Technical Pro

Sure, you could always book yourself a ticket on a train if you feel like a little lounge time in the dinner car — but what if you don’t feel like going anywhere? In that case, try making a visit to The Passenger. This Malasaña hangout was designed by Parolio and is meant to resemble the inside of a train car — a very swanky train, mind you. A coffee shop by day and rock n’ roll bar by night, inside you’ll find plenty of dark wood, brown leather, brass finished, fantastic cocktails craft beers, and small plate foodstuffs. But the real kicker is the “windows”, which are actually three screens playing synchronized videos to make you feel as if you’re on the move — that is, of course, if the booze isn’t doing that already. Source: The Passenger

Hate dragging your luggage through the airport? With the PA Series Power Assisted Suitcase ($1,200), your luggage can pretty much drag you. Grab the handle and tilt, and this admitted not-very-sexy-looking suitcase revs up its tiny battery-powered engines, driving itself along for about 1.5 miles. Which would be super cool if it didn’t cost us a month’s rent.

Don’t have time to make yourself a proper cup of coffee before you head out for the day? Use the Handpresso Auto (€150; roughly $200) to brew up a jolting shot of espresso from the comfort of the driver’s seat. Powered by your car’s 12V cigarette lighter, the Handpresso takes water and E.S.E. coffee pods, and lets you know when your drink is ready with three audible beeps, so you don’t need to take your eyes off the road.

Tear up the icy landscape in the retro-styled Arctic Cat ProCross F 1100 50th Anniversary Snowmobile ($13,000). Powered by a turbo 4-stroke, 1056cc twin-cylinder engine that puts out an intense 177 horsepower, this beast features electric start, RMC brake system, deluxe digital/analog gauge (with speed, tach, odometer, trip meters, engine hour meter, clock, fuel level indicator, and altimeter), Arctic Race Suspension with Fox Float 2 shocks and sway bar, electronic push-button reverse, and vintage Arctic Cat 50th anniversary graphics. Also available in a special Uncrate colorway.[Thanks Uncrate]

Ayada Maldives ResortAyada Maldives Resort adds more luxury to the Maldives islands.

Destination

Ayada Maldives Resort is located in the course of a spotless reef within the Southern rim of the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the southern Maldives. The resort is 268 miles south of the capital Male and is a perfect getaway for this festive season. Owned by Aydeniz Group, it was honored with the Europe’s Leading Tourism Development Company 2010 award. The resort consists of 112 luxury villas that are spread on the impeccable 150,000 square meter island of Maguhdhuvaa, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives. Each villa offers uninterrupted views of the breathtaking Maldivian landscape and endless water.

Ayada Maldives ResortAyada Maldives Resort adds more luxury to the Maldives islands

Luxurious Accommodation

The resort has 112 opulent villas that encompass 33 Ocean Villas, 14 Sunset Beach Suites, 33 Beach Villas, 16 Sunset Ocean Suites, 11 Sunset Lagoon Suites and a duplex Ayada Royal Ocean suite. Each villa is located amid faultless blue waters, powder white sands and flourishing vegetation. They are equipped with modern facilities but still carry a traditional feel. The beautifully designed exterior and stylish interior offer an excellent ambience to spend some great time. Each villa is equipped with a private pool.

Below are the details of its exotic villas and luxury facilities:

1. Ayada Royal Ocean Suite

Ayada Maldives Resort adds more luxury to the Maldives islandsAyada Royal Ocean Suite

The most luxurious suite amongst these 112 villas is the Ayada Royal Ocean Suite that is spread in the area of 108 sqm. The villa is equipped with all the modern facilities in it and has a mesmerizing exterior that is attached with a private pool, 24 hour butler service, glass windows, sun lounger and many other luxurious facilities. This suit is the most expensive ocean suite the resort is offering with the tariff of $3,780 per night.

2. Sunset Beach Suite

Ayada Maldives Resort adds more luxury to the Maldives islandsSunset Beach Suite

This beach suit is spread in the area of 137 sqm and is located just in front of endless beach. The private verandah offers amazing view and will surely let you spend some amazing time with your loved ones. The villa is equipped with all the luxurious facilities and has access to your personal pool. The tariff of this villa would be $765 per night.

3. Fine Dining and Bar

Apart from the 24 hour butler service available in the villas itself, the resort has seven amazing restaurants and several bars that will surely give u a completely varied taste of fine dining and drinks. Each and every restaurant and bar is located amid the beautiful environment that portrays the elegance of the Island. One of the best pool bars is the wine and Cheese Island that is located above the clear waters and has some of the best wines in the world.

