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☆ They bought a huge rundown Italian castle and transformed it into a luxury retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“And to think that we never wanted a castle, never wanted to own one.”Castle homeMax and Joy Ulfane spent years renovating neglected Tuscan fortress Castello di Fighine into a luxury retreat. Although it was dilapidated and filled with rubble, the Ulfanes saw huge potential in Castello di Fighine and felt it was the right place for them. Castello di FighineThe Ulfanes later decided to purchase some of the rundown houses in the surrounding hamlet, and began renovating them once they’d completed most of the work on Castello di Fighine. They went on to purchase the hamlet’s old village school, and have since transformed it into a high-end restaurant, Ristorante Castello di Fighine. Built in the 11th century as a military lookout, Castello di Fighine is connected to the main road by one single unpaved public path.

☆ Tesla? Caviar? Boots? At These Resorts, Everything’s Included
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Danielle Braff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The all-inclusive resorts are happy to oblige. “Primarily, the difference is in the location, the higher level of accommodations and more personalized guest services — not to mention bragging rights,” said Mr. Fareed, the hospitality consultant. Big-name hotel brands including Marriott and Hyatt are entering the scene with their own ultraluxe all-inclusives. W Hotel (part of Marriott) is planning its all-inclusive Dominican Republic debut in 2025, while Hyatt is opening its new Inclusive Collection portfolio of resorts in Portugal, Mexico and Bulgaria. It follows in the footsteps of the Château de Villiers-le-Mahieu, an upscale all-inclusive estate that opened its doors in 2019 in a wooded park 45 minutes outside Paris.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are Apple's newest high-end smartphones. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: CamerasBoth the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Pixel 7 Pro sport triple-lens camera systems, including main, ultrawide, and zoom cameras. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Battery lifeThe iPhone 14 Pro Max (left) has better battery life than the Pixel 7 Pro (right) Antonio Villas-BoasThe iPhone 14 Pro Max has one of the best results we've seen in our battery life test at 67% remaining. iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Special featuresThis is where Google's Pixel 7 Pro comes into its own when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. iPhone 14 Pro Max Google Pixel 7 Pro 128GB $1,099 $899 256GB $1,199 $999 512GB $1,399 $1,099 1TB $1,599 N/AiPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 7 Pro: Which should you buy?

☆ The live volcano sitting below Santorini
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Everywhere you look on Santorini, you’re reminded that you’re on a volcano. Few realize that beneath the hypnotic kaleidoscope of colors lies an active volcano. The East Mediterranean’s most active underwater, and potentially dangerous, volcano, Kolumbo, is five miles northeast of Santorini and part of the same volcanic system. They include a visit to the volcano of Nea Kameni: one of five islands that form the Santorini volcanic complex, and a national geological park in itself. A simmering volcanoTourists can take boat trips to Nea Kameni, home to an active volcano.

☆ 'A massive record-breaker': A plot of sand the size of half a football field just sold for $34 million on a luxury Dubai island
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A plot of sand in Dubai half the size of a football field sold for $34 million, per Bloomberg. The 24,500 sq ft plot — about half the size of a football field — is on Jumeirah Bay Island, a man-made island in the shape of a seahorse. Jumeirah Bay Island is man-made, like the World Islands and Palm Jumeirah. GooglePrices on Jumeirah Bay Island are so expensive because there were only 128 plots originally put on offer. By comparison, there are thousands of homes on the tree-shaped Palm Jumeirah island, and 300 in the World Islands archipelago.

☆ JPMorgan just killed Wall Street's WFH dreams
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But do you think execs will be OK with their subordinates working remote while they are stuck in the office? Plenty of others, most notably Goldman Sachs' David Solomon, have touted the importance of being in the office (blah blah mentorship model blah blah). Now JPMorgan just laid the blueprint for everyone else to force their own employees back in. Here are more details, including the internal memo, on JPMorgan forcing MDs back into the office. Salt Labs wants to help low- and medium-income workers build wealth via an app that operates like a frequent-flyer program.

☆ Brazil could suspend social media sites over school violence content
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 12 (Reuters) - Brazil could fine or suspend social media companies that do not effectively regulate content related to school violence, Justice Minister Flavio Dino said on Wednesday. The new measures, set to be published through an ordinance on Wednesday, seek to curb threats of school violence in the country, which have soared after two separate attacks left five dead in recent weeks. The Supreme Court is currently discussing this law's scope and validity. In March, Meta Platforms (META.O) and Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O) appeared before Brazil's Supreme Court to defend the law, while the government looks to expand regulation over social networks. Dino said Brazil's consumer secretariat will immediately start determining each company's responsibility in proactively regulating harmful content to students.

Deal Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (256GB) Amazon’s $200 deal on the Galaxy S23 Ultra is an all-time low price for Samsung’s most powerful smartphone to date. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: Performance and battery lifeBoth the Galaxy S23 Plus (left) and Galaxy S23 Ultra (right) have the same performance, but the Galaxy S23 Plus surprisingly has better battery life. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: CamerasOne of the Galaxy S23 Ultra's main differentiating factors is its camera system. Galaxy S23 Plus Galaxy S23 Ultra 256GB $999.99 $1,199.99 512GB $1,119.99 $1,379.99 1TB N/A $1,619.99To be sure, Samsung and carriers (especially carriers) offer tempting trade-in deals for your old phone to offset the cost of a new Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which should you buy?

