The entrance of the 45 Park Lane Hotel, London, a Forbes Five-Star hotel
If you're planning a trip to London in the near future, Forbes Travel Guide has some insight to share. The international star-rating company released its first ever star-ratings for London last week, and the results are nothing short of luxurious.

In total, London brought eight Five-Star ratings to the city, ranking London in the top five cities with the greatest Five-Star concentrations (New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Shanghai round out the top five in the world).

The six luxury hotels in London with Five-Star ratings are:

• 45 Park Lane
• Claridge’s
• Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
• The Dorchester
• The Lanesborough
• The Savoy

Luxury is limitless, especially when it blends the best of all words: travel and retail. So when French crystal company Baccarat announced it was planning to open high-end residences, hotels and spas, luxury lovers around the world perked up.

In a statement released by Baccarat, the company plans to open six hotels, resorts and residences by 2016. The locations have been set:

• Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York (2014, shown right)
• Baccarat Hotel & Residences at Dubai Pearl in UAE (2016)
• Baccarat Residences Shanghai in China (2016)
• Baccarat Hotel Rabat, Morocco (2014)
• Baccarat Spa Resort Marrakech (2015)
• Baccarat Resort & Residences Marrakech (2016)

There's luxury travel, and then there's "dreams come true" in luxury travel. This post has a little bit of both.

Imagine walking into your luxury hotel room in the heart of the one of the most fashionable cities in America and finding a closet, pre-stocked, with your favorite designer labels in your size and style. Heaven. In a hotel. All for you.

That's the concept from Miami's newest luxury resort, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and Residences, and their partnership with Neiman Marcus.

The new service is a spin on the traditional idea of personal shopping. Neiman Marcus, which is located directly across the street from the resort in the trendy Bal Harbour Shops, will personally style a guest's closet in advance of their stay, with items hand-picked from that guest or chosen directly from a Neiman Marcus personal stylist, based on guests' taste and preferences.

Want to travel the world? Have one million dollars to drop? If yes to both, there's a trip waiting for you and it's quite possibly the first of its kind, and the world's most expensive.

Pursuitist, luxury blog dishing about all things opulent, published the details of this trip, which includes a two-year travel package for two people that hits all of the UNESCO’s World Heritage sites for $1.5 million. Here's what the blog had to say:

The luxury trip will take in all of UNESCO’s spectacular 962 World Heritage Sites, including the Taj Mahal in India, the pyramids in Egypt and the Forbidden City in China as well as less internationally known sights such as the painted timber houses in Halsingland, Sweden and Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in the US state of Illinois.

In total the trip will span 157 countries and take two years, during which time the couple will stay in hotels such as Sandy Lane in Barbados, Hotel George V in Paris and The Plaza in New York.

As part of the package, a donation of $7,500 will be made to UNESCO during the trip.

Check out all the details from Pursuitist.com.

Readers: If you had $1 million, where would you travel to?

Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod is the newest Mass. hotel to join the Forbes Travel Guide Star List

Looking for the best of the best in hotels, restaurants and spas? The annual Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings List was released this morning, highlighting the properties around the world that hold the coveted stars.

In Massachusetts, Blantyre Resort, Boston Harbor Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Boston, and Mandarin Oriental, Boston lead the pack of Five-Star hotels. Four-Star hotels include XV Beacon and the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common. Joining the rank of Four-Star properties this year is the Chatham Bars Inn, including its spa and restaurant.

The Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards recognize exceptional hotels, restaurants and spas around the world. This year, the list also includes Forbes Travel Guide "recommended" hotel, restaurants and spas. These are properties that haven't been given a star rating, but that "provide guests with a strong sense of location, whether through style or function," according to Forbes. For the complete list of Five- and Four-Star properties around the world, click here. Below are the highlights from New England:

The grand dam on the fashionable Avenue Montaigne in Paris is taking luxury style to a new level as it prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday.

Since Plaza Athénée's opening in April 1913, it fast became a melting pot for the fashion elite, international diplomats and luxury travelers from around the world. It's been home to Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Jacqueline Kennedy and Hollywood A-listers including Josephine Baker, Grace Kelly and more. Christian Dior first set up his couture salon here, and Chanel, Nina Ricci, Chloe, Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton soon followed with stores on the trendy Avenue Montaigne. Today, the Avenue Montaigne is synonymous with designer luxury, and the Plaza Athénée is the meeting point for French hospitality and Parisian glamour.

I recently visited the hotel during a trip to Paris. The rooms are draped in elegant adornments such as bronze lamps and crystal chandeliers. While some of the carpets, drapery and fabrics look tired, it's all part of a magical mystique that floats through the hallways of this enchanting hotel. The rooms overlook either the Eiffel Tower or the Plaza Athenee's own garden, which becomes an ice rink in winter (see more photos below).

