The house is not just huge, it’s hugely huge.  Considered to be the world’s most expensive ever built anywhere, it is estimated to have cost over $1-billion.  At 27 stories high, it towers over its Mumbai neighborhood, soaring 570 feet to the sky.  The prestigious architectural firm of Perkins-Will reportedly designed it as it was being built, with no two floors in the structure alike.  At first glance, some have compared it to a child’s Lego project.  A further look reveals its detail, but there’s no debate that it definitely stands out.

The ultramodern house is built on an acre plot on an uber-expensive street which boasts one of the world’s highest property values.  A few statistics:

• About as tall as an average 60 story residential building
• 400,000 square feet, about the same size as four Walmart stores
• 168 car garage on six floors, with a seventh floor for vehicle maintenance
• 50 seat theater
• 2 Refuge Floors to be used for rescue in emergencies
• Three helicopter pads
• An air traffic control center
• Health club with gym and yoga studio
• Swimming pool
• Ballroom
• Several guest apartments
• Ice room with manmade snow flurries to fight the Mumbai heat
• 9 elevators in the lobby
• Staff of 600
• Beautiful view of the ocean.  And of the surrounding Mumbai slums.

It’s said that the foundation of the building has been designed to allow an additional 60 stories to be built.

He shares the home with his wife, his three children and his mother.  Those who know him say this ostentatious display is out of character for him.

A view from the neighborhood.  All we’re wondering is how long it takes the elevator to get to the top floor.

Chris Hughes- Age 28, born in Hickory NC, the only child of a salesman and a public school teacher.  He attended America’s oldest private school, Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, and later, Harvard University, during which time he cofounded Facebook before graduating.  After cashing out of Facebook, he developed the online MyBarackObama.com political campaign for the 2008 presidential race and was instrumental in choreographing its successful online outreach.  Later founded Jumo, a social media site dedicated to connecting individuals with non-profits to create a resource for positive change.   In late 2011, he released Jumo’s source code to allow the public access to its functionality, availing work on the more than 250 social causes in its basket, from “human trafficking to childhood obesity.”  Recently he became publisher and editor in chief of New Republic Magazine, a 100 year old entity highly respected in the journalism world.  Estimated net worth after IPO:  $1.1 billion.

Dustin Moskovitz – Age 27, born in Gainesville, FL, he grew up in a middle class family.  He attended public school at Vanguard High, where he graduated from the IB Diploma Programme, a two year course of study which qualifies students for entry to higher learning.  He later attended Harvard University where he studied economics for two years.  After meeting Mark Zuckerberg and forming Facebook, he dropped out to work further on Facebook.  He later left the group to pursue other ventures.  He invested in several internet startups and launched Asana, a concept he described as doing for your workplace what Facebook does for your personal life.  Asana has been embraced by the silicon valley elite and is currently being used by Twitter, Uber, Foursquare, NationBuilder, Rdio, LinkedIn and others. He’s signed on to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s Giving Pledge to invite the richest Americans to commit to donate the majority of their wealth to charity.  He also has started Good Ventures, a philanthropic foundation dedicated to charity.  Estimated net worth after IPO:  $7.6 billion.

Eduardo Saverin – Age 30, born in Sao Paulo, Brazil to a family of affluence.  A childhood kidnapping threat against him prompted his family’s move to Miami, where he received his education at Gulliver Academy, a private college prep school. He later graduated from Harvard magna cum laude. While an undergrad at Harvard he took advantage of lax Brazilian insider trading laws to make $300K from oil investments. He co-founded Facebook with Zuckerberg and was its first CFO.  He later became estranged from Facebook after a financial controversy of shares, and his court case was eventually settled with a non-disclosure agreement.  In recent years he’s taken residence atop the tallest building in Singapore, where he is well liked in social circles and enjoys Singapore’s nightlife with his longtime girlfriend. He has recently renounced his U.S. citizenship allegedly to avoid paying taxes on earnings from the pending Facebook IPO.  Estimated net worth after IPO:  $4 billion.

Mark Zuckerberg – Age 27, born in White Plains, NY, to a psychiatrist mother and a dentist father.  As one of four children, he attended public school before transferring as a junior to the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy where he excelled in math and science. By graduation, he spoke and wrote four non-English languages including Latin and ancient Greek, and was captain of the school fencing team.  He later attended Harvard before dropping out to further develop Facebook.  The rest  is history.  Estimated net worth after IPO:  $17.5 billion.