4. Spa and Health Club

The specialty of this resort is the rejuvenating spa that is offered by the AySpa & Health Club managed by ESPA. The spa is spread in the vast area of 3500 sqm and offers a completely different experience. Apart from 8 treatment rooms, the spa villa also offers facilities like Hammam, sauna, stem room and many other facilities just to revitalize the body and the soul.

Other recreational activities

The resort also arrange for the water sports like Scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing etc. and also offers short excursions like yachting, fishing and scenic seaplane tours.

Connectivity

The resort is just 45 minutes from the Malé International Airport that is approximately 268 miles from the destination.

Picture Gallery

Ayada Maldives Resort

Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the southern Maldives

Via: Atoll Paradise/Ayada Maldives

the last time we jumped into our car for a last-minute road trip we forgot to pack our toothbrush, phone charger, and underwear. As much as we love accidentally living like a granola-sista for a week, we would much rather leave the house feeling like we’re not missing some vital travel items. Pack worry free with the Pack This Notepad ($6). They have pretty much everything covered and free spaces for you to add other essential travel items (like gummy bears and diet coke.)

Ome floating island home Ome floating island home created by Plamerstone and Donald Starkey Designs.

Living and vacationing on land isn’t the vogue thing anymore. Seems like the oceans are the new location where the moneyed class want to build their vacation homes and resorts, just like we saw in the Aqua Domi floating houses, and the Peter Thiel Floating Islands.

Now Palmerstone and Donald Starkey Designs have joined hands in venture called Atoll Floating Islands, to create the wonder floating island home, Ome. Matching the quality standards of Nakheel’s The World Project, this floating island home will be meant to travel between the shores of Dubai till the World’s Islands.

The configuration of the islands will be a dual deck format, which will be at least 32 meters in length. The lower deck will have the living spaces, totaling to around 1,400 square meters of living space. It will have facilities like the open air lounge, swimming pool, bar & dining area.

The upper deck will have 5 bedrooms and relaxation area for the owner of the island home. Since the basic concept has just been revealed as of now, the possibilities of change in Design and bringing in new concept is enormous, which was relayed by Graham Henderson, the chief of Palmerstone.

In addition to the amenities we mentioned, there will also be a waste management and energy management system, which competes with world standards. Each Ome island-home will self-treat all its waste, and use renewable sources of energy to meet the requirements. With approximately 32,000 KW of energy production estimates, it would be safe to peg the figure equivalent to 6 large households’ energy needs. Now, that’s something which was never done before.

As a matter of fact, one of their Ome designs was actually awarded at the International Yacht and Aviation Awards in the concept design category. Just for the eco-travel credentials, the Ome has even been nominated by the International Superyacht Society’s Fabien Costeau Blue Award this year.

The cost to the owner is stated to be in excess of $22 million, but that’s only tentative, because the customizations and features will make them differ. But executives at Palmerstone say it will be lesser than building a super-yacht boat.

From the same creators of The Streets of Monaco Superyacht comes Project Utopia, a floating island.

While the idea resembles that of an oil rig, the design is anything but. Call it a yacht, a building, an island… whatever you like. This beautiful piece of circular construction is 330 feet in diameter, has 11 decks of living space and the equivalent floorspace of a present-day cruise liner. Additional features include:

• Retractable glass canopy covering the top decks
• A top floor pool deck that becomes an outdoor pool when the glass canopy is opened
• Four platform legs that anchor the structure into place, ensuring stability even in the most extreme weather conditions
• Propellers on each platform leg, that allows the island to move in a slow, steady manner.
• Four helicopter pads for access to the island
• Multiple wet docks capable of housing boats and jet skis for recreational use

Project Utopia is currently envisioned as a mix of retail areas, theaters, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and a casino… but we can definitely see ourselves living on one, just as soon as we make our first billion.

Need to get from London to Australia in three hours? Billionaire and Virgin Founder Richard Branson is getting closer to bringing “sub-orbital” travel to reality with the opening of Spaceport America, the home of Virgin Galactic. Located in New Mexico and resembling a set that looks like it came straight out of a big budget sci-fi blockbuster, the Foster + Partners design will house Virgin’s White Knight and SpaceShipTwo aircraft where space tourists will soon depart for a 3.5 hour flight that includes six minutes of weightless, sub-orbital flight time. Tickets for flights will cost $200,000. link / Source