The Best in the World of Luxury Travel this October

The Dandelion Chandelier Luxury Travel Diary has the news headlines you need to know in the world of new luxury hotel openings, new travel books, new luxury travel products, and new travel experiences in October 2019. For the full October 2019 Luxury Calendar, click here. And for our list of the top 10 luxury travel destinations in October, click here.

the best in the world of luxury travel this October 2019

Fall travel is not only about autumn leaves, at least not this year.  In fact, October may just be the perfect month for a trip to the beach, thanks to the opening of Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski in Dominica. And Australia’s new Hayman Island Resort by InterContinental along the Great Barrier Reef. 

Alternatively, if you are looking for something more stately, you could book a stay at the Mandarin Oriental’s new Parisian Apartment. Or the Hamilton Hotel’s Selina Meyer Presidential Suite. Or the cool new plant pop-up rooms at the Kimpton Gray in Chicago.

And if those don’t offer you enough room, might we suggest Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame? Now, hurry up and go, before all the leaves fall.

top news and events in luxury travel this October 2019

1. Travel news and hotel openings: Europe

Just in time for the release of the movie, Downton Abbey fans can live like the Crawleys at Highclere Castle. The stately 17th century English abode is now available to rent via Airbnb – Oct 1

Located in Florence’s Centro Storico neighborhood, in a 19th-century property known locally as “Palazzo Degli Angeli,” there’s a new hotel. The 38-room boutique Hotel Calimala, designed by architect and interior designer Alex Meitlis. It will feature original distressed stone walls, custom-made furniture, exclusive artwork, tri-colored terrazzo bathrooms and several statement pieces by artist and designer Ivo Bisignano.

Princess Cruises’ 3,660 passenger Sky Princess maiden voyage will be through the Mediterranean, before moving on for a winter season in the Caribbean. She debuts with some new features, including a new suite category – Oct 20

Croatia’s Palace Elisabeth Hvar Heritage Hotel has emerged from a two-year renovation and is now the Dalmatian island’s first true five-star hotel.  The number of accommodations has been reduced to 45 rooms and suites. They come complete with Guerlain bath products and subtle design elements from the era of its namesake Empress.

Mandarin Oriental’s new $35,300 a night Parisian Apartment is now the largest suite in Paris.  The sophisticated 4-room pied à terre comes with a massive garden terrace and a private meal by a two-Michelin starred celebrity chef.

2. Travel news and hotel openings: United States and Canada

Travel booking site Orbitz is taking over rooms at the Kimpton Gray in Chicago and transforming them into a plant lover’s paradise with the help of the Garfield Park Conservatory.  Available for one weekend only, the plant pop-up hotel rooms each come with special relaxation kits to “submerge yourself in the sights, smells and sounds of the various plant’s natural environments” – Oct 18 – 20

Next time you’re in Washington DC, skip the White House tour for a stay in the Oval Office – well the TV version that is. Together with HBO, the Hamilton Hotel has created the Selina Meyer Presidential Suite which pays homage to the fictional first female president from the hit HBO comedy series “Veep.” The  suite sits on the downtown hotel’s 12th floor and will be available to book through February 2020.

The new Four Seasons Montreal is open, and it includes a new restaurant from Marcus Samuelsson.

Marriott is the latest hotel to ban tiny plastic toiletries.  Instead of small single-use shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles, the hotel chain will begin offering larger, pump topped bottles of toiletries at its nearly 1,000 North American properties.

3. Travel news and hotel openings: Asia

Just in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics Hotel Okura Tokyo has opened.  When the iconic 1960’s hotel was partially demolished in 2015 ahead of renovations, it was met with public outcry and a petition to retain its classic lobby.  Happily, the operator agreed to restore much of the hotels original features

Beijing Daxing International Airport has begun its soft opening.  When it reaches full capacity, it is expected to become the largest airport in the world.

If visiting the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list, you might as well do it in style at Australia’s newly renovated Hayman Island Resort by InterContinental.  As the closet private island to the reef, the 166 room luxury resort is only accessible by catamaran, helicopter or seaplane.

Some travelers would prefer to avoid sitting near a baby when they fly.  Now, Japan Airlines has introduced a baby map to help.  Will other airlines follow suit?

4. Travel news and hotel openings: Middle East and Africa

JA Beach Hotel at JA The Resort, Jebel Ali Beach Dubai, has reopened following renovations.  The resort features a huge 800 meter private beach, 104 berth private marina and a 9 hole, par 35 championship standard golf course

The Address Fountain View is one of two new Address properties opening this year in Dubai, with the second opening in November.  The Address Fountain View is a five-star, three tower hotel featuring unobstructed views of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain

5. Travel news and hotel openings: Latin America and Caribbean

Dominica is positioning itself as the newest luxury Caribbean island with the opening of Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski, nestled in the jungle of Cabrits National Park.  The resort keeps in line with the island’s lush natural beauty and ecosystem, while still offering guests first-class service and amenities and enriching nature-centric experiences – Oct 14

Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has debuted Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal transforming The Resort at Pedregal as the brand’s first property in Mexico.

Kimpton Kawana Bay is opening this month in Grenada.  The 146 key resort features 101 luxury studio rooms and 45 suites. 12 additional penthouse apartments will also be available for sale to private owners

6. new travel books October 2019

If you love visiting English gardens, you’ll enjoy English Gardens ($85) by Kathryn Bradley-Hole. With a foreword by the Duke of Devonshire, it’s the definitive and most authoritative book ever published on the glories of English gardening – Oct 1

The graphic illustrator Simon Tyler is back with Adventures on Earth. The new travel book is about the planet’s extremes – and the people who venture there – Oct 8

the best in the world of luxury travel this October 2019

Those are the news headlines you need to know regarding the best in luxury travel, new luxury hotel openings, new travel books, and new luxury travel products for October 2019. Wherever you’re going, have a great trip.

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see other october 2019 events:

• Food and Drink
• Planes, Yachts and Autos
• Fitness, Wellness and Sports
• Fashion, Art and Design
• Pop Culture
• The Arts

 Jillian Tangen is the Head of Research at Dandelion Chandelier and a former Senior Research Analyst at McKinsey & Co and Analyst at Shearman & Sterling. She is an avid fan of Nordic design, having owned an independent lifestyle store and sales agency focused on emerging Scandinavian design. Jillian lives in New York and is married with three young children. She loves cross-country skiing, the New York Rangers, reading, travel and discovering new brands.

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