Little known Zuckerberg facts :

• While in high school, he was offered jobs by Microsoft and AOL as well as $1 million to continue developing a media player app
• He doesn’t own a TV
• He’s red-green colorblind and sees blue the best.  Facebook Blue
• A recent Facebook bug exposed private pictures of him, including one at the White House with President Obama.

If there is a moral to this story, it is that an excellent education does seem to matter, especially if there is a brilliant and creative mind to take advantage of it.

The stars have already begun arriving early.  By the beginning of the festival, the exclusive resort destination is expected to be invaded by over 30,000 film industry professionals, shadowed by several thousand paparazzi and journalists.   While all of the French Riviera can be considered expensive, Cannes gives special meaning to the statement “If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can’t afford it,” It is a consumer’s paradise where it’s not uncommon to see little white haired ladies driving their Ferraris out on shopping trips.

The main street, La Croisette, has been described as Rodeo Drive on steroids with a beach.  On a stroll there you’ll find top luxury hotels, restaurants and designer shops, all providing the ultimate opportunity to spend.  For the Film Festival, hotels book at top rates, averaging more than $1100 per night. Expect dinner to start beyond $300 for the chicken.  And if you are looking for a cocktail, hotel bars are as good a place as any to stargaze.  The top nightclubs generally sell drinks by the bottle for your table, and that is taken care of as part of your admission, so expect to drop upwards of $500 before you get your first sip.

Is catching a glimpse of Brangelina or Clooney worth it?  You call it. We will see you on La Croisette.  Au revoir.

Kanye West at The Cannes in 2011 in a $1.7 Million Dollar 1 of 75 Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss

]]> http://www.privatejetscharter.net/blog/2012/05/cannes-is-not-for-those-who-cant/feed/ 0 http://www.privatejetscharter.net/blog/2012/05/holiday-destinations-that-are-worth-the-bundle-they-will-cost-you/ http://www.privatejetscharter.net/blog/2012/05/holiday-destinations-that-are-worth-the-bundle-they-will-cost-you/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 18:45:50 +0000 admin http://www.privatejetscharter.net/blog/?p=1185 Continue reading →]]> Traveling can cost a bundle but when money is no object what are the best and most lavish places to visit? Well, the following are several over the top holiday destinations that are well worth the fortune that they will cost you.

If you have ever thought of seeing Paris then you will want to check out the over the top suites and amenities at the Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris. (pictured above)  This location offers amazing hotel suites at amazing prices you can stay in one of these lovely suites for a mere 20, 000 dollars per night for the Imperial Suite.  This amazing suite offers all the luxury and comfort of home including 24 hour room service, a steam room shower, kitchenette, dining area, work area, computer with flat screen, whirlpool bath, massage table, and a full line of cutting edge entertainment equipment.

If Paris isn’t your cup of tea then perhaps a stay at the Rania is more up your alley.  This luxury resort is located in the Maldives.  The five figure rate offers guests not only an incredible experience but unlimited spa treatments, hours of yacht travel, and all the meals and beverages they can consume.  And if you are looking to get a good deal on a stay at this incredible resort then plan to visit in the off season.  In April you can come and enjoy the same amazing experience for a mere $8,000 per night.

Looking for a U.S. destination that offers it all then consider a stay at the Mansion at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  Rooms here start at only $5,000 per night.  This location offers extravagant accommodations, incredible amenities, and service that is out of this world.  When it comes to staying here though, while the per night fee is relatively reasonable there is usually a minimum stay requirement at this facility.

Other hotels that offer incredible amenities and loads of extras include the Eden Rock in St. Barts, the Laluna in Grenada, and the Altamer in Anguilla.  The personalized service at all of the above locations when combined with the incredible accommodations makes each of these locations places that are worth their weight in gold.

This means more accessibility to those tropical island paradises that everyone loves.  Not just the more popular touristy destinations like Bermuda and Barbados but also those secluded islands with only 10 or 20 guests per week.  With very few people around you can be as free as you want and enjoy that romantic getaway without worry or interruption.  Sure you can get to these islands off a commercial flight but usually you will still have to get on a private boat or plane to arrive on the island itself and if you choose to fly commercially you will very likely have several transfers to make in order to arrive at your destination.  The more transfers the more potential problems.

It is for this reason that most people prefer taking a private charter flight to their holiday destination, especially when they are staying in a destination that is somewhat off the beaten path.  Let’s face it, no one wants to start or end their tropical paradise holiday with hassles and headaches.

