If you love luxury travel then you’ll love Varun Sharma – London-based travel journalist and the urbane, sophisticated host of The Luxury Travel Show.  Now in full production for his new series Inside Luxury Travel, Varun travels the world over to famous hotels and resorts, giving armchair travelers a true taste of the good life – Varun style.  Check out Varun’s Daily Diary or the Leica website blog to follow his travels.

Varun’s special gift is talking with the owners and staff who know these luxurious locations the best – walking the grounds with them, learning details about the history, the planning and the effort made to provide a unique and luxurious experience to guests.  Of course Varun gets the chance to enjoy a bit of leisure and pampering himself.  You can’t help but smile as he stands on a  marble veranda overlooking a beautiful scene or sitting down to a lovely meal in a breathtaking setting  – he is so clearly enjoying the experience.  Varun, we know exactly how you feel, and if we can’t be there ourselves then watching you is the next best thing.  We know when we go there it will be just as special!

We caught up with Varun last week and he kindly answered questions about his favorite places, his travel plans for the next few months and details about Inside Luxury Travel:

Lexy: Of all the places you’ve traveled, do you have any favorites you could return to again and again?

Varun:  I am always asked this question … and actually I have found three places where I would quite happily breathe my last breath….

- Sonora Island in Vancouver … stunning vistas, fishing, wonderful accommodation, clean air … heaven!

- The Royal Malewane in South Africa – the greatest safari experience on Earth

- Four Seasons Tented Camp – Thailand –elephant heaven!

Lexy:  Is there any place you haven’t been you’d jump at the chance to visit?

Varun:  Antarctica … and it’s on the list for this year!

Lexy:  Where will you be traveling in the next few months – and how can we follow you?  Where are your shows currently broadcast?Varun:  Scotland, Hawaii, Texas, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Cannes, New York … at least .. in 2010… with MUCH more in 2011.

Varun also mentioned that he plans an episode about traveling with pets and we hope to see him with his beloved Gemima, pictured with Varun at the top of this post.   For fans in the United States, Varun has 36 hours of shows not yet seen in the US that will air during late 2010 so we have lots to look forward to – and can’t wait! 

Varun Sharma is the host of Inside Luxury Travel - a television show that focuses on high-end travel.  The show airs in over 160 countries, in 18 languages and is beamed into 390 million homes worldwide.  He has now stayed in over 500 luxury hotels & resorts … and has in the past year flown in a fighter jet, gone diving – without a cage – in Tiger Shark infested waters, had dinner with a dingo and has cooked with over 50 Michelin-starred chefs!  He likes nothing better than playing a round of golf with his pooch Gemima by his side, cigar in mouth and flask of single malt Scottish whisky to hand!