Anguilla’s Altamer
Photo Courtesy of Altamer
In the past, only voyeuristic paparazzi saw celebrity vacations up close and personal. But now, savvy travelers with a desire for privacy, exclusivity and style have options to spare. From private villas in Anguilla to expansive suites in Beverly Hills, we have the inside scoop on how to make your travel plans like an A-lister.
Walk the Red Carpet at The Beverly Hilton
If you’re looking to be treated like a celebrity, look no further than The Beverly Hilton’s new Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous package. Upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport, guests who book this lavish $25,000 experience are whisked away in a limousine to this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel, where a red carpet and a slew of paparazzi await to shout your name and snap endless photos. On top of this elaborate Hollywood moment, the package also includes a three-night suite stay, personal chauffeur and professional photo shoot (complete with hair, makeup and wardrobe stylists and a preparatory facial), followed by dinner on the hotel’s rooftop terrace. As if that weren’t enough to make you feel like a movie star, all of your suite requests — anything from bowls of all-brown M&Ms to vases with white roses — will be filled without question. Don’t be surprised if you bump into stars there — as the venue for the Golden Globes, Oscar Nominee Luncheon and more, the L.A. hotel is a celebrity hot spot.
Altamer, Photo Courtesy of Altamer
Get Pampered at Anguilla’s Altamer
Only reachable by chartered boat or private jet, Anguilla is the perfect destination for famous faces in need of extreme seclusion, even if they arrive with an entourage. Surrounded by blue Caribbean waters, Altamer provides you and your group a choice of three distinct 12,000-square-foot-plus villas, each complete with four bedrooms, private pools, a tennis court and a personal staff whose only mission is to make your every wish a reality. Think that’s hyperbole? Once, a guest who’d reserved all three units asked Altamer’s head manager, Carl Irish, to bring in a casino from nearby St. Martin. With less than two weeks’ notice, Irish navigated customs and immigration, loaded cargo ships, managed construction and battled time to make it happen and then make it disappear the next day — like magic. Though Irish takes privacy seriously, he admits he’s seen his fair share of movie stars, professional athletes, heads of state and businessmen in more than a decade of work at the property. “I am absolutely certain that God has given me the gift of service,” Irish says. “And it’s the relationships that make this experience so special.” We’ll just say that suites filled with antiques, angled ceilings and jaw-dropping views of azure waters are the icing on the vacation cake.
Fly In Style at the Castle Hotel & Spa
Sometimes celebrities have to work in New York City, but that doesn’t mean they have to spend the night there. Instead, Castle Hotel & Spa, located north of the city in historic Tarrytown, offers its distinguished guests an escape from the hubbub by helicopter. Like a scene from a James Bond film, you will fly above the glittering skyline, north along the Hudson River Valley, past the Tappan Zee Bridge and beyond West Point, to the Westchester County Airport, where a fully stocked luxury car awaits to escort you to the hotel. Built in 1910 and converted to a luxury property in 1996, Castle Hotel underwent an expansive renovation in 2013 yet it maintained the integrity and history of the century-old granite castle and its interior. The restoration also saw the establishment of an onsite Thann Sanctuary Spa, the first U.S. branch of the Thai company. The Castle Wings Air Helicopter package comes with a traditional Thai massage or Thann Sanctuary massage, a five-course dinner at Equus Restaurant, a private tour of Castle’s wine cellar andbreakfast for two the following morning. Of course, the helicopter will escort you back to Manhattan after the meal, granting you a dramatic exit worthy of an Oscar nod.