One of the hotel's signature suites. Here, the living room windows perfectly frame the Eiffel Tower.

Plaza Athénée is the place to stay if you fall to extremes. The see-and-be-seen crowd will love the creative cocktails and people watching at Le Bar du Plaza Athénée, while those looking for an escape will appreciate the hotel's spacious rooms, plush bathrobes, and butler service. At Plaza Athénée you can remain front and center, or retreat into a much needed luxury escape.

Couples suite at The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Boston

What better way to warm up during the cold weather months than at your favorite spa. Most spas at luxury hotels are open to visitors and locals, so there's no reason why you shouldn't treat yourself to a little rest, relaxation and hydration at your favorite spa. Think of it as a mini-day break, and indulge!

Here in Boston, The Spa is Mandarin Oriental is offering a Rose Renewal experience (perfect as a Valentine's Day gift, and available through the end of February). The Forbes Five-Star spa has everything from crystal steam rooms to heated lounge chairs and one of my favorite relaxation rooms in the city. The Rose Renewal experience is $230 on weekdays and $250 on weekends, and includes a 1 hour 20 minute Rose Indulgence Body Wrap or Rose Massage with a revitalizing exfoliation.

If you're up for a spa escape, Conde Nast recently released its annual Spa Poll -- a ranking of the top spas around the world that from more than 46,000 readers. Below are the top 10 spas in the U.S.:

There's no better time to plan beach vacations than in the heart of winter in Boston. While you do run the risk of overlapping with Spring Break crowds and family vacations, Florida can offer some pretty unique experiences (South Beach, aside).

Take in a little bit of refined luxury at the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, with its "Bridle Meets the Beach" package. Combining elegant efforts, the luxury hotel is a sponsor of the 2013 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, the largest and longest running horse show in the world.

The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach's equestrian package includes:

• Overnight accommodations on the Ritz-Carlton Club Level
• Overnight valet parking
• Daily Internet access in guest room
• Eau Spa Self-Centered Garden pass
• One complimentary night - stay for four nights and pay for three
• Gift from Tamara Comolli Fine Jewelry Collection and a personal consultation upon visiting the store

Luxury awaits in the Laurel Suite at Blantyre Resort, named one of the top hotels in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts has another set of awards to be proud: some of the best hotels in the U.S. are located right here in the Bay State. US News ranked the top hotels in Massachusetts based on an "unbiased analysis of awards, expert recommendations and user ratings," according to their site. Out of 55 luxury hotels, nine scored high enough to make the U.S. News list of the Best Hotels in the USA.

Here are the top 10 hotels in Mass., including some commentary from U.S. News:

1. Mandarin Oriental: Recent guests describe the hotel as "sensational," "outstanding," and "special."
2. Four Seasons, Boston: The Four Seasons Hotel Boston is known for catering to even the most discerning of luxury-seekers.
3. Blantyre Resort: Recent visitors say they felt like royalty during their stay.
4. Wequassett Resort and Golf Club: Guests rave about everything from the amenities to the guest room decor and superb staff.
5. The Wauwinet: Popular with honeymooners, The Wauwinet sits in a quieter northern corner of Nantucket island.
6. Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf: When it comes to describing this waterfront hotel, guests use words like "wonderful," "gorgeous," and "excellent."
7. XV Beacon Hotel: If you're looking for extravagance, then the XV Beacon can certainly oblige.
8. Hotel Commonwealth: This stylish boutique hotel features spacious accommodations, sumptuous Italian linens, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs.
9. The White Elephant Nantucket Island: The White Elephant has been a favorite of Nantucket's bluebloods since the 1920s.
10. Chatham Bars Inn: The Chatham Bars Inn is been a cozy oceanfront retreat that beckons Cape Cod visitors with its laid-back luxury.

Check out the entire list of top rated Massachusetts hotels.

Related stories:
Top hotels for food lovers
Top destinations for 2013

Readers: What's your favorite hotel in Massachusetts?

The Queen Elizabeth 2, known to most as the QE2 that sailed the Atlantic for almost 40 years and recently was docked in New York City, will soon become a 400-room luxury hotel in Asia.

According to a Bloomberg report, plans to convert the ship to a five-star hotel are underway:

“The QE2 is not being scrapped, quite the opposite,” Oceanic Group Managing Director Daniel Chui told reporters in Dubai today. “We will lavish many, many millions of dollars on this magnificent ship to restore her the splendor of her glory days.”