The Robb Report Holiday Gift Guide
14 of the most exclusive and decadent gifts money can buy.
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Put something ultra-exclusive under the tree this year – from a supercar romp through France and Monaco, to an island takeover in Tanzania and the rarest of Japanese beef, we’ve got you covered.
1. Drive Every Supercar Imaginable Across Europe
As a car fan, if you’d asked your teenage self to describe his perfect adult holiday, it would undoubtedly have sounded like the brochure for one of the unfeasibly wondrous trips created and coordinated by the Australian-based company, Ultimate Driving Tours.
“So, I’d get all the supercars in the world – Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Porsches, McLarens – probably a few of each, and then some of my best friends, and then we’d race them across the best roads in the world.”
Much as the teenager you were, or perhaps the teenager you might now have in your house, seems to be describing an impossible-dream scenario, all this can be yours thanks to the work of the Ultimate Driving Tours team.
The company runs various supercar driving trips all over the world, but the jewel in the crown has to be the annual European Supercar Tour, which has been running for more than a decade and starts with three unforgettable days on a superyacht in Monaco, watching the world’s oldest, most storied and dangerous of Formula One races.
The unlimited food and drink on your enormous, triple-decker luxury cruiser is of the elevated quality you’ll come to expect across the coming week, as you slide into a selection of more than a dozen of the world’s fastest and, in some cases, least-obtainable cars for a cracking, high-speed blast across France, Italy and Switzerland, each night spent in the most impressive chateaux, eating at only the most exclusive restaurants.
There are options to extend your trip – with a tour of the champagne region – or yourself, with a one-day race-track session that ends behind the wheel of an F1 car.
In short, what Ultimate Driving Tours offers are once-in-a-lifetime experiences – dreams made real.
Robb Report readers are offered an accommodation / dining upgrade from Gold to Platinum, or an equivalent discount off the Platinum and Black packages. ultimatedrivingtours.com
2. Take over a Private island off Tanzania
Sometimes luxury means total seclusion. On the tiny private island of Thanda, off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa, the only sights and sounds are white sand, blue ocean and the clink of ice in your cocktail. Heavy waves are kept at bay by the surrounding coral reefs, while
noisy power boats are completely banned from the marine reserve that encircles the island.
The previously uninhabited 20-acre islet was acquired and transformed into a private resort by Swedish philanthropists Christin and Dan Olofsson, who run HIV-prevention programs in southern Africa. Nine guest suites and a spa look out over the Indian Ocean, and meals are served on the beach in local Swahili and Arabic style.
Activities on offer include sailing, snorkelling, diving, deep-sea fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, tennis, yoga and a sunset cocktail cruise, while you can also swim with whale sharks and learn about Thanda’s conservation of sea turtles and dugongs with an in-house marine biologist.
As a special experience for Robb Report readers, a five-night buyout of the entire island – up to 10 adults and nine children – will include a helicopter day trip for seven people to the neighbouring spice island of Zanzibar. Thanda’s chef will take you on a foodie mission to the markets of Stone Town and a nearby spice farm.
Back on Thanda, the chef will host a cooking class using the local catch of the day and your freshly bought coconuts, spices, vanilla pods and vegetables. – Lucy Alexander
Approx. $184,000, including activities, helicopter transfers from Dar es Salaam and food and drink. +27 32586 0149, reservations@thandaisland.com
3. Journey to the Japanese island with the most rarefied beef in the world
On the verdant Japanese island of Shodoshima, ranchers for centuries have raised some of the country’s finest cattle, and for the past hundred years, farmers have grown some of its best olives. But it wasn’t until 2006 that someone tried combining the two.
Rancher Masaki Ishii noticed that after the olives were pressed for oil, the leftover pulp was thrown out. He fed it to the cattle, making an already exceptional type of beef even better.
In one stroke, the umami flavour profile of the marbled fat was boosted even further by the use of the olives, says Joe Heitzeberg, owner of online steak purveyor Crowd Cow.
Many times, getting Olive Wagyu requires knowing someone who knows someone. Fortunately for you, Heitzeberg can be that guy. He’s inviting one Robb Report reader and a guest to join him as he guides you from Tokyo to Shodoshima and back.
Along the way you’ll meet the rancher who raises some of the world’s best beef and try the Olive Wagyu. Heitzeberg will get you access to a special private dinner at Ichigo steak house, and, back in Tokyo, a members-only restaurant for a sumptuous tasting menu. It’s a beef connoisseur’s dream. – J.R.
