Monday, November 25, 2013

Top Hotels and Resorts in Las Vegas

If you're thinking of spending a luxurious holiday in Las Vegas, then you ought to be staying in a high-class hotel complete with all the rich and top-notch amenities that you deserve. Now you might be thinking of sitting in front of your computer and hitting that Google search to help you find that perfect place, but it might take you more than a few hours comparing and going over those hotel options. To help you decide, here is a top 5 list of the best hotels in Las Vegas that you may want to consider. 

 Wynn Las Vegas - If you have a flair for luxurious things and you have more dollars to spend, then I say you spend it at Wynn. This very elegant hotel displays original artworks by Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh and it is where you can also find posh brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Everything is stylish and contemporary looking. You'll definitely get your money's worth at Wynn Las Vegas. For more information, visit their website here.



Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas - This hotel is conveniently located right at the heart of Las Vegas. It can actually be called 'a hotel within a hotel', as it occupies the 35th to 39th floor of Mandalay Bay Resort. With this easy access to such popular entertainment place, what more could you ask for?  Four Seasons Hotel offers the world-class customer service and has top-of-the line amenities to ensure that each client is satisfied. For more information, visit their website here.


Paris Las Vegas - Are you looking for that place with a Parisian vibe? Then Paris Las Vegas is ultimately for you. With a replica of the famous Eiffel Tower to dazzle your sight, this 4-star hotel and resort is definitely on my list. It has a very convenient location - near Fashion Show Mall, Crystals at City Center and University of Nevada-Las Vegas. For more information, visit their website here.

Mirage Resort and Casino - If you're searching for a place that's known for its friendly staff and a one-of-a-kind volcano show (yes, you read that right - volcano show and did I mention eruptions?) The Mirage is the place to be. The have a jungle-like atmosphere going on, so if you love nature and adventure, you'll definitely enjoy staying here. For more information, visit their website here.

The Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino - Are you a fan of anything Italian? If that's the case, you'll absolutely fall in love with The Venetian Hotel. From the beautiful marble floors to those amazing columns and statues, anyone who stays here will easily be transported to a different place and time. For more information, visit their website here.











These hotels promise one thing and that is a luxurious accommodation during your holiday in the famous Sin City. Depending on your personal needs and preference, you will surely find that these world-class hotels and resorts are carefully planned and built to make you feel the good life.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

The Psychology of Luxurious Spending




Do you spend on necessity, on luxury, or both?


I’ve been going around E-bay last night and I just realized that I wasn’t just eyeing for a new cool fashionable wrist watch to wear. I accidentally landed to the category “Luxury Watches” and surprisingly never left the page because of Gucci’s latest diamond-studded wrist watch that costs $2495. Yes, that’s a sweet two thousand grand for a watch that tells you if you are running late for your appointment. The difference? Asides that the watch is working just fine, it is a Gucci!



That made me contemplate about this question: Why do we fall in love with luxury, prestige, and the upscale living? Why do we like to keep up with the Joneses and live the so called “good life”? You would say, “Of course we want to live a luxurious life!” But have you ever asked why?



When somebody on the other table is drinking a bottle of luxury liquor that is $850 worth, we secretly wonder in our minds how that wine tastes. Maybe close to heaven. Maybe sophisticatedly tasteful. Practically speaking, we can always make simple purchases based on our needs-- maybe a nice pair of jeans, a functional smartphone, and a tasty cheeseburger will do. But it is not just physical hunger that we are trying to satisfy. So what is it? Out of curiosity I did a quick research about the underlying psychological factors of spending on luxury stuffs and I write my findings here.


An exquisite home in Las Vegas


Have you gone to a really luxurious place and felt good about yourself just by being there? It happens most of the time. That is one of the psychological reasons we like to buy luxury. There was this study that shows that the mere touching of a really expensive stuff or visiting a place of luxury instantly makes you feel better about yourself. More so if you go buy that desired luxurious item, because the brain will interpret it as an achievement, a milestone you made for yourself. And who doesn’t want that feeling?


However, there are also studies that show that purchasing a luxury item could be a result of wanting to get over a psychological threat, a bad experience. Have you ever wondered why we eat ice cream when we are at the dumps of despair? Say a loss of a loved one, a breakup with your romantic partner, being fired by your boss. Those are the emotional reasons why people make sudden purchases, and more often than not they are luxurious purchases which can give a great amount of pleasure to offset the emotional pain.



But the motivation to spend on luxury is also affected by where in the world you read this blog from. Jaehee Jung, a professor at University of Delaware conducted a world-wide research on what motivates people to buy luxury, by having collaborations with other researchers in 9 other countries. He and the rest of the team found out that on western cultures which value individualism, the defining factor of buying luxury is mainly to fulfill hedonistic needs. Adults in America are more inclined to spend for pleasure, and not place ultimate importance of bragging it to be accepted socially. On Eastern cultures which value collectivism, people buy out of wanting to be part of a social class. Meanwhile, Italians, Germans, Hungarians and Slovakians value quality and function over anything else that is why they spend on luxurious stuffs. People in France love the “exclusivity” that buying expensive items can bring.



No matter why you’re eyeing for that crazy Las Vegas vacation and dreaming to stay on a lavish condo for a couple of weeks or more, spending on luxury will always be an integral part of our psychology. It is a way to balance our mind and let us know that from time to time, we deserve to have fun, enjoy the goodness of life,  and live to the extreme! And why not? It will always be part of our society in the coming years, just as how global management firm, Bain & Company, predicted about the global luxury industry.


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Back to Before



Long recognized as one of the world’s talented on-stage performer, Lea Salonga received an overwhelming positive review on her performance on the CafĂ© Carlyle, New York dated from May 21st to June 8th of this year.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Diamonds Are Forever

       
      For so many generations now, man has always been enthralled by the beauty of diamonds. Who wouldn’t, anyway? They’re shiny, durable and almost flawless. They’re the hardest mineral known to man and has been the constant reflection of beauty, power and luxury ever since. One cannot help but wonder why this most-besotted gemstone is being referred as the teardrops of the gods.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Hidden Beauty Of Asia: Island Resorts


With the recent boom in the tourism industry, it is not hard to imagine why beautiful and luxurious vacation sites are also on the rise. The concept of a luxurious vacation equating the idea of spending more to expect more and experience more along with this is obviously becoming handicapped as time wears on. Arguably, there are destinations scattered in our planet that only requires a watchful eye for everyone to notice.