The Affluent Page Magazine

Las Vegas is one of the most desired designations in the United States, and as of 2011, passengers will have a new form of transportation to arrive there in style.

Las Vegas Railway Express is presenting the “X” Train, which will provide a first-class travel experience to those with the means to ride it. The company is 100% privately financed and plans on bringing back the old-school glamour of trains combined with the new innovations of technology.

The train will leave from Los Angeles but passengers will get the Vegas treatment the moment they board. The train will be equipped with glamorous bar cars, gambling cars and gourmet dining cars.

The “X” Train is modeled after the Blue Train, which services the ultra wealthy in South Africa. Although the “X” train has not been completed, its investors are hopeful that it will attract the likes of 12 million travelers who would normally have to drive the 300-mile stretch.

This 5 ½ hour train ride will be easier to access and more leisurely to ride than an airplane or car. Different entertainment packages will be offered to consumers but prices have not been announced. According to the company website, “The “X” Train plans on offering rooms, transfers, shows and incidentals for its passengers in route.”

Roundtrip tickets will be available from Thursday to Monday, targeting people looking for a weekend get-away.

Carprenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects (CSD) has been chosen to design the cars and this award-winning interior design company is excited to take on such a grand task. “Sharing discoveries, enthusiasm and creative solutions is the basis of the collaboration with our clients and we plan to incorporate this environment into the design and aesthetics of The ‘X’ Train,” says Michael Del Gatto of CSD.

This project has been in the works since 2009 and it is finally making actual headway. Ticket prices will be released in 2011 and they are sure to break the bank considering the Las Vegas Railway Express is sparing no expense to make this the most luxurious and entertaining mode of transportation available.

[X Train Vegas]

Abercrombie and Kent, an elite travel company, has put together a travel package to Egypt that is perfect for adventurers seeking an exclusive experience. This ten-day excursion begins on Oct. 10, 2010 and includes activities such as: desert camping, camel riding, hiking and much more. This tour enables travelers to learn about ancient civilizations. Throughout the trip, guests are exposed to tools, axes and even the bones of the people who lived in Cairo 18,000 years ago before it became dilapidated.

Although the first and last nights of the expedition are spent at the luxurious Four Seasons of Cairo, the rest of the trip requires voyeurs to live in a mobile camp. The Egyptian land is currently uninhabitable by humans but tour guide Diaa Shawki Michail, who has 25 years of experience with this territory, will supply water, food, fuel, supplies and GPS.

Upon arrival in Cairo, an Abercrombie and Kent representative will greet travelers and bring them to the Four Seasons. This first day is spent at the resort where guests can enjoy the spa and the other amenities provided by the hotel.

The real adventure begins the second day when the group departs for the el-Baharia Oasis. This region is rich in delicacies such as olives and apricots; however, the excitement starts when guests get their first opportunity to ride the sand dunes. This location is also rich in culture: it is the site of a Greco-Roman burial ground. After the site seeing is complete, participants drive 25 miles in 4 by 4 vehicles to the camping ground in Abou Mouhkarik; here the incredible dunes are higher than 200 feet.

After a good nights rest, guests journey to the Djarra Cave, which was accidentally discovered in 1872 and is was so far removed from civilization that it was not visited again for an entire century.

Camping continues throughout several historic sites where unbelievable treasures are unveiled: such as “white chalk formations that rise out of the desert sand like huge mushrooms.” Nights on the voyage end with bonfires where guests can share stories of their day’s adventures.

Day seven takes guests to the incredible springs in Dakhla Oasis where there are hot sulfur springs for travelers to bathe in.

On day eight, the Hall of the Mummies is visited, which is home to more than 1,000 mummies. Although the museum is closed to the public, Abercrombie and Kent has exclusive access and its travelers are taken inside and taught about the Greco-Roman mummies. While here, guests get to see inside Penantio (an ancient tomb), giving them a rare glimpse into the afterlife.

