Dominican Republic Strengthens French Tourism Market with New Air Caraibes Agreements

New York is the place to be for the holidays—storied in movies and books.

Swim-up junior suites at Riu Palace Macao Hotel (Photo Credit: RIU Hotels & Resorts)

For over ten years, the Jaipur, India-based brothers and founders of Trunks Company, Priyank and Paritosh Mehta, have been on a mission to revive the steamer trunk and support local artists who make them. This week, they’ll be exhibiting 11 of the most ornate examples of the company’s work at the Salon Art + Design fair at thePark Avenue Armory, from a library trunk with quilted leather lining that’s embedded with speakers and lit with LED spotlights to a hand-painted red, white and navy blue Games Island Trunk that unfolds to become a tiny casino featuring amusements like Jenga, poker and chess. About a dozen craftspeople work two to three months on each of the trunks, which are meant to be statement pieces in a home rather than accompanying their owners on a trip, says Paritosh. “We’ve been commissioned to craft a trunk in the shape of the Taj Mahal Palace by the hotel, and to make a trunk for a collector to display his watch collection,” he says. “We’re building a whole lifestyle around heritage trunks.” Next year, though, the company plans to debut its most practical collection to date: hand-painted trunks with wheels that one can actually travel with.

United Airlines announced the launch of its international winter schedule with 50 additional daily flights compared to last winter.

Looking for a hotel offering something really special for the holidays? Check out the The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue. This year the hotel is celebrating the holidays with unique room packages and interactive Christmas decorations. This luxury hotel, famous for its Fifth Avenue decor, is enhancing its holiday experience, with elements like Paddington bear and family-focused packages.

With its red window awnings as iconic as red-bottomed Louboutins, the Plaza Athénée has long stood as a beacon of French splendor from its perch along the Avenue de Montaigne in Paris. Since it first opened its doors in 1913, its sumptuous accommodations, white-gloved hospitality, and emphasis on culinary excellence have become so celebrated and beloved by both tourists and locals alike that the Plaza—officially the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Dorchester Collection—is now more than a Parisian landmark: It’s a travel destination in itself.

Tens of millions of travelers fly across large oceans annually. It’s routine these days. Main routes, such as between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and Heathrow Airport in Hounslow to the west of London, see over a dozen nonstop flights a day in each direction. The massive airports that serve them have multiple terminals connected by their own rail systems to move both people and their luggage. Thousands of workers start shifts before dawn and stay on duty until the last airplane has safely departed. More than 76,000 people work at LHR as flyers know it.

If you are searching for a unique getaway in the Caribbean, Casa de Campo may be the perfect choice. The sprawling complex covers over 7,000 acres and has multiple room options ranging from ocean-front villas with private pools to newly opened Premier Club suites with special perks. The larger villas have ten bedrooms, welcome guests with Moet champagne and a personal butler. Golf carts are the preferred mode of transport and all rooms have extremely comfortable beds, luxuriously appointed bathrooms and super-fast Wi-Fi.

Get ready for watery thrills on Norwegian Cruise Line's next new ship.

Luxury trains can easily compete with five-star hotels these days. They boast beautiful living quarters and around-the-clock services, exquisite design, and just as many comforts as you’d find in a ritzy presidential suite in New York or Paris.

As you budget for a trip, the list of expenses to consider is long. Sure, there are the big-ticket costs, from airfare to lodging to theme park tickets to car rentals, but as every traveler knows, that's often just the beginning. Airline fees, resort charges, food, souvenirs, highway tolls and other extras drive up the overall cost of a trip.

Arajet, the Caribbean's budget-friendly airline, has now officially commenced operations in Canada and will now be offering direct flights between Toronto and Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.