Consumers in the market for a luxury second home can choose from destination clubs, fractional residences and wholly-owned homes. Halogen Guides has outlined the top five reasons for why a consumer would choose each option. We also ... Read Full Article »

Over the past year, we’ve compared jet card programs, reviewed specific planes, and even calculated the cost to fly carbon neutral. Today, we thought we’d have some fun and dream up a hypothetical new aircraft. We’re Mac users here at Halogen ... Read Full Article »

For one hour on March 31, 2007, 2.2 million residents and 2,100 businesses in Sydney, Australia turned off their lights for the first-ever Earth Hour, which was developed to promote awareness about energy conservation. In 2008, more than 20 cities ... Read Full Article »

If you’re a golfer, making a decision about purchasing resort real estate can have just as much to do with who designed the course on site as it does with the Viking appliances in the kitchen, or how many fixtures ... Read Full Article »

When big-name fashion designers and interior design stars sign on to create stylish interiors for resort real estate, the result is bound to be a community of second homes with serious wow-factor. So, where are the fashion industry trendsetters heading ... Read Full Article »

One of our favorite green bloggers, Joel Makower of Two Steps Forward, recently posted that the latest edition of Clean Energy Trends is published and available for free download. The annual report, which lays out trends and predictions for the ... Read Full Article »

The new Sawmill Village, a gated whole ownership development atop West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain, is touting the fact that it’s the first development of its kind in the state to receive an Energy Star label at the top of its ... Read Full Article »

So you’ve avoided the interminable check-in line, been spared the indignity of walking shoeless through a metal detector, and circumvented the mad dash boarding cattle run. You’re settling into your chartered private jet’s supple leather seats, legs outstretched, sipping ... Read Full Article »

Mega-yacht crews are well versed in the fine art of shiatsu massage, preparing the perfect langoustine salad and popping jeroboams of Cristal. It’s the little things, like saving the boat and its passengers in case of emergency, where they may ... Read Full Article »

These days, there’s so much information on the web about going green that it can be hard to ferret out the best sources. However, some notable bloggers have taken a dedicated and informative approach to the sustainable movement, updating their ... Read Full Article »

Two bucks for a bottle of water, three for a snack, and good luck finding a blanket. While commercial airlines continue to skimp on the basics, private jets are delivering a new level of food service, which involves using organic ... Read Full Article »

It wasn’t long ago that the great promise of biodiesel lay in getting a ’72 VW Bus to sputter a few miles down the road for its weekly trip from the organic rutabaga commune to the farmer’s market. In ... Read Full Article »

True luxury connoisseurs insist on “fine writing instruments” not ball point pens, and they demand “handcrafted timepieces” not digital watches. Why then, should it be so readily accepted that these same individuals would use a mobile phone—an item no less ... Read Full Article »

For the second or vacation home owner who wants their new pad to be as sustainable as possible, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to make a home more eco-friendly. To start off, try working from the ... Read Full Article »

We’ve already covered some of the steps commercial airlines are taking towards being more environmentally friendly. Carbon offset programs and investing in newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft are just a few of the initiatives being taken by domestic and international airlines. In ... Read Full Article »

Two new real estate developments in Mexico are bringing a welcome breath of fresh air to our southern neighbor’s real estate and tourism industries. As available land is gobbled up by developers intent on capitalizing on Mexico’s alluring mix of ... Read Full Article »

Most of us have seen a prefabricated or modular home rolling by on the highway. Those cookie cutter buildings are not exactly the stuff of housing dreams. But those style-less buildings are a far cry from today’s luxury prefab homes, ... Read Full Article »

At Helium Report, we track the latest in luxury living trends, from billionaires purchasing jumbo jets for personal use to destination clubs rolling out grand beach homes. Our readers come to us for industry news on private jets and ... Read Full Article »

Last week the Federal Trade Commission, which evaluates advertising claims, held a public hearing on green marketing, focusing specifically on carbon offsets and the way they are marketed and advertised to consumers. Carbon offsetting sounds like a great way for ... Read Full Article »

Chances are that when you’re traveling to your private residence club or destination club community, you’ll step into a train, plane or automobile. But by stepping into your vehicle of choice, you’re contributing to environmentally-unfriendly carbon-dioxide emissions. One of the biggest ... Read Full Article »

Green is the word when it comes to construction, so if you’re thinking of buying a second home in 2008, you’d better be well-versed in eco-friendly terminology. After all, this is the year that sustainable building is poised to go ... Read Full Article »

You’ve thought about recycling programs and bought energy-efficient appliances for your second home and even figured out how to reduce your carbon footprint for travel to that retreat. But what about your interior decor? For vacation home purchases in resort ... Read Full Article »

Unless you’re hoofing it, environmentally-friendly travel this holiday season is something of an oxymoron. By traveling to your second home or to, say, your destination club retreat, you’re emitting CO2. And those carbon gases, as Al Gore has told ... Read Full Article »

Snow bunnies are a fabulous breed that somehow manage to look chic whether whizzing down a ski mountain – a blur of shiny beauty – or lounging cozily by the fire with a steaming cup of cocoa held in well-manicured ... Read Full Article »

Green Living is a new regular column on Helium Report devoted to covering eco-trends in second homeownership and private jet travel. Anyone who has ever bought a vacation home knows that furnishing it can be a bear. So instead of ... Read Full Article »

Private flying in 2007 was nothing less than extreme. A new class of ultra-light planes, personal jumbo jets, and billion dollar deals for fleets of aircraft all made headlines this year. The past 12 months also saw jet companies ... Read Full Article »

Green Living is a new regular column on Helium Report devoted to covering eco-trends in second homeownership and private jet travel. The new eco-standard Green. Organic. Sustainable. As if there weren’t enough terms to classify the eco-friendly movement, here’s another one to ... Read Full Article »

A megayacht owner already has the biggest and baddest boat around. What else could he or she want after buying the fastest and most technologically advanced vessel? A submarine? Like any other fine piece of machinery, the numerous pictures end up ... Read Full Article »

It’s well known that the number of megayachts on the seas is growing at a rate faster than new docking spaces created. The result is an aquatic parking problem akin to the streets of San Francisco. Luckily for megayacht owners, ... Read Full Article »

Hot tubs and grand pianos have become almost passé in the world of megayacht builders and their billionaire clients. Onboard the latest and most extravagant yachts, these luxury amenities are standard, right alongside medical suites, basketball courts and helipads. ... Read Full Article »

A certain Muppet once lamented that it’s not easy being green, but these days it’s getting easier and easier to make travel choices that positively impact the environment. Even when we’re talking luxury travel. As the popularity of ecotourism continues ... Read Full Article »

Private yachts just aren’t enough for cruising in luxury anymore. A new way for the ultra-rich to get a taste of the world at sea is with a private submarine; ideally one equipped with a gym, jacuzzi and ... Read Full Article »

Real wine enthusiasts need more than a few glasses of wine just to get over the headache of arranging travel. Finding the right place to stay and getting access to exclusive vineyards is often a considerable task, and a new ... Read Full Article »

Luxury travelers never had it so good. The Financial Times’ monthly magazine, How to Spend It, recently focused on the increasing popularity of purchasing islands. While motivations to own a private island once revolved around status recognition, it is turning ... Read Full Article »

Sentient Jet members now have access to luxury without even setting foot on a plane. The fast-growing private jet company, Sentient is partnering with Saks Fifth Avenue, ClubCorp and Leading Hotels of the World to provide its members with access ... Read Full Article »

Destination clubs have more than just the press talking. Hundreds of club reviews on Helium Report have attested to the features of many clubs, and we chose some of the most pointed examples of what made over 5,000 people choose ... Read Full Article »

Occasionally our own travel plans will coincide with last-minute availability at a destination club home. Last week, we were in New York for four nights, and got the chance to stay at one of Private Escapes’ condo units. We could ... Read Full Article »

Thomas Keller, with seven combined Michelin stars in his five restaurants, is one of the most acclaimed American chefs of our time. Although he doesn’t provide personal chef services, a few luxury fractionals in the San Francisco area can bring ... Read Full Article »

One look at the rabid cycling fans along the route of the Tour de France might deter some travelers from a heartfelt attempt at a experiencing the excitement in person – but what if you rode in one of the ... Read Full Article »

Real Estate: State of the Lake Tahoe Market When considering where to buy homes in the Lake Tahoe area, Helium Report asserts that market research is essential. Tom Bruno, a Coldwell Banker broker with 30+ years of experience in the Lake ... Read Full Article »

Anyone who thinks that it’s just wealthy housewives deciding what to do with their husbands’ money should consider this fact: more and more, it’s younger and single women who are leading the trend of second home ownership, according to an ... Read Full Article »

Top-of-the-Line Homes Don’t Demand a Blockbuster Budget Ultra-luxurious vacation homes dominate the white beaches of Cabo, a consistently top-ranked vacation destination. No big surprise then, that A-list celebs like George Clooney and Gwynneth Paltrow live the good life at Esperanza Resort, ... Read Full Article »

Eilene Zimmerman of the New York Times put the spotlight on fractional ownership and destination clubs on Sunday (July 1st) in her Travel section article. Luxury vacationers typically buy into the fractional ownership or destination club concept for the economic ... Read Full Article »

Destination clubs, condo hotels, and fractional ownership private residence clubs will be attractive to different types of travelers. When deciding what is right for you, consider what your needs are; How big of a group do you travel ... Read Full Article »

Luxury goods marketers spend a good deal of time honing their pitch; positioning their goods and services in a restrained and dignified manner that resonates with their clientele. But the pressure of “making the numbers” and the gut instincts of ... Read Full Article »

The Pinehurst area of South Carolina is a popular destination for Appalachian vacationers. Luxury travelers there have used destination club homes from Portofino, Quintess, and The Markers, and fractional ownership homes are slated for construction, too. Near Pinehurst is Lake ... Read Full Article »

If the automated tie rack or set of novelty cufflinks you gave Dad the last few Father’s Days are still languishing in their boxes, Boston’s Otto Club presents a special gift promotion that is sure for once to set his ... Read Full Article »

Private aviation enthusiasts will appreciate Popular Mechanics’ recent focus on very light jets. The newer technology and smaller operating budget is good news for affluent consumers, but these planes have yet to significantly challenge traditional private flyers; the majority of ... Read Full Article »

A notable 1.1 million wealthy (top 10%) Americans will be in the market for a second home this year, the American Affluence Research Center reported. Yet “about 6 in 10 of the affluent… indicate no familiarity with either the private ... Read Full Article »

A three-year wait is not what most consumers bargain for when they plan to spend $30 million for a megayacht. Moreover, the megayachts that do get built are sometimes marked up with yacht flipping premiums, described last week in ... Read Full Article »

There are few better ways to learn about destination clubs than with a world-class chef’s culinary miracles at arm’s reach. While Helium Report can’t serve you an “e-meal” with our PDF guides, Ultimate Resort is planning a destination club information ... Read Full Article »

Joining the PrivatSea Club could land you at the 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia. In an email statement, PrivatSea announced the incentive for members who join by June 1st. The package includes a three-night stay from June 24th to 27th ... Read Full Article »

General Info About Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas, the neighboring town of San Jose Del Cabo, and “The Corridor” in between are collectively called Los Cabos. Los Cabos is located on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, about 1,000 miles ... Read Full Article »

Over the past year, we have been tempted from time to time to write about other luxury products and services. Case in point? A recent review that we did about Bluefish, a once high-flying personal concierge business, based out of ... Read Full Article »

Kiawah Island, South Carolina is a spectacular resort area known for its endless acres of marsh, 10 miles of pristine Atlantic beach, thick forests, and abundant wildlife. Named for the Kiawah Indians who inhabited the islands in the 17th century, ... Read Full Article »

Telluride, Colordo is becoming one of the hottest destinations in the West. It has the number two ski resort in North America by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. It’s also home to Hollywood stars like Darryl Hannah and Tom ... Read Full Article »

Several luxury travel and real estate companies are starting to show their green wares and promote eco-friendly travel. You can spend over a $1,000 per night and sleep comfortably in the knowledge that you’re not trashing the environment. We’ve already ... Read Full Article »

Robert Frank, who writes the Wealth Report for the online Wall Street Journal covered the fractonal yacht program, YachtPlus, and in doing so, comes to the conclusion that fractional programs in general may be caught in ‘no man’s land’. He raises ... Read Full Article »

Based out of Manhattan, Remote Lands, Inc. is a provider of Asian luxury custom – or bespoke – travel and private jet journeys with celebrity speakers. The company specializes in unique travel experiences and insider access to local dignitaries and ... Read Full Article »

Lake Tahoe – split between California and Nevada – is one of the top ski destinations in the world and boasts 15 ski resorts. The lake itself is 1,645 feet deep and the second deepest lake in the U.S. behind ... Read Full Article »

The Cayman Islands are a British Crown colony that combines one of the world’s largest banking centers with first-class scuba diving and watersports. An abundance of amenities, a low crime rate, clean beaches, and a modern infrastructure has created a ... Read Full Article »

Miami is a myriad of vacations packed into one area. South Beach is about all-night partying and celebrity sightings. Families will focus on swimming, boating, and playing at the beach. The chic traveler may spend her days in the city’s ... Read Full Article »

What do Magellan’s Residential Cruise Line and the landlocked Phoenician Resort have in common? Besides being two luxurious places to beat the winter-time blues, they’re joining forces to bring you a Celebrity Event – a celebrity golf tournament, a gala ... Read Full Article »

The carbon neutral trend and other environmentally friendly initiatives are taking off in the travel world. From now through March 31, luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent will install a Climate Change Challenge in the British Airways Club Lounge at ... Read Full Article »

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/celebrity/Party_Crashers_How_Celebrities_Are_Lining_Their_Pockets_at_Private_Parties’;As a teenager, did you ever wish that Aerosmith or the Stones could play at your birthday party? Your wish may just be granted now that superstars are willing to play at your soiree – or your daughter’s sweet ... Read Full Article »

Vail is a world-renowned vacation destination nestled in the Colorado Rockies. Whether you’re seeking a romantic getaway, a ski weekend, great shopping and dining, or Colorado outdoor family fun, Vail has it all. Named after state highway engineer Charlie Vail, the ... Read Full Article »

Aspen is one of Colorado’s favorite year-round resort areas. World renowned for its downhill skiing, whatever the season an Aspen vacation is ideal. The town offers an interesting history, challenging outdoor recreation opportunities including fishing and golf, abundant cultural activities, ... Read Full Article »

About Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas, the neighboring town of San Jose Del Cabo, and “The Corridor” in between are collectively called Los Cabos. Los Cabos is located on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, about 1,000 miles south ... Read Full Article »

Ford Motor appears to be stepping back from its luxury car lines, according to The Wall Street Journal. Terry Kosdrosky, Steve McGrath and Stephen Power report (subscription required) that Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, featuring Aston-Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo ... Read Full Article »

The American Institute of Architects routinely surveys architects, and the latest findings show increased informality and convenience. There’s less emphasis on big sweeping entrances and stairways, now that McMansions have made a junior Trump out of everyone with a five-fig ... Read Full Article »

“Greed is good.” The Wall Street wizard portrayed by Michael Douglas would approve of 2005’s year-end bonuses. NY Magazine reports bonuses increased from $16 billion in 2004 to $19 billion last year. The magazine estimates the lion’s share ... Read Full Article »

...in the ticket category. I just bought two tickets to see Spamalot next week in NYC. Having wasted too much time at Ebay I switched to StubHub.com was very impressed with the whole experience – at least for theater tickets. Prices ... Read Full Article »

According to Scott McCartney who writes The Middle Seat column for the WSJ, there will be another 300,000 flyers qualifying for elite status on the major airlines this year (8% increase) – and many of them not becuase they fly, ... Read Full Article »

$120 billion market cap, 1000 millionaires, and 5 billionaires. BusinessWeek’s feature story about the new wealth created in the Googleplex shows how quickly the market for destination clubs is growing. What’s a newly minted 30-something millionaire to do ... Read Full Article »

Dream Catcher Retreats announced back in May that professional golfer Mark O’Meara (won the Masters and British Open titles in 1998) had become the first member of their advisory board – so he is presumably a member of the club. ... Read Full Article »

Ian Schrager, one of the pioneering hoteliers that brought us the cool boutique urban hotel (the Royalton, Hudson, Delano), has now moved into developing “Luxury Residences” that combine high-end condos with the benefits of a five-star hotel. His first project ... Read Full Article »

Some good advice last week from Jonathon Clements, one of my favorite columnists in the WSJ Personal Journal, on what you can do to help your kids, but not necessarily their ‘good-for-nothing’ spouses. First line of defense can be the ... Read Full Article »

Consider getting fitted for a custom made pair of golf shoes at E. Vogel Custom Boots and Shoes on Howard Street, just north of Canal. The first pair might run as much as $850, then subsequent pairs would be around ... Read Full Article »