Approx $44,225, including meals, accommodation and travel in Japan. Round-trip airfare to Tokyo not included. crowdcow.com/olive-wagyu-experience
4. Take over a wellness retreat in China
Electrifying, frenetic Shanghai is not normally associated with relaxation. But weary travellers jaded by the bright lights of one of the world’s largest cities can now seek respite at Sangha Retreat, a new lakeside wellness resort an hour and a half’s drive west from The Bund.
Sangha occupies a 19-hectare peninsula on Yangcheng Lake, near the historic town of Suzhou, known as the Venice of the East owing to its ancient canals and bridges (it’s China, so there are skyscrapers too). The resort gives the waterside aesthetic a deeply contemporary spin: the design, by New York firm Tsao & McKown, has won numerous international awards.
Sangha’s entire At One hotel is available for 66 people to buy out for a week’s immersive retreat, complete with spa, fitness centre and Michelin-starred cuisine. Unique to Robb Report readers is a bespoke wellness program that embraces Eastern and Western philosophies, led personally (schedule permitting) by Fred Tsao, Sangha’s founder. The retreat offers ancient Chinese practices, such as tai chi and meditation, and new traditions, like sailing across the lake to receive blessings from 300 Buddhist monks.
You can also add on three nights at the Four Seasons Shanghai Pudong, with evening entertainment in the French Concession area, a boat ride on the Huangpu River and more. – L.A.
Approx. $2.5 million for hotel buyout; and approx. $228,000 for Shanghai trip. Prices based on 66 people. Jamie Waring: jamiewaring@octave
institute.com. Martha Morningstar: +1 443 570 2252
5. Drive the perfect Porsche reimagined by Singer
We’ve taken the guesswork out of what to get your favourite car collector – with the help of Los Angeles–based Singer Vehicle Design. The boutique design-and-restoration house is offering one Robb Report reader the opportunity to own a Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer through the latest results of its Dynamics and Lightweighting Study (DLS), and to partake in exclusive driving experiences with the Singer team.
Singer founder Rob Dickinson has teamed with Robb Report on a unique interpretation of the German marque’s air-cooled 911 variant, the 964 (built from 1989 through 1994), one of only 75 examples to receive DLS services.
“The Dynamics and Lightweighting Study represents a pursuit of the most advanced air-cooled 911 in the world,” says Dickinson.
“In our 10th-anniversary year, I’m delighted that we’re able to offer one Robb Report enthusiast the opportunity to collaborate in reimagining their personal vision
for this iconic sports car.”
Developed from a customer-supplied donor car, the vehicle will comprise full carbon-fibre bodywork featuring visible carbon fibre for the exterior; a 500 hp, 4.0-litre, air-cooled flat-six engine mated to a six-speed gearbox with magnesium casing; and advanced aerodynamics that include an optimised rear ducktail and ram-air induction system.
As for the aniline-leather interior, think polished nickel for the trim, a titanium gear shifter and an 18-carat-gold tachometer, among other accents. Specifications will be further outlined during the recipient’s in-house consultation and dinner with Dickinson himself. (A number of bespoke special wishes can be accommodated at additional cost.)
Singer’s Robb Report present also includes a private track experience with its test driver Marino Franchitti, complete with a keepsake open-faced helmet and race suit, as well as VIP access to the always-hair-raising 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, in July. As a bonus, you’ll receive an invitation to ride shotgun with Singer during the event’s famed Hillclimb competition.
Did we mention the nearly six-figure Track 1 DLS Edition carbon-fibre chronograph? It will match the car and make the gift, you know, even more timely. – Viju Mathew
Starting at approx. $4.04 million, the gift offer expires February 15, 2020.
Deb Pollack: deb@singervehicledesign.com
6. Don an F. P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu and tour the manufacture
When F. P. Journe introduced the Chronomètre Bleu in 2009, it was considered the brand’s entry-level watch. Even so, Journe lived up to its reputation for discernment by refusing to use steel – instead using tantalum, a rare metal known for its blue-grey sheen and the headaches it gives watchmakers trying
to machine it.
Getting hold of one has also been known to cause headaches – it can take a personal connection at Journe,
a bit of vetting, and, well, time.
