This Week's Luxury Travel News: July 20, 2012

  Auberge du Soleil

As compiled from Andrew Harper’s twitter feed, @HarperTravel. Please note that news about upcoming properties does not constitute endorsement from Andrew Harper.

• New reception area at Auberge du Soleil.

• Small Luxury Hotels of the World adds 13 properties.

• Most of the 210 new Four Seasons Beijing residences are sold.

• No place like home - Pritzkers are planning on opening a luxury boutique hotel in Chicago.

• Safari-Style Tented Camp opening in Colorado's Dunton Hot Springs.

• Four Seasons George V introduces new penthouse suite.

• Seabourn's guest speakers for their World Cruise 2013 include Christopher Buckley.

• Harper Blog - Three Irish Classics: Donegal Tweed, Bushmills Whiskey and Belleek Porcelain.

• Annual Skytrax rankings of the world's best airlines.

• Four Seasons Lion Palace in St. Petersburg looks remarkable.

• Virgin Atlantic now running direct flights from London to Cancun (cue Mr. Branson in a mariachi hat).

• Copenhagen's Noma restaurant is moving to Claridge's (for a short while, anyway).

• Small Luxury Hotels achieved a 6% rise in room night sales and a 7% increase in revenue for the first half of 2012.

• As always, wonderful photos of the Garden & Gun retreat at Blackberry Farm.

• Park Hyatt coming to St. Kitts in 2015.

• New Lanesborough video.

• Photos - Helicopter Departure Lounges of Peninsula Hotels.

• The secret to the success of the Blackberry Farm residences? No sheetrock.

• Lively discussion of GM change at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok over at FlyerTalk.

• Harper Blog: Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa.

• "I am one of only two female GMs who work for the St. Regis." San Francisco GM Toni Knorr interview.

• Kahala Resort hosting a Julia Child centennial tribute next month.

• New Paul Gauguin cruise ship launching this December - The Tere Moana.

• Twin Farms expanding number of family weeks.

• Trump Aberdeen Golf Course opens in Scotland (hotel very much delayed).

• Amanresorts' Adrian Zecha launches new China-based Ahn Luh hotel & residences brand.

• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Gets New Executive Chef.

• Four Seasons' new Toronto flagship to have iPads in every room.

• New York Times In Transit Blog: Andrew Harper's App Points the Way in Paris.