Thoughts & Happenings

Stepping into a hotel is akin to stepping into a foreign land with all the goodness of home; but stepping into the hallways of these history-rich luxury hotels in Asia is akin to stepping into a foreign land steeped with all the flavours that surviving a war or two brings. Bask in a new kind of luxury as we take you into a short journey through time as you read about 5 of Asia’s Historic Luxury Hotels.

Auctioned for as high as $75 million to vintage car collectors, a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta may break a previous world record soon and officially become the world’s most expensive car.

The two-seater red coupe, which has been owned by one of the heirs of a wealthy Italian family, is a part of a recent Bonhams vintage cars auction which is estimated to achieve a total sales of more than $450 million by Hagerty Group LLC.

From ill-gotten Nazi treasures to a massive trove of Picasso paintings up on the block, Sotheby’s massive February 4^th $270m auction went beyond previous estimates of a worth of $150m - but when a piece of history is finally up for grabs, emotions run high.

With purple projected to be a big trend for 2014, it’s a great time to delve into the history of this lovely hue. Known for its enduring, bright qualities, Tyrian Purple (better known today as “Royal Purple”) has been one of the most sought after colours for the last 4000 years.

In what is the largest residential real estate transaction in Canadian history, an undisclosed buyer has purchased four adjacent condos at the top of the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver for an astounding $55 million.

It was once the most expensive home listed in America at $125m, but after drastic price cuts it looks like it’s heading down the pipe at $25m – with no guarantees that it will sell at all. It begs the question: how much is too much when it comes to luxury real estate? Is this Mediterranean style mansion in Miami’s South Beach really worth the asking price, or is it just wishful thinking?