Allow Robb Report to ease that introduction: Journe is offering one reader a Chronomètre Bleu, along with a tour of the manufacture in Geneva, and a chance to meet the watchmaker who assembled the timepiece by hand. You’ll also meet the master himself, François-Paul Journe.
There could hardly be a better entrée to collecting in the big leagues: demand for the watch has been so strong the company no longer bothers to keep a waiting list. You should also know that great care was taken in creating the vivid blue dial, fashioned by applying layers of blue lacquer by hand and polishing each to a mirror finish. It’s said to be one of the most complicated dials to produce in
F. P. Journe’s collection.
The calibre 1304 movement is made of solid pink gold with a barleycorn guilloche pattern and, on the bridges, Geneva stripes and polished, bevelled angles. All further illustrating that, no matter the piece, F. P. Journe spares no detail. – Paige Reddinger
Approx $88,000 (with accommodation for two). paddle8.com/robbreport
7. Acquire sculpted bookends.
Yes, bookends can sometimes tell as compelling a story as the tomes they shelve; that’s designer Vincent Pocsik’s thinking, anyway. His sculptural stands chronicle a tale of fiery destruction, depicting the exact moment melting bronze solidifies once again. It’s par for the course for Pocsik, who has a history of twisting conventional materials into fluid shapes. Here, the aesthetic serves as a thrilling beginning and end to your library’s narrative. For Robb Report readers, Pocsik will also sign his molten creations. — H.M.
Approx. $1025. sarah@lawsonfenning.com
8. Take a helicopter tour of Tasmania
Australia’s smallest state and long overlooked as a sleepy backwater, Tasmania has become the country’s hottest under-the-radar destination for discerning visitors drawn to its foodie culture, contemporary art scene, world-class vineyards and breathtaking landscapes.
The island, compact in size with dramatic scenery, lends itself to helicopter tours. A bespoke trip created for Robb Report readers starts off with two nights in the penthouse at the Macq 01 Hotel in Hobart. From here, take a flight west along the spectacular coastline to the Southwest National Park. Watch out for rare parrots, and explore Aboriginal culture at remote Melaleuca, accessible only by air, boat or an eight-day walk.
On the way home, stop off for a tour of the Fat Pig Farm in the Huon Valley, as well as a private lunch straight from the garden, with specially matched Tasmanian beer, wine and cider.
The following day, take a helicopter to the Barilla Bay Oyster Farm to taste oysters plucked straight from the sea, accompanied by a glass of Tasmania’s finest sparkling wine.
Next, on to the Southern Wild Distillery on the island’s north coast, home to some of the country’s best gin. Enjoy a private lunch with the owner and have a bottle of gin made according to your taste. After lunch, see wombats and kangaroos in the wild on Maria Island. Spend the next two nights at Saffire, a small, exclusive resort within Freycinet National Park.
No trip to Tassie is complete without a visit to the largest private museum in Australia: MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. Take a private tour before you leave Hobart. – L.A.
From about $15,000 per couple.
Greg Ross: gkross@tasairtours.com.au, 0428 252 081
9. Help reforest Guatemala
Gifts can take many forms, and volunteering your time on a fulfilling project is one of the most rewarding. Especially when it’s combined with a fabulous adventure vacation.
Guatemala is famous for its natural beauty, but its fast-growing population has led to deforestation as ancient jungle is cleared to make way for farmland.
Global Visionaries is a non-profit that promotes reforestation in Guatemala – and luxury travel agency Scott Dunn is inviting Robb Report readers to spend two days restocking woodlands, working alongside local communities during planting season (May to October), and reforesting land to reduce the risk of forest fires and ensure new trees are in the best condition to survive.
You’ll be based for three nights at the boutique San Rafael Hotel in the city of Antigua, filled with crumbling Spanish Baroque churches and set against a backdrop of volcanoes. After your reforestation experience, take a helicopter tour of Chichicastenango market before moving on to Lake Atitlán, where you’ll stay at bright hotel Casa Palopó. Finally, you’ll head into the jungle to see the Mayan ruins of Tikal, with the chance to watch the sunrise from a temple-top before enjoying a private tour of the ruins.
After two nights, you’ll cross into Belize to stay at Blancaneaux Lodge, and the chance for horseback treks through the forest. A final helicopter and boat trip will take you to Cayo Espanto, an ultra-luxury Caribbean island with just seven cabanas. For four days, enjoy world-class scuba diving and sail to nearby deserted beaches for dinner on the sand. – L.A.
