More than 100 of the world's finest independent luxury hotels partner in the launch of Luxury Explorer™

A new luxury travel portal, Luxury Explorer™, will launch on July 7th with more than 100 of the world's finest independent luxury hotel and resorts linking together to meet the needs of today's independent luxury traveller.

Luxury Explorer's Chairman, Peter Matthews, explains the concept:

"For most travellers, internet search engines are now the first port of call when researching travel possibilities. This is particularly true in luxury travel, where selfdirected luxury explorers want to find well-known destinations or discover hidden treasures with as little fuss as possible. Luxury Explorer™ has been created to become the bookmark for independently-minded travellers searching for stylish, luxurious alternatives to the big, and often bland, travel brands most easily found on the Web."

Brian Tickle, Vice President, ecommerce, of Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises - operators of some of the most famous luxury travel destinations in the World - comments:

"More and more of our customers book their hotel rooms with us directly via our web site. We want to continue to expand these direct bookings by reaching out to travellers who currently do not know us. Luxury Explorer™ is a unique concept that complements our own activities and will help our destinations become more visible to more customers, worldwide."

Andrew Hedley, General Manager of Carlisle Bay, Antigua - Tatler's Hotel of the Year 2005 - adds:

"For a new, intimate resort like Carlisle Bay, Luxury Explorer is the perfect partner to help us raise our profile online. The combination of a carefully handpicked peer group of the finest luxury destinations, a beautiful website design, with its compelling interactive map, and a business model that directs their visitors directly to our own website is bound to carve out an important niche in the market."

Luxury Explorer™ will serve international luxury travellers with unique benefits;

A carefully edited collection of the 'best-of-the-best' hotels, resorts and luxury travel experiences worldwide - all partners are handpicked using rigorous selection criteria
Luxury Explorer™ links visitors directly to the hotels' own websites where they can gain the best possible online experience of the destination, the richest content and the most up-to-date prices - Luxury Explorer™ does not get between the user and the hotel or resort
Navigation is distinctive and intuitive via a world map uniquely constructed from satellite images. Users can drill down through countries and even to street level in major cities
This capability provides users with the ideal combination of easy global navigation and authoritative content from the world's best luxury hotels' own up-to-date websites

Equally Luxury Explorer™ will benefit its hotel, resort and travel partners in unique ways;

It creates global exposure for independent travel brands and provides a 'best- of-the-best' peer group environment
It offers unrivalled exposure for their own websites via search engine optimisation for general luxury consumer search terms, such as 'luxury Caribbean hotel', that would be difficult for them to achieve on their own
It enables them to connect directly with new customers and also receive feedback on their look-to-book performance, relative to other partners

Contacts:
Janine Wood
Armadillo PR Consultants
+44 (01763) 246900
+44 07831582659
janine@armadillocg.com

http://www.luxuryexplorer.com/

Luxury Explorer™ launch partners;

The selection committee vets potential partners to ensure consistently high standards. Hotels, resorts and 'experiences' are chosen to provide a wide range of luxurious options including: landmark 'grand luxe' hotels, luxurious boutique city hotels, exclusive resorts, exotic hideaway retreats, romantic train journeys, yacht charters and river cruises. They all share one thing in common; a total passion for luxury.

Europe

Americas

Amangani, Jackson Hole, Wyoming - http://www.amanresorts.com/
21 Club, New York - http://www.21club.com
Beverley Hills Hotel, Los Angeles - http://www.dorchestergrouphotels.com/
Carlisle Bay, Antigua - http://www.carlisle-bay.com/
Charleston Place, South Carolina - http://www.charlestonplace.com/
Clift Hotel, San Francisco - http://www.clifthotel.com
Copacabana Palace, Rio De Janeiro - http://www.copacabanapalace.com.br/web/orio/orio_a2a_home.jsp
Delano, Miami - http://www.delanohotelmiami.com/
Keswick Hall, Virginia - http://www.keswick.com
La Cabana Restaurant, Buenos Aires - http://www.lacabanabuenosaires.com.ar/web/rcab/rcab_a2a_home.jsp
La Samanna, St Martin - http://www.lasamanna.com/
Maroma Resort and Spa, Mexico - http://maromahotel.com/
Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima - http://www.mira-park.com/
Mondrian Hotel, Los Angeles - http://www.mondrianhotel.com/
Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos - http://www.parrotcay.como.bz/
Peru Railway - http://www.perurail.com
Royalton, New York - http://www.royaltonhotel.com/
The Inn at Perry Cabin, Maryland - http://www.perrycabin.com
Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans - http://www.windsorcourthotel.com

Africa, Pacific & Asia

Agencies/other

Edmiston Luxury yacht Charter - http://www.edmistoncompany.com/
Exsus Travel Ltd - http://www.exsus.com/
Oberoi Private Jet Charter -
http://www.oberoihotels.com/aircharter/oberoi_aircharter.asp?headinfo=aircharter&leftnav=aircharter&leftinfo=overview

Contacts:

Janine Wood
Armadillo PR Consultants
+44 (01763) 246900
+44 07831582659
janine@armadillocg.com

http://www.luxuryexplorer.com/