t pack too heavily, especially if you’re hopping between a series of locations.  You won’t want to drag heavy suitcases behind you each and every step of the way.  Try to limit your “just-in-case” items and focus on what you need from home and what you can’t get elsewhere.  Research your destination and find out if you can buy medications like ibuprofen and aspirin, sunscreen or feminine hygiene accessories.  And if you’re only thinking about wearing it, leave it at home.
5. Carry a spare set of clothing – at least a fresh top and underwear – in your carryon luggage.  It might limit the space you have for other things, but you will certainly be grateful if the airline manages to lose your luggage.  This is far less likely to happen if you’re on a bigger, reputable airline, but people make mistakes.  It’s important to be prepared, and you definitely don’t want to start your holiday wearing the exact same set of clothing for two days straight!

And there you have it – our five top tips for long-haul flights.  Enjoy your holiday!

Happy New Year to all!

On behalf of the Luxury holiday ideas team.

We are really excited about 2010 and what it holds for luxury holidays, we’ve been speaking to many resort managers over the winter period who are certain that people are going to be blown away with their latest additions.

We look forward to bringing you the latest information on holidays around the world. So watch this space and we’ll have lots of reviews and news from all over the globe.

Happy New Year 2010!

The Luxury Holiday Ideas Team