Approx. $18,400 per person, based on double occupancy, for a two-week trip that includes accommodation and breakfast, plus full board and most activities at Cayo Espanto, and all tours and transfers. Return airfare to Guatemala not included. Scott Dunn: 02 8608 8621.
10. Join a round-the-world performing arts tour on VistaJet
For dedicated opera and ballet lovers, long-haul travel to the world’s best concert halls can sap a little joy from what should be a sublime experience, even when flying by private jet. But what if you could enjoy a private performance on the flight itself?
In an exclusive gift for Robb Report readers, VistaJet will fly you to the world’s finest opera houses and music venues, with a few actors on board
to perform your favourite scenes above the clouds.
VistaJet will help you design your ideal itinerary, which could see you experience the extraordinary Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow; or, in Vienna, choose from the world’s largest repertoire at the Wiener Staatsoper, which has featured productions by all the greats, from Verdi to Puccini.
Other venues include London’s Royal Albert Hall, Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall and Harpa in Reykjavik, one of Iceland’s most distinguished
modern landmarks.
At each location, watch from a private box, enjoy backstage access, meet cast members and stay at the city’s best hotels. – L.A.
From approx. $383,000 for two people, increasing up to a maximum of 10. Theatre seating contingent on availability. Book through VistaJet’s Private Office: privateoffice@vistajet.com
11. Commission a custom cocktail cabinet
For the fine-drinks lover it really doesn’t get more sophisticated than a bespoke Zelouf & Bell cabinet, designed by Susan Zelouf and Michael Bell. The pair’s process usually involves a visit to the client’s house to look at the artwork and books, learn about his or her interests and study the all-important spirits collection, before creating a mood board for the unique piece and crafting it in Ireland.
They have commissioned glass artists to create custom barware for their cabinets and used materials ranging from shagreen and rose quartz to amethyst and malachite. One recent brief was inspired by the client’s favourite Fabergé cigar case – the result was a cocktail cabinet crafted in a silvery-blue rippled sycamore.
If spirits aren’t your thing, Zelouf & Bell have made cabinets for collections of everything from Hermès Gavroche scarves to toy soldiers. They’ve also created pieces for musician Paul Simon and ambassadorial residences.
Just remember, patience is a virtue: pieces can take up to 24 weeks to complete. – Jemima Sissons
Approx. $37,000. zeloufandbell.com
12. Visit Penfolds’ vineyard and dine with Peter Gago
Make a pilgrimage to Australia’s most lauded vineyard, Penfolds, led by one of the world’s top winemakers, the affable Peter Gago. Penfolds is inviting one Robb Report reader and three guests on a special visit.
Fly from Penfolds Magill Estate via luxury helicopter to the Barossa Valley where you’ll soar over the region with a guide. Afterwards you and a winemaker will walk Block 42, the oldest still-producing Cabernet Sauvignon vines in Australia. Then you’ll have lunch at the Kalimna Homestead, where you’ll meet Gago for a tour of the cellars and a flight of rare Penfolds wines.
Later, over a dinner hosted by Gago at the award-winning Magill Estate Restaurant, taste rare vintages of Grange. You’ll leave with a parting gift of a magnum of the estate’s 100-point-winning 2015 Grange. – J.O.
Approx $73,650. Accommodation, if desired, can be arranged for additional cost. Contact renee.jeffrey@tweglobal.com
13. Take over a villa on Lake Como
“This lake exceeds anything I ever beheld in beauty… But the finest scenery is that of the Villa Pliniana,” wrote Percy Bysshe Shelley to his friend and fellow poet Thomas Love Peacock during a tour of Italy in 1818.
The Pliniana remains one of Lake Como’s most storied, beguiling and beautiful waterside villas, today run by the nearby Il Sereno luxury hotel, which is as contemporary as Villa Pliniana is historic.
Named after Pliny the Younger, the Roman writer and senator of the first century AD, who grew up on the shores of the lake, Villa Pliniana was built in 1573. By the time Shelley tried to rent it nearly 250 years later, it had fallen into disrepair.
“The scene from the colonnade is the most extraordinary, at once, and the most lovely that eye ever beheld,” he wrote, adding that he was “endeavouring to procure” the house, “which was once a magnificent palace and is now half in ruins.”
Today, the villa is fully refurbished as a luxury residence, with 17 bedrooms and interiors by acclaimed designer Patricia Urquiola. It is set in a 7-hectare park, and all guest suites overlook the lake, as do the spa and infinity pool.