A private charter flight is always an excellent investment but when traveling to a more remote island destination it serves as by far the best and most direct way to get where you need to go and get started on your holiday fun more quickly.  A tropical holiday can only be enhanced by a private charter flight and even if you do choose to go to a more remote destination you will still find that your holiday begins as soon as you step foot on a private charter flight.  Instead of serving as just a way to get you to your destination it serves as part of the overall experience.

Whether you come from old money or have been fortunate enough to get an inheritance or win the lottery, you will likely find that some people will act like your best friend in order to get a piece of what you have.  Whether they want to join you on a lavish holiday or go on an all expenses paid shopping spree, you may be wondering…do these people really care about me or are they simply in it for the money? It can be something that really eats at you and sometimes one of the best ways to find out if a friend is a true friend or just along for the ride is to test the friendship, either by withholding funds or limiting the amount that you are sharing and spending on that individual.

In most cases, where at all possible it is best to make sure that the acquaintances you have know very little about your wealth and this can be accomplished by playing it down, especially during the getting to know you phase of any friendship or relationship.  Offering to pay for someone, especially on the very first outing is a bad example to set and it is instead better to allow the other party to pay or to go dutch even if it means going to a less extravagant place.

When it comes to spending, most people who have money don’t mind sharing it with those that they love.  They enjoy spoiling others and while there is nothing wrong with doing this it is important to realize that when you start flashing the money many people will come running and they are not in it because they care about you but simply because they see you and your money as a way to get what they want.  Being generous and giving is a wonderful thing but limit your generosity to those who really care about you.  In the long run this will allow you to be free of the leeches that are just hanging around you for what you have instead of who you are.

Being on the go does take its toll and it is important if you are a person who is on the go constantly that you take some initiative to pamper yourself a bit.  Many companies don’t have company planes anymore simply because they are very ostentatious looking to customers and clients and in today’s world of private charter companies you can have just as convenient a service by using one of these companies and it may even wind up costing a company less in the long run.  On a private jet, unlike on a commercial airline flight you will find that you have the opportunity to not only fly in a way that accommodates your need and schedule, such as working your flight around your son’s Little League game or your daughter’s ballet recital.  But it also allows you to pamper yourself a bit while in the air and on board you may wish to have takeout from your favorite restaurant, a new release movie, or even have a massage therapist, manicurist, or hair dresser fly along with you to take care of your needs while you are relaxed and on your way to a business meeting or to manage an overseas branch of your business.

There are also things that can make the separation easier and having a high tech cell phone and laptop computer can allow you to feel more secure in knowing that you can keep in touch with your family any time of the day or night.  These devices can allow you to not only talk freely but can also enable you to see images from home.  Some travelers actually keep pictures and videos of their family in the memory of their phone so that they can view them while they are away.

Traveling can be tough so it is important to make sure that you bring along items that can not only feed your mind but also nurture your soul.  Books, photos, and daily affirmations in addition to your favorite lotion or scent can help to make you feel more at home and boost not only your spirits but your energy as you travel as well.

These days if you want to succeed in business then traveling is very likely on your list of things to do.  In order to make the most out of your travel you really need to make sure that you travel in a way that works not only to accomplish your business goals but to replenish your spirit and energy as well.  Taking care of yourself is the best way to ensure happiness in all areas of your life.

As for the times you travel they are up to you and usually will be accommodated for when ever possible as long as you are able to plan in advance.  Last minute flights tend to have a few extra restrictions.

If you want to plan other aspects of your flight then you can very simply by working along with the private charter customer service agents.  They can help you plan every aspect of your travel and will arrange for your favorite movies, food, music, and anything else to be on board on your travel day.  They can also accommodate special requests such as pets to be on board or a special service such as a hairdresser, manicurist, or masseuse to travel with you and attend to your needs while in flight.  Nursing staff needed for someone ill or incapacitated, not a problem your private jet staff will be glad to help.

Need special arrangements while on the ground; your private charter company can even accommodate these needs.  They can book hotel reservations, get a table reserved at a top restaurant, or even help you find tickets to that sold out event.  Need someone to meet you at the airport? How about your own car and driver? Well, just let the charter company know and they will have it ready and waiting for you.

There are so many companies out there that are willing to offer you a flight plan and experience all your own.  Why settle for anything less than exactly what you are looking for?

This is one thing that happened in Vegas that I wish actually stayed there….