Most of us fantasize about vacations about 355 days of the year as we're working, standing in line at the grocery store, or filling our cars up with gas. That fantasy might consist of a reasonably priced flight somewhere tropical, with good food, decent beaches, and no boss in sight. For the billionaires of the world, vacations are a little different; think private jets, personal chefs, and fine champagne delivered to you by skydivers.
That's right, skydivers.
Vacation time is great, whether you're staying at a bed and breakfast in New Orleans or living it up in a palatial suite in Dubai. And if you are actually a billionaire (or are on your way to becoming one), here's a snapshot of some luxury vacations you might just want to hit up.
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The $80,000 African Safari: An African safari is a dream vacation for a lot of people, and it's never dirt cheap. But luxury travel brand Abercrombie & Kent have taken the safari to a whole new level. You can travel via private jet to different countries on the continent, sip fine champagne delivered to you by skydivers, experience epic five-star dinners, and watch massive wildebeest migrations – while sipping champagne, of course. The only catch is that the price is approximately $80,000 for the private jet option. If you're a billionaire, knock yourself out.
The Zephyr Palace: This gem in Costa Rica boasts infinity pools, ocean views, and thematic suites. As the website explains, "Allow yourself to be transported to the time of the Pharaohs, feel the Napoleon Bonaparte™ epoch or enjoy the magic of the 20s." There's also an on-site discothèque, and if you want to rent out the entire mansion, that'll run you about $9,300 per night.
The Eco-Friendly Luxury Hotel: If you're on the lookout for an environmentally conscious luxury hotel, the brand new 1 Hotel South Beach is a good place to start. There's a farmstand in the lobby (taking the bowl of bruised apples in most other hotels to a whole new level), organic linens, hemp-blend-filled Keetsa mattresses (whatever that means), three gourmet restaurants, and beachfront views. The Presidential Suite is a seven-room, 3,800-square-foot retreat with gorgeous ocean views. It'll set you back an average of $6,423.50 a night, depending on when you go. But South Beach is all about excess, right?
The Private Island: Johnny Depp and Richard Branson have their own islands, but the chances of getting invited there are slim to none. Instead, rent out the two-bedroom Jungle Villa for about $1,600 a night at Song Saa, one of Cambodia's private islands in the Gulf of Thailand. The resort is surrounded by rainforests, white beaches, turquoise water, and little huts where you can indulge in every billionaire's favorite pastime: spa treatments.
The Boutique Resort: If Central America is on a billionaire's to-do list, they might jet over to the luxurious five-star Mukul hotel along Nicaragua's Emerald Coast. There are pristine beaches, tons of surfing, a 19-hole golf course, spa treatments (of course), hiking, fine dining, and a 20,000-square-foot oceanfront compound called the Casona Don Carlos, which comes with six suites, 80-foot-high palapa ceilings, and a huge private swimming pool. It might set you back about $8,600 a night, but who's counting?
The Dubai Splurge: Dubai equals excess and luxury, and Raffles Dubai is no exception. If a regular old hotel room isn't good enough, you can take over the Dubai Floor, the most luxurious hotel floor in the city. It features six palatial guestrooms and suites that look like something out of Architectural Digest. It's accessed via a private elevator and it comes with a private Raffles butler, a private chef, a private limousine service with a dedicated chauffeur, and customized linens. In Dubai it's go big, or go home. You can even pick the floor's scent. It's just $23,100 for the whole floor. No big thing.
The Italian Getaway: Le Sirenuse looks like a dream hotel, and it is. It's situated on Italy's gorgeous Amalfi Coast in the village of Positano, and you can scoot up to the hotel on a private boat. Le Sirenuse opened in 1951, when the Marchesi Sersale turned their summerhouse into a hotel, overlooking the bay of Positano. It's mind-bogglingly gorgeous, and it has a champagne and oyster bar, a Michelin starred restaurant, and sometimes at dinner the place is lit by four hundred candles. A two-bedroom suite with a sea view goes for $2,500 and up a night. That does not include an all-you-can-eat buffet, in case you're wondering.
So if your next trip is of the money-is-no-object variety, check out one of these vacations. And send a postcard.