Shelley may have failed to “procure” the villa, but Robb Report readers can rent out the entire complex for up to 34 guests, arriving via private helipad or boat dock. Il Sereno’s executive chef, Raffaele Lenzi, will conduct private cooking classes, demonstrating the techniques, presentation and recipes that he has honed working in Michelin-starred kitchens. – L.A.
Approx. $210,000 per week for full buyout, including daily breakfast. Cooking classes from approx. $1,000 per person. Marta Camps, Sereno Hotels: sales@serenohotels.com,
+39 031 5477 800
14. Slip on a unique Van Cleef & Arpels Secret Watch and tour the atelier
Secret watches – jewelled bracelets that conceal watches – were created so a woman could discreetly check the time without appearing rude. Today, the approach is more over-the-top than under-the-radar. Case in point: Van Cleef & Arpels’s new piece from its inaugural Romeo & Juliet collection, which comes adorned with diamonds, rubies, onyx, sapphires and more.
There are four artist tableaux inside the bracelet: two hearts encrusted in sapphires and rubies, and two profiles of Romeo and Juliet in lapis lazuli, all set in onyx and revealed by activating a pusher on the side.
The client who purchases the piece can choose to have his or her profile, along with a partner’s, customised on the interior. In addition, for the Robb Report reader who acquires the watch, Van Cleef & Arpels will provide a rare tour of its atelier in Paris – another secretive space that’s certainly something to brag about. – P.R.
Approx $2.4 million. vancleefarpels.com
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Forget a Bow Tie. Here Are 3 Black-Tie Accessories to Rock Instead
Stylist Tom Stubbs on ditching the bow tie this festive season—and what to wear alternatively.
By Tom Stubbs
January 21, 2025
Jannik Sinner Is the First Tennis Player to Take a Luxury Bag Onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court
The 23-year-old Italian flaunted a custom Gucci duffle bag on center court.
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Forget a Bow Tie. Here Are 3 Black-Tie Accessories to Rock Instead
Stylist Tom Stubbs on ditching the bow tie this festive season—and what to wear alternatively.
Black tie, that essential marker of an increasingly rarefied ceremonial style, is inspiring. Nothing coaxes men into upping the sartorial ante quite like reading those words on an invitation. I say amen to raising the bar, but I can’t bear wearing a traditional bow tie—and haven’t done so for over a decade.
Around the turn of the millennium, I was enthusiastically dress-code obedient, but two unstoppable forces put me off: Fashion moved on, and I got old. Where abiding by hallowed traditions once felt exalted, it suddenly began to seem restrictive and stuffy. And while it was extraordinary to be a bow-tied 30-something, in my 40s, the convention made me feel like a pompous, conservative square. Now, menswear has changed so much that bow ties register as pedestrian garb better suited to waiters than to revellers.
Fortunately, there are several black-tie alternatives that excite and inspire me now that I’m well into my 50s—many espoused by stylish guys on the red carpet and innovative designers in London, Paris, Florence, and Milan. And though I might take a bow on nonconformism as I step into my 60s, I still plan to steer clear of the bow tie, that ultimate symbol of gentlemanly customs, for as long as I can. Here’s what I’m replacing it with.
Form and Function
I got excited seeing Lemaire’s slim metallic modernised bolo ties in the house’s fall 2024 show. A favourite of men as varied as Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, and Snoop Dogg, the bolo is perhaps best remembered as the chosen neckwear of John Travolta’s surly hit man, Vincent, in Pulp Fiction. Originally, Native American tribes including the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo used these accessories used to fasten bandannas with plaited-leather cords. High-end versions double as a bit of jewellery, with silver slides set with turquoise and often engraved with animal motifs, including buffalo skulls and eagles. Contemporary takes abound, but vintage sleuthing can turn up some particularly beguiling options.
Gambling Man
Varying in size, flounce, and attitude, ribbon ties—also called gambler or Kentucky neckties—have long been a legitimate black-tie alternative. Actor Cillian Murphy has worn Saint Laurent’s take to various award shows, looking stand-alone chic and authentically cool. They have a distinct Western energy—Kirk Douglas donned one as Doc Holliday in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as did Robert Vaughan in The Magnificent Seven. But they’re as much rock star as they are gunslinger: The late Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls and Bauhaus front man Peter Murphy (style role models of mine) also wore them with panache. Take a note from the runway and wear them with a pair of boots—cowboy, Chelsea, or with a Cuban heel—to really step away from the standard.
