Season 1
Inside Luxury Travel with Varun Sharma: The Finest Collection is a British documentary travelogue television series in which host Varun Sharma seeks out the finest hotels the world has to offer.
The series is a spin-off of Inside Luxury Travel with Varun Sharma.
Inside Luxury Travel with Varun Sharma: The Finest Collection premiered in South Africa on DStv's Travel Channel on Sunday 9 March 2008, at 18h00. There are 13 half-hour episodes in the series.
Synopsis
Varun Sharma is back with his pick of the most memorable and exclusive places to stay around the world.
Varun manages to find the only suite in Tokyo with its own swimming pool – yes, his suite has the pool.
Tucking into his $150 sandwich at the Ritz-Carlton, Varun must shudder at the thought of budget travel.
Episodes
Episode 1: Monaco 1
When your hear the name Monaco, you probably think of Formula 1, super yachts, the Casino and James Bond, but Varun Sharma shows us that along with all the glitz and glamour, there's real culture in the Principality.
In this episode we visit The Hotel de Paris built in the 19th century which is the oldest and most famous hotel in Monaco if not Europe.
Varun tours the Wine Cave which has the largest private wine collection in Europe and largest wine collection of any hotel in world.
He then interviews the Tourism Supremo, Michel Bouquier,who gives him an overview of things to do and see in Monaco and visits the legendary Musee Oceanographique.
Next we're off to the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, the newest property in Monaco. Varun explores the hotel before visiting Prince Rainier IIIrd's car collection.
Varun then interviews Gildo Pastor from Venturi,the fastest electric road sports car manufacturer on Earth and visits the SS Delphine, an amazing yacht charter.
Episode 2: Monaco 2
In this episode we visit The Metropole Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Monaco. Varun cooks with Michelin winning chefs Joel Robouchon and Christophe Cussac before some personal shopping with a local expert.
Next we're off to The Hermitage. Varun checks in and discovers this amazing hotel includes the largest Spa in Europe - The Thermes de Marin.
Next he hires a fitness instructor before diving with the legendary Pierre Frolla. He ends up driving the "F1" circuit with racing legend Frank Sytner.
Episode 3: London 1
Varun Sharma is back in his home town of London. In the first epsiode, he samples the world's most expensive perfume available at the legendary Fortnum and Mason, he puffs on his favourite cigars at Davidoff, loops the loop in an aerobatics dream machine and back on Earth makes friends with the penguins at London Zoo.
Episode 4: London 2
Next up, Varun tries out Denbies, a world-beating winery just an hour from London.
He has a shirt made for him by the world's top tailor and after discovering Canary Wharf, heads up to the home of golf – for, as he puts it, "one of the most special days of my life"...
Episode 5: Hong Kong 1
Arriving by private yacht, Varun stays at the finest urban residential spa in the world, The Plateau Spa.
He goes sightseeing around Hong Kong on a zippy speedboat, and tries his hardest to paint in an Art Jamming session before moving to the newly refurbished Mandarin Oriental. Here, he tries the painful but soothing cupping treatment.
He ends the show in Ocean Park where he plays with a pair of girls ... well, female dolphins anyway.
Episode 6: Hong Kong 2
At the Four Seasons, Varun tries out tai-chi, learns to make dim-sum and finds out why Jade is to the Chinese what diamonds are to Westerners.
He arrives by private helicopter at The Peninsula Hotel on Kowloon Island.
After exploring the hotel, he takes a cooking lesson at Zuma followed by a lesson in how to make the perfect pavlova before ending his stay on a junk on Victoria Harbour.
Episode 7: Tokyo 1
Varun Sharma arrives at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Japan's capital city and after looking round the hotel heads to one of the most fascinating cooking features he's been part of with Chef Jeff Ramsey - a culinary magician.
He then heads over to the Seiyo Ginza and old friend Lloyd Nakano. Together, they take a luxury Tokyo journey - traditional tea ceremony, golf and finally karaoke in a river boat.
Episode 8: Tokyo 2
First, Varun visits the newest luxury hotel in Tokyo, The Peninsula. His suite is stunning with views over Hibiya Park and the Imperial Palace Gardens.
He’s chauffered to an Iaido lesson where he learns to use a very sharp samurai sword.
Varun ends his visit at The Four Seasons, Marunouchi where he takes a bike ride around the Imperial Palace, visits the Tsujiki Fish Market and enjoys an entertaining culinary tour around Tokyo's most famous restaurants.
Episode 9: Los Angeles 1
Varun Sharma starts his Los Angeles adventure at the Raffles L'Ermitage Hotel. He plays with and eats chocolate at Madame Chocolat, the most famous confectioner in LA.
He also heads down to Venice Beach to the most unusual luxury car rental company in the States.
Varun then moves into the famous Beverly Wilshire opposite Rodeo Drive. He drives a Porsche at 180 mph round the California Speedway ... and gets kissed by a sea-lion.
Episode 10: Los Angeles 2
Starting off at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, Varun checks out the most luxurious doggie hotel in the world.
He then heads off to Orange County and to the Montage at Laguna Beach, one of Varun's favourite resorts in the world.
He tries his hand at tai-chi, kayaking and even glass blowing.
Episode 11: Miami 1
In one of his favourite cities in America, Varun Sharma begins his stay at The Setai on South Beach. He stays in a suite with amazing views.
He checks out the Art Deco area of Miami and takes a flying lesson. He then moves into the Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne.
He also checks out Miami nightlife and ends his stay being scared by a cassowary and being kissed by an orangutan...
Episode 12: Miami 2
In this episode Varun starts his stay at Fairmont Turnberry Isle where he plays golf - or tries to.
He then learns to drive a packer boat and checks out the most amazing vintage couture boutique in the world.
Varun's final stay is at The Mandarin Oriental, Miami where he cooks with the award winning chef Clay Conley. Varun checks out the "Versace Mansion" and finally throws himself out of a plane at 13,500 ft.
Epsiode 13: A look back from Four Seasons Hampshire
Varun looks back on his favourite moments from the series with his ever faithful canine friend Gemima, from the glorious Four Seasons in Hampshire.