The final day brings adventurers back to Cairo where they stay their last night in the Four Seasons.

[Abercrombie & Kent]

For a $53,000 per night, guests will enjoy pure luxury and sophisticated elegance at the Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. Managing Director Charles Tamman promises that a stay at this five-star resort – located in the center of the city – will not disappoint.

This suite is only accessible by a private elevator, ensuring exclusivity, and it occupies the entire top floor of the hotel. This contemporary style suite boasts four expansive bedrooms and six bathrooms with mosaic marble and hardwood flooring.

There is also a spacious living room, which provides a billiards table for guest’s entertainment. If guests should choose to stay in for a day, they will find an abundance of activities available to them right inside the hotel and even their suite. There is a library and a cocktail lounge with a view of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, and it can hold up to 40 people. If guests wish to entertain, there is an oval mahogany table in the dining room, which seats 26 people. There is also an expansive terrace with views of the mountains and water. The hotel is perfect for celebrities looking to avoid fans or the paparazzi and politicians visiting the United Nations, which is located right next door at the Palais Wilson. The windows are bullet proof and the hotel staff guarantees that the security of the guests is among the best in the world.

Hotel amenities include access to the state-of-the-art fitness center or a jog through the expansive parks and gardens. In addition, there is also an open-air seawater pool, VIP terrace and the concierge can book a number of nautical sports.

At the spa are some of the most renowned and elite treatments and facilities in any hotel worldwide. The spa offers special treatments such as Sodashi, which in Sanskrit translates to “wholeness, purity and radiance.” Sodashi is a luxurious skincare line, which is anti-aging and chemical-free. The spa also features Valmont beauty care facilities, physiotherapy, massages, saunas, Jacuzzis, hammams and balneotherapy.

[President Wilson Hotel]

Rich with touches of the past and ultra modern in design is Aman Resort’s Amenjena. Located by the remote foothills of The Atlas Mountains, Morocco’s jewel of a resort offers all the exotic luxuries Arabian culture has to offer. With stunning views of the nearby mountain range, smell of spice from a neighboring Moorish market, and warmth of a purple desert sunset, Amenjena makes for the ultimate romantic getaway.

Surrounding a pool which decadently rests in the center of the Amenjena oasis, the exclusive 39 accommodations are contemporary, yet designed in a luxurious Moroccan style. As well as the 32 Pavilions and six Maisons, the Al-Hamra Maison makes for the ultimate high-end living experience. Having all the features of a Pavilion or Maison – such as a private pool and gazebo – the Al-Hamra Maison is a two-bedroom abode with a spacious indoor living and dining space complete with an additional gazebo, garden and private butler service. For a rate of $21,300, guests can stay in the Al-Hamra Maison for six nights.

Art and cultural connoisseurs will enjoy the authentic Madina of Marrakech, “a fully preserved historic town.” Marrakech, (translating to “Red City”) remains rich in its ancient traditions. It is nearly impossible to walk through the primordial city without getting caught up in the seducing scent of mint tea and exotic spices. While guests may enjoy browsing the numerous specialist antique shops and rural markets independently, Amanjena also offers organized shopping tours of the Medina.

Although guests benefit from exploring the surrounding Moroccan landscape, it is not necessary to leave the Amanjena property, as it offers elite and exclusive facilities. The spa in the Health and Beauty Center not only offers massages, facials, scrubs, wraps, manicures, and pedicures, but also Moroccan steam baths, referred to as “hammam.” Because hammam is a pivotal aspect of Morrocan culture, there is no better place than Amanjena to experience the beauty treatment firsthand. As well as the spa, The Amelkis Golf Course, adjacent to Amanjena, is the perfect place to unwind and take in the stunning surroundings and mountain views.

Whether seeking exotic adventures or ultimate relaxation, Amanjena is an escape from the fast paced western world and a gateway into Arabian luxury. Merging sweeping mountain views, vast desert, and tropical pools, Amanjena offers its guests the best of the natural elements in a superior up-scale style.