Fit to Be Tied
Getty Images/Courtesy of Lemaire
If you want to give yourself some breathing room, consider scarves and neckerchiefs. This fall, Tom Ford proposed a louche take on evening style, using black, slim-plaited, or delicately sequined scarves whose long tassels provocatively dangle at the hips. For maximum effect, the brand styled them with open satin shirts, recalling rockers Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart. London’s La Bowtique also does beautiful outsize bows. On a smaller scale, the Twilly—a short silk scarf pioneered by Hermès—works in much the same manner. The French maison makes gorgeous options with angled ends for extra verve, whether hanging loose or more discreetly knotted.
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Show Stoppers
The Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance—a beauty pageant for priceless classic cars—returns for another instalment at the city’s most intriguing, and unlikeliest, venue.
The logic behind staging a prestige automobile show on an island may, at face value, seem warped—history tells us that cars and water do not play nicely. The rationale twists further when said piece of land is a former shipyard that is, aesthetically, more workhorse ute than classic Ferrari.
Scratch beneath the surface, however, and the decision to plant the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on Cockatoo Island for the second year running begins to make locational sense: the steel arch of the emblematic bridge acting as photogenic backcloth; the UNESCO World Heritage site’s previous guises as 19th-century penal colony and eminent boat-building facility fleshing the show’s historical bones; the theatre of watching collectors delicately coaxing their four-wheeled artworks off a rusty roll-on/roll-off barge in the islet’s wharf before showtime. (After all, if owning a car in this stratosphere isn’t about projecting drama, then what’s the point?)
Throw in an endless endowment of free Champagne for guests and VIP transport from the mainland via superyacht, and it barely matters that the three-day jamboree is, in the words of founder and curator James Nicholls, “a logistical nightmare”.
“People love the energy, the adventure” says the Anglo-Italian, a broadcaster, writer and photographer whose extensive resume includes various stints as a concours judge across the world. “There’s a great contrast between the luxurious motor cars and the industrial environment. The Turbine Shop [a timeworn, hanger-like space used to display the vehicles] is where ocean-going liners and propellers were built. People interested in cars are also interested in that kind of thing but it’s just a backdrop. Cars are the main focal point.”
The concours d’elegance concept (“concours” means “competition” in French) can be traced back to 17th-century Paris, when aristocrats would flaunt horse-drawn carriages in local parks during summer months. Animals eventually gave way to automobiles, and the gatherings mutated into more organised contests in which these new-fangled contraptions were, in somewhat prescient fashion, judged solely on the appearance. The trend spread throughout European high society, before reaching America in 1950 with an inaugural pageant at Pebble Beach, California—a concours which has since evolved into a behemoth of the species, now billing itself as “the world’s most prestigious car show” and drawing 214 vehicles and spectators in the low five figures at the last annual meeting. Other concours are thriving globally, from spectacles in Lake Como in Italy (the longest running event, launched in 1929) to Udaipur in India. Vanity, it seems, remains in vogue.
Among this storied company, Sydney’s interpretation is playing catch-up. But Nicholls insists the local variant—launched in 2019, having occupied three other citywide locations—has no intention of locking horns with competitors. Not numerically, at least.
“In 2024, we had 500 people over the three days; this year we’ll aim for 750. But we’re never going to become a 20,000-people show,” he says. “We want it to be bespoke and beautiful, so people don’t have to queue for a glass of Champagne. You can talk to the car owners, and everyone feels like a VIP.” The overarching aim is to become a “destination event” on the socialite calendar, on par with the Melbourne Cup or the Australian Grand Prix.
While keen to keep paying visitors guessing, Nicholls offers Robb Report a sneak peek into some of the 44 objets booked to occupy the coarse, exposed-brick viewing hall, ranging from turn-of-the-century rarities to modern-day exotics: a 1905 Eugène Brillié 20/24 HP Coupé Chauffeur, believed to be the only one of its ilk left; a 1955 Porsche Speedster 356 “Pre A”, examples of which are valued in excess of $750,000; a Lamborghini Miura 3400, a model famed for its starring role in the opening sequence to 1969’s The Italian Job movie; a 2021 Audi R8 Spyder, an iteration that is no longer being produced and thus quietly accruing kudos.