☆ This leaked Fyre Festival pitch deck shows how Billy McFarland was able to secure millions for the most overhyped festival in history
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Mark Abadi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A leaked sales deck for 2017's Fyre Festival contains the pitch CEO Billy McFarland gave investors ahead of the failed event. The sales deck contains misleading information about Fyre Festival and has been described as "beyond parody." Fyre Festival was advertised an upscale music festival in the Bahamas, complete with luxury beach villas, gourmet food, private jets, and supermodels and influencers galore. The pitch deck was first reported on in 2017 by Vanity Fair's Nick Bilton — who uploaded the full deck online — and recirculated on LinkedIn. Read on to see some of the most shocking, outlandish, and surreal slides from the Fyre Festival pitch deck.

☆ Meet the real-life manager of the luxury hotel in Sicily where 'The White Lotus' was filmed, with rooms starting at $2,000 a night
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Lorenzo Maraviglia is the general manager of the hotel where "The White Lotus" Season 2 was filmed. He told Insider what the show gets right about his job and where it embellishes reality. That's because the renovated 14th-century convent overlooking the Ionian Sea was the central filming location of the hit-TV drama — and it's all hotel guests want to talk about. "It's funny because in "The White Lotus," Jennifer Coolidge gets killed on the cruise — so I don't know how inspiring that can be." Sabrina Impacciatore plays the hotel manager Valentina in "The White Lotus" season 2.

Samsung's Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus only differ in size, battery life, and storage options. If you prioritize battery life, though, you should opt for the larger Galaxy S23 Plus. Choosing between the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus can simply boil down to size preference — if you prefer smaller phones, the Galaxy S23 is your champion, and those who prefer larger screens should gravitate toward the Galaxy S23 Plus. Just know to expect longer battery life on larger phones, like the Galaxy S23 Plus. Deal Samsung Galaxy S23 (128GB) Amazon is taking $100 off the Galaxy S23 (2023), the entry model in Samsung's flagship smartphone series.

That's why it's difficult to recommend casual iPad users to spend $270 more for the iPad Air series. Still, the 2022 iPad Air is our mid-range pick for the best iPad. Conversely, the 2022 iPad Air is the value champion for power iPad users. Deal Apple iPad Air (2022) With its powerful processor and mid-level pricing, the 2022 iPad Air is a little overkill for running simple, popular apps and video streaming. Get the 256GB iPad Air, or the base 64GB iPad Air if you don't need the storage.

Amazon is currently hosting deals for Samsung's latest Galaxy S23 phones, including the standard Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra, for a limited time. And the Galaxy S23 Ultra that typically costs $1,200 is down to $1,000 — that's $200 off, and the same regular price as the Galaxy S23 Plus. Deal Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (256GB) Amazon’s $200 deal on the Galaxy S23 Ultra is an all-time low price for Samsung’s most powerful smartphone to date. Deal Samsung Galaxy S23+ (256GB) Save $150 on Amazon for the Galaxy S23+, a larger-screen version of the S23 (6.6 inches versus 6.1). Deal Samsung Galaxy S23 (128GB) Amazon is taking $100 off the Galaxy S23 (2023), the entry model in Samsung's flagship smartphone series.

☆ See the 6 private islands in the Caribbean owned by cruise lines with amenities like water parks, luxury villas, and private beaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Hannah Towey | Brittany Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

And of course, cabanas can be rented at an extra cost. It wouldn’t be a private island owned by a cruise line without some paid amenities, after all.

Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: ScreensThe Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have very different screens. Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: Performance and smart featuresThe Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro run on the same processor, which helps run the same set of smart features that Google’s Pixel phones are known for. Antonio Villas-Boas/InsiderPixel 7 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: Battery life and chargingThe Pixel 7 surprisingly showed a better result than the bigger Pixel 7 Pro in our battery test. Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: PriceThe Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro differ pretty dramatically in price, with a steep $300 delta between each model's storage options. Pixel 7 Pixel 7 Pro 128GB $599 $899 256GB $699 $999 512GB N/A $1,099Pixel 7 vs. Pixel 7 Pro: Which should you buy?

Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm, GPS) The Apple Watch Series 8 now features a temperature sensor, car crash detection, and low-power mode, making it an even more powerful fitness tracker slash smartwatch. While the original Fitbit Sense had a small touch-sensitive haptic button on the left-hand side of the watch, Fitbit added a physical button to the Fitbit Sense 2, which is easier to operate, especially during workouts. Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Smartwatch performanceThe Fitbit Sense 2 was clearly built with health and wellness in mind but beyond that, its smartwatch capabilities are limited. Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Battery lifeAntonio Villas-Boas/Rick Stella/InsiderOne of the main reasons you'd want the Fitbit Sense 2 over the Series 8 is its battery life. The Apple Watch Series 8 costs $100 more than the Fitbit Sense 2 but you get a more full-featured smartwatch.

