Latest news with #VespaLA
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The New Ritz-Carlton Superyacht, Italy's Most Beautiful Villages And More Travel News
. Want to live out your Roman Holiday fantasy on your next vacation? The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California recently unveiled its Villa & Vespa Experience as part of its Ciao Bella! summer programming. Guests who book a villa (beginning at $11,000) through September 24 will be given a Vespa Primavera to use during their stay with dedicated parking around the property. Don't want to return it? The resort will arrange for the purchase of the scooter via Vespa LA and can arrange shipping it home along with two helmets. . Some ships sail by the stars, others invite them to join a celebrity-filled launch. For the maiden voyage of Luminara, the third superyacht in the Ritz-Carlton collection, a fleet of bold-faced names—including Tom Brady, Sofia Vergara, Colman Domingo, Janelle Monáe and Martha Stewart—recently enjoyed a two-day trip to Malta. As for the ship itself, the 794-foot-long Luminara features 226 luxury suites (which can accommodate 450 passengers), five restaurants, multiple pools and a spa. There are also Chanel and Cartier boutiques for guests who want to bring home a souvenir. . Why argue about which Italian villages are the most beautiful when it can be decided on Italian television? Broadcast annually since 2014, Borgo dei Borghi (which translates to The Village of Villages) highlights Italy's most beautiful small villages—places that still feel like undiscovered gems. Each year, 20 villages (one from each region) compete for the title. The winners are chosen by a public vote and a panel of experts in history, art and culture. This year's winning village is Militello in Val di Catania in Sicily. See the complete list of the most beautiful villages in Italy for 2025. 'You may have the universe if I may have Italy.' This is the published version of Forbes' Passport newsletter, which offers a first-class guide to luxury travel. Click here to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. . After nearly 20 years of grumbling from barefoot travelers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that passengers will now be able keep their shoes on at security checkpoints. Those who don't have TSA PreCheck will still have to remove belts, coats and laptops from carry-on bags. Here's what you need to know about the new TSA security policy. . Looking for a really cool getaway this summer? Consider a stay in one of Norway's ice hotels. Longtime Forbes travel contributor David Nikel recently returned from the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel and reports on what to expect. Guests typically arrive in the afternoon, check into a nearby (warm) cabin or lodge, and then can take part in activities such as snowmobiling, husky sledding, or watching the Northern Lights (depending on the location). Later that night, you begin your stay in the ice suite—and, yes, it's very cold, between 19°F to 25°F. But that's what thermal sleeping bag is for. And the extra blankets.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
This $11,000 Hotel Packages Comes With A Custom Vespa
How about a Vespa as a souvenir. The Resort at Pelican Hill If you've ever dreamed of spending your summer zipping around on a Vespa, gelato in one hand (not literally, please) and sea breeze in your hair, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California, is here to make that fantasy come true—with an actual Vespa. That you get to keep. Yes, this is real life. The five-star, five-diamond resort has just launched its Villa & Vespa Experience. This swoon-worthy summer package starts at $11,000 and includes your very own custom Pelican Hill-branded Vespa Primavera 150cc. It's like Italy by way of Orange County, but with fewer passport stamps and more coastal golf carts. Available exclusively to guests staying in the resort's private villas (already a flex), this new package is all about channeling La Dolce Vita. Think: terracotta rooftops, ocean views, espresso at the Villa Clubhouse, and cruising around the resort's dreamy 504-acre grounds on your personal Vespa like it's your own private movie set. And no, you don't just ride the Vespa around and hand over the keys at checkout. You own it. The Vespa—custom-branded, delivered by Vespa LA, and complete with two helmets—comes with you. You can ship it home as the ultimate souvenir or, if you've had your fill of Italian-style glamour (doubtful), opt into a special buy-back program. Either way, this isn't your average vacation freebie. This entire package is part of the resort's summer-long Ciao Bella! programming, which fully commits to the theme with playful, sun-soaked experiences throughout the property. Over select holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day), guests can rent Ciao Bella cabanas by the Coliseum Pool—outfitted with branded totes, plush towels, and pitchers of the resort's signature Summer Spritz. It's peak poolside glam and the ideal reward after a Vespa-fueled joyride. Of course, this being Pelican Hill, the extras don't stop there. Villa guests also enjoy daily breakfast at the exclusive Villa Clubhouse, access to pool butlers (because, obviously), and weekend perks like wood-fired pizza and sunset s'mores. There's also a curated partnership with Williams Sonoma to help customize your villa with everything from gourmet coffee setups to wine-night essentials. It's like living in a catalog but with a much better ocean view. For those looking to mix a little culture into their stay, the resort's Salon Series brings guests and local tastemakers together for intimate evenings of art, music, culinary delights, and actual thought-provoking conversation. Yes, you can discuss 18th-century European salon culture and which Vespa color looks best in your driveway. On the food-and-fun front, summer at Pelican Hill comes with its own Mediterranean twist. The new Pelican Picnic offers a leisurely lunch to-go—think seasonal sandwiches, vibrant salads, and house-made spreads—packed up in a branded cooler backpack you'll actually want to take home. A plush picnic blanket is included, too, so all you have to do is pick a sunny spot and settle in. And in late June, the property hosted Summer Mercato, a one-day pop-up market that channeled the charm of a European street fair. But let's be honest: the Vespa steals the show. Because how often does a hotel send you home with a full-on Italian scooter?