Up to seven “classes” will be open, including categories solely for Porsche Speedsters and pre-war Australian coachbuilt cars. Two 1930s Bugattis are slated for appearance, one of which is, as this article is being written, on a boat somewhere, on its way to Australia. A panel of seven judges, led by the first ever female concours head assessor, who also adjudicated in 2024, will select the overall “Best in Show” winner—scored last time out by a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, a model line with a $24 million price tag attached. And in a progressive play designed to lure the oil-shunning generation, an “electric elegance” section will debut. Nicholls estimates the combined value of all this precious metal at around $80 million.
While it would provoke an illicit thrill to discover that frenzied super-collectors were slyly puncturing rivals’ tyres or keying priceless bodywork—skulduggery has plagued other pageants, from dog show Crufts (canine poisoning) to Miss World (rigging allegations)—the entrants are, in keeping with the show’s refined, English-garden-party profile—a gentlemanly bunch. To a point. “They like meeting up, the community that’s here, but they do get competitive,” says Mark Ussher, the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance managing director, and on-the-ground organiser. “They care about their cars but they’re investors as well as collectors. If they win a concours anywhere around the world it adds value to the car.”
Which makes it doubly important that, surrounded by all that deep Harbour water, everyone remembers to put their handbrake on.
The Sydney Harbour Concours D’Elegance runs from February 28th-March 2nd 2025; sydneyharbourconcours.com.au
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Jannik Sinner Is the First Tennis Player to Take a Luxury Bag Onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court
The 23-year-old Italian flaunted a custom Gucci duffle bag on center court.
Jannik Sinner aced the style game at last year’s Wimbledon Championships.
The Italian tennis star turned up to his match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo with a custom Gucci duffel bag on his shoulder. It marks the first time a designer bag has been carried onto centre court in the history of the prestigious, centuries-old tennis tournament, as reported by Women’s Wear Daily.
The duffel, which Sinner describes as a “timeless classic,” showcases the house’s signature beige and ebony colorway, the iconic GG monogram, and a contrasting green and red web stripe. It also features the athlete’s initials near the straps. Ironically, the rather traditional design has called into question a 150-year tradition.
“For sure this will create a conversation,” Sinner told WWD before defeating Cerundolo in straight sets. “Bringing sport and luxury fashion together in this way is something that’s never been done before and I feel extremely proud to be a part of it. I hope people will love it as much as I do.”
Wimbledon’s dress code is extremely strict: Players have been required to wear white at the event since 1877, with not even off-white or cream permitted on the court. Tennis whites were originally instated as it was believed the ensemble showed less sweat, as reported by Time. The tradition has continued out of respect for the sport’s history and a desire to maintain formality.
The rules are enforced, too: Our own player Nick Kyrgios was allegedly fined $25,000 for rocking red Air Jordan trainers at 2023’s tournament. Interestingly, the decidedly non-white Gucci accessory was reportedly given the all-clear by the powers that be. A spokesperson for Gucci told WWD the house worked with Sinner’s team “for the approvals from the ITF (International Tennis Federation), ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), and Grand Slams, including Wimbledon, to ensure the bag met the necessary requirements.”
The 23-year-old, who turned pro at age 18, became a Gucci ambassador in 2023 in his first luxury fashion endorsement. “Gucci for me represents Italian excellence around the world, excellence which is rooted in tradition as much as in innovation,” Sinner said. “This is the kind of message I am proud to convey when I represent my country wherever I am in the world.”
The Italian player was capture in action last week during his 1st round men’s singles match against Nicolas Jarry (from Chile) on day two of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park with more Gucci gear. Sinner carried a custom duffle bag crafted by HEAD and designed by Gucci to the men’s singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
Sinner will play Australian Alex de Minaur tomorrow 22 January at the Australian Open.
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We Cherrypicked the Best Elements of Luxury Resorts to Create the Ultimate Fantasy Hotel
Everyone has a favourite hotel—but what if you could create your own? We envision the ultimate place to stay, combining elements of the world’s most noteworthy openings.
Forget fantasy football—what about a heavenly hotel? Imagine you could create one from scratch, cherrypicking the best aspects of the world’s most noteworthy recent openings and reopenings, combined into the perfect, impossible property. That’s what we’ve done, from the best rooftop restaurant for supper to the only beach club where’s it’s truly worth basking in the sun, this is the world’s ultimate hotel. The only thing we can’t arrange: the chance to check in.