☆ Inside the world of high-end crypto rehab centers, where a 4-week stay can cost you $320,000 and no luxury is spared
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Nidhi Pandurangi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Crypto addiction is like a "casino in your pocket" says the founder and CEO of The Balance, a crypto rehab center. Enter: luxury crypto rehab centers. It calls itself the "world's best luxury rehab center and mental health clinic" and a "safe haven where you can find recovery, peace, rest, and happiness." The Diamond rehab center, ThailandAnd then there's the property's luxury offerings: a spa, golfing, boat trips, and sporting activities. The Diamond rehab center, ThailandThe Diamond started offering crypto rehab services at the beginning of 2021.

You can still buy the Apple Watch Series 3, even though Apple no longer supports it. For a budget Apple Watch with better value, we recommend the 2022 Apple Watch SE instead. Apple Watch SE (2022) The second-generation Apple Watch SE is Apple’s new reigning budget smartwatch. Antonio Villas-BoasThe 2022 Watch SE replaced the Series 3 as the entry-level Apple Watch. Considering that the Apple Watch Series 3 is still functional and very good for the most basic tasks, some buyers might overlook its discontinued support.

☆ In homeland of Pope Francis, long absence prompts prayers for return
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] Catholic faithfuls pray during a mass at the Basilica San Jose de Flores, where Pope Francis used to attend in his childhood, in Buenos Aires, Argentina March 6, 2023. Some in Argentina claim Pope Francis as a Peronist, part of the powerful political movement forged by Juan Domingo Perón in the 1940s based on social justice values. She accused him of taking sides politically and once avoided him by shunning a traditional Mass in Buenos Aires. "We shouldn't rule out the possibility that (the pope) is concerned his presence will sharpen the political divide," De Vedia said. Bergoglio, he pointed out, had gained the nickname "Papa villero" - Pope of the villas - due to his closeness with the people.

☆ Dozens of sanctioned superyachts seized from Russian oligarchs still hang in limbo, racking up millions in maintenance
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Grace Kay | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Seized yachts owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs hang in limbo as US and European authorities decide next steps. Annual maintenance for some of the yachts costs as much as $115.6 million. Earlier this week, CNBC reported that billions of dollars in oligarch's assets — from yachts and villas to private jets — are still frozen. And while the Russian oligarchs are still technically responsible for paying for yacht maintenance, they're unlikely to fork over the maintenance cost or authorities will encounter difficulty collecting the funds due to sanctions on financial transactions with the billionaires. According to Maltby, the maintenance cost of a yacht usually totals about 15% to 20% of its overall value.

The iPad Air and iPad Pro are ideal options for users with intensive workloads. A few months later, the company introduced the sixth-generation iPad Pro, which stands as the most powerful and responsive tablet in Apple's current lineup. On top of that, the iPad Pro includes Apple's ProMotion high-refresh-rate display for a silky smooth experience when navigating and working on the tablet. When deciding between the iPad Air or iPad Pro, there are additional details to consider, like Face ID versus Touch ID, storage options, cameras, and USB-C data transfer speed. iPad Air (2022) vs. iPad Pro (2022): Specs compared

☆ Seized assets of Russian oligarchs including yachts, villas and private jets remain in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSeized assets of Russian oligarchs including yachts, villas and private jets remain in limboCNBC's Robert Frank reports on the legal hurdles in seizing Russian oligarch yachts and villas.

☆ The most expensive home in the Caribbean just listed for $200 million – take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ray Parisi | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It's located on the small private island of Mustique, which lies in the southern Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Last year, Mustique's largest transaction was recorded at about $35 million, according to de Mallet Morgan. Here's a closer look at the most expensive home to ever hit the market in the Caribbean. The Bali Cottages house four more guest bedrooms and surround the estate's third swimming pool. De Mallet Morgan said the estate is currently operated by 18 staff.

☆ Perfect Valentine: Part of Croatia's heart-shaped island up for sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GALESNJAK, Croatia, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Part of Croatia's unique heart-shaped Adriatic islet nicknamed by tourists the Island of Love is up for sale. There are no hotels, villas, or restaurants on the islet, but many celebrities and their yachts frequent Galesnjak every summer. Proceeds from the sale would be invested elsewhere in the local community, he said. "The island has an area of 142,000 square meters and slightly over 40,000 square meters is up for sale for the price of 13 million euros," he said, adding that potential buyers are calling every day. In 2019, scientists from the Department of Archaeology of Croatia's University of Zadar discovered traces of human habitation dating back 7,000 years ago.

You can earn Marriott points from paid stays, co-branded credit cards, or flexible points transfers. How to earn Marriott pointsEarn points from Marriott Bonvoy hotel staysThere are plenty of different ways to earn Marriott points, but let's start with the simplest: earning points on hotel stays. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy4X Marriott Bonvoy Points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stayComplimentary Gold Elite statusA Free Night Award (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) after making $15,000 in purchases per year.

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