Just three months ago, the Asia-based real estate blog Mingtiandi brought attention to the sale of one of Hong Kong's most opulent residences—a nearly 12,000-square-foot hilltop mansion nestled in the highly esteemed Peak neighborhood. The lavish abode, characterized by its limestone façade and lavish embellishments, offers unobstructed vistas of the city skyline and Victoria Harbour. It exchanged hands for HK$838 million, translating to approximately $107 million USD. This sale garnered considerable attention not only due to its status as one of Hong Kong's most significant real estate transactions in recent years but also because it marked a rare instance of...

Accor's opulent cruise liners may soon transition from mere fantasy to tangible reality. In January of last year, the esteemed French hospitality conglomerate unveiled plans for a novel Orient Express vessel set to debut in the spring of 2026. Presently, it is engaged in discussions with investment firm Dubai Holding to secure funding for the approximate $867 million (€800 million) development of this vessel along with another, as reported by the Financial Times. Should the agreement come to fruition, Dubai Holding would assume majority ownership in the property company responsible for these luxury yachts, thereby enabling Accor to remove these...

Never underestimate the allure of a well-preserved ghost town. Italy's Castelfalfi, recently reimagined and rebranded, stands as a testament to this notion, with several hundred million dollars invested to transform an 800-year-old abandoned village into a luxurious five-star vacation destination. Nestled halfway between Florence and Pisa, the sprawling 2,700-acre compound officially reopened its doors in February. While it initially launched as a resort with residences back in 2014, the project struggled to gain traction despite a hefty $350 million investment from its former owner, the TUI Group. However, after a decade and another substantial renovation, courtesy of the new billionaire...