FACADE Capella Sydney
Australia
It took seven years to turn this local landmark—the building once housed the departments of education and agriculture—into a luxury hotel. A honey-coloured jewel in a precinct awash with appealing sandstone facades, its crowning glory, literally, is the gleaming, four-storey glass addition that perches atop the structure like an architectural tiara.
SUITES
The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel
New York City
After a full reimagining by Martin Brudnizki and its new operators, Malta-based Corinthia Hotels, this Upper East Side stalwart’s signature suites now include a quartet inspired by Central Park bridges. Mouldings nod to the structures’ architectural details, while hand-painted sketches inside the grandes armoires evoke the Ramble-adjacent Bow Bridge.
RESTAURANT
Le Rooftop at Royal Mansour Casablanca
Morocco
Relax on the 23rd floor of this Art Deco-inflected skyscraper hotel and you’ll not only enjoy astonishing views over the water and toward the towering Hassan II Mosque, but you’ll also find yourself rubbing elbows with the coolest crowd in the city. Snag a sofa on the terrace before sundown and linger all evening.
LOBBY
Peninsula London
England
Hong Kong’s Peninsula hotels are renowned for their fleet of high-end classic cars—a personal passion of billionaire owner Sir Michael Kadoorie. No wonder he struck a deal with Surrey’s Brooklands Museum for his latest opening in London: not only is the Claude Bosi-operated restaurant named in its honour, but the institution also makes available a rotating selection of outstanding vintage vehicles—most recently, a Bentley Blower and a Napier-Railton—for display in the eatery’s dedicated lobby, close to the Concorde nose installed overhead, sourced from Kadoorie’s personal collection.
BEACH CLUB
Borgo Santandrea
Italy
The dearth of standout beaches is the Amalfi Coast’s dirty secret, so this is a remarkable asset: walk down through the terraced, lemon-tree-filled gardens of this Gio Ponti-inspired hotel bolted to the steep cliffs by Conca dei Marini, and you’ll stumble upon its own beach club attached to the property. The restaurant sits in a renovated boathouse; feel free to snip some herbs from the mismatched pots filled with sage and basil.
SPA
Meritage Resort and Spa
Napa Valley
The naturally formed 2,044 m² Estate Cave, located 12 m underground, was already spectacular—its extensive menu of treatments includes both cave-stone massage and guided breathing and meditation sessions—but the $37 million rehab of this establishment thankfully doubled the size of the adults- only pool in front of Spa Terra.
POOL
One&Only Za’abeel Dubai
UAE
This gravity-defying infinity pool, sitting atop the cantilevered link between the hotel’s two towers, has a clubby vibe, swim-up bars and sunken seating pods—and the fact that it’s Instagram catnip doesn’t hurt either.
Photos by ADRIAN GAUT; BORGO SANTANDREA; PENINSULA LONDON; WILL PRYCE.
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Hole In One
The Citizen Kanebridge VHG Golf Open Returns to The Southern Highlands This February.
The third annual Citizen Kanebridge VHG Golf Open Day is happening again this year at Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in the Southern Highlands on Friday, February 21. Players will tee off from 8 am for a day of unrivalled bucolic hospitality in the spirit of friendly competition.
The Open unites forces with the operators of Mount Broughton in Sutton Forrest to stage the popular day, in which teams of four enter to enjoy 18 holes of unadulterated fun.
Players will meet at the clubhouse, where—golf aside—they will be served breakfast, lunch and liquid refreshments throughout the day before heading back to Citizen Kanebridge Lodge for a special dinner, fun awards ceremony and more drinks.
Located just 10 minutes from the Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in Berrima, the stunning Mount Broughton course gives players—male and female, and ranging from amateur to semi professional—the chance to compete in a golf day with plenty of high-jinks and food along with way.
The event is part of the new offering from Citizen Kanebridge, a private membership club based in Sydney. Citizen Kanebridge allows members to have access to the Robb Report Club(RR1) based in the United States of America, Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in the Southern Highlands of NSW, and The Royal Automobile Club of Australia (RACA) in Circular Quay, Sydney.
Members interested in Golf Open Day, may enquire by reaching out to leanne@citizenkanebridge.com.au. For more information on Golf Open day, you can download the information brochure here.
Love golf? jump to our golf connoisseurship package from the Spring 2024 issue of Robb Report ANZ.
