Contemporary design meets royal Rajasthan at the Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, an 80-room resort on the banks of northwestern India’s Lake Pichola. Opened in October, the Leela affords views of the lake (and of the marble-walled Taj Lake Palace hotel in the middle of it) from every room. Corbel arches …

For those seeking more intimate, personalized service when in Las Vegas, check out HOTEL32, a new boutique hotel located on the 32nd floor of the Monte Carlo. From the minute you arrive at the private entrance, you are met by a suite assistant who is your designated go-to concierge for …

In 2008 a London penthouse reportedly sold for 0 million—the highest price ever paid for a condo. The luxurious residence is one of 86 units in the One Hyde Park development in Knightsbridge. When construction ends in late 2010, this address will be among the most exclusive in the world. …

Beijing may be better known for tea than wine, but Amanresorts would like to change that. On November 13, the Aman at Summer Palace will host the first Aman Beijing Wine Classic, a weekend that celebrates food, wine, and local culture. The debut event will feature several notable California producers, …

Everything has been emptied out of the former Playboy Club in London, says Roland Fasel, general manager of the nearby Dorchester hotel. The Dorchester Collection—which comprises seven properties including the Dorchester and the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles—plans to expand to 15 hotels in North America and Europe by 2015. …

Wilbert Das, creative director of the Diesel clothing company, made sure that no trees were felled during the construction of his Uxua Casa Hotel in the picturesque fishing village of Trancoso, Brazil. Originally intended as Das’ vacation home, the nine-room Bahian retreat—which is located about a 10-minute walk from the …

Dakota Mountain Lodge is at the brink of something big. Geographically speaking, the Park City, Utah, hotel sits at the edge of the Canyons, the fifth-largest ski area in the United States. And while the Canyons has never been as fashionable as the nearby Deer Valley and Park City Mountain …

Head to any ski mountain and you will find demo stations tempting you to take a brand-new pair of skis out for a spin. Ski shops also encourage test-drives of their inventory—which is neatly categorized by skiing style (all-mountain, carving, or powder)—so purchasing the right pair should be easy. "Except …

Of all the things that London seems to be short on—sunshine and dispassionate cabbies, to name two—gilded shopping byways certainly are not among them. From Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove and Brompton Cross in Knightsbridge to Belgravia’s Motcomb Street and the burgeoning Shoreditch Triangle, avenues lined with fashionable boutiques can be …

Ancient Banyan trees and 17,000 swaying palms shade the trails at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa in the Maldives. The resident biologist at the private-island resort, which opened in July, leads tours along the trails, pointing out wildlife and plants such as the noni, the basis of Maldivian remedies for …