The Christina O Yacht.
The Christina O Yacht.
Image: Supplied

01. Jetting off in style 

If you think a Gulfstream or Bombardier is the ultimate in private jets, think again. At the top end of the market it’s all about commercial aircraft fitted out for private use by the very wealthy. These jets are rented out not by the day but by the hour, with prices starting at around $16 000 an hour.

One of the most luxurious is the Boeing Business Jet 787, which has a starting price of $325-million to buy or which can be chartered for $70 000 an hour. For that price, you get a jet that has a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom as well as a dining room, luxurious sofas, space to relax and watch TV, and a cruising range that will easily take you to most parts of the world. It’s the ultimate jetset way to travel.

Boeing Business Jet 787.
Boeing Business Jet 787.
Image: Supplied
Boeing Business Jet 787 dining room.
Boeing Business Jet 787 dining room.
Image: Supplied

02. Sailing with history

When it comes to exclusive yachting experiences, there are plenty of superyachts, even mega yachts, from which to choose, with charters costing anything up to $4-million a week, but it’s hard to beat the experience of travelling on the yacht once owned by Christina Onassis. Called the Christina O, it was built in 1943 and underwent its most recent refit in 2015. It is 99m long and can accommodate 34 guests in 17 staterooms. There’s also enough space for up to 157 on board if you want to throw an extravagant party.

The vessel spends summer in the Atlantic Ocean and winter in central America, with rates from $604 100 a week. There’s a mosaic-floored swimming pool, a 42-person dining room, a spa with full-time therapists, loads of jet skis, kayaks, and other toys, and a vast master bedroom with a fireplace. And while all of that is great, the real attraction is being on the yacht that once hosted not just Onassis but also big names in the world of politics such as Sir Winston Churchill, who once shared a drink or two with John F Kennedy in the yacht’s main bar.

The Christina O Yacht.
The Christina O Yacht.
Image: Supplied

03. Luxury on rails

Whenever anyone mentions luxury train travel, two names usually spring to mind — the Blue Train and the Orient Express. But why not experience something different and take in the wonderful culture, natural beauty, and incredible hospitality of Japan? That’s what’s in store for travellers on the Seven Stars in Kyushu, a train described as a cruise on rails, providing memories that will last long after your journey across the seven prefectures of the island of Kyushu.

This is a bucket-list experience, with carriages that feature different themes, including the classic romance and luxurious décor of the early 20th century. If you want to relax in opulent splendour you can do so in the Blue Moon lounge car, or you can make new friends in the Jupiter salon car and take in the view from your own sumptuously appointed private suite. There’s just one thing — you have to apply to travel on the Seven Stars, with prices starting at $4 375 per person (based on two sharing). If there are too many applications, places are auctioned off to the highest bidder in a lottery process. Now, that’s exclusivity.

Seven Stars in Kyushu.
Seven Stars in Kyushu.
Image: Supplied
Blue Moon lounge car on Seven Stars in Kyushu.
Blue Moon lounge car on Seven Stars in Kyushu.
Image: Supplied

04. Tour in a classic

It’s easy enough to rent a supercar in Dubai, a sports car in Stuttgart, a muscle car in the US, or a Rolls-Royce in the UK, but what if you want to go touring in Europe in something that’s all about emotion, nostalgia, and luxury, the kind of car with which memories are made? Well, Colcorsa offers exactly that. You can still rent a new Aston Martin, Ferrari, or Lamborghini, but how about exploring Italy in an original BMW M3 or an iconic Porsche 356 Speedster, or cruising along the coast of the French Riviera in a Citroën DS convertible?

The company offers a range of tours, starting at around €11 000 for a tour of about eight days, through wonderful areas such as Provence and the famous Furka Pass in the Swiss Alps, or you can self-drive, with rental prices from €450 a day. They can also tailor-make itineraries to suit you, meaning you can enjoy luxurious hotels and the best locations, travelling between them in a Jaguar E-Type, a Mercedes 190SL Pagoda, or an Aston Martin V8 Volante. It definitely beats the usual airport rental — even a luxury one.

BMW M3.
BMW M3.
Image: Supplied
Porsche 356 Speedster.
Porsche 356 Speedster.
Image